To provide an overview of the current state of international research on technology-based applications for informal caregivers of people with advanced cancer, with a particular focus on advanced breast cancer. This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported in line with the PRISMA-ScR guideline. The PCC framework was used to define the search terms, and develop the search strategy for the databases PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science. The systematic search identified 13 relevant articles describing ten different technology-based applications. One additional article was identified through a manual search. In total, 14 studies covering ten distinct interventions were included. Some interventions were adapted from face-to-face programmes for digital delivery, whereas only a minority were explicitly informed by theoretical models from psychology or health science. The included studies addressed five main areas: informational support, mental and psychosocial support and enhancement of quality of life, physical and practical support, communication support, and preparation for caregiving and death. Evaluations reported predominantly positive findings, particularly with regard to quality of life, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and coping. However, most studies focused on advanced cancer more broadly rather than on advanced breast cancer specifically. The reviewed literature suggests that technology-based interventions for informal caregivers of people with advanced cancer are available in several countries and address a range of support needs. However, no intervention tailored to relatives of patients with advanced breast cancer was identified as having been fully developed and evaluated. The findings highlight the need for future research on targeted, sustainable digital support for this group. The development of the Gesi-BK platform is based on the results of this scoping review.
Every year, a large number of people in Bangladesh are displaced in char land (riverine island) areas due to climate change. These internally displaced people suffer from socio-economic crises and struggle persistently for a livelihood. This paper investigates the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of displaced char land dwellers, their coping mechanisms, and the obstacles they face. To achieve this, the study collects primary data from 270 internally displaced households and employs a mixed-methods approach, uncovering some interesting findings. The results reveal that frequent floods, river erosion, and the loss of housing and income sources are the main causes of displacement, and social relations among char land dwellers are strained. Displaced people also report that rising temperatures in summer and winter, recurrent floods, severe river erosion, and disease outbreaks are significant indicators of climate change. Most households face food insecurity, loss of employment opportunities and housing, inadequate drainage systems, and poor sanitation as consequences of climate change. To cope with these crises, displaced people adopt various strategies to improve their livelihood resilience, such as reducing household expenditures and food consumption, working as day laborers, and rearing livestock. However, fragile housing, financial insolvency, and lack of cultivable land remain major barriers to sustainable adaptation. Therefore, this paper recommends that government and non-governmental organizations implement effective initiatives to support the productive resettlement of internally displaced people, including skills development training and seed funding for their sustainable livelihood initiatives.
In this study, the cyclic oxidation behaviour of the polycrystalline Ni-based superalloy AD730™ was investigated. Cyclic oxidation tests were carried out in laboratory air at temperatures of 800 °C, 900 °C, 1000 °C and 1100 °C up to 500 cycles (1 h per cycle). The oxidation behaviour of AD730™ approximately followed the parabolic rate law, and the average activation energy is about 312 kJ/mol. At lower temperatures, a two-stage oxidation kinetics were observed, and the transition time decreased as the oxidation temperature increased. SEM observations indicated the formation of continuous but relatively irregular oxide layers with a surface nodular-type structure that thickened with increasing temperature. SEM–EDS analysis revealed that the oxide layers mainly consisted of a Cr2O3 scale covered by TiO2. Aluminum was internally oxidized to form Al2O3 as elongated precipitates, which grew along grain boundaries via branch-like growth. Furthermore, TiO2 and TiN precipitates were found within the internal oxidation zone. The internal oxidation depth increased with rising temperature.
Abstract Background Intensive genetic selection in commercial poultry has greatly enhanced productivity, but it has also caused substantial genetic erosion, affecting long-term sustainability. Body weight and growth rate as well as egg production are considered antagonistic traits, leading to highly specialized broiler and layer lines with further loss of diversity. Local breeds, such as the British Ixworth dual-purpose chicken, are vital reservoirs of biodiversity, yet the genomic basis of their balanced traits remains poorly understood. At the same time, ethical concerns regarding male chick culling have led several European countries to ban the practice in recent years, renewing interest in dual-purpose systems in which both sexes can be viably utilized. By addressing both genetic erosion and chick culling, dual-purpose chickens can contribute to more sustainable poultry production. Results To investigate the genetic architecture of the Ixworth chicken, we conducted high-resolution whole-genome sequencing, and compared it with its wild progenitor and specialized commercial lines for layers and broilers. Our analyses identify the Ixworth chicken as genetically distinct, with moderate nucleotide diversity, low inbreeding, and rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium, suggesting limited historical selection despite possible recent bottlenecks associated with its critical status. Its genetic architecture further revealed distinguished selection signatures balancing meat productivity (chromosomes 1, 6, 28) with egg-laying performance (chromosomes 1, 3, 10), contrasting with the narrow selection for growth in broilers and reproductive efficiency in layers. Notably, we discovered a distinct selective sweep on chromosome 4 (90.10–90.30 Mb) that harbors the developmental regulator CYP26B1, the exocytosis regulator EXOC6B, regulatory long non-coding RNAs, and co-localizes with QTLs for cooking loss and fatty acid composition. This alignment provides a compelling genomic basis for the breed’s historical reputation for superior table quality, a trait likely selected either deliberately or as a fortunate consequence of selection on a linked developmental pathway. Conclusions This study uncovers the complex genetic legacy of the British Ixworth dual-purpose breed, offering insights into population parameters and positive selection signatures that may help to enhance biodiversity and animal welfare in future breeding programs and guide conservation efforts of the breed.
