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For Sociological Polyphony and Conviviality: Enhancing Sociology's Intellectual Aspirations
No full textxtending a Welcome to Dialogues in Sociology
Welcome to Dialogues in Sociology!
If you are reading this, you are probably a ‘sociologist’ (however you may define that), or at least someone who is sociology curious.
Presumably, you have been interested enough in a journal called Dialogues in Sociology to want to open this text and to see what the new journal has to offer.
So, here is what is coming up in what we hope is a rather different sort of Sociology journal…
A Space of Polyphony and Conviviality
Dialogues in Sociology is going to publish articles that push forward sociological debates, especially in the form of dialogues carried on between multiple and varied interlocutors.
The dialogical emphasis of the journal means that it supports constructive conversations between participants, not polemics. Dialogue can have a musical meaning, and in musical terms, the journal seeks to promote new forms of polyphony, where different voices come into play with each other. The audible effect is somewhat harmonious but without ever being fully so. Each voice retains its distinctiveness, while at the same time, it may also alter and reposition itself and react to others as the music unfolds.
Disagreement is allowed too, of course, and indeed to some extent encouraged. But discord need not play out in a thoroughly discordant manner. What will be avoided is cacophony, where participants loudly make noises that fail to engage constructively with each other, blocking up their own ears to avoid listening to others as they do s
Investigating the illegal online trade of Indonesian parrots (Psittacine)
No full textTargeted for characteristics such as their colourful appearance, intelligence, and ability to recognize the human voice, parrots (order Psittaciformes) have become a coveted commodity. They are therefore common victims of the illegal wildlife trade, which in turn has contributed to their overall decline. Many of the world’s most traded and threatened parrot species originate from Indonesia. Yet Indonesia is also a renowned transit and market country for (illegal) parrot trade. Our study is the first of its kind to document in detail the online trade of all parrot species on one of Indonesia’s most popular social media platforms, Facebook, as pertaining to the trade within Indonesia. Over the period of 1 January 2020 until 31 August 2021, we analysed 283 posts, containing 861 identifiable parrots of 22 species across 38 Facebook user groups. Employing visual and textual analysis, we find clear trends for certain species that we highlight as a potential indicator for targeting. Overt indicators of illegality were common in visual references, despite textual references being coded to avoid detection. Finally, we find the online illegal trade of parrots increased during the global pandemic, despite the stricter approach taken by Facebook regarding trade in live animals on their platform. Overall, our analysis confirms the importance of Facebook as a virtual marketplace for parrots, and it is clear more rigorous monitoring of social media is needed to counter the harmful consequences of the illegal wildlife trade
Behind the Care: The Experiences of Children of Foster Carers
No full textAcross the United Kingdom, fostering families provide care and stability to children who cannot live with their own families. Within these families are children of foster carers, whose every day normality is distinct to that of their non-fostering peers. The emotional and psychological challenges associated with the provision of foster care are complex, conflicting with conventional UK societal expectations of childhood experience. Contemporary research, and social care policy and practice, exhibit limited focus on exploring how children of foster carers navigate the complexities of fostering, and how this impacts them.
Rooted in narrative inquiry methodology, this qualitative research study explores the experiences of children of foster carers and examines practices in supporting them. It addresses gaps in research literature, whilst making recommendations for reforming policy and practice. The research is guided by three key research questions: (1) How are children of foster carers prepared for the realities of fostering and what are the implications of this? (2) How are children of foster carers impacted by placement endings? (3) What existing mechanisms are available for supporting children of foster carers and where can improvements be made?
In the study, 8 participants are recruited and purposively sampled based on the following criteria: aged between 12-25 years; residing in England and Wales; child of a registered or previously registered foster carer; experience of providing foster care. As the chosen method of data collection, semi-structured interviews are undertaken, with questions aligning to the research aims, encouraging participant experiential reflections. A layered thematic-narrative approach to analysis facilitates identification of broader themes, whilst providing contextual narrative depth, preserving the uniqueness of each participants’ experience. At each stage, findings are contextualised in broader theoretical frameworks, including Family Systems Theory (Bowen, 1978), and multidimensional frameworks of grief and loss (Boss, 1999; Kübler-Ross, 1969; Lindemann, 1944; Rando, 2000).
