Permanent Residents Research Articles

Analysis of current state and development trends of the tourism sector in the regions of the North Caucasus, Russia

The territory of the south of Russia, within which the North Caucasus Federal District is located, is a most suitable zone for the development of tourism and recreation due to its natural, climatic and geographical components. In this regard, identifying the potential of the tourism sector in the North Caucasian Federal District as one of the promising areas is an urgent task under modern geopolitical conditions.To analyze the level of saturation of the tourist infrastructure of accommodation and the demand for its services in the North Caucasus Federal District, the following indices were calculated: the number of places for tourist accommodation per 1000 permanent residents; number of tourists staying in accommodation facilities per 1 sq. km of territory; number of tourists staying in accommodation facilities per 1000 permanent residents; number of places to accommodate tourists per 1 sq. km. territories.Based on the analysis of the state and development of the tourism sector, as well as the calculated values of tourism infrastructure indices, the main trends in the development of the tourism sector and the problems of its functioning have been identified, which will make it possible to more effectively manage the existing unique tourist, recreational and ethnocultural potential of the territory.The positive dynamics of the main indicators in recent years indicates an increase in the attractiveness and competitiveness of the North Caucasian Federal District as a tourist destination. The analysis of statistical data allows us to draw conclusions about the reorientation of tourist flows from the central regions of Russia to the regions of the North Caucasus.

The Key to Success in U.S. Immigration Applications: Essential Preparation and the Importance of Copywriting for EB1A and NIW

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the EB1A (Extraordinary Ability) and NIW (National Interest Waiver) visa categories, which offer a pathway to U.S. permanent residency for exceptional professionals and researchers. It highlights the importance of thorough preparation, effective documentation, and compelling copywriting in the application process. By demystifying the criteria and steps involved, the article aims to equip applicants with the knowledge and strategies necessary to enhance their chances of success. Case studies are presented to illustrate successful application strategies and common pitfalls to avoid.

Childhood migration and educational attainment: Evidence from Indonesia

Millions of families migrate every year in search of better opportunities. Whether these opportunities materialize for the children brought with them depends on the quality of the destination that their parents selected. Exploiting variation in the age of migration, I analyze the impact of destination quality on the educational outcomes of childhood internal migrants in Indonesia. Using Population Census microdata from 2000 and 2010, I show that children who spend more time growing up in districts characterized by higher average educational attainment among permanent residents tend to exhibit greater probabilities of completing primary and secondary schooling. Moreover, educational outcomes of migrants converge with those of permanent residents at an average rate of 1.7 to 2.2 percent annually, with children from less educated households benefiting more from additional exposure. My findings suggest substantial heterogeneity of returns to childhood migration with respect to destination.

PTH receptor signalling, osteocytes and bone disease induced by diabetes mellitus.

Basic, translational and clinical research over the past few decades has provided new understanding on the mechanisms by which activation of the receptor of parathyroid hormone (parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R)) regulates bone physiology and pathophysiology. A fundamental change in the field emerged upon the recognition that osteocytes, which are permanent residents of bone and the most abundant cells in bone, are targets of the actions of natural and synthetic ligands of PTH1R (parathyroid hormone and abaloparatide, respectively), and that these cells drive essential actions related to bone remodelling. Among the numerous genes regulated by PTH1R in osteocytes, SOST (which encodes sclerostin, the WNT signalling antagonist and inhibitor of bone formation) has a critical role in bone homeostasis and changes in its expression are associated with several bone pathologies. The bone fragility syndrome induced by diabetes mellitus is accompanied by increased osteocyte apoptosis and changes in the expression of osteocytic genes, including SOST. This Review will discuss advances in our knowledge of the role of osteocytes in PTH1R signalling and the new opportunities to restore bone health in diabetes mellitus by targeting the osteocytic PTH1R-sclerostin axis.

