Search Results (429)

Frontline workers across health, emergency, and social care sectors are repeatedly exposed to distressing events and chronic stressors as part of their occupational roles. Unlike single-event trauma, these cumulative exposures accrue over time, generating persistent psychological and physiological strain. Traditional diagnostic frameworks, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were not designed to capture the layered and ongoing nature of this occupational trauma. This commentary introduces the concept of Persistent Traumatic Stress Exposure (PTSE), a framework that reframes trauma among frontline workers as an exposure arising from organisational and systemic conditions rather than solely an individual disorder. It aims to reorient understanding, responsibility, and intervention from a purely clinical lens toward systems, cultures, and organisational duties of care. PTSE is presented as an integrative paradigm informed by contemporary theory and evidence on trauma, moral injury, organisational stress, and trauma-informed systems. The framework synthesises findings from health, emergency, and social care settings, illustrating how repeated exposure, ethical conflict, and institutional pressures contribute to cumulative psychological harm. PTSE highlights that psychological injury may build across shifts, careers, and lifetimes, requiring preventive, real-time, and sustained responses. The framework emphasises that effective support is dependent on both organisational readiness, the structural conditions that enable trauma-informed work, and organisational preparedness, the practical capability to enact safe, predictable, and stigma-free responses to trauma exposure. PTSE challenges prevailing stigma by framing trauma as a predictable occupational hazard rather than a personal weakness. It aligns with modern occupational health perspectives by advocating for systems that strengthen psychological safety, leadership capability and access to support. By adopting PTSE, organisations can shift from reactive treatment models toward proactive cultural and structural protection, honouring the lived realities of frontline workers and promoting long-term wellbeing and resilience. Full article

Postbiotics, defined as non-viable microorganisms or their structural and metabolic components, have attracted attention for their documented health effects, including modulation of gut homeostasis and inflammatory responses. Tributyrin is among the most promising postbiotics studied, and its safety profile enables it to exert its beneficial effects. However, tributyrin activity must be maintained after its uptake, underscoring the importance of selecting appropriate delivery strategies, such as its incorporation into electrospun composites. Combining postbiotics and natural antioxidants, such as Spirulina and its components, to improve their properties can be a great strategy. Therefore, the present work aimed to produce tributyrin–Spirulina composites via electrospinning. The composites obtained were characterized, and their antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity were determined. All formulations were successfully produced by electrospinning, as the composites retained the bonds of their respective components. In terms of antioxidant activity, the combination of tributyrin and C-phycocyanin was the most promising among the bioactive compounds studied. Overall, the viability and cytotoxicity results indicate that interactions among bioactive composition, redox regulation, and adhesion-dependent survival govern cellular responses to electrospun zein fibers. Tributyrin promotes metabolic adaptation over time, whereas Spirulina-derived fractions are more sensitive to formulation and culture conditions. Full article

Accurate quantification of iron is essential in biological, chemical, and nanomaterial research, yet commonly used ferrozine-based assays suffer from safety hazards, inconsistent reduction efficiency, and unstable absorbance readings. To address these issues, we systematically optimized the classical protocol and validated improvements that enhance both operational safety and analytical reproducibility. In this work, samples were digested using perchloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, reduced with hydroxylamine, and complexed with ferrozine, with all steps quantitatively evaluated to identify conditions that minimize variability. The optimized assay introduces three key refinements: combining the two traditional hydroxylamine additions into a single reduction step, extending the post-complexation incubation to 2 h to ensure complete formation of the Fe²⁺–ferrozine complex, and performing digestion exclusively in 5 mL screw-cap polypropylene tubes to eliminate tube-bursting events frequently observed with flip-cap formats. Kinetic analysis confirmed that absorbance at 562 nm reaches a stable plateau after 2 h, and the resulting standard curve exhibited excellent linearity (R² = 0.9999). These improvements significantly enhance precision, safety, and ease of implementation. The refined method is broadly applicable and enables reliable quantification of iron in tissues, cultured cells, aqueous solutions, and iron-containing nanomaterials. Full article

