Spatial Aspects Research Articles

Confrontation and cooperation between timber-imitating appearance and brick masonry in the Wuliang Hall: a case study of Manjusri Hall and Samantabhadra Hall of Longchang Temple

ABSTRACT The Manjusri Hall and Samantabhadra Hall of Longchang Temple in Baohua Mountain are representative of a series of Wuliang Halls, a distinctive architectural heritage type in China. To better understand the technical and artistic characteristics of the timber imitation by bricks of the Wuliang Hall, the spatial, formal, and structural features of the two halls are analyzed. Firstly, an accurate survey of the architectural heritage is conducted to obtain precise geometric dimensions, enabling analyses of spatial and formal aspects of the hall. Subsequently, the structural performance of the hall under static load is analyzed by finite element method. The results indicate that barrel vaults and arches of different sizes serve distinct spatial functions. The appearance form of the Wuliang Hall generally aligns with the style of the Ming and Qing official timber buildings, while the detailed construction methods may be adjusted due to material or structural considerations. Vault and arch structures are employed to adapt to brick masonry, but the sill walls, tops and imposts of arches and vaults are prone to tensile damage under vertical loads or seismic actions. These results could contribute to the interpretation of the technical motivations and human ideologies for Chinese masonry timber-imitating structures, and making conservation strategies for buildings of this type.

Space Analysis in Palaeolithic Cave Art: Towards a Multidisciplinary and Integrated Approach

We present a revision of the concept of space in Palaeolithic cave art. Previous research attempting to approach this notion encounters several gaps, which surface on multiple levels: subjectivity, vagueness, restrictions on its conceptualisation, its illustration (two-dimensional description and representation), among others. We reassess the key elements at play, interpretative attempts, and theoretical concepts to gain a better understanding of the notion of space as applied to cave art. This is achieved by examining the historiography not only in prehistory but also in related disciplines, integrating new theoretical approaches and insights from ethnoarchaeology, linguistics, cognitive science, and analytic philosophy. Following this analysis of the existing research, we propose a new method to address the aforementioned issues. This method relies on digital quantitative tools for spatial analysis and three-dimensional representation, such as geographic information systems (GIS) and 3D visualisation. Through the application of these advanced technological tools, we aim to offer a more comprehensive and precise representation of the spatial aspects in Palaeolithic cave art, enabling researchers to analyse and comprehend the complexities of spatial distribution in a systematic and quantitative manner.

INTEGRATION OF THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM OF LVIV OBLAST INTO THE EUROPEAN IN THE CONTEXT OF FORCED POPULATION MIGRATION

Transport logistics is designed to promote accessibility and mobility in society. When all the links in the system are in place, the movement of goods and services can be launched without additional intervention. However, sometimes situations arise that destabilise the logistics scheme in a particular transport network in one way or another. In Ukraine, this became apparent after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. The article reveals the system of factors that influence the process of integration of the transport system in a cross-border region and identifies indicators of transport infrastructure integration. The Russian-Ukrainian war has led to mass migration towards the European Union. Border crossing points became overloaded, which slowed down traffic during the crossing. Further, the number of trucks used to transport imports, such as military and humanitarian aid, increased. Queues to neighbouring countries, including Poland, also formed. The study describes the spatial aspects of the functioning of crossing points on the Ukrainian-Polish border, as well as the road and railway network of Lviv Oblast and Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Border crossing points for road transport are constantly loaded with heavy vehicles. The road and railway networks of the Lviv region are more extensive, which ensures high accessibility not only to close but also to remote points. The article examines motorways from the territory of Lviv Oblast to Poland. These motorways are laid to the Subcarpathian and Lublin voivodeships. The authors identify separate motorways and logistics hubs to speed up and make the connection between Ukraine and Poland more accessible. The first priority in such planning should be the creation of new border crossing points. Within the region, it is advisable to develop meridional roads from the state border towards mountainous areas. The study examines the number of buses among all international connections to Poland. The most regular is the Lviv – Warsaw Airport (Modlin) connection, which is associated with the active movement of migrants to one of the largest aviation hubs in Eastern Europe. It was determined that the westernmost end point of the bus service is Trier in Germany. There are no bus services from Lviv to Romania. The scientific publication presents railway lines of different categories (single-track diesel and double-track electrified) that connect Ukraine and Poland through the territory of Lviv Oblast. It has been established that the European gauge railway is included in the railway stations Mostyska-2, Rava-Ruska, Khyriv. However, most Ukrainian trains run to stations in Poland without changing wheelsets. This is typical for routes running from Lviv to Przemyśl. The achievement of the Ukrainian and Polish railway operators is to create interchange routes, for example, from Lviv to Warsaw. The potential of the Rava-Ruska railway junction needs to be developed by running other trains. The article mentions that Yurii Borsuk has been actively developing new connections, including Kyiv – Rava-Ruska with a transfer to Warsaw. The authors propose the idea of connecting Lviv and the nearest European cities using the European 1435 mm gauge. The article highlights the benefits of building the Mostyska-2 – Lviv railway. One of the important aspects of this connection could be the acceleration of export cargo transportation to the European Union. Keywords: transport system, railway infrastructure, road transport, integration, Ukraine, Poland.