Research on privacy leakage of celebrity's ID card number based on real‐name authentication

AbstractThe Internet real‐name system is widely implemented among Chinese Internet users, and many commonly used apps in China exist the functions of real‐name authentication. However, our study found that many apps do not have effective restrictions on user's operations of real‐name authentication, resulting in users being able to frequently perform unsuccessful real‐name authentication attempts. This vulnerability can help an attacker crack celebrity's ID card number by enumeration attacks, and a feasible cracking method was proposed in this paper. First, the information of birth date, birth place, and life experiences of a celebrity is collected from the platforms that display celebrities' personal information (e.g., Wikipedia, Baidu Baike, etc.). In this process, an information extraction method is used to infer permanent residences from life experiences. Then, the possible ID card numbers of a celebrity can be constructed by using the information of birth date, birth place, and permanent residences. Finally, these possible ID card numbers will be verified by sending requests to platforms that have vulnerabilities in the function of user real‐name authentication, until the real ID card number of a celebrity being cracked. This paper conducted cracking experiments on two groups of celebrities. The first group of celebrities is collected from the news events of privacy leakage that were publicly available online, and the second group of celebrities is randomly selected from two encyclopedia platforms. The experimental results showed that the success rate of cracking the ID card numbers of celebrities is 53.9%, which verified the effectiveness of the proposed cracking method. Besides, this paper proposed some security precaution suggestions to solve this security problem, and the implementation, feasibility, potential impact, expected effectiveness of these measures were also analyzed. To our knowledge, our paper is the first to point out the issue of privacy leakage of celebrity's ID card number caused by apps' real‐name authentication functions in China. We believe that our research will attract widespread attention from society regarding celebrity's privacy information protection.

SOMATIC STATUS AND BODY COMPOSITION OF YOUNG WOMEN OF THE ALTAI REPUBLIC LIVING IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS

Introduction. Due to the wide variety of ethnogeographic features and ecological niches, environmental differences as well as changes in living conditions, the study of the morphological status of indigenous populations of Russia retains its significance. Our aim was to study the somatic status and BIA body composition of young women of Altai and Russian ethnicities aged 17-23 years living in urban and rural areas of the Altai Republic. Materials and methods. In 2021–2023, 230 young women aged 17 to 23 years (117 Altai-Kizhi and 113 Russians) living in urban and rural areas were examined. The examination program included anthropometry, the Heath-Carter somatotyping, and BIA. Ethnic differences and city-village differences were assessed using parametric and non-parametric methods. Results. Ethnically Russian women were, in general, somewhat larger than Altai women, significant differences were found for height (Ht), weight (Wt), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Significant differences were also observed for the resistance R50, phase angle and fat-free mass (FFM) values. The somatotype distributions by enlarged classes were close with a predominance of mesomorphic and endomorphic types. When testing for city-village differences in ethnic subgroups, the total body dimensions (Wt, Ht, chest circumference), as well as WC, hip circumference (HC) and body mass index were slightly higher in urban residents (not significant differences). The urban Altai women had a statistically significantly higher endomorphy rating with a noticeable increase in fat mass (FM), %FM and fat mass index. Ethnic differences were more pronounced in rural (Ht, Wt, HC, WHR, R50, phase angle, FFM and fat-free mass index were significantly different) than in urban residents (significant differences only for Ht and FFM). Conclusions. The results of our study suggest that permanent residence in urban or rural areas, along with ethnic differences, is a significant factor associated with the somatic status of young Altai-Kizhi and ethnically Russian women belonging to the modern indigenous population of the Altai Republic. In the subgroup of young women who are inherently living in the city, less pronounced ethnic differences in somatic status were observed as compared to residents of rural areas. © 2024. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Features of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Residing in the Far North