Background: Dementia poses a significant health concern among Australia’s First Nations peoples, who experience higher prevalence and earlier onset compared to non-First Nations populations. Despite growing research attention, the overall scope and characteristics of existing literature on dementia in these communities remain unclear. Objective: This scoping review aimed to map and synthesise existing evidence on the burden of dementia among First Nations peoples, focusing on associated risk factors and culturally responsive approaches to prevention, intervention, and care. Methods: Following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across Scopus, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, the Indigenous Studies Portal, and Google Scholar for English-language studies published between 2004 and 2025. Search terms combined dementia and cognitive impairment with First Nations, Indigenous peoples, and related concepts, alongside terms for risk factors, intervention, prevention, care strategies, and health disparities. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data using a standardised template. Of the 620 records identified, 324 were screened, 130 were assessed in full, and 75 met the inclusion criteria. Data were narratively synthesised to identify key themes and evidence gaps. Results: The review revealed a disproportionate burden of dementia among First Nations peoples, characterised by earlier onset and higher prevalence than in non-First Nations populations. Major modifiable risk factors included social determinants of health, lifestyle behaviours, and inequitable access to healthcare. Studies emphasised the importance of culturally safe, community-led, and multidisciplinary approaches; however, many interventions remain poorly adapted to the diverse cultural contexts of First Nations communities. The review also identified gaps in diagnostic tools, culturally appropriate care pathways, and the integration of traditional knowledge and digital innovations in dementia management. Conclusions: Addressing dementia inequities among First Nations Australians demands transformative, community-driven action that extends beyond descriptive research. Future work should prioritise co-designed, culturally grounded interventions that embed First Nations knowledge systems, strengthen healthcare capacity, and foster long-term community empowerment. Embedding cultural safety within policy and clinical frameworks, and shifting toward preventive, strengths-based approaches, will advance equity in dementia care and provide valuable insights for First Nations health systems globally. Full article

The FDA plans to gradually replace animal testing with organoid and organ-on-a-chip technologies for drug safety assessment, driving surging demand for gut-on-a-chip in food and drug safety evaluation and highlighting the need for efficient, precise chip designs. Oxygen gradients are central to these devices because they shape epithelial metabolism, microbial co-culture, and overall gut homeostasis. We coupled machine learning with finite element analysis to build a parametric COMSOL Multiphysics model linking channel geometry, transport coefficients, and cellular oxygen uptake to the resulting oxygen field. For numerical prediction, three models—Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, and MLP—were employed, with XGBoost achieving the highest accuracy (RMSE = 1.68%). SHAP analysis revealed that medium flow rate (39.7%), external flux (26.9%), and cellular oxygen consumption rate (24.8%) contributed most importantly to the prediction. For oxygen distribution mapping, an innovative Boundary-Guided Generative Network (BG-Net) model was employed, yielding an average concentration error of 0.012 mol/m³ (~4.8%), PSNR of 33.71 dB, and SSIM of 0.9220, demonstrating excellent image quality. Ablation experiment verified the necessity of each architectural component of BG-Net. This pipeline offers quantitative, data-driven guidance for tuning oxygen gradients in gut-on-a-chip. Future work will explore extensions including real experimental data integration, real-time prediction, and multi-task scenarios. Full article

In response to mounting resource and environmental pressures in the textile industry, this study investigates the feasibility of fiber-to-fiber closed-loop recycling for used firefighting protective clothing—a waste stream characterized by material homogeneity and large-scale disposal. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining stakeholder questionnaires, field investigations (n = 3650), and performance testing of retired aramid fabrics, this research systematically evaluates the technical, market, and systemic potential for circular regeneration. Results demonstrate strong multi-stakeholder support (over 89%) and significant consumer willingness to purchase recycled products (81.01–84% across categories), while material tests confirm the retained flame resistance and mechanical properties of the fabrics, enabling high-value applications. By constructing an integrated framework spanning technical, policy, market, and cultural dimensions, and proposing strategies of “targeted recycling” and “value reconstruction,” this work confirms the commercial viability and environmental benefit of recycling firefighting gear. It further offers a transferable model for advancing the circularity of other safety and protective textiles, with key innovations lying in its comprehensive full-chain assessment and the concurrent validation of stakeholder dynamics and material performance. Full article

Background/Objectives: Workplace violence in the healthcare sector is a growing global concern. Defined as incidents where staff are abused, threatened, or assaulted in work-related contexts, this issue affects over half of healthcare personnel worldwide, with nurses being particularly vulnerable. The consequences are far-reaching, leading to diminished service quality, workforce turnover, reduced healthcare access, and increased costs. Despite its physical and psychological impact, workplace violence remains underreported, especially in its psychological forms, which have historically been underestimated. Methods: This study applies Per Isdal’s typology of violence to analyze incident reports from a hospital setting. By doing so, it offers a structured framework for understanding the multifaceted nature of workplace violence. By categorizing and examining how different forms of violence co-occur and manifest in daily professional interactions, the study aims to contribute to more systematic documentation and theoretical understanding of the field. Results: In total, 247 incidents were analyzed. Physical violence was the most frequently reported type with 167 incidents, followed by psychological violence with 125 cases. Material violence accounted for 28 reports, sexual violence for 10, and latent violence for 4, indicating that physical and psychological aggression dominates the spectrum of workplace violence in this context. Conclusions: The prevalence and complexity of violent incidents targeting healthcare personnel highlight the pressing need for actionable policies and evidence-based interventions that prioritize staff safety and psychological well-being. Establishing clear definitions of violence, alongside fostering a culture of reporting, is essential to create safer and more resilient healthcare environments. Full article

