Related Changes Research Articles

Sex-bias metabolism of fetal organs, and their relationship to the regulation of fetal brain-placental axis.

The placenta plays influential role in the fetal development of mammals. But how the metabolic need of the fetal organs is related to that of the placenta, and whether this relationship is influenced by the sex of the fetus remain poorly understood. This study used pigs to investigate metabolomic signatures of male and female fetal organs, and determine the relevance of gene expression of the placenta and brain to the metabolism of peripheral organs. Untargeted metabolomics analysis was performed with the day-45 placenta, kidney, heart, liver, lung and brain of male and female pig fetuses to model sex differences in themetabolism of the peripheral organs relative to that of the brain and placenta. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to investigate the expression of metabolic genes in the placenta and fetal brain of both sexes. The results of this study show that the fetoplacental metabolic regulation was not only influenced by the fetal sex but also dependent on the metabolic requirement of theindividual organs of the fetus. Neural network modeling of metabolomics data revealed differential relationship of the metabolic changes of the peripheral organs with the placenta and fetal brain between males and females. RNA sequencing further showed that genes associated with themetabolism of the peripheral organs were differentially expressed in the placenta and fetal brain. The findings of this study suggest a regulatory role of the fetal brain and placenta axis in the sex-bias metabolism of the peripheral organs.

Exploring the association between sleep problems and loneliness in adolescents: Potential mediating effects of rumination and resilience.

Sleep problems positively predict loneliness to a large extent, which would harm adolescent health. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism. This research investigates the potential mediating roles of rumination and resilience in the relation among adolescents and further examines the changing relationships. In Study 1, 1056 adolescents from two schools completed self-reported measures of sleep problems, loneliness, rumination, and resilience. We found that sleep problems were positively associated with loneliness, and that rumination and resilience mediated this relationship, both individually and sequentially. To examine the varying relationship between rumination, resilience, and loneliness, Study 2 adopted the cross-lagged design in a long-term longitudinal study of 131 students and found that rumination and resilience at T1 significantly predict loneliness at T2. To further directly explore the changing relationship between sleep problems and loneliness, we performed a short-term longitudinal study across 7weeks of 242 adolescents in Study 3. The results replicated the findings of Study 2 and found sleep problems at T1 positively predicted loneliness at T2. These results underscore the significance of sleep problems in contributing to loneliness through mediating mechanisms and unveil the possible causal relationships, offering robust insights to alleviate adolescent loneliness.

Relationship of Physical Change and Social Culture with the Risk of Eating Disorder in One of Surabaya High School

Introduction: Adolescents aged 10 to 19 experience significant growth in various areas. Around 14% of them struggle with mental health, and eating disorders have the highest mortality rate. According to research, screen-related disordered eating affects about 1 in 8 high school students, and sociocultural pressure is positively associated with bulimia-related behaviors. Limited data on physical changes and sociocultural influences on eating disorders exist in Surabaya, Indonesia. The study aims to examine the potential correlation between physical alterations and sociocultural elements and the likelihood of eating disorders in one of Surabaya’s high schools. Methods: This cross-sectional observational analytic study collects primary data using two questionnaire instruments: EAT-26e collected samples from 60 students in SMAN2 Surabaya and SATAQ-4 using random stratified sampling. We used random stratified sampling to collect samples from 60 students in one of Surabaya’s high schools. We used SPSS version 25 to examine the data using the Spearman’s Rho Correlation Coefficient. Results: Physical changes show no significant correlation; in contrast, sociocultural pressure results show a significant correlation with the risk of eating disorders. Peer pressure, family pressure, and media pressure do not significantly influence the subscales of social culture under measurement. Conclusion: In one of Surabaya’s high schools, there is a significant positive correlation between sociocultural factors and the risk of eating disorders; however, there is no significant correlation between physical changes and the risk of eating disorders.

