Demographics in Malaysia and Viet Nam are evolving rapidly, potentially disrupting traditional family support to older people. We estimate a set of Poisson random effects models with panel data from the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey and the Viet Nam Aging Survey to analyze how living arrangements, marital status, and support from children influence the mental and physical health of older people. In Malaysia, having living children plays an important protective role for both mental and physical health, while living with a son appears to have a protective effect for physical health. Results are similar for Viet Nam, except older women, who are at greater risk of mental and physical health problems, appear to enjoy a greater protective effect for their mental health from a child living nearby than do men. Our analysis underscores the importance of social safety nets for the health of senior citizens living alone.
Osman Akan, Varnan Chandreswaran, Henry D Soldan
et al.
Acute stress triggers the release of cortisol, which broadly affects cognitive processes. Path integration, a specific navigational process, relies heavily on grid cells in the entorhinal cortex. The entorhinal cortex contains glucocorticoid receptors and is therefore likely to be influenced by cortisol, though little is known about this relationship. Given the role of the entorhinal cortex in neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, investigating the effects of cortisol on this brain region may offer insights into how stress affects these diseases. In this study, we examined the effects of cortisol on human path integration in 39 healthy men across two sessions. On each day, they received either 20 mg cortisol or a placebo and performed a virtual homing task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Cortisol markedly impaired path integration performance, independent of incoming distance or the presence of spatial cues, but did not affect navigational pattern as measured by proximity to the landmark. fMRI results showed that cortisol increased the activation of right caudate nucleus in the presence of landmarks. Using a representational similarity analysis, we observed grid-like representations in the right entorhinal cortex specifically on day one under placebo, but these were diminished by cortisol. Grid-like representations were associated with PI performance dependent on the availability of spatial cues and cortisol administration, suggesting that cortisol may interfere with the typical relationship of grid cells and PI. Overall, the study indicates that cortisol-induced disruption in grid cell function in the entorhinal cortex may underly stress effects on path integration.
Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) refers to the nonconsensual creating, taking, or sharing of intimate images, including threats to share intimate images. Despite the significant harms of IBSA, there is limited data on its prevalence and how it affects different identity or demographic groups. This study examines prevalence of, impacts from, and responses to IBSA via a survey with over 16,000 adults in 10 countries. More than 1 in 5 (22.6%) respondents reported an experience of IBSA. Victimization rates were higher among LGBTQ+ and younger respondents. Although victimized at similar rates, women reported greater harms and negative impacts from IBSA than men. Nearly a third (30.9%) of victim-survivors did not report or disclose their experience to anyone. We provide large-scale, granular, baseline data on prevalence in a diverse set of countries to aid in the development of effective interventions that address the experiences and intersectional identities of victim-survivors.
Javara A. Bukhsh, Maya Daneva, Marten van Sinderen
Phishing attacks pose a significant cybersecurity threat globally. This study investigates phishing susceptibility within the Pakistani population, examining the influence of demographic factors, technological aptitude and usage, previous phishing victimization, and email characteristics. Data was collected through convenient sampling; a total of 164 people completed the questionnaire. Contrary to some assumptions, the results indicate that men, individuals over 25, employed persons and frequent online shoppers have relatively high phishing susceptibility. The characteristics of email significantly affected phishing victimization, with authority and urgency signaling increasing susceptibility, while risk cues sometimes improved vigilance. In particular, users were more susceptible to emails from communication services such as Gmail and LinkedIn compared to government or social media sources. These findings highlight the need for targeted security awareness interventions tailored to specific demographics and email types. A multifaceted approach combining technology and education is crucial to combat phishing attacks.
We report on two months of ethnographic fieldwork in a women's centre in Pattaya, and interviews with 76 participants. Our findings, as they relate to digital security, show how (i) women in Pattaya, often working in the sex and massage industries, perceived relationships with farang men as their best, and sometimes only, option to achieve security; (ii) the strategies used by the women to appeal to a farang involved presenting themselves online, mirroring how they were being advertised by bar owners to attract customers; (iii) appealing to what they considered `Western ideals', the women sought out `Western technologies' and appropriated them for their benefit; (iv) the women navigated a series of online security risks, such as scams and abuse, which shaped their search for a farang; (v) the women developed collective security through knowledge-sharing to protect themselves and each other in their search for a farang. We situate our work in emerging digital security scholarship within marginalised contexts.
