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Trump’s Tariff War: Economic Coercion, Global Instability, and the Erosion of US Soft Power
No full textDonald Trump seems to be turning tariffs, which can serve as a legitimate tool to achieve the goals of fair trade and the protection of key national security interests, into an illegitimate tool of coercive statecraft. It is likely to undermine the global economic order and US soft-power influence across the worl
Does Cathodal Preconditioning Enhance the Effects of Subsequent Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Corticospinal Excitability and Grip Strength?
No full textLewis, A, Rattray, B, and Flood, A. Does cathodal preconditioning enhance the effects of subsequent anodal transcranial direct current stimulation on corticospinal excitability and grip strength? J Strength Cond Res 39(1): e1-e12, 2025-Inconsistent effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on corticospinal excitability (CSE) and exercise performance are commonly reported. Cathodal preconditioning, involving cathodal tDCS delivered before anodal tDCS over the same region, may enhance changes in CSE and exercise beyond that resulting from anodal tDCS alone. This study aimed to investigate whether the effects of anodal tDCS on CSE and isometric grip strength can be enhanced by cathodal preconditioning. Thirty-five healthy subjects aged 19-37 years completed a familiarization session followed by 4 stimulation conditions presented in a randomized cross-over design across 4 separate sessions. tDCS doses were applied at 2 mA over the primary motor cortex for 10 minutes. Corticospinal excitability was assessed using 120% of resting motor threshold and an input/output curve of motor evoked potentials of the first dorsal interosseous. Grip strength was evaluated as time to exhaustion (TTE) in a sustained isometric contraction. Relative to conventional sham stimulation, TTE was significantly increased by 15% after conventional anodal tDCS. Corticospinal excitability increased in response to tDCS, but this effect did not differ across conditions. Cathodal preconditioning before anodal stimulation did not increase CSE or grip strength beyond that seen in the other stimulation conditions. Our findings did not reveal any significant impact of stimulation type on CSE. Notably, anodal tDCS led to a significant improvement in grip strength endurance. However, cathodal preconditioning did not seem to increase the effect of subsequent anodal stimulation on CSE nor grip strength.</p
Dimensions of Cisheteronormativity that Influence Healthcare Utilization Practices in LGBTQ+ Populations:A Systematic Review
No full textIntroductionCisheteronormativity in healthcare settings may further exacerbate existing health disparities between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ populations. The aim of the current review is to identify dimensions of cisheteronormativity that manifest in healthcare settings to influence the healthcare utilization of LGBTQ+ individuals.Method8146 articles were screened, with 53 remaining for inclusion.ResultsThematic synthesis identified five themes linked to negative healthcare use: 1) Lack of Provider LGBTQ+ Knowledge, 2) Endorsements of Cisheteronormativity, 3) Assumptions of LGBTQ+ experiences and assumptions of non-LGBTQ+ identity, 4) Negation, and 5) Abuse of Power.ConclusionFindings emphasize the need for provider education regarding LGBTQ+ identities and the dismantling of cisheteronormative structures in healthcare
Exploring physical activity in people after stroke:a substudy of the Falls After Stroke Trial
No full textPurpose: The Falls After Stroke Trial (FAST) intervention involves habit-forming functional exercise and mobility practice which may increase physical activity. This substudy of FAST explores physical activity in community-dwelling people after stroke comparing the FAST intervention to usual care. Methods: This study used a subset of 49 participants from a randomised trial. Outcome measures were taken at baseline, 6- and 12-months. The primary outcome was physical activity (step count, upright time and sedentary time, activPAL4™ micro). Results: Thirty-nine participants (80%) had valid primary outcome data at 6 months and 36 participants (73%) at 12 months. Compared to baseline, the experimental group completed 485 (95% CI −434 to 1405) more steps/day than the control group at 6 months and 724 (95% CI −239 to 1667) more steps/day at 12 months; and spent 36 (95% CI −46 to 118) fewer min/day in sedentary behaviour than the control group at 6 months and 34 (95% CI −51 to 119) fewer min/day at 12 months, although the differences were not significant. Conclusions: FAST may improve physical activity more than usual care at 6- and 12-months but results are inconclusive. Further research could be conducted to confirm any benefit in a larger sample.</p
Parental Experiences of Quality of Life When Caring for Their Children With Intellectual Disability: A Meta-Aggregation Systematic Review