UP‐GAN: Channel‐spatial attention‐based progressive generative adversarial network for underwater image enhancement

AbstractFocusing on severe color deviation, low brightness, and mixed noise caused by inherent scattering and light attenuation effects within underwater environments, an underwater‐attention progressive generative adversarial network (UP‐GAN) is innovated for underwater image enhancement (UIE). Salient contributions are as follows: (1) By elaborately devising an underwater background light estimation module via an underwater imaging model, the degradation mechanism can be sufficiently integrated to fuse prior information, which in turn saves computational burden on subsequent enhancement; (2) to suppress mixed noise and enhance foreground, simultaneously, an underwater dual‐attention module is created to fertilize skip connection from channel and spatial aspects, thereby getting rid of noise amplification within the UIE; and (3) by systematically combining with spatial consistency, exposure control, color constancy, color relative dispersion losses, the entire UP‐GAN framework is skillfully optimized by taking into account multidegradation factors. Comprehensive experiments conducted on the UIEB data set demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed UP‐GAN in terms of both subjective and objective aspects.

Evaluating handwriting in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD): Temporal, spatial, pressure and grip-force measures

BackgroundWriting involves complex sensorimotor and biomechanical processes that regulate pressure on the writing surface. Researchers analyze writing to understand kinetics and kinematics by evaluating temporal, spatial, and pressure aspects, yet discerning writing surface pressure and pen-grip force remains challenging. AimsTo compare handwriting kinetics (pen grip-force and surface pressure) and kinematics (temporal-spatial) of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) with those of typically developing (TD) children. Methods and proceduresTwenty-seven children with DCD aged 7–12 years and 27 TD children matched by age and gender copied a 29-word passage onto a computerized tablet. Temporal, spatial and surface pressure as well as pen grip-force were measured with a tablet and a wearable device respectively. Outcomes and resultsThe DCD group displayed significantly longer total writing time, mean letter time, and greater letter height, width, variance, spacing, area, and erasures than the TD group. Although there were no significant between-group differences in the surface pressure or maintaining pressure, the DCD group displayed weaker grip-force, p = .01, with greater variance. Conclusions and implicationsThe DCD group's weaker grip-force dynamics correlated with reduced legibility, form, and prolonged writing duration, revealing insights into handwriting mechanisms, particularly grip force, crucial for effective clinical interventions.

The Poor Integration Results of the Common European Asylum System Compared to the Temporary Protection Directive: The Case of the Netherlands

AbstractTaking the case of the Netherlands, we compare integration outcomes of the traditional asylum reception system (implementing the Refugee Convention), applied to, for example, Syrians and Afghans, and the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) which is applied to Ukrainians. We show that the TPD is not just less costly for receiving countries but also results in much faster labor market integration. While rapid integration is an important policy goal, the traditional asylum system is not effective, and talents are underutilized. We show how spatial and temporal aspects of the asylum procedures for Common European Asylum System (CEAS) refugees lead to slow integration, while Ukrainians under TPD work immediately and can build connections in Dutch society.