In Sweden, collaboration between families and preschools is strongly emphasized, yet little is known about how parents perceive preschool teachers’ education, qualifications, and professional skills. Through a socio-cultural lens, this article explores parents’ views on preschool teacher competence within the context of parent–teacher partnerships. It is guided by the central question: What skills, competencies, and qualifications do parents consider important in a preschool teacher? Based on interviews with 25 parents of preschool-aged children in Sweden, the findings revealed three key themes: (i) parents’ knowledge about the teachers’ formal education, (ii) formal education and curriculum as meaningful/important when working in preschools, and (iii) parents’ perceptions of teachers’ professional competence in practice. This study thus highlights that, while formal qualifications are not a primary concern for parents, they place significant value on interpersonal qualities that foster a sense of safety and emotional security for both children and their families. Full article

Farmers face disproportionately high levels of stress, which has implications for their mental health and well-being. Notably, existing measures of farm stress have not attended to variations in stress based on identity-related experiences. This study investigated the factor structure of the Farm/Ranch Stress Inventory (FRSI) among LGBTQ+ farmers in the United States to see whether the factors were consistent with previous studies. We surveyed the experiences of 148 LGBTQ+ farmers from across the U.S. and used principal components analysis to analyze the factor structure of the FRSI. A scree plot, parallel analysis, variance explained, and interpretability factors were considered to determine the best-fitting solution. Our analysis revealed a six-component structure: Family and Finances, Operational Challenges and Sustainability, Long-Term Farming Viability, Social and Safety Dynamics, Logistical Circumstances, and Cultural Isolation, which diverged from the original five-factor model of Finances, Government and External Stress, Work Stress, Operation Stress, and Isolation. This study highlights that measures of stress must consider the unique contexts that may shape the experiences of farm stress among diverse populations. The results suggest that future measures of farm stress used with LGBTQ+ farmers might consider cultural and social factors in particular to better understand their experiences of stress. Full article

Digital transformation is reshaping work and management, yet evidence on how technological innovation interacts with workplace well-being, leadership, organizational culture, and human-centered management remains fragmented. This study aims to integrate these strands of research by examining how innovation and digitalization affect employee well-being and motivation in organizational contexts. A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, with a protocol registered on INPLASY. The search was performed in the Scopus database and identified 287 eligible studies (1989–February 2025). Bibliometric keyword co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer (1.6.20), combined with qualitative content and thematic analysis, led to five clusters: (1) innovation and well-being; (2) leadership pathways to workplace well-being; (3) work motivation and job satisfaction; (4) human-centered management in technological progress; and (5) organizational culture. The results show that organizations reconciling innovation and people’s well-being tend to adopt leadership styles and cultures grounded in ethical values, inclusion, psychological safety, and balanced work demands and resources, operationalized through human-centered management practices. These findings offer an integrated framework that goes beyond an instrumental view of technology and provide guidance for leaders, HR professionals, and policymakers designing digital transformation strategies that foster responsible innovation and promote sustainable, health-promoting work environments. Full article

Fritillaria pallidiflora Schrenk ex Fisch. & C.A.Mey. (Yi Beimu) is a culturally significant Beimu drug in Northwest China, officially listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and traditionally used to clear heat, moisten the lung, resolve phlegm, and relieve cough and wheeze. This narrative, critical review synthesizes current evidence on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics/toxicology, and conservation of F. pallidiflora to support sustainable, evidence-based development. Literature was retrieved from major English and Chinese databases and screened for studies that unambiguously involved Yi Beimu or its key constituents. Ethnomedicinal records consistently support antitussive, expectorant, and anti-asthmatic use in Xinjiang and the Ili River Valley. Chemically, F. pallidiflora is rich in cevanine-type steroidal alkaloids (e.g., imperialine, peimine, yibeinones), steroidal saponins (pallidiflosides), polysaccharides, and minor phenolics. Preclinical data show that alkaloids relax airway smooth muscle, suppress inflammatory mediators, and contribute to antitussive and anti-asthmatic effects, while polysaccharides and total alkaloid extracts exhibit antioxidant and cytoprotective activity in cell and animal models of airway injury. Additional studies report cytotoxic saponins and seed-derived antimicrobial peptides. Pharmacokinetic work highlights low to moderate and variable oral bioavailability, shaped by P-glycoprotein efflux and CYP-mediated metabolism, and reveals potential hERG channel inhibition for peimine as a cardiac safety concern. Overharvesting and habitat loss have reduced wild resources, underscoring the need for conservation, cultivation, and marker-guided quality control. Overall, Yi Beimu shows credible ethnopharmacological rationale and promising multi-target pharmacology for respiratory disorders, but translation will require bioactivity-guided isolation coupled with PK–PD-guided in vivo studies, rigorous safety evaluation, and conservation-aware cultivation to move from traditional remedy toward validated therapeutic resource. Full article