Aim: To evaluate the features of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients in the Far North and determination of the potential impact of extreme climatic factors on the development of coronary atherosclerosis. Material and Methods. Using the “Register of performed coronary angiography operations”, 5,679 patients with coronary artery disease were selected, who underwent coronary angiography at the Tyumen Cardiology Research Center. The main study group consisted of 2,590 patients permanently residing in the YamaloNenets Autonomous Okrug and 3,089 patients residing in the South of the Tyumen Region. Results. Patients with permanent residence in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug were on average younger (53.20 ± 7.49 versus 56.79 ± 8.34 years, p < 0.001), men were more common among them. In the extreme North there were more smokers (40.7 vs. 32.0%, p < 0.001) and alcohol users (19.7 vs.15.0%, p < 0.001), and more frequent myocardial infarction in anamnesis (57.1 vs. 48.2%, p < 0.001). At the same time, in patients permanently residing in the South of the Tyumen Region, a burdened hereditary history of CAD was more often determined, and the frequency of arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia was higher. In groups balanced by baseline clinical and demographic characteristics, including CAD risk factors, patients from the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug had more frequent lesions of the three main coronary arteries: anterior descending artery (42 vs. 35%, p < 0.001), circumflex artery (25 vs. 23%, p = 0.038) and right coronary artery (42 vs. 38%, p = 0.007). It should be noted that in balanced groups in patients permanently residing in the Far North, occlusive lesions of the coronary arteries were statistically significantly more likely to be determined (54 vs. 47%, p < 0.001). Also, between the compared groups, statistically significant differences were found in the type of left ventricle (LV) myocardial remodeling, but these differences were not determined in the balanced groups. Also, in the group of patients permanently residing in the Far North, there was a trend towards a decrease in the LV ejection fraction (53.6 ± 8.6% vs. 54.2 ± 8.7, p = 0.074).Conclusion. In patients with verified coronary artery disease living in the Far North, a more frequent and pronounced atherosclerotic lesion of the coronary bed is determined. These pathological changes are probably due to the complex impact of unfavorable natural and climatic environmental factors.

Prevalence of hypertension, blood pressure control and influencing factors in residents aged 35-75 years in Jiangsu Province

Objective: To understand the prevalence, blood pressure control, and influencing factors of hypertension in residents aged 35-75 years in Jiangsu Province, and provide data support and basis for hypertension prevention and treatment. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was adopted to conduct community population surveys in 22 districts and counties in 12 prefectures in Jiangsu from 2021 to 2022. A total of 123 531 permanent residents aged 35-75 years were included in the study. The questionnaire survey collected the information about the demographic characteristics, disease history, lifestyle, and control of hypertension of study subjects. Statistical software SPSS 23.0 was used for χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis, and Joinpoint 4.9.1.0 software was used to evaluate the trend of age change. Results: The standardized prevalence of hypertension in study subjects was 46.60%, the prevalence was higher in men than in women, and in rural residents than in urban residents, and the standardized blood pressure control rate was 11.24%, and it was lower in men than in women and in rural residents than in urban residents. The hypertension prevalence and control rates showed increasing trends with age (both P<0.001). The multivariate analysis results showed that being man, older age, being rural resident, higher frequency of alcohol consumption, marital status of being separated and widowed, overweight and obese, abdominal obesity and stroke, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemic diseases histories, and family history of hypertension were risk factors for hypertension, and being man, being rural resident, living north area, higher frequency of alcohol consumption, and obesity were risk factors for blood pressure control. Conclusions: The prevalence of hypertension in residents aged 35-75 years in Jiangsu was high, and the rate of blood pressure control was low. It is suggested to take integrated intervention measures, especially in in rural residents and people with low levels of education to reduce the disease burden of the patients.

A cross-sectional survey of first-aid kit equipment in a family in Sichuan, China

PurposeTo examine residents’ first-aid kit preparation and its influencing factors.DesignCross-sectional survey.MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted among 449 permanent residents in Sichuan Province using convenience sampling. We examined participants’ demographic characteristics, self-efficacy, health literacy, and personality.FindingsOf the participants, 111 (24.7%) stocked a home first-aid kit. The most frequent supplies were disinfection supplies (91.9%), common medicines (86.5%), and dressing supplies (76.6%). Family per capita monthly income, medical expenses payment method, chronic diseases, general self-efficacy, and health literacy were influencing factors of family first-aid kit preparedness.ConclusionA multilevel and interactive emergency literacy education system should be established to improve residents’ abilities to prevent emergencies.