Analysis of participant transcripts reveal key findings - disaggregated into three themes: Narratives Shaping the Fostering Experience; Anticipating and Experiencing Placement Endings; Support Systems and Adaptation Strategies. The adopted thematic-narrative lens highlights commonalities in how fostering experience impacts and shapes the lives and relationships of children of foster carers, whilst capturing the uniqueness of each voice within their storied narratives. Insights provided by children of foster carers deepens understanding of their experiences, emphasising the necessity for targeted support which recognises them as active participants in the fostering role
Orchestrating machine learning models in a swarm architecture for IoT inline malware detection
No full textThe Internet of Things (IoT) represents a vast network of interconnected devices engaged in continuous data exchange, real-time information processing, and autonomous decision-making through the Internet. The pervasive presence of sensitive data on IoT devices highlights their indispensable role in our daily lives. The rapid evolution of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has ushered in a new era of interconnected devices, reshaping the computing landscape. With the expanding IoT ecosystem, cyberspace has become increasingly susceptible to frequent cyber threats. While IoT devices have greatly simplified and automated daily tasks, these devices have simultaneously introduced significant security vulnerabilities. The existing inadequacies in safeguarding these smart devices have rendered IoT the most vulnerable entry point for potential breaches, posing a tempting target for malicious actors. In response to these critical challenges, our study introduces an innovative solution known as Swarm-based Inline Machine Learning (SIML). This approach leverages the coordinated data processing capabilities of a swarm to effectively address and counter emerging malware threats. SIML represents a divergence from conventional standalone threat detection systems, offering a promise of more robust, distributed, and end-to-end security solutions for IoT environments. This approach significantly reduces the risk of malicious exploitation of IoT devices for launching cyber-attacks. The effectiveness of our proposed method was validated through rigorous testing using the UNSW-NB15 dataset. The results are compelling, boasting an impressive accuracy rate of 93.7% and a precision rate of 95%, achieved through the application of the Gradient-Boosting Tree algorithm under the proposed framework. Our comparative analysis reveals that the Gradient Boosting algorithm outperforms traditional methods without compromising efficiency when deployed in an inline setting. Furthermore, the proposed method has been benchmarked against the BoT-Iot and Edge-IIoTset datasets, and outperformance is noted with a minor degradation at higher throughput. This innovative approach not only enhances security in IoT but also paves the way for a safer and more resilient digital future
Machine Learning Prediction of Intensive Care Unit Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation Patients: A Rapid Review
No full textAtrial fibrillation (AF) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is associated with higher mortality, longer stays, and greater resource use than in patients without AF. Machine learning may improve risk stratification in this high-risk population, but existing models have not been systematically synthesized. This rapid review summarizes how machine learning methods have been used to predict outcomes in ICU patients with AF, with primary emphasis on mortality and current gaps in length of stay (LOS) modeling.
Searches of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus (2015-2025) identified studies applying machine learning to intensive care outcomes in AF. Screening and data extraction were conducted in a web-based system using a single-reviewer approach with verification. Extracted items included study design, cohort characteristics, modeling approach, and performance metrics, and risk of bias and applicability were appraised using tools appropriate for prediction-modeling studies. Of 597 records screened, three studies met the inclusion criteria. All were US-based and used large electronic health record (EHR) datasets (sample sizes: 5,998-10,144). Algorithms evaluated included adaptive boosting, random forest, and stacking ensembles, with discrimination ranging from moderate to excellent for mortality prediction (area under the curve (AUC): 0.768-0.978). Frequently selected predictors included age, ICU severity indices (Acute Physiology Score III, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment), vital signs, renal and metabolic laboratory values (e.g., blood urea nitrogen, estimated glomerular filtration rate, glucose), blood indices (such as white blood cell count and red cell distribution width), treatment indicators (mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, anticoagulation), and glycemic variability (GV). Steps toward clinical use were limited to prototype or web-based tool development, and routine deployment was not reported. Notably, none of the included studies developed or validated an LOS regression model.
Overall, machine learning shows clear promise for mortality prediction in ICU patients with AF, but implementation remains limited, and key operational outcomes remain understudied. Priorities for future work include external validation across diverse settings, prospective evaluation of clinical impact, development of models for additional resource and utilization outcomes alongside mortality prediction, and assessment of fairness across patient groups to support safe, equitable, and scalable clinical use
Posttraumatic growth in women after a childbirth experience: The influence of individual characteristics and intrusive and deliberate rumination.
Get PDFObjective: This study targets women who had a self-defined traumatic childbirth experience to (a) explore the differences between sociodemographic-, obstetric-, and trauma-related variables in relation to the rumination style; (b) determine differences between intrusive and deliberate rumination in relation to posttraumatic growth (PTG) dimensions, and (c) test whether intrusive rumination is associated with deliberate rumination, which in turn is associated with PTG dimensions. Method: A cross-sectional study design was employed using a web-based survey method for data collection. In total, 202 women who identified their childbirth experience as traumatic participated in this study. Results: Intrusive rumination and deliberate rumination were positively associated with all dimensions of PTG in women following the traumatic childbirth event. Deliberate rumination fully explained the relationship between intrusive rumination and PTG aspects of relating to others, new opportunities, and personal strength, and partially explained the relationship between intrusive rumination and PTG aspects of spiritual changes and appreciation of life. Conclusions: The results suggest that deliberate rumination can contribute to explain the occurrence of PTG. These findings could help develop psychosocial interventions to maximize opportunities for deliberate rumination for women with traumatic childbirth experiences
Victims’ experiences of cyberflashing: an explorative study
No full textThis study aimed to explore how victims experience cyberflashing, which is the non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit material via technology. Using a qualitative design, five adults who had experienced cyberflashing partook in a semi-structured interview. These interviews were transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings indicate that cyberflashing is pervasive, committed mostly by boys and men towards girls and women, through social media and dating platforms, for different reasons like sexual gratification and boundary-testing. Victims perceive cyberflashing as immoral and dehumanising, yet excusable for several reasons including perpetrators’ poor interpersonal skills, proposing education and proportionate punishment to reduce the risk of cyberflashing. However, their perspectives have changed over time, for example blaming themselves less for their experiences due to gaining more relationship experience. They have also requested more support from the criminal justice system and technology platforms. Finally, a clear difference between cyberflashing and “sexting” has been identified
Efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally invasive cervical cancer during pregnancy: An updated systematic review
Get PDFBackground and Objective: The management of cervical cancer during pregnancy is significantly challenging. This systematic review summarises the current data on chemotherapy agents (platinum and taxanes) in the management of cervical cancer during pregnancy.