Integrative analysis of gene expression, protein abundance, and metabolomic profiling elucidates complex relationships in chronic hyperglycemia-induced changes in human aortic smooth muscle cells

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health concern with significant cardiovascular complications (CVD). Despite extensive epidemiological data, the molecular mechanisms relating hyperglycemia to CVD remain incompletely understood. We here investigated the impact of chronic hyperglycemia on human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) cultured under varying glucose conditions in vitro, mimicking normal (5 mmol/L), pre-diabetic (10 mmol/L), and diabetic (20 mmol/L) conditions, respectively. Normal HASMC cultures served as baseline controls, and patient-derived T2DM-SMCs served as disease controls. Results showed significant increases in cellular proliferation, area, perimeter, and F-actin expression with increasing glucose concentration (p < 0.01), albeit not exceeding the levels in T2DM cells. Atomic force microscopy analysis revealed significant decreases in Young’s moduli, membrane tether forces, membrane tension, and surface adhesion in SMCs at higher glucose levels (p < 0.001), with T2DM-SMCs being the lowest among all the cases (p < 0.001). T2DM-SMCs exhibited elevated levels of selected pro-inflammatory markers (e.g., ILs-6, 8, 23; MCP-1; M-CSF; MMPs-1, 2, 3) compared to glucose-treated SMCs (p < 0.01). Conversely, growth factors (e.g., VEGF-A, PDGF-AA, TGF-β1) were higher in SMCs exposed to high glucose levels but lower in T2DM-SMCs (p < 0.01). Pathway enrichment analysis showed significant increases in the expression of inflammatory cytokine-associated pathways, especially involving IL-10, IL-4 and IL-13 signaling in genes that are up-regulated by elevated glucose levels. Differentially regulated gene analysis showed that compared to SMCs receiving normal glucose, 513 genes were upregulated and 590 genes were downregulated in T2DM-SMCs; fewer genes were differentially expressed in SMCs receiving higher glucose levels. Finally, the altered levels in genes involved in ECM organization, elastic fiber synthesis and formation, laminin interactions, and ECM proteoglycans were identified. Growing literature suggests that phenotypic switching in SMCs lead to arterial wall remodeling (e.g., change in stiffness, calcific deposits formation), with direct implications in the onset of CVD complications. Our results suggest that chronic hyperglycemia is one such factor that leads to morphological, biomechanical, and functional alterations in vascular SMCs, potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of T2DM-associated arterial remodeling. The observed differences in gene expression patterns between in vitro hyperglycemic models and patient-derived T2DM-SMCs highlight the complexity of T2DM pathophysiology and underline the need for further studies.

Revisiting modern campuses through spaces for leisure in Izmir, Turkey

ABSTRACT Division of working and leisure spaces as an early product of modern life has still its traces on urban context. Campus spaces, not only universities, reflect such a programmed structure related to modern everyday life. This paper aims to discuss the changing relationship between working and leisure on varying campus spaces, which embrace these two essential components of modern societies. Many campuses in early Turkey follow similar modernist organisational principles in their design and performs an original path in spatial transformation. Industry, education, and public service campuses, which were established in İzmir during the 1950s, constitute the spatial framework of this paper. The paper aims to trace the leisure areas of three campuses and examine this meticulously programmed life idea under the influence of the changing leisure spatial culture in Turkey from the 1950s to today. These spaces are articulated and examined by their dwellings and social interaction spaces. Besides, the social experience and individual perspectives of campus users are documented and merged with the physical analysis of the working and leisure spaces. Discussing those examples in socio-spatial details underlines the transformation and dissolution of campus idea in urban life and exposes the unique experience of campus spaces of İzmir.

Analysis of the dynamics of development of greenhouse vegetables in Russia during the pre-sanctions and sanctions periods

This article examines the dynamics of acreage, the main elements of production costs, labor costs per unit of production, output and profitability of products as key indicators of the economic development of greenhouse vegetables. The analysis of causal relationships of changes and interpretation of indicators of economic development of the sub-sector is carried out. The main challenges and prospects for the development of greenhouse vegetables industry have been studied, including the dependence of the industry on foreign supplies of components and seeds, the need to expand the range of products and strengthen the export potential of the industry. The results of the study allowed us to conclude that the vegetable growing of greenhouses (horticulture) in Russia has made a significant leap in its development, over the period 2006–2022 significantly increased production volumes and, in general, judging by key economic indicators of development, overcomes sanctions pressure, expressed primarily in the rise in the cost of production and sales logistics.