Park Heritage of the Island of Krk between Urban Transformations and Climate Change

The island of Krk in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia, is also called the Golden Island because of its favorable geographical location, the diversity of natural and urban landscapes, the beauty of the coast and the sea, the wealth of tangible and intangible heritage, and especially because of the opportunities for living and working. During the last century and in this century, urban landscapes have been exposed to dramatic changes that transformed old castles or former smaller settlements of the local population into tourist centers and desirable places for permanent or temporary residence. A significant part of their complex structure is the cultural and historical heritage, within which the island’s park heritage has so far been insufficiently recognized and valued. Therefore, this paper examines forty selected public park spaces in the area of all local self-government units of the island of Krk in the context of urban transformations and climate change. It is concluded that the island’s park heritage has often been created as a result of urban transformations in which, despite being exposed to constant changes, it is mostly preserved, but that recently, new elements of this heritage are emerging. A new challenge is the threat of the consequences of climate change—increasingly frequent and long-lasting droughts, extreme precipitation and flash floods, stormy winds, rising sea level and salinization, which further emphasizes the need to preserve the park heritage of the island of Krk in the context of resistance to climate change.

At the gate to Australia’s heavenly peace: Asian racialization and Australia’s Tiananmen Chinese

ABSTRACT This paper considers the racialization of Asians in Australia through the dialectic of the “yellow peril” and “model minority”. It uses the specific historical case study of People’s Republic of China nationals in Australia at the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre (1989) who were ultimately given permanent residence. Through analysis of archival sources and Australia’s print media in this period (1989–1993), the article identifies how the Tiananmen Chinese were at once characterized as educated, hard-working and worthy additions to the Australian nation (model minority), while also appearing as a threat to the order and integrity of the immigration system (yellow peril). The article draws on Asian American theorist Colleen Lye’s argument about the economistic character of Asian racial form. By using her framework, I suggest the value of deepening engagements with Asian American studies in examining the racialization of Asians in Australia.

Diabetes in residential aged care: Pharmacological management and concordance with clinical guidelines.

Existing studies have highlighted suboptimal diabetes management in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). However, understanding of diabetes management in Australian metropolitan RACFs has been limited. This retrospective cohort study aimed to explore the pharmacological management of diabetes in 25 RACFs in Sydney Australia and assess concordance with clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Data from 231 permanent RACF residents aged ≥65 years and over with type 2 diabetes mellitus over the period from 1 July 2016 to 31 December 2019 were used. Concordance was measured by assessing the medications and medical history data for each individual resident for concordance with evidence-based CPGs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of resident characteristics on concordance with CPGs. Of the 231 residents with diabetes, 87 (38%) were not taking any antidiabetic medication. Pharmacological management inconsistent with CPG recommendations was observed for 73 (32%) residents, with the most common reason for non-concordance being the use of medications with significant adverse effects in older adults (47, 2%). Residents with hypertension or other heart diseases in addition to their diabetes had greater odds of their diabetes management being non-concordant with CPGs (OR = 2.84 95% CI = 1.54, 5.3 and OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.07, 6.41, respectively). Pharmacological diabetes management in metropolitan Australian RACFs is suboptimal, with a high prevalence of inconsistency with CPGs (32%) observed. Additionally, having hypertension or heart diseases significantly increased the possibility of non-concordance among diabetic RACF residents. Further investigation into the underlying relationships with comorbidities is required to develop better strategies.

Adherence to the treatment in patients with hypertension during the war in Ukraine