Migrating people fleeing violence and persecution face narrowing options to seek safety through the U.S. immigration courts. Social work’s historical and ongoing commitment to immigrant health and immigrant justice supports an enlarged presence within asylum and other immigration processes. In the role of experts, social work clinicians can evaluate displaced people to collect evidence of harm, draft reports and affidavits for the lawyer, and may even testify to educate the court on the physical and mental sequelae of violence and trauma. They play an essential part in communicating the complexity of migrating people’s stories to adjudicators. Social work clinicians seeking to join this work will attune to cultural humility, relationship building, and an opportunity to support displaced peoples’ human right to safety, in line with the skills and values of the profession. This paper serves as a brief introduction to how clinical social workers can use their mental health expertise to contribute to immigrant legal proceedings, as well as a call to action to invite both new and established social workers to use their clinical skills to meet our profession’s ethical obligations to the human rights of migrating people. Full article

This paper examines the pervasive yet underrecognized phenomenon of consumer racial profiling (CRP) against Indigenous peoples in Canada. Drawing on sociolegal analysis, public health research, and empirical data, the authors demonstrate how CRP—manifested in routine acts of surveillance, exclusion, and humiliation in retail and service spaces—functions as a contemporary expression of colonialism and systemic racism. The work identifies both individual and collective harms, including racial trauma, internalized inferiority, and civic alienation, while framing CRP as a neglected but critical human rights issue. The authors argue that CRP exacerbates intergenerational trauma and undermines reconciliation efforts, calling for Indigenous-specific remedies such as healing ceremonies, cultural safety training, and systemic data collection reforms. By situating CRP within broader patterns of legal consciousness, systemic discrimination, and access to justice, this report is a much-needed foundational resource for advancing anti-racist practices in commercial settings and fulfilling Canada’s private-sector obligations under the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Full article

Racialised minority populations were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and saw the highest rate of COVID-19 infections and mortality. Low socioeconomic status, working as frontline workers, temporary employment, precarious immigration status and pre-existing medical conditions were factors that contributed to disadvantaged experiences. This systematic review looked at the impact of COVID-19 on racialised minority populations globally, recognising their experiences, perspectives and the effects on their physical and mental health. Eight electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Social Policy and Practice (SPP), Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), MedRxiv and Research Square) for English language qualitative studies. Reference lists of relevant literature reviews and reference lists of articles were hand-searched for additional potentially relevant articles. Duplicates were removed, and articles were screened for titles and abstracts, followed by full-text screening. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the quality of the included studies (n = 70). Data were synthesised using thematic synthesis. Seven major and three minor themes were identified. The major themes related to (i) children and young people’s experiences of COVID-19; (ii) exacerbated pre-existing disparities relating to income, employment and housing security, health insurance and immigration status; (iii) lack of knowledge and information about COVID-19 and COVID-19 misinformation; (iv) racial history of medicine and treatment of racialised populations; (v) contemporary experiences of racism; (vi) impact on physical and mental health and wellbeing; (vii) concerns about safety at work. Minor themes related to (a) experiences of intercommunity mutual aid; (b) adherence to preventative guidance/COVID-19 restrictions; (c) the role of faith. Research needs to focus on developing and testing interventions that support transformation of social, cultural and economic systems towards equity of access to healthcare and healthcare knowledge. Research should be cognisant of interventions that have worked in shifting the equity dial in the past, implement these and use them to inform new approaches. Policy and practice should be mechanisms for enabling the implementation of interventions. Full article

Current school safety frameworks in South Korea concentrate on physical and infrastructure-related risks (e.g., natural disasters, traffic accidents, and facility management), overlooking safety challenges that emerge from the gradual multicultural transition of Korean society. This work attempts to address this critical gap in school safety frameworks. To do so, we first examine how issues related to increasing religious diversity in South Korea create safety challenges. Through our examination of specific cases in university settings, we demonstrate not only that these issues manifest as sociocultural challenges extending beyond the physical risks that current frameworks prioritize, but also that higher education institutions lack adequate institutional responses. Based on this analysis, we develop a curriculum framework for teaching about world religions in general education as an institutional approach to these challenges. By engaging with the concept of religion alongside various religious traditions and discourses, this curriculum aims to develop students’ religious literacy—a competency for better understanding and navigating complex religious and cultural dynamics in daily life. With this curriculum, we suggest an effective way to enhance current school safety frameworks through religious education that is essential for addressing the challenges entwined deeply with the sociocultural transition in South Korea. In doing so, we also highlight that religion continues to maintain significant influence in contemporary Korean society, contrary to widespread assumptions that undermine its ongoing roles and impact. Full article