Ti3C2T x MXene Based Electro-Ionic Soft Actuator with Potential for Wearable Finger Straps.

Soft electro-ionic actuators have received extensive research and attention due to their advantages such as low voltage response and adjustable deformation. However, they have not been able to enter the actual industry application like traditional rigid actuators; one of the reasons may be that the kinematic properties of actuators have been less studied. The electro-ionic actuator based on Ti3C2T x MXene-CNT/PPy electrode prepared in this paper shows good bending displacement (18.8 mm) and strain (0.63%) under 4 V voltage. In this article, the overlapping nature and exponential function relationship of the actuator end-point trajectories are preliminarily discussed, and the morphology change and cubic polynomial function relationship of the actuator body are considered. Moreover, in application, a novel proof-of-concept model of smart wearable finger straps is proposed. This study is a unique attempt and is hoped to provide a new research perspective in the field of soft electro-ionic actuators.

Oral microbiome in the development of oral cancer

Oral cancer is an aggressive and rapidly progressive disease. The oral cavity is home to over 700 species of microorganisms which regulate metabolism, immune function and health. There are 3 types of mechanisms by which bacteria may participate in carcinogenesis. First, bacteria cause chronic inflammation, which stimulates the production of cytokines, including interleukins, interferons, and tumor necrosis factor. Second, bacteria can interact directly with host cells by secreting toxins or by binding to membrane receptors. Finally, the production of metabolites by bacteria may also contribute to carcinogenesis. The importance of bacteria level and composition in the transition of oral precancerous lesions to cancer has been demonstrated. The relationship of changes in microbiome composition with smoking, inflammation in healthy individuals, as well as with the development of oral cancer in patients has been studied.

The reasons for and influences of unintended teenage pregnancy in Kericho county, Kenya: a qualitative study.

Unintended teenage pregnancies are associated with greater health and socio-economic risks for teenage mothers and newborns. In Kenya, the government has declared a target for ending teenage pregnancy by 2030. However, the prevalence of teenage pregnancy has only decreased slightly, demonstrating the need for further efforts. Understanding teenage mothers' own experiences and perspectives is necessary to design appropriate interventions. A community-based qualitative study was conducted from March to May 2023. Two focus group discussions were conducted with community health volunteers and the mothers of teenage girls. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on the case histories of 19 teenage mothers and 18 key informants. Thematic analysis was subsequently performed using MAXQDA 2022. Four major reasons emerged for unintended teenage pregnancies: (1) lack of knowledge or awareness about the human reproductive system, (2) lack of knowledge about family planning (FP), (3) financial challenges, and (4) low access to FP. At the study site, cultural norms and stereotypes, such as "infertility caused by FP," "freedom of sex by promoting FP," and "cultural taboos on having sex before marriage and talking about sexuality," were observed as barriers in promoting FP to teenagers. In addition, teenagers from low socio-economic backgrounds were found to be more vulnerable because they can be easily exploited by men who can afford to provide for some of their basic needs. Regarding the influences of unintended teenage pregnancy on teenage mothers' lives, the 19 cases were classified into four categories: (1) dropping out of school, (2) financial challenges, (3) changing relationships with parents, and (4) no major influence. Crucially, unintended teenage pregnancies negatively influenced most study participants. Continuing education, supportive parental attitudes, positive perceptions of the relationship with the child's father, and having future perspectives were identified as factors mitigating the negative influences. Strengthening culturally appropriate comprehensive sexuality education and the school re-entry policy with a supportive environment may prevent unintended teenage pregnancy and mitigate its negative influences. As financial challenges can be both a reason for and a negative influence of unintended teenage pregnancy, economic empowerment interventions are necessary.

(Un)Funny Against All Odds: The Changing Landscape of Humour in Politics

The article wants to set the stage for the rest of the special issue titled ‘From resistance to legitimation: The changing role of humour in politics’ by providing an overview of some the key concepts, theories and approaches to humour. It begins by considering different concepts of and some of the theoretical approaches to the functions and implications of humour including relief, superiority and incongruity as well as carnival theory and the role of parody. From these ideas, it outlines several functions of using humour in politics which include the raising of public attention and distraction, provocation and isolation from critique, humour as a means of persuasion and anxiety management as well as the use of humour as a means of stabilizing and de-stabilizing hierarchies. Turning to the main contribution of the special issue it outlines the changing relationship of humour in politics from a means of critique of power to a means of legitimation of power. It places the contribution of the special issue in this debate and holds that humour plays an ambiguous role and calls for further research into the dark and unfunny side of humour in politics.