Get PDFBackgroundParents of children with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities play a crucial role in providing direct care but often demonstrate heightened parental stress and reduced quality of life. This review explores perceived quality of life from the experiences of parents when caring for young and adult children.MethodA qualitative systematic review following Joanna Briggs Institute meta-aggregation approach has been completed and reported according to PRISMA guidelines.FindingsSeventeen qualitative studies were included. Three synthesised findings were identified: ‘Challenges and rewards of being a parent carer’, ‘The real cost of caregiver burden’ and ‘Surrendering self for duty – the mothers role’.ConclusionParents of children with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities reported diminished quality of life for themselves and their families, experiencing increased physical and mental health issues associated with caregiving burdens. Future research is needed that determine what effective support systems and interventions are needed to alleviate parental caregiver burden
Food for thought:Movement, memory, and post-colonial food spaces
No full textThe connections between food and space are complex. Through the consideration of research work by staff and students from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Design, this chapter questions what it means to build and cook intelligently today in the face of issues such as climate change, rapid urbanisation and migration, environmental damage and resource depletion, health, disappearing heritage, and rising inequality
Optimising Exercise for Managing Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in People Diagnosed with Cancer
No full textBackground: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment. While exercise has shown promise in alleviating this burden, it remains underutilised in clinical practice due to the lack of accessible, clinician-friendly guidance. Aim: This review aimed to synthesise current evidence on exercise interventions for managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and provide practical insights to support clinicians in integrating these approaches into patient care. Methods: A search was conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus using keywords related to exercise and CIPN. Studies were included if they involved adults receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy and exercise-based interventions. Two authors independently screened studies and resolved conflicts with a third author. Study quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools, and only studies meeting a minimum quality standard were included. A balanced sampling approach was employed. Data on study design, participant characteristics, interventions, and outcomes were extracted. Results: Eleven studies were included, covering various exercise modalities: multimodal (n = 5), yoga (n = 2), aerobic (n = 1), resistance (n = 1), balance (n = 1), and sensorimotor (n = 1). Exercise interventions, particularly multimodal exercise, significantly improved symptom severity, functionality, and quality of life (p < 0.05). The studies had high methodological quality, with randomised controlled trials scoring between 9/13 and 11/13, and quasi-experimental studies scoring 8/9 on JBI tools. Conclusions: This review highlights the significant benefits of exercise, especially multimodal exercise, for managing CIPN and provides guidance for integrating these strategies into clinical practice. Future research is needed to refine exercise prescriptions and develop standardised guidelines.</p
An international consensus on the etiology, risk factors, diagnosis and Management for individuals with Frozen Shoulder:a Delphi study
No full textIntroduction: There has been an emergence of evidence in the area of frozen shoulder (FS) within the past decade related to risk factors, etiology, diagnosis, and management. It has become increasingly challenging for clinicians and researchers to stay up to date in these areas, particularly with the clinical practice guidelines that are available being few and outdated. To this end, the aim of this study was to produce an international consensus on the risk factors, etiology, diagnosis and management for individuals with FS. Methods: During phase one a steering committee was formed in order to identify experts in the area of FS, examine the current evidence related to FS and identify key areas lacking consensus. Phase two consisted of inviting experts to participate in a three-round survey with a priori consensus level set at 80%. Descriptive statistics were utilized to determine the characteristics of the expert panel, response rate, and level of consensus. Results: A total of 14 international experts responded to all three rounds of the Delphi survey with 100% response rate following round one. Consensus was reached for 101 items (57 in the first round, 37 in the second round and 7 in the third and final round). Specific to key topic areas, the following number of items reached consensus; etiology 9 items (diabetes mellitus, trauma, shoulder arthroscopy, thyroid disease, prolonged immobilization, adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency, metabolic synderome, connective tissue disorders, and hyperlipidemia), risk factors 40 items (including biophysical factors for developing FS and biophysical and psychosocial factors influencing the Management and course of outcomes related to FS), diagnosis 19 items (4 confounding the diagnosis and 15 signs and symptoms associated with FS), Management 33 items overall and categorized into effectiveness for early and later stages of FS). Conclusion: The results of this international Delphi study help to provide a consensus on key elements to consider in clinical practice related to etiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and management for those with FS.</p