Background. The aim of the study: to investigate additional factors that affect the adherence to antihypertensive therapy in patients with hypertension in conditions of war in Ukraine. Materials and methods. The study included 1,299 hypertensive patients with an average age of 65.4 ± 14.8 years, who are residents of different regions of Ukraine. The observation period lasted 3 months, from October 1 to December 12, 2023. All patients were divided into four groups: I — a fixed three-component combination of olmesartan medoxomil/amlodipine/hydrochlorothiazide, II — a fixed two-component combination of olmesartan/hydrochlorothiazide, III — a fixed two-component therapy with olmesartan/amlodipine, IV — any other non-fixed two- or three-component antihypertensive therapy. Adherence to therapy was assessed after 1, 2, and 3 months and statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed. Results. During the first month of observation, 50 (3.8 %) patients stopped or did not even start taking antihypertensive therapy, during the second — 71 (5.5 %), during the third — 127 (9.8 %). Adherence to antihypertensive therapy is higher in younger people (up to 55 years) compared to patients aged over 65, in people with higher education, in patients taking fixed combinations, especially olmesartan/amlodipine, or olmesartan/amlodi-pine/hydrochlorothiazide, while gender had no effect on adherence. Additional factors related to adherence to antihypertensive therapy during the war were as follows: the level of danger in the region of residence, the internally displaced status of the patient or doctor. The lowest adherence to antihypertensive therapy after 3 months was registered in the internally displaced persons who suffered morally or physically and is only 34.5 % compared to patients who stayed in the place of permanent residence — 82.6 % (р = 0.0001), or to those who moved preventively — 74.3 % (р = 0.0001). Adherence to therapy also depends on the status of the doctor. Among doctors with the status of an internally displaced person, patients’ adherence to therapy is lower: 68.3 against 82 % (р = 0.0008). Conclusions. Adherence to antihypertensive therapy in Ukraine during the war depends on known factors influencing the completeness of the doctor’s recommendations, including age, educational level, concomitant diseases, the number of tablets, and specific factors caused by the war, such as activity of hostilities in the region, as well as the status of an internally displaced person, both in patients and doctors.

Shackled by Her Condition: A Comparison of American and Canadian Spousal Sponsorships and Conditional Permanent Residency

This paper analyzes the similarities and differences between Canadian conditional permanent resident status, which was recently repealed in 2017, and the current American approach to conditional lawful permanent residency. The paper engages in an analysis of how Canadian and American “permanent residency” status has often been shockingly temporary. The author argues that conditional permanent residency shackles immigrant women into abusive relationships while failing to adequately dissuade marriages of convenience or “sham” marriages.

The impact of motorways and public transport construction on residents’ satisfaction with neighbourhoods

Transport infrastructures serve as pathways to employment, amenities, and services, contributing to the economic development of societies and the broader landscape. Development projects are usually measured on economic metrics; however, they can have short-term and long-term impacts on wellbeing due to disruptions during construction and changes in accessibility after construction. This study investigates the impact of transport construction projects on the residents’ satisfaction with surrounding neighbourhoods. This study uses the longitudinal survey of Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia (HILDA) from 2002 to 2019 to monitor and model satisfaction with neighbourhoods for residents living in the vicinity of 11 major transport construction projects in Sydney, Australia. The variations in residents’ satisfaction with neighbourhoods are investigated at macro and micro levels. At the macro level, average satisfaction before during and after construction are compared against each other. At the micro level, two random effect ordered logit models are developed to explain satisfaction while controlling for residents’ sociodemographic attributes and major life events. Both highway and underground projects have been shown to improve overall satisfaction among all residents. However, during the construction phase for underground, satisfaction with neighbourhoods tends to decrease. The highway projects exhibit a positive effect on residents even during the construction phase, with a higher positive effect for permanent residents.

Dynamics of Long-Term Quality of Life After Treatment for Esophageal Cancer: A Community-Based Patient Study.

To characterize the pattern of post-treatment quality of life (QoL) for esophageal cancer (EC) survivors and construct models predicting their long-term QoL. On the basis of a randomized trial in an EC high-risk region in China, we interviewed 363 EC survivors and 25,245 permanent residents matched with the survivors on age, sex, and township as the baseline. QoL was measured using three-level version of European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions instrument. We constructed piecewise mixed models estimating the QoL of EC survivors that varied by age, sex, patient type, hospital level, and therapy to ascertain QoL determinants. The post-treatment QoL of EC survivors dropped by 15.7% within the first year and recovered by 9.3% between 1 and 9 years compared with the baseline. Therapy was found to be a determinant of QoL, and a series of therapy-specific models were fitted accordingly, which all showed the pattern of decreasing rapidly and recovering gradually. Endoscopic treatment had the least impact on post-treatment QoL (7.5% drop within 5 years) compared with esophagectomy (12.2% drop within 1 year) and chemoradiotherapy (37.8% drop within 2 years). The usual activities dimension showed the greatest impairment among those patients (34.4% drop within 1 year). This community-based study described the long-term QoL trajectory for EC survivors after different therapeutic modalities and constructed models to predict therapy-specific QoL at different time points after treatment. It provided new insights into decision making in treatment for EC from the perspective of QoL protection, offering a convenient tool for estimating quality-adjusted life-years.