"I Am Forever Changed": A Phenomenological Study of the Existential Experiences of Parents of Children and Young People With Complex Care Needs.

To explore the existential lived experiences of parents of children and young people with complex care needs. An explorative qualitative design. We conducted 16 in-depth interviews with parents of children and young people with complex care needs across Norway from February to May 2022. Data collection and analysis were guided by the theoretical framework of van Manen's phenomenology of practice approach. Four distinct but interwoven themes reflecting the comprehensive and holistic nature of parents' existential lived experiences emerged: lived body: "I am forever changed"; lived space: Seeking sanctuary; lived time: "Time doesn't seem to exist"; and lived self-other: Parents' changing relationships. Parents' ongoing efforts to manage fluctuations in their daily lives profoundly affect the existential aspects of their well-being, suggesting that respectful and attentive nurse-parent relationships can nurture existential growth. There is a crucial need for a genuine nursing presence characterised by an attitude of open sensitivity and attentive listening to parents' existential experiences. Nurses should embrace the opportunity to engage in respectful and attentive dialogues with parents. Acknowledging that the insights emerging from these conversations can improve integrated and personalised nursing services worldwide. Parents of children and young people with complex care needs often experience suboptimal healthcare. Additionally, access to quality healthcare services, particularly in rural areas, is limited, creating inefficiencies and coordination challenges. This study provides nurses, other health care professionals, researchers, and decision-makers with valuable perspectives on supporting parents' existential needs which may significantly impact their overall well-being and coping abilities, contributing to a more compassionate approach to family care. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Parents of children and young people with complex care needs provided valuable feedback on the findings and implications of this work.

Ideas and the changing relationship between states and markets in social policy: A review essay

AbstractThis review essay takes stock of the recent literature about the role of ideas in social policy, with a particular focus on a key issue in social policy research: the changing interactions between states and markets over time. Specifically, our aim is to examine how the ideational literature discusses and explains prominent contemporary social policy evolutions: the rise of social investment and the financialization and technocratization of the welfare state. This is done based on the scholarship on state/market interactions and the role of ideas in social policy, and by utilizing key insights of scholars of ideational influences on state/market interactions. The article ends with a short agenda for future research on ideas and discourses as a crucial factor in the evolution of the welfare state as a key space in which states and markets interact.

Understanding the Relationship of Functional and Neurochemical Brain Changes in Parkinson’s Disease: First Steps With Novel Neuroimaging Approaches

Understanding the Relationship of Functional and Neurochemical Brain Changes in Parkinson’s Disease: First Steps With Novel Neuroimaging Approaches

Weight change and the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with hypertension: A primary-care cohort study.

Weight control is a cornerstone of hypertension management. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship of weight change to risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among patients with hypertension. We aimed to investigate the association of weight change with the risk of CVD, stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI) among patients with hypertension. We obtained the data from medical records of the Hypertension Health Management Program (HMPH) in Shenzhen, China. The present study included 221 454 individuals with hypertension. Weight change over two years was divided into loss ≥10%, loss 5-10%, stable (-5 ~ 5%), gain 5-10%, and gain >10%. Cox regression analyses were applied to assess the associations of weight change groups with the risk of CVD, stroke, and MI. Compared with the stable weight group (-5 ~ 5%), those with weight loss ≥10% had a higher risk of CVD (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.21; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-1.40) in the fully adjusted model. Weight gain >10% was significantly associated with a higher risk of CVD (HR = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.04-1.31). In the meanwhile, participants with weight loss ≥10% had significantly higher risks of stroke (HR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.02-1.41). However, participants with weight gain >10% had an increased risk of MI (HR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.15-1.82) in the fully adjusted model. Weight loss or weight gain were associated with higher risks of CVD. Management of patients with hypertension requires close monitoring and appropriate interventions to achieve optimal body weight to prevent adverse outcomes.

