Linguistic mechanisms of knowledge-exchange in a dark-web money laundering forum

by Emily Chiang

Money laundering facilitates serious crime, enables the expansion of criminal operations, and destabilises economies. Extant scholarship is largely concerned with anti-money laundering approaches, with far less attention being paid to the language and behaviours of the individuals who engage in money laundering. ‘Dark-web’ discussion fora are prime loci for illicit knowledge exchange and key enablers of money laundering, yet, are underexplored as sites for understanding the online activities and behaviours of users. This paper reports on a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of one such forum, guided by research questions around the key topics and common linguistic strategies by which knowledge is exchanged within a large community of individuals interested in money laundering, and the ways in which this community serves its members. The analysis identifies the forum as an extremely efficient and productive site for knowledge-exchange and thus ‘criminal upskilling’, which is attributed to three core characteristics: a strict adherence to community rules, a highly knowledgeable user base, and a culture of friendliness and reciprocity.

The relationship between family environments growing up and behavioral health among LGBTQ+ adults: The mediating role of internalized homonegativity

by Pin-Chen Chiang, Yinuo Xu, Denise Yookong Williams, Ankur Srivastava, Jake A. Leite, Adam R. Englert, William J. Hall

Purpose

Disparities in the behavioral health outcomes for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+ (LGBTQ+) adults—such as depression, anxiety, and alcohol use—are often attributed to experiences of discrimination, victimization, and lack of supportive environments, including hetero- and cis-normative family settings. Yet, how family environments in childhood influence LGBTQ+ adults’ behavioral health and internalized homonegativity has not been extensively examined.

Methods

This study utilized a U.S. national dataset of LGBTQ+ adults (N = 499). Data were collected in November 2020 using an online survey. A series of multivariate ordinary least squares regression models and Sobel tests were performed.

Results

Results showed that as homophobic messages from family increased, levels of depression (β = .19, p β = .17, p β = .13, p β = .11, p β = .15, p z = 3.35, p z = 3.09, p z = 2.80, p z = 2.66, p z = 3.76, p z = 3.45, p  Conclusion

Study findings underscore the importance of inclusive climates within a family and internalized homonegativity as a mediator for LGBTQ+ individuals’ behavioral health. Implications for intervention and future research are discussed.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as an adjunct to quadriceps strengthening exercise in knee osteoarthritis: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Objective

To examine the feasibility, safety and perceived patient response of a combined repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and quadriceps strengthening exercise intervention for knee osteoarthritis.

Methods

A two-arm, participant-blinded, therapist-blinded and assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial with additional follow-up of pain and function at 3 months. Participants were randomised to receive active rTMS+exercise (AR+EX) or sham rTMS+exercise (SR+EX) twice weekly for 6 weeks while completing home exercises twice a week. Primary outcomes included recruitment rate, treatment attendance, dropouts, willingness to undergo therapy (11-point Numeric Rating Scale, ‘not at all willing’=0 and ‘very willing’=10), success of participant, therapist and outcome assessor blinding, adverse events and Global Perceived Effect Scale. Secondary outcomes were pain, function and measures of physiological mechanisms.

Results

86 people were screened, 31 (36%) were randomised, 28 (90%) completed the treatments and 3 (10%) dropouts at 3-month follow-up. Both groups had high treatment attendance (98.4% and 100%). All participants scored at least 7 on the willingness to undergo therapy scale. Blinding was successful. No adverse events were reported. At the postintervention assessment, 80% in the AR+EX group and 75% in the SR+EX group reported an improvement on the Global Perceived Effect Scale. Both groups demonstrated within-group improvements in pain at the postintervention assessment but not at the 3-month follow-up. Function improved only in the AR+EX group at the postintervention assessment.

Conclusions

Combined rTMS and quadriceps strengthening exercise intervention for knee osteoarthritis is feasible, safe and well-received. A full-scale trial is justified to assess the clinical benefits of this novel treatment.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12621001712897.

Global Prevalence, Incidence, and Factors Influencing Falls in Older Adults With Dementia: Implications for Nursing and Healthy Aging

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Dementia notably increases fall risk in older adults, leading to major injuries and considerable concerns from health-care professionals. However, comprehensive evidence regarding the prevalence, incidence rate, and moderating factors of falls in institutional settings is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, incidence rates, and moderating factors of falls among older adults with dementia in nursing homes and dementia-specialized care units.

Design

A meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO from database inception to April 30, 2024. Older adults with dementia in nursing homes or dementia-specialized care units were included. The pooled prevalence was analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model with random effects using R software. Incidence rates were reported per person-year using comprehensive meta-analysis software. Study quality was assessed using Hoy's criteria. Variations in the pooled prevalence of falls were explored through moderator analyses.

Results

This meta-analysis included 21 studies involving 35,449 participants. The pooled prevalence of falls was 45.6%, with subtypes showing 39.2%, 35.2%, and 29.0% among Alzheimer's dementia, vascular dementia, and mixed dementia subtypes, respectively. Falls were more prevalent in dementia-specialized care units (53.0%) than in nursing homes (42.6%). The overall incidence rate was 3.61 per person-year, higher in dementia-specialized care units (5.80) than in nursing homes (3.17). Subgroup analyses revealed higher fall prevalence in women (70.0%) than in men (30.6%). Meta-regression indicated that comorbidities, including delirium, visual impairment, and arthritis, increased fall risk.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis revealed a high incidence of falls in nearly half of older adults with dementia, particularly among those in dementia specialized care units.

Clinical Relevance

Healthcare professionals should prioritize regular fall risk assessments, tailored interventions, and environmental safety modifications, particularly in dementia-specialized care units, to reduce fall-related injuries and improve patient outcomes.

Relations between concussion symptoms and depression among patients with mild traumatic brain injury: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

Introduction

Concussion symptoms following a traumatic accident are both common and known to adversely affect mental health and recovery in patients with traumatic brain injury. Depression, highly prevalent among patients with traumatic brain injury, is also associated with the important factors of sleep quality and resilience. However, the mediator and moderator roles of depression following concussion in patients with traumatic brain injury have been underexplored. The aims of this study were to investigate the mediating role of sleep quality in the relation between concussion symptoms and depression and to examine the moderating effect of resilience on this mediated model.

Design

Cross-sectional pretest data analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Methods

A total of 249 adult patients with mild traumatic brain injury (Glasgow Coma Scale 13–15) at admission following brain injury were surveyed at a medical center in Taipei, Taiwan. The outcome variables were concussion symptoms (Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), resilience (Resilience Scale for Adults), and depression (Beck Depression Inventory II). These data were analyzed using moderated mediation regressions with the SPSS PROCESS macro.

Results

In patients with mild traumatic brain injury, there was a significant positive relation between concussion symptoms and depression, of which sleep quality was a significant mediator. Additionally, resilience had a negative moderating effect on the relations between sleep quality and depression. Patients with less resilience showed a stronger negative effect of sleep quality on depression.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that ameliorating both concussion symptoms and sleep disturbance is important for reducing the risk of depression in patients with mild traumatic brain injury, especially in those patients with less resilience.

Clinical Relevance

It is essential for clinical nurses to develop interventions for patients with mild traumatic brain injury that will improve their sleep quality, while strengthening their resilience, to alleviate depression.