Control Condition Research Articles

A comparative study of worm-sludge treatment reed bed planted with Phragmites australis and Arundo donax in the Mediterranean region.

Sludge treatment reed bed planted (STRB) with Phragmites australis (P.australis) and Arundo donax (A.donax) was assessed in the presence of Eisenia fetida under control condition during the dry season. Worm-planted units were fed with mixed sewage sludge (dry and volatile solids of 29.44g DS.L-1 and 24.23g VS.L-1). Sludge loading rates (SLR) of 50, 60, and 70kg DS m-2year-1 were examined to assess dewatering efficiency. Surface layers in units with P.australis and A.donax achieved DS of 80 and 81% at a loading rate of 50kg DS m-2year-1, while their subsurface DS were 41 and 25%, respectively. Units with A.donax experienced plant loss when subjected to SLR exceeding 60kg DS m-2year-1. More than 10cm of residual sludge accumulated on the top of units after a 2-month final rest. Evapotranspiration was greater in the unit with P.australis (5.23mmday-1) compared to the unit with A.donax (4.24mmday-1) while both were fed with 70kg DS m-2year-1. Water loss contributions from residual sludge layer, drained water, and evapotranspiration were 3, 46, and 51%, respectively. Units with P.australis indicated 20% higher water loss compared to units with A.donax. Although the drained water quality improved over time, it did not meet standard limits. The residual sludge layer contained macro and micronutrients, and heavy metals with a significant elemental order of N > Ca > P > S > mg > K (N:P:K = 31:8:1), Fe > Na > B > Mn > Mo and Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd. Overall, STRB could be a sustainable alternative technology to conventional sewage sludge management techniques.

The Effects of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Distraction, and Rumination on State Anger Using the Autobiographical Essay Memory Task

ABSTRACT Given the many negative outcomes of anger, including physical aggression and violence, there is a need to improve treatment outcomes. As such, several treatment approaches were evaluated in this study. The autobiographical essay memory task (AEMT) was given to 157 participants on Amazon’s Mturk. Using a four (intervention) by three (state anger) mixed design, participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: control group (a distraction task), rumination, self-help Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). All participants were instructed to write an anger-evoking memory for ten minutes. Following this, participants were then asked to partake in their respective intervention. Using the State Anger Scale from the State-Trait Anger Expression-2, state anger was measured at baseline, after writing about the anger-evoking memory, and post-intervention. As expected, there was a significant difference across the three time points, p < .001, η2 = .30. Once the AEMT was completed, participants received an intervention. Participants indicated lower levels of state anger post-intervention compared to post-AEMT, p < .001; however, participants post-intervention still reported higher levels of state anger compared to baseline, p < .001. Using the LSD post-hoc test, participants in the rumination condition reported higher levels of state anger post-intervention compared to participants who engaged in PMR (p < .001), self-help REBT (p = .04), and the control condition (p < .001). There were no significant differences noted between PMR, self-help REBT, and the control conditions post-intervention. The AEMT was an effective tool to evoke state anger in a lab setting. Additionally, self-help REBT, PMR, and distraction are effective tools to decrease state anger.

The effects of persuasion principles on perceived honesty during shoulder surfing attacks

Purpose This study aimed to investigate how honest participants perceived an attacker to be during shoulder surfing scenarios that varied in terms of which Principle of Persuasion in Social Engineering (PPSE) was used, whether perceived honesty changed as scenarios progressed, and whether any changes were greater in some scenarios than others. Design/methodology/approach Participants read one of six shoulder surfing scenarios. Five depicted an attacker using one of the PPSEs. The other depicted an attacker using as few PPSEs as possible, which served as a control condition. Participants then rated perceived attacker honesty. Findings The results revealed honesty ratings in each condition were equal during the beginning of the conversation, participants in each condition perceived the attacker to be honest during the beginning of the conversation, perceived attacker honesty declined when the attacker requested the target perform an action that would afford shoulder surfing, perceived attacker honesty declined more when the Distraction and Social Proof PPSEs were used, participants perceived the attacker to be dishonest when making such requests using the Distraction and Social Proof PPSEs and perceived attacker honesty did not change when the attacker used the target’s computer. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this experiment is the first to investigate how persuasion tactics affect perceptions of attackers during shoulder surfing attacks. These results have important implications for shoulder surfing prevention training programs and penetration tests.

Immediate effect of local vibration on motor unit firing behavior and muscle strength in healthy young adult males.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of vibration on motor unit (MU) firing behavior and physical performance of antagonist muscles in healthy young adult males. Fourteen males (age = 24.3 ± 3.6years) were included in this study. There were two conditions, one in which participants received 80Hz vibration in the distal tendon of the hamstring for 30s and the control condition (no vibration). High-density surface electromyography (HD-SEMG) signals and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensor muscles were evaluated before and after the respective conditions and recorded from the vastus lateralis muscle during submaximal ramp-up and sustained contractions at 30% MVC. Convolution blind source separation was used to decompose the HD-SEMG signals into individual MU firing behaviors. In total, 739 MUs were detected (control; 360 MUs and vibration; 379 MUs), and a total of 312 matched MUs were identified across both submaximal contraction conditions (control: 150 MUs; vibration: 162 MUs). Vibration significantly increased the discharge rate (p = 0.047) and decreased the recruitment threshold before and after intervention (p = 0.001) but not in the control condition. Furthermore, the recruitment threshold is a factor that influences discharge rate. Significant correlations were observed between the recruitment threshold and both the ∆ discharge rate and the ∆ recruitment threshold under the vibration condition (p < 0.001). Vibration increased in the discharge rate and decreased the recruitment threshold of the antagonist muscle. These findings suggested that vibration contributes to immediate changes in the neural control of antagonist muscles.

Proteomic dynamics revealed sex-biased responses to combined heat-drought stress in Marchantia.

Recent studies have documented plant responses to climate change extensively, particularly to single-stress exposures. However, critical factors for stress survival, such as sexual differentiation, are not often considered. The dioicous Marchantia polymorpha stands as an evolutionary milestone, potentially preserving ancestral traits from the early colonizers. In this study, we employed proteomic analyses complemented with physiological monitoring to investigate combined heat and drought responses in Tak-1 (male) and Tak-2 (female) accessions of this liverwort. Additionally, targeted transcriptomics was conducted using different natural populations from contrasting environments. Our findings revealed sex-biased dynamics among natural accessions, particularly evident under control conditions and during early stress responses. Although Tak-2 exhibited greater diversity than Tak-1 under control