Prevalence and predictors of multimorbidity in older adults, a community-based cross-sectional study.

Multimorbidity is a condition that refers to the coexistence of two or more chronic diseases or long-term medical conditions in an individual. It has become one of the key issues in the public health sector, particularly among older adults. So, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity and its associated factors among older adults. The present study was a community-based cross-sectional study carried out on the elderly population (≥60 years) in a rural area of the study district, Gujarat. The estimated sample size was 384, and the final sample size was taken as 420, considering the multistage sampling procedure for fair distribution. The eligibility criteria included elderly people ≥60 years old, who were permanent residents (living for ≥6 months) of the study district and willing to participate in the study. Elderly people who were not willing to participate in the study for their reasons were excluded. A multistage sampling procedure was used to choose the study participants. The data collection tools included a pretested, predesigned, semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: sociodemographic details and morbidity details. Categorical variables were described by frequency and percentage, and numerical variables were described by mean ± SD. Logistic regression analyses were applied to test the relationship of categorized independent and dependent variables, and all tests were two-tailed with statistical significance set at the probability value (P < 0.05). Out of the 420 study participants, 52.1% were male and 47.9% were female, with a mean age of 70.70 years (SD ± 8.18 years). The prevalence of multimorbidity was 50%, with males having a mean number of morbidities of 1.38 ± 1.06 and females having a mean number of morbidities of 1.44 ± 0.99. As the age increased, the strength of association of multimorbidity also increased. Literacy level, marital status, occupation (business, farmer, housewife), and family history were statistically associated with multimorbidity in the study participants in both bivariate and multivariate analyses (P < 0.05). The study provides valuable insights into the health status of the elderly population in the rural area and can be used to inform healthcare policies and interventions aimed at improving the health outcomes of this population.

How Can Transitional Housing Be Improved? Insights from Residents' Experiences and Perceptions in New York City.

Homelessness, affecting over half a million Americans, significantly elevates the risks of mental and physical health issues, consequently diminishing life expectancy when compared with the general population. Homelessness is a critical public health issue, and efforts are needed to address lack of housing as a social determinant of health. Transitional housing (TH) programs emerge as vital interventions, offering a place to stay with various support services to facilitate the transition to permanent residency. Nearly half of the unhoused population in the country and over 90% in New York live in TH or shelters. Despite the high utilization rates of TH, engagement with support services and opportunities for improvement remain poorly understood. This study aimed to fill this gap by examining the factors influencing support service usage and opportunities for enhancement through semi-structured interviews with TH residents in New York City to capture their lived experiences and perspectives. Analysis of the interviews (n = 20) revealed five main factors affecting service engagement that aligned with constructs of the socioecological model: intrapersonal (self-efficacy, chronic health conditions, mental health), interpersonal (parenthood and well-being of children with special needs, individual staff interactions, and communication), institutional (bureaucratic challenges, administrative burden, and living facilities), community (social isolation and educational opportunity), and policy (challenge meeting basic needs and undocumented status). Recommendations for bridging service gaps primarily arose at the institutional and community levels, offering critical insights for administrators to tailor services more effectively to TH residents' needs, thus contributing to the broader goal of advancing health equity among the unhoused.

Self-care behaviours of first-generation Chinese immigrants living with cardiovascular disease: A qualitative study.

