Epidemiology of substance use and mental health disorders among forced migrants displaced from the MENAT region: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the epidemiology of substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental health disorders (MHDs) among forced migrants from the Middle East and North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT) region is of utmost importance given their distinct challenges and vulnerabilities. Existing research on the topic is substantial; however, comprehensive systematic reviews are limited. We aim to conduct a systematic literature review to bridge this gap, providing a thorough understanding of SUDs and MHDs epidemiology among this population. METHODS: The systematic review will include original, peer-reviewed research articles published in English or Arabic between 2013 and 2023. It will encompass qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies focusing on SUDs and/or MHDs among forced migrants from the MENAT region. A Medline (via Ovid) search strategy was developed and will be translated into databases of EMBASE (via Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection (as licensed at Yale), and CINAHL. Risk of Bias in the included studies will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist for observational studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) 2 tool for intervention studies. Meta-analysis using random-effects models will be conducted and subgroup analyses based on studies' data will be performed. The systematic review will be conducted based on the framework introduced by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Additionally, the PRISMA-P extension for systematic reviews was used to report the present protocol. The present systematic review protocol has been registered with PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic reviews. The review's registration ID is CRD42021286882. DISCUSSION: The systematic review aims to explore, identify and synthesize the evidence to reveal the epidemiology of SU and/or MH of forced migrants of the MENAT region as described in this protocol. In sum, the review will provide evidence to fill the gap in the literature and help the stakeholders, policymakers, and health providers to expand current knowledge of the prevalence and risk factors of SU and/or MH in humanitarian settings.

Load effects of thigh wearable resistance on angular and linear kinematics and kinetics during non-motorised treadmill sprint-running.

The aim of this study was to investigate the load effects of thigh attached wearable resistance (WR) on linear and angular kinematics and linear kinetics during sprint-running. Fourteen recreational active subjects performed a series of maximal sprints with and without WR of 1%, 2%, and 3% body mass (BM) in a randomised order. Sprints were performed on a non-motorised treadmill that collected velocity, and linear step kinematics and kinetics. Angular kinematics of the thigh were collected from an inertial measurement unit attached to the left thigh. Trivial decreases were found in peak velocity with all WR loads (-0.9 to -.2.4%, effect size [ES] 0.09-0.17, p > .05). The WR conditions resulted in significantly decreased average step frequency (-2.0% to -3.0%, ES = 0.35-0.44, p < .05) with loads of ≥2% BM, whereas average step length was statistically unchanged (1.9-2.8%, ES = 0.20-0.33). Average angular displacement was significantly decreased (-7.0% to -10.3%, ES = 0.88-1.10, p = 0.00-0.03) with loads of ≥2% BM. Average angular flexion velocity (-10.2%, ES = 1.07, p = .02) and extension velocity (-12.0%, ES = 0.85, p = .01) were significantly decreased with 3% BM. Trivial to small ES changes (p > .05) were found in the linear kinetic measures of interest. Thigh WR provides a sprint-specific rotational form of resistance resulting in greater changes to angular kinematics than linear properties of sprint-running. For practitioners who wish to target thigh angular kinematics and step frequency without decreasing step length, thigh WR of ≥2% BM offers a sprint-specific resistance training tool.

Group Prenatal Care: A Financial Perspective.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple studies have demonstrated improved perinatal outcomes for group prenatal care (GPC) when compared to traditional prenatal care. Benefits of GPC include lower rates of prematurity and low birth weight, fewer cesarean deliveries, improved breastfeeding outcomes and improved maternal satisfaction with care. However, the outpatient financial costs of running a GPC program are not well established. METHODS: This study involved the creation of a financial model that forecasted costs and revenues for prenatal care groups with various numbers of participants based on numerous variables, including patient population, payor mix, patient show rates, staffing mix, supply usage and overhead costs. The model was developed for use in an urban underserved practice. RESULTS: Adjusted revenue per pregnancy in this model was found to be $989.93 for traditional care and $1080.69 for GPC. Cost neutrality for GPC was achieved when each group enrolled an average of 10.652 women with an enriched staffing model or 4.801 women when groups were staffed by a single nurse and single clinician. CONCLUSIONS: Mathematical cost-benefit modeling in an urban underserved practice demonstrated that GPC can be not only financially sustainable but possibly a net income generator for the outpatient clinic. Use of this model could offer maternity care practices an important tool for demonstrating the financial practicality of GPC.

Relative placement of the mandibular fossa in great apes and humans.

Several researchers have investigated, or commented on, the relative placement of the hominin mandibular fossa with regard to brain expansion and masticatory function. Two confounding factors are identified in this previous work. First, a number of different measurement techniques have been applied, confusing comparisons between studies. Second, the effects of squamous thickening due to temporal bone pneumatization are shown to influence measurements based relative to the ectocranial margin of the skull. To investigate the influence of these factors, a sample of adult human (n=12), chimpanzee (n=12), gorilla (n=15), and orang-utan (n=8) skulls from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, University of Wisconsin Zoology Museum, and University of Wisconsin Anthropology collections, were CT scanned. Coronal scans were horizontally aligned and measured on a personal computer using ImageJ (NIH). To identify fossa placement, fossa breadth was measured as the projected distance in the coronal plane between the tip of the entoglenoid to lateral margin of the articular surface. A second distance, from the tip of the entoglenoid to a sagittal plane, tangent to the lateralmost margin of the endocranial surface was taken to indicate the extent of medial placement of the fossa. By eliminating the influence of pneumatization, these data unambiguously confirmed the medial placement of the human fossa and show all great apes as having a laterally placed fossa. Similar measurements on three fossil hominins, KNM-BC 1 (Homo sp. indet.), OH 5 and KNM-ER 23000 (Paranthropus boisei) demonstrate that, while all specimens demonstrate a broad fossa, only KNM-BC 1 is characterized by a relatively medial placement while the latter two display lateral placement.