Making sense of big questions that require multiple subjects: preliminary theorisation of an integrative philosophy of knowledge and empirical indications of a lack of subject connection within school curricula

AbstractThis paper provides theorisation about a novel concept for education: an integrative philosophy of knowledge (IPK). This is proposed for school curricula to relate multiple subjects to big questions of personal and existential importance. Critical contemporary issues such as climate change education require multiple subject contributions but there is little clarity in the English education guidance on this drawing together, beyond the encouragement to do so in priority areas. Leading British thinkers have engaged the idea of the unity of knowledge, not without difficulty and criticism. The paper identifies reasons for a practical approach to consilience in school curricula. In addition to preliminary theorisation, in methodological ‘harmony’, this paper adds tentative empirical findings from a related research project that provides quantitative indications that such multi-subject connection is likely not happening. The findings are not definitive, but the perceptions of three groups of beginning and experienced teachers (secondary Religious Education (RE), secondary science and primary teachers) indicate that school curricula do not reflect an integrative approach to climate change education, and sex and relationships education, despite policy priority. A significant national survey could not detect many signs of connection. The paper speculates that RE could have a key epistemic role for the curriculum as a whole in this regard.

"Artificial Mothers" on Display: How Public Exhibits Shaped the Development of Incubators.

For the first four decades of the twentieth century, premature babies in the United States were primarily treated in infant incubators not in hospitals, but in a public setting-at the Coney Island amusement park. Although incubators are now an indispensable medical device, their origins lie in public exhibitions rather than a professional medical environment. This article uncovers the longer history behind this unusual episode in neonatal care and technology. Offering the first comprehensive account of the early history of the infant incubator, it traces how these devices were first developed and showcased at exhibition sites across Europe in the 1890s. A comparative study of these exhibitions in Europe and the United States from 1890 to 1943 highlights significant differences in how industry, science, education, and spectacle interacted in each country. Moreover, it examines the changing relationship between public displays and professional medicine during this period, illustrating how technology developed in public spaces before transitioning into the professional medical domain.

Research on the process of heat transfer between mobile variable temperature heat source and thermoacoustic plate

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of several easy-to-operate parameters (operating frequency, plate stack length, plate stack position, and amplitude) on the refrigeration performance, to explore the optimization path of thermoacoustic refrigerator, and to provide a design basis for further cost reductions. The heat transfer process between the air mass and the plate was investigated as an object, and the physical and mathematical models of the heat transfer process were established. The gas microcluster moving heat and plate stack temperature difference were taken as the response. Operating frequency, plate position, plate length and gas vibration displacement amplitude were the design factors. The change relationship of the system response under the interaction of factors was analyzed by using the central composite experimental design and the response surface method, and experimental verification was carried out. The results show that the deviation of the predicted model from the experimental data is less than 5.9 % when the operating frequency is in the range of 0 Hz–12 Hz, and that the location of the plate stack is 0.45 from the pressure belly point of the sound field, where the heat of the air mass transfer is the largest.