This study examines gender disparities in communication research through citation metrics, authorship patterns, team composition, and faculty salaries. Using data from 62,359 papers across 121 communication journals, we find that while female authors are increasingly represented, citation gaps persist, with sole-authored papers by women receiving fewer citations than those by men, especially in smaller teams. Team composition analysis reveals a tendency toward gender homophily, with single-gender teams being more common. In top U.S. communication journals, female authors face underrepresentation and citation disparities favoring male authors. Salary analysis from leading U.S. public universities shows that female faculty earn lower salaries at the Assistant Professor level, though disparities lessen at higher ranks. These findings highlight the need for greater efforts to promote gender equity through inclusive collaboration, equitable citation practices, and fair compensation.
IntroductionSelf-protection, also called protective anger or assertive anger, is a key factor in mental health. Thus, far, researchers have focused mainly on the qualitative analysis of self-protection.MethodsTherefore, we investigated facial action units, emotions, and vocal cues in low and high self-protective groups of participants in order to detect any differences. The total sample consisted of 239 participants. Using the Performance factor in the Short version of the Scale for Interpersonal Behavior (lower 15th percentile and upper 15th percentile) we selected 33 high self-protective participants (11 men, 22 women) and 25 low self-protective participants (eight men, 17 women). The self-protective dialogue was recorded using the two-chair technique script from Emotion Focused Therapy. The subsequent analysis was performed using iMotions software (for action units and emotions) and Praat software (for vocal cues of pitch and intensity). We used multilevel models in program R for the statistical analysis.ResultsCompared to low self-protective participants, high self-protective participants exhibited more contempt and fear and less surprise and joy. Compared to low self-protective participants, high self-protective participants expressed the action units the following action units less often: Mouth Open (AU25), Smile (AU12), Brow Raise (AU2), Cheek Raise (AU6), Inner Brow Raise (AU1), and more often Brow Furrow (AU4), Chin Raise (AU17), Smirk (AU12), Upper Lip Raise (AU10), and Nose Wrinkle (AU9). We found no differences between the two groups in the use of vocal cues.DiscussionThese findings bring us closer to understanding and diagnosing self-protection.
Yvette Adje, Philippe Sessou, Aretas Tonouhewa
et al.
Background:
Livestock farming constitutes a principal component of the economic sector in West Africa, particularly within rural communities.
Aim:
A cross-sectional survey was performed in six agro-ecological zones to advance the development of small ruminant farming in Benin and elevate producers' incomes, aimed at categorizing the diverse forms of small ruminant farming and uncovering the essential factors that differentiate them.
Methods:
A total of 288 farmers from various regions were surveyed using a semistructured questionnaire implemented on Kobocollect. Data were then analyzed using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and ascending hierarchical classification (AHC).
Results:
Approximately 70% of the farmers interviewed were men, compared with 30% of the women. More than half (55%) had received no formal education, whereas the majority (91%) were fairly experienced and had been raising small ruminants for at least five years. Three farming systems were adopted for sheep and goat rearing: extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive, practiced by 78%, 18%, and 2.8% of farmers, respectively. A number of diseases were frequently noted, primarily respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia (67%), abscesses (48%), and dermatitis (33%). The MCA identified three clusters : type 1, which is composed of dairy farms and accounts for 14.5% of the total number of farmers; type 2, which accounts for 50% of the total number of farmers and is composed of meat producers with good husbandry practices and management of health constraints; and type 3, which accounts for 37.7% of the total number of farmers and is composed of meat producers with acceptable husbandry practices but poor management of health constraints.
Conclusion:
The milk-producing farms adopted good feeding practices and regularly vaccinated and dewormed their livestock. In addition to meat production, sheep and goats can be used for milk production in Benin if good husbandry practices are promoted and adopted in flock management. [Open Vet. J. 2025; 15(9.000): 4650-4663]
<p dir="ltr">Introduction:</p><p dir="ltr">Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vietnam remain a key population disproportionately affected by HIV and emerging infections such as mpox. Despite the availability of prevention tools such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and digital health technologies, uptake remains low due to complex psychosocial and structural barriers. In this context, understanding behavioral, informational, and systemic factors influencing prevention readiness is essential to strengthen Vietnam's public health response.</p><p dir="ltr">Aim:</p><p dir="ltr">This thesis aims to explore knowledge, perceptions, and access to HIV and mpox prevention among MSM in Vietnam. Using a multi-method approach, the research investigates the role of eHealth, behavioral predictors, stigma, and healthcare trust in shaping uptake and engagement with prevention strategies such as PrEP and vaccination.