Methods: Two independent investigators searched the literature and extracted data from all studies that examined the efficacy and safety of platinum and taxanes in managing cervical cancer during pregnancy. A quantitative synthesis of the published articles was performed and Kaplan–Meier survival curves were estimated to determine the overall and progression-free survival.
Results: Overall, 43 studies with 114 patients were included in this systematic review. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy during pregnancy; the majority received platinum-based chemotherapy. Cisplatin was the main platinum-based chemotherapy agent in 49% (n = 56) of patients, followed by combined platinum and paclitaxel therapy in 36% (n = 41) of patients. A few and two patients were treated with single-agent vincristine and platinum with external beam radiation therapy, respectively. Bleomycin and 5-fluorouracil were administered to two patients. The most frequent complications were grade 2 thrombocytopenia and grade 3 hepatotoxicity in 32 (28%) and 18(20.5%) cases, respectively. The common fetal complications were low birth weight and growth restriction. Chemotherapy was well tolerated by most women in the case group. The progression-free survival was 35% (n = 22).
Conclusion: Platinum and taxane neoadjuvant chemotherapy has proven to be safe and effective in preventing cervical cancer disease progression until definitive surgical treatment
Defining Criteria for Quality and Equity in Prehabilitation Services Before Cancer Surgery: A Delphi Study Informed by Lived and Professional Experience
No full textBackground
Preoperative cancer prehabilitation interventions have been described as the practice of enhancing a patient’s functional capacity before surgery, aiming to improve postoperative outcomes. Internationally, it is increasingly recommended for implementation in clinical practice to improve patients’ functional and psychological wellbeing before cancer surgery. There is a gap in evidence on how and where it is delivered, what patients want from interventions and how inequalities in access and resources are addressed. In this study, both people with lived experience of cancer and healthcare professionals created criteria for quality and equitable preoperative cancer prehabilitation.
Methods
A modified Delphi technique was implemented over three rounds of online questionnaires with prehabilitation professionals (experts by profession) and people with lived experience of cancer (experts by experience). The criteria statements included in the first round of the questionnaire were suggested and developed in a series of co-design workshops. In each Delphi round, participants were asked to rank the statements on a 5-point Likert scale and make suggestions for refinement or additional statements. The consensus rate was defined as at least 75% of participants voting to indicate agreement on each statement.
Results
A total of 22 participants voted in Delphi questionnaire with a 76% response rate. 63.6% of the participants were ‘experts by experience’ and 36.4% were ‘experts by profession’. The questionnaire started with 54 statements and 60 statements reached consensus. The criteria cover seven themes including developing and delivering prehabilitation, (covering prehabilitation definitions, safety and evaluation processes and interactions with patients), emotional health, nutritional, physical and multi-modal interventions, integrating community-based care and addressing inequalities.
Conclusions
To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that has developed criteria to guide the evaluation and design of prehabilitation interventions before cancer surgery with an emphasis on addressing inequalities, which have been developed by both experts by experience and profession.
The criteria enhance the evidence base on patient and healthcare professional preferences for quality and equitable access to prehabilitation interventions. The results will be of interest to researchers, healthcare professionals and service providers interested in designing, evaluating and delivering prehabilitation before cancer surgery
Cyberattack Pattern Analysis on Mobile Device Data Forensic Investigations
No full textMobile device data forensics investigations using open-source tools for cyberattack pattern analysis have become inevitable due to the changing attack surface and the changing threat landscape. As mobile device usage increases, so do the vulnerabilities and security threats leading to attacks such as mobile app attacks, MITM attacks, bluejacking, malware, and social engineering attacks. The paper aims to explore a hypothetical scenario of mobile device compromise using a social engineering attack. The study focuses on forensic analysis techniques to investigate these compromises, including network traffic examination, malicious app analysis, and disk image inspection using open-source tools. The contribution of the paper is threefold. First, we explore the attack surface by implementing an existing attack pattern on Android devices and having a secure and controlled connection to the mobile device. The attack scenarios are simulated on an Android device. Further, we extract data on the forensic disk image using a digital forensics investigation process and an Autopsy tool in a virtual environment for cyberattack analysis on the mobile device to determine attribution. Furthermore, we implement the multifunctional digital forensic tool Autopsy to retrieve and analyze several types of digital evidence from mobile devices in standardized formats. The work highlight the risks associated with unverified app downloads and the exploitation of mobile vulnerabilities