Association of changes and cumulative measures of triglyceride-glucose index-body mass index with hypertension risk: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundTo investigate the relationships of the dynamic changes in triglyceride glucose index-body mass index (TyG‑BMI) and cumulative TyG-BMI with the risk of hypertension among middle-aged and elderly Chinese.MethodsData were used from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Participants who participated in the baseline study (2011–2012) and in subsequent surveys (2015–2018) were included in this study. The primary exposures were changes in TyG-BMI and cumulative TyG-BMI from 2012 to 2015. Changes in TyG-BMI were categorized using k-means clustering methods, while cumulative TyG-BMI was categorized into quartiles. Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed to examine the association between changes in TyG-BMI and cumulative TyG-BMI with the incidence of hypertension. Linear regression analyzes were performed to examine the association between changes in TyG-BMI and cumulative TyG-BMI with cumulative systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cumulative diastolic blood pressure (DBP).ResultsOf a total of 2,561 participants aged 56.93 ± 8.08 years old at baseline, 253 individuals (9.9%) developed hypertension during the 7-year follow-up period. The hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for hypertension were 1.50 (1.10–2.03) for class 2 (persistently medium class) and 2.35 (1.61–3.42) for class 3 (persistently high class), compared to class 1 (persistently low class). Additionally, class 2 showed increases of 7.70 mmHg (95% CI: 5.18–10.21) in cumulative SBP and 6.53 mmHg (95% CI: 4.68–8.38) in cumulative DBP, while class 3 exhibited increases of 14.10 mmHg (95% CI: 10.56–17.64) in cumulative SBP and 12.64 mmHg (95% CI: 10.03–15.25) in cumulative DBP, compared with class 1. Regarding cumulative TyG-BMI, the HR for hypertension were 1.75 (95% CI: 1.18–2.59) for quartile 3 and 2.15 (95% CI: 1.43–3.23) for quartile 4, compared with quartile 1. In quartile 2, cumulative SBP increased by 3.99 mmHg (95% CI: 0.88–7.11) and cumulative DBP by 2.74 mmHg (95% CI: 0.45–5.02). Quartile 3 showed increases of 8.32 mmHg (95% CI: 5.09–11.54) in cumulative SBP and 7.13 mmHg (95% CI: 4.76–9.49) in cumulative DBP. Quartile 4 exhibited the highest increases, with cumulative SBP rising by 13.15 mmHg (95% CI: 9.70–16.60) and cumulative DBP by 12.20 mmHg (95% CI: 9.67–14.74). Furthermore, a linear relationship was observed between cumulative TyG-BMI and the risk of hypertension.ConclusionsChanges in TyG-BMI and cumulative TyG-BMI were associated with an increased risk of hypertension, as well as higher cumulative SBP and DBP in Chinese middle-aged and elderly population.

High-resolution mapping of carbon dioxide emissions in Guizhou Province and its scale effects

Accurate spatial distribution of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is essential information needed to peaking emissions and achieving carbon neutral in China. The aim of this study was to map CO2 emissions with high spatial resolution at provincial scale and then explore the scale effect on mapping results. As an example, the spatiotemporal pattern and factors influencing CO2 emissions were examined in Guizhou Province in Western China. With the proposed method, a reasonable spatial distribution of CO2 emissions with high spatial resolution was obtained, which had relatively accurate information on spatial details. The optimal resolution of CO2 emissions at the provincial scale under high spatial resolution was approximately 90 m and 1260 m. More detailed grid data can better reflect the spatial variability of CO2 emissions. Emissions of CO2 were spatially heterogeneous in Guizhou, with high emissions in centers of big cities that gradually spread and decreased from city centers. From 2009 to 2019, the spatial distribution of CO2 emissions developed from agglomeration to dispersion. Areas of high carbon emissions decreased, those of medium carbon emissions increased, and many areas changed from no emissions to carbon emissions. Industrial land had the highest emissions, followed by commercial and transportation lands. Over 10 years, changes occurred in the relation between interregional economic level of Guizhou and CO2 emissions, with the relation changing from linear into an inverted U-shaped relation. The effect of industrial structure on CO2 emissions decreased, and the linear increase between CO2 emissions and the urban scale became more evident. The results of this study will contribute to accurate monitoring and management of carbon emissions in Guizhou, as well as provide support to formulate policies related to controls on carbon emissions in different regions.

From passion to knowledge

AbstractIn this paper, I aim to situate the practical agency of the sage in an overall picture of the development of the Plotinian moral agent. This development can be seen as a gradual transition from external to internal principles of action guidance which endow the agent with autonomy and coherence in her practical actions. The transition from external to internal principles corresponds to a changing relationship between the agent's telos and particular actions. Non-virtuous agents aim at the attainment of an object of desire, while the civically virtuous person aims to perform virtuous actions irrespectively of the achievement of particular objects of desire. Finally, the telos of the sage is the contemplation of forms and she acts practically as a consequence and external activity of having achieved her goal. The analysis of Plotinus' theory of moral development shows that the sage's inward turn and detachment from external circumstances do not involve inactivity in the practical sphere but figure as a necessary condition of her making an active contribution to the order of the sensible world through her actions as opposed to passively responding to external circumstances.