To identify and describe self-care behaviours performed by Chinese immigrants living with cardiovascular disease in Australia, and factors perceived as barriers and facilitators to evidence-based cardiac self-care. A qualitative descriptive design. Individual semi-structured phone interviews were conducted among participants meeting the following criteria: (1) first-generation Chinese immigrants to Australia, born in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan; (2) Australian permanent residents or citizens; (3) self-reported or medically diagnosed with coronary heart disease, stroke or heart failure; (4) able to speak English or Mandarin; (5) able to provide informed consent, excluding those with history or evidence of impaired cognition such as dementia. Participants were recruited via social media, Chinese community associations and medical centres from September 2021 to June 2022. Data were analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis, guided by the Middle-Range Theory of Self-Care of Chronic Illness. The study was reported in line with the COREQ checklist. Twenty participants were interviewed, 60% female, mean age 69.9 years. Most migrated to Australia at older age following their retirement in China; most had limited English proficiency. Many practiced adequate self-care for their CVD in self-care maintenance and monitoring. Variously, they adopted heart-healthy diets, developed exercise routines, attended medical services and closely monitored their body signs and symptoms. However, self-adjusting medications, taking Traditional Chinese Medicine and self-administering health supplements were prevalent practices and first-response management of acute cardiac symptoms was suboptimal. Linguistic and cultural barriers to obtaining mainstream heart health information meant most participants resorted to informal, anecdotal and mainland Chinese sources. Diverse factors were held responsible for sub-optimal self-care behaviours but lack of access to linguistically and culturally appropriate heart health information was widely blamed. Linguistically and culturally appropriate community-based heart health education programmes are urgently needed, targeting healthy lifestyle modification, medication literacy and cardiac symptom management. Study findings can be used to improve cardiac nurses' cultural sensitivity and practices targeting Chinese immigrants. Partnering with Chinese community associations offers health service providers and policymakers an innovative route to co-design and deliver targeted heart health education interventions and support for this population. Chinese community centre managers contributed to data collection by supporting participant recruitment.

A Case Series and Literature Review of Alveolar Echinococcosis in Kashmir, India: An Emerging Endemic Zone for Echinococcus multilocularis.

A prospective study on 110 patients with echinococcosis at Dr. Khuroo's Medical Clinic, Srinagar, Kashmir, India, from March 2019 to April 2024 identified 12 cases (4 males, 8 females; mean age of 46.58 ± 11.97 years) of Alveolar echinococcosis (AE). Two patients were detected through ultrasound examinations carried out for unrelated causes; one presented with features of liver abscess, and nine had pain in the right upper quadrant for a mean period of 2.2 ± 1.79 years. All had the liver as the primary organ involved, with 15 tumor masses of a mean maximum diameter of 9.22 ± 3.21 cm and volume of 426 ± 374.61 cm3. Tumors placed centrally had invaded vessels and the biliary tract in eight patients, and those placed peripherally had invaded the liver capsule and adjacent organs in nine patients. Histologic examination of liver biopsies or resected organs revealed necrotic lesions, calcifications, and granulomatous inflammation with slender, thin-walled vesicles of bizarre configuration that stained strongly eosinophilic with periodic acid Schiff. Two patients had segmental liver resections; one was treated with liver aspiration, while the other nine with advanced disease received chemotherapy with albendazole along with praziquantel. Patients showed clinical improvement on a median follow-up of 12 months (range 1 to 60 months); however, MRI T2-weighted images and 18F-FDG-PET-CECT scans in two patients showed active disease on follow-up at one and five years, respectively. A systematic review detected 146 cases of AE in India from 1980 to April 2024. Twenty cases were from foreign countries, mostly from Central Asian republics, and 118 (93.65%) of the remaining 126 Indian patients were permanent residents of Kashmir Valley. The disease affected a population of 79,197 residing in 22 villages from 5 border districts of the valley. These villages were either high in or adjacent to the Himalayan mountain range. Disease prevalence in the affected population was 146.47/105 (males 131.53/105 and females 163.18/105) and the incidence was 12.41/105/year (males 11.16/105/year and females 13.81/105/year). Possible causes of the emergence of AE are discussed, and future directions for research to face this challenge arebeen identified.