</p><p dir="ltr">Methods:</p><p dir="ltr">This thesis employed a multi-method research design, integrating systematic review, qualitative inquiry, and quantitative surveys to generate a comprehensive understanding of HIV and mpox prevention dynamics among MSM in Vietnam. Study I was a systematic review conducted following PRISMA guidelines, incorporating 54 eHealth interventions targeting HIV/STI prevention among MSM globally. These interventions were assessed using the ICROMS quality appraisal tool, with thematic synthesis used to analyze behavioral, psychosocial, and technological outcomes. Particular attention was paid to the duration, mode of delivery, and sustainability of behavior change effects.</p><p dir="ltr">Studies II and III utilized qualitative focus group discussions (FGDs) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Study II explored eHealth preferences with 35 MSM across five stratified FGDs, while Study III examined PrEP acceptability, perceived barriers, and service design preferences among 30 HIV-negative or status-unknown MSM. The FGDs were transcribed, translated, and analyzed using directed content analysis to identify themes related to digital engagement, privacy, stigma, and trust. Studies IV and V were nationwide online cross-sectional surveys conducted between August and November 2022. Study IV involved 1,422 MSM and focused on awareness, access, and willingness to use PrEP. Study V involved 1,549 MSM and assessed mpox-related knowledge, misconceptions, and vaccine willingness. Participants were recruited using a snowball sampling strategy via trusted MSM community leaders. Surveys were administered anonymously using structured online questionnaires covering sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychosocial domains. Multivariable logistic and Tobit regression models were applied to identify predictors of prevention behavior and knowledge.</p><p dir="ltr">Findings:</p><p dir="ltr">The systematic review (Study I) synthesized 54 eHealth interventions for HIV/STI prevention among MSM globally. Most were randomized controlled trials conducted in high-income countries, predominantly web-based, and aimed at reducing sexual risk behaviors and increasing HIV/STI testing. About two-thirds employed behavioral theories, but methodological quality varied. The review highlighted that sustained behavior change remains a challenge, with limited long- term follow-up and a lack of booster interventions. Interventions integrating interactivity, personalization, and multi-platform access were associated with higher engagement and effectiveness.</p><p dir="ltr">Qualitative studies (Study II and III) conducted in Hanoi provided contextual depth on MSM's preferences for digital tools and perceptions of PrEP. MSM preferred smartphone-based, interactive, and discreet eHealth platforms, favoring private channels such as Facebook groups or encrypted chat over SMS, which was viewed as spam-like or privacy-threatening. Participants emphasized trust in content source, short and engaging formats, and integration with real-time services such as booking and counseling. Regarding PrEP, while participants acknowledged its value in reducing HIV risk and enhancing sexual agency, concerns about daily adherence, side effects, stigma, and cost were common. PrEP was seen as a complement-not a replacement-for condoms, and participants favored accessing PrEP through MSM-friendly CBOs or trusted clinics.</p><p dir="ltr">Survey findings (Study IV and V) reinforced and extended these insights. Among 1,422 MSM across 62 provinces (Study IV), 56.1% were aware of PrEP, and 67.2% expressed willingness to use it. Willingness was higher among younger, better- educated MSM, those with higher income, and those open about their sexual orientation. However, recent experiences of sexual violence and stigma significantly reduced willingness, indicating psychological and structural barriers. Notably, inconsistent condom users and those engaging in group sex were more likely to express PrEP interest-suggesting risk-awareness as a motivating factor. In the context of emerging infections, Study V surveyed 1,549 MSM and found low mpox awareness despite high vaccine willingness (72.4%). Misconceptions about transmission were widespread, and only one in four participants knew where to get tested for mpox. Higher awareness was associated with youth, education, risk behaviors, and social support. Predictors of vaccine acceptance included general mpox knowledge, perceived necessity of vaccination, group sex engagement, and perceived HIV risk. These results emphasize the need for integrated communication strategies that align sexual health education with outbreak preparedness, particularly using trusted digital and peer-based channels.</p><p dir="ltr">Together, the five studies revealed that while prevention interest among MSM in Vietnam is high-especially for PrEP and mpox vaccination-significant gaps in digital engagement, structural access, and trust must be addressed to translate willingness into action.</p><p dir="ltr">Conclusion:</p><p dir="ltr">This thesis provides an integrated understanding of HIV and emerging infectious disease prevention among MSM in Vietnam, drawing on findings from a systematic review, two qualitative studies, and two national surveys. Together, the studies highlight the readiness of MSM to engage with digital and biomedical prevention tools-such as eHealth platforms, PrEP, and vaccines-while also revealing substantial barriers related to stigma, disclosure, service trust, and knowledge gaps. The systematic review affirmed the short-term effectiveness of eHealth interventions when grounded in behavioral theory, but also pointed to limitations in long-term impact and sustainability. Qualitative findings showed that MSM valued credible, interactive, and private online interventions, yet remained concerned about information overload and inadvertent disclosure. Surveys confirmed a high willingness to use PrEP and accept mpox vaccination but revealed low awareness and structural obstacles to access. Psychosocial factors such as stigma, mental health distress, and sexual violence were consistently associated with lower prevention engagement. To close the gap between willingness and action, future health programs must prioritize integrated, stigma- free, and community-centered service models. This thesis offers key recommendations for designing inclusive digital and biomedical interventions, improving policy, and ensuring that MSM in Vietnam are equitably reached by national HIV and infectious disease prevention strategies.</p><h3>List of scientific papers</h3><p dir="ltr">I. A systematic review of eHealth interventions addressing HIV/STI prevention among men who have sex with men. <b>Long Hoang Nguyen</b>, Bach Xuan Tran, Luis EC Rocha, Huong Lan Thi Nguyen, Cui Yang, Carl A Latkin, Anna Thorson, Susanne Strömdahl. AIDS and behavior, 23(9), 2253-2272. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02626-1" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02626-1</a></p><p dir="ltr">II. An exploratory assessment of the preference for eHealth interventions to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Hanoi, Vietnam. <b>Long Hoang</b> <b>Nguyen, </b>Huong Lan Thi Nguyen, Mattias Larsson, Bach Xuan Tran, Mart L. Stein, Luis EC Rocha, Susanne Strömdahl. BMC public health, 20(1), 1387. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09449-z" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09449-z</a></p><p dir="ltr">III. A qualitative assessment in acceptability and barriers to use pre- exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men: implications for service delivery in Vietnam. <b>Long Hoang</b> <b>Nguyen, </b>Huong Lan Thi Nguyen, Bach Xuan Tran, Mattias Larsson, Luis EC Rocha, Anna Thorson, Susanne Strömdahl. BMC infectious diseases, 21(1), 472. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-06178-5" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-06178-5</a></p><p dir="ltr">IV. Empowering Wellness: Exploring PrEP Access, Utilization, and Willingness among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Vietnam. <b>Long Hoang</b> <b>Nguyen, </b>Huong Lan Thi Nguyen, Tham Thi Nguyen, Mattias Larsson, Luis E. C. Rocha, Anna Thorson, and Susanne Strömdahl. [Manuscript]</p><p dir="ltr">V. Exploring Awareness of the Disease, Attitude, and Acceptance Towards Vaccine against Monkeypox among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Vietnam. <b>Long Hoang</b> <b>Nguyen, </b>Huong Lan Thi Nguyen, Mattias Larsson, Luis E. C. Rocha, Anna Thorson, Susanne Strömdahl. [Manuscript]</p>
Annalí Casanueva, Davide Rossi, Stefano Zacchiroli
et al.
Despite its promise of openness and inclusiveness, the development of free and open source software (FOSS) remains significantly unbalanced in terms of gender representation among contributors. To assist open source project maintainers and communities in addressing this imbalance, it is crucial to understand the causes of this inequality.In this study, we aim to establish how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the ability of women to contribute to public code. To do so, we use the Software Heritage archive, which holds the largest dataset of commits to public code, and the difference in differences (DID) methodology from econometrics that enables the derivation of causality from historical data.Our findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women's ability to contribute to the development of public code, relatively to men. Further, our observations of specific contributor subgroups indicate that COVID-19 particularly affected women hobbyists, identified using contribution patterns and email address domains.
Neural language models, which reach state-of-the-art results on most natural language processing tasks, are trained on large text corpora that inevitably contain value-burdened content and often capture undesirable biases, which the models reflect. This case study focuses on the political biases of pre-trained encoders in Czech and compares them with a representative value survey. Because Czech is a gendered language, we also measure how the grammatical gender coincides with responses to men and women in the survey. We introduce a novel method for measuring the model's perceived political values. We find that the models do not assign statement probability following value-driven reasoning, and there is no systematic difference between feminine and masculine sentences. We conclude that BERT-sized models do not manifest systematic alignment with political values and that the biases observed in the models are rather due to superficial imitation of training data patterns than systematic value beliefs encoded in the models.
Osteoporosis causes progressive loss of bone density and strength, causing a more elevated risk of fracture than in normal healthy bones. It is estimated that some 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, which poses osteoporosis as an important public health problem worldwide. The basis of diagnosis is based on Bone Mineral Density (BMD) tests, with Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) being the most common. A T-score of -2.5 or lower defines osteoporosis. This paper focuses on the application of medical imaging analytics towards the detection of osteoporosis by conducting a comparative study of the efficiency of CNN and FNN in DEXA image analytics. Both models are very promising, although, at 95%, the FNN marginally outperformed the CNN at 93%. Hence, this research underlines the probable capability of deep learning techniques in improving the detection of osteoporosis and optimizing diagnostic tools in order to achieve better patient outcomes.