A Study on Spatiotemporal Evolution and Influencing Factors of Chinese National Park Network Attention

Due to advancements in information technology and growing eco-tourism demand, National Park Network Attention (NPNA) has emerged as a novel indicator of tourism appeal and ecological value recognition. Utilizing Baidu search index (accessed in 2023) data from 2013 to 2022, this study employs time series analysis, index analysis, and spatial statistics to measure and differentiate the spatial and temporal aspects of NPNA across 31 provinces, regions, and municipalities in mainland China, while systematically assessing the impact of various factors from both source and destination perspectives. Over the period of 2013 to 2022, NPNA has increased annually, peaking around holidays and during spring and autumn, demonstrating pronounced seasonality and precursor effects, while exhibiting volatility due to external events. Influenced by factors from both source and destination perspectives, the spatial distribution of NPNA displays a trend of being “high in the east and low in the west” and “high in the south and low in the north,” though regional disparities are diminishing. The population size in the source areas remains the dominant factor influencing NPNA, while the concept of national parks is not yet widely recognized. The destination’s tourism resource endowment, media publicity, accessibility, and level of informatization are significant influences. An effective integration of resources and marketing is essential for boosting NPNA. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the spatial layout of national parks, enhancing the tourism service system, innovating communication and promotional strategies, and improving national park governance effectiveness.

Using Machine Learning to Predict Pedestrian Compliance at Crosswalks in Jordan

This study employs machine learning (ML) techniques to predict pedestrian compliance at crosswalks in urban settings in Jordan, aiming to enhance pedestrian safety and traffic management. Utilizing data from 2437 pedestrians at signalized intersections in Amman, Irbid, and Zarqa, four models based on different ML algorithms were developed: an artificial neural network (ANN), a support vector machine (SVM), a decision tree (ID3), and a random forest (RF). The results have shown that local infrastructure and traffic conditions influence pedestrian behavior. The RF model, with its excellent accuracy and precision, has proven to be an excellent choice for accurately predicting pedestrian behavior. This research provides valuable insights into the demographic and spatial aspects that influence pedestrian compliance with laws and regulations in the local environment. Additionally, this work highlights the ability of ML algorithms to improve urban traffic dynamics. Policymakers and urban planners, particularly with the rise of theories and trends toward the humanization of urban roads, should firmly establish this understanding among themselves to create environments that make pedestrians safer. This strategy could be a measurable solution for international urban situations if future research focuses on integrating these prediction models with real-time traffic management systems to improve pedestrian safety dynamically.

Real-Time Classification Model of Public Emergencies Using Fusion Expansion Network

In today's deep learning-dominated era, real-time classification of public emergencies is a critical research area. Existing methods, however, often fall short in considering both temporal and spatial aspects comprehensively. This study introduces GEDNAS, a novel model that combines atrous convolutional neural network (DCNN), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and neural structure search (NAS) to address these limitations. GEDNAS utilizes DCNN to capture local spatio-temporal features, integrates GRU for time series modeling, and employs NAS for overall structural optimization. The approach significantly enhances real-time public emergency classification performance, showcasing its efficiency and accuracy in responding to real-time scenarios and providing robust support for emergency response efforts. This research introduces an innovative solution for public safety, advancing the application of deep learning in emergency management and inspiring the design of real-time classification models, ultimately enhancing overall societal safety.

Spatial structure could explain the maintenance of alternative reproductive tactics in tree cricket males.

Trait polymorphisms are widespread in nature, and explaining their stable co-existence is a central problem in ecology and evolution. Alternative reproductive tactics, in which individuals of one or more sex exhibit discrete, discontinuous traits in response to reproductive competition, represent a special case of trait polymorphism in which the traits are often complex, behavioural, and dynamic. Thus, studying how alternative reproductive tactics are maintained may provide general insights into how complex trait polymorphisms are maintained in populations. We construct a spatially explicit individual-based model inspired from extensively collected empirical data to address the mechanisms behind the co-existence of three behavioural alternative reproductive tactics in males of a tree cricket (Oecanthus henryi). Our results show that the co-existence of these tactics over ecological time scales is facilitated by the spatial structure of the landscape they inhabit, which serves to equalise the otherwise unequal mating benefits of the three tactics. We also show that this co-existence is unlikely if spatial aspects of the system are not considered. Our findings highlight the importance of spatial dynamics in understanding ecological and evolutionary processes and underscore the power of integrative approaches that combine models with empirical data.

Changes in the Characteristics of Suburbanization in the Warsaw Metropolitan Area in the First Decades of the 21st Century

This paper presents the results of a study on the nature, pace, and directions of socio-economic and spatial changes in the Warsaw Metropolitan Area (WMA) related to the suburbanization processes taking place there. This paper’s contribution to research on suburbanization processes and the uniqueness of the research approach used are related to the dimensions of suburbanization analyzed and their integration while distinguishing types of municipalities, as well as an attempt to present the course and dynamics of changes in suburbanization in municipalities depending on their location, their development potential, and the time of appearance of suburbanization in their areas. In the course of our research, data on municipalities from the Local Data Bank were used, and that made it possible to trace the changes occurring in 2002–2021. The selection of analytical characteristics took into account a wide range of socio-economic diversities of the area related to changes in population, construction activity and housing stock, land use and spatial policy, and economic factors and those associated with investment attractiveness. The components of diversification were used to develop the typological classes of municipalities. The final result of this study is the identification of the specificity of suburbanization in the WMA which is reflected in the social, economic, and spatial aspects of the functioning of municipalities.

Spatial Differentiation and Influencing Factors of Traditional Villages in Fujian, China: A Watershed Perspective

Watersheds provide a spatial framework for tightly coupling human activities and the natural environment. Investigating the spatial distribution patterns of traditional villages within watersheds is crucial for comprehending their origins and advancing conservation and development efforts. This study employs methods such as the nearest neighbor index, kernel density estimation, spatial auto-correlation analysis, stepwise regression, and geographically weighted regression to explore the watershed characteristics and influential factors governing the spatial differentiation of traditional villages in Fujian Province. The findings indicate that traditional villages in Fujian exhibit an overall clustered distribution within the watershed space, with a tendency to cluster along basin boundaries, primarily concentrated in three hot spot regions. In the remaining small watersheds, the distribution is more balanced. Traditional villages are predominantly located near low-order streams, displaying a distribution pattern along tributaries, while in the Huotongxi river basin, they are more evenly distributed near second-, third-, and fourth-order streams. Relief, annual average temperature, annual average precipitation, arable land, per capita GDP, distance to county-level or higher-grade cities, and the concentration of cultural heritage preservation units are the primary factors affecting the spatial differentiation of traditional villages within watersheds, exhibiting significant spatial heterogeneity. Finally, this study proposes recommendations for the cluster protection and development of traditional villages in watersheds, addressing spatial, cultural, landscape, industrial, and governance aspects.

Access to urban green spaces and use of social services and institutional long-term care among older people in Malmö, Sweden: a longitudinal register study

BackgroundFinding ways to prolong independence in daily life among older people would be beneficial for both individuals and society. Urban green spaces have been found to improve health, but only a few studies have evaluated the association between urban green spaces and independence in daily life. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of urban green spaces on independence in daily life, using social services and support, mobility aids, and relocation to institutional long-term care as proxies, among community dwelling people 65 + years.MethodsWe identified 40 357 people 65 + years living in the city of Malmö, Sweden in 2010. Using geographical information systems (GIS), we determined the amount of urban green spaces (total, public, and quiet) within 300 m of each person’s residence. All three measures were categorized based on their respective percentiles, so that the first quartile represented the 25% with the least access and the fourth quartile the 25% with the most access. In 2015 and 2019, we assessed the outcomes minor assistance (non-personal support), major assistance (personal support), and relocation into institutional long-term care. These three outcome measures were used as proxies for independence in daily life. The effect of amount of urban green spaces in 2010 on the three outcomes in 2015 and 2019, respectively, was assessed by pairwise comparing the three highest quartiles to the lowest.ResultsCompared to the lowest quartile, those in the highest quartile of quiet green spaces in 2010 were less likely to receive minor assistance in both 2015 and 2019. Besides this, there were no indications that any of the measures of urban green space affected independence in daily life at the five- and nine-year follow-up, respectively.ConclusionAlthough urban green spaces are known to have positive impact on health, physical activity, and social cohesion among older people, we found no effect of total, public, or quiet green spaces on independence in daily life. This could possibly be a result of the choice of measures of urban green spaces, including spatial and temporal aspects, an inability to capture important qualitative aspects of the green spaces, or the proxy measures used to assess independence in daily life.

Deep learning classification of EEG-based BCI monitoring of the attempted arm and hand movements.

The primary objective of this research is to improve the average classification performance for specific movements in patients with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). The study utilizes a low-frequency multi-class electroencephalography (EEG) dataset from Graz University of Technology. The research combines convolutional neural network (CNN) and long-short-term memory (LSTM) architectures to uncover neural correlations between temporal and spatial aspects of the EEG signals associated with attempted arm and hand movements. To achieve this, three different methods are used to select relevant features, and the proposed model's robustness against variations in the data is validated using 10-fold cross-validation (CV). The research also investigates subject-specific adaptation in an online paradigm, extending movement classification proof-of-concept. The combined CNN-LSTM model, enhanced by three feature selection methods, demonstrates robustness with a mean accuracy of 75.75 % and low standard deviation (+/- 0.74 %) in 10-fold cross-validation, confirming its reliability. In summary, this research aims to make valuable contributions to the field of neuro-technology by developing EEG-controlled assistive devices using a generalized brain-computer interface (BCI) and deep learning (DL) framework. The focus is on capturing high-level spatiotemporal features and latent dependencies to enhance the performance and usability of EEG-based assistive technologies.

SPATIAL EVOLUTION OF ORGANIC FARMLAND IN POLAND

The main aim of the study was to determine changes in the concentration degree of organic farmland at the regional level in Poland. Spatial aspects were considered using absolute shares determining the interregional distribution of the analysed features and the location quotient (LQ) measuring the degree of regional specialization against the national background. The study utilized secondary source material from the Inspection of Commercial Quality of Agricultural and Food Products and Statistics Poland. It was found that the area of organic farmland undergoes continuous evolution, both at the national and regional levels. Considering the size of organic farmland, it was noted that there was a systematic increase from 2004 to 2013, followed by a decrease until 2018. Similar trends, although with varying intensities, were observed at the regional level. The leaders in terms of organic farmland area in both 2014 and 2021 were Zachodniopomorskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeships. In analyses concerning the area of farmland allocated for selected organic crops, these voivodeships dominated in all types except for orchard and berry crops, which were most prevalent in Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, and Podkarpackie voivodeships. Based on the calculation using the location quotient, it was found that the highest spatial concentration of organic farmland was in the Lubuskie, Podlaskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, and Zachodniopomorskie voivodeships, and no significant changes occurred in this regard from 2014 to 2020.

청동기시대 無文土器의 分類에 관하여

This research reviews the purposes and methods of the classification of Mumum pottery discussed in the Korean Bronze Age research until now and argues the need for a basic classification system that considers various features, such as shape, production technology, and function. Mumun pottery has been classified based on the shape of the rim and the decorative patterns engraved at the rim of the pottery to identify the spatial and temporal aspects of the material culture of the Korean Bronze Age. There has been research on the socioeconomic aspects, such as the production and distribution of Mumum pottery, but most of them focused on specific vessels, such as the Red burnished pottery, or vessels with certain sizes that are thought to be utilized for storage purposes. To explain an aspect of a certain society through pottery, information on the total population of the pottery of the group should be assumed. The production and distribution of each pottery should be understood within the basic classification system that covers the vessel types, proportions, usage, and production technology within the production system of the group. Therefore, this research argues for the need for a total and cumulative basic classification system that considers the shape-technology-usage of pottery. This research classifies the vessel shapes of the Mumum pottery complex of the Daepyung-ri site, Jinju, which is a large settlement located in the Nam-river basin, based on the size and shape of the vessels, to establish a basic classification system of Mumun pottery. As a result, it has been observed that Mumun pottery with different shapes was produced and the proportion, the time of use, and the area of usage were different for each period. Finally, this research emphasizes the significance and need of the basic classification system of Mumun pottery by examining research cases based on the basic classification system dealing with issues such as the technological tradition within a group, the spread and expansion of technology between different groups, the estimation of a group’s social boundary, and issues relevant to social change.

The Hidden Reserve of Nurses in The Netherlands: A Spatial Analysis.

Worldwide, nurse shortages constitute a problem, including in the Netherlands. Every region in the country has a shortage of all types of nurses. At the same time, there are large hidden reserves: persons who have been trained as a nurse but do not work in the healthcare sector. The size of the hidden reserve exceeds the shortage of nurses. Until now, the literature has not paid much attention to spatial aspects of the nursing shortage problem. In this paper, we analyze the size of the hidden reserves and how they are distributed over the country, across large and smaller cities, and across different nurse categories. We find that especially densely populated areas have relatively small shares of trained nurses as well as large hidden reserves relative to their population. These areas are also facing the largest nurse shortages. As nurse labor markets are local, policies that are more focused on local situations are necessary to activate these hidden reserves.

Digital and Culture: Towards More Resilient Urban Community Governance

Urban communities are characterized by significant population size, high density, and strong mobility. While we might enjoy the dividends of rapid modernization, there are nonetheless variable and frequent public crises that occur. Modernization’s problems are gradually emerging, and the traditional risk prevention logic that relies on administrative “rigidity” has begun to be widely challenged. Traditional urban communities depend on institutional, structural, and spatial aspects to improve community resilience. Because big data has become popular, attention has begun to be paid to digital empowerment and community resilience. However, the emergence of problems such as “digital paradox” and “digital ethics” in the digital realm itself has prompted calls for cultural resilience to continue to rise. Therefore, urgently needed resolutions are required to questions regarding the resilience of traditional communities, the construction of digital and cultural resilience, the relationship between digital and cultural resilience, and the manner in which cultural resilience is coordinated to solve the problem of digital resilience. A quantitative analysis of 350 questionnaires from five urban communities found that these communities’ institutional, spatial, and structural dimensions are the driving factors for improving resilience. In contrast, the cultural and digital dimensions are constraints. Therefore, the question of how to coordinate the cultural and digital factors represented by traditional and modern societies in order to compensate for the shortcomings in resilience construction is that which future urban communities must consider. The authors of this study believe that digital empowerment is needed to open up the “first mile” of resilient communities, that cultural empowerment is required to break down the “blocks in the middle” of resilient communities, and that digital and cultural coupling is needed to link the “last mile” of resilient communities. One must use culture to compensate for the shortcomings of digital resilience and digital to pay for the failures of cultural resilience before one can move towards more resilient urban community governance.

Crepuscular rays - The bright side of complement after tissue injury.

Acute injuries trigger an intense activation of the body's defense mechanisms aiming to limit damage and initiate healing. Among the crucial components of the intravascular immune system, the complement system plays a significant role in traumatic injuries, albeit often negatively. It has been suggested that excessive activation of the complement system, transitioning from a localized and timed response to a systemic one, can lead to a loss of its host-protective characteristics. Complement activation products have been associated with the severity of injuries, which sometimes serve as predictors for the onset of organ dysfunctions. Animal studies utilizing complement-targeting agents have provided the basis for considering complement in the management of traumatic injuries in humans. However, numerous studies suggest that the spatial and temporal aspects of complement inhibition are crucial for its efficacy. Understanding the underlying mechanism of the injury is essential to determine where, when, and whether complement inhibition is warranted. Despite the detrimental effects of uncontrolled complement activation, its regulated activation may contribute to essential aspects of healing, such as waste removal and regeneration. This review focuses on the beneficial roles of complement activation in trauma, which are often overlooked or given less consideration but are of immense importance.

A qualitative meta-synthesis of carers' perceptions of factors influencing preschool children's oral hygiene practices-A social practices perspective.

This study comprises a synthesis of published qualitative studies from developed countries on the perspectives of carers regarding the oral hygiene toothbrushing practices of preschool children, through the lens of social practice theory. A search of the following electronic databases was conducted for all available years: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global Health using the Ovid platform; Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source (DOSS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Scopus. Included qualitative studies reported primary caregivers' perceptions of oral hygiene practices (focusing on toothbrushing) in preschool children (0-5 years old) in developed countries. A thematic synthesis of the qualitative findings was undertaken for the results of each study. Eleven articles were included in this meta-synthesis. The focus of this paper was toothbrushing practices. A conceptual map of toothbrushing as a social practice was developed. Key findings included practice elements (meanings, competences, and materials), spatial and temporal aspects, and barriers and facilitators to performance. The application of a social practice lens to published qualitative research on the oral hygiene of preschool children provided insights into the meanings and competences related to toothbrushing, as perceived by primary caregivers. However, it also revealed limited information on material, spatial and temporal aspects of toothbrushing practices, indicating the importance of considering social practice theory as a framework in future research to address this gap. Furthermore, exploring toothbrushing in connection with related social practices has the potential to increase understanding of factors influencing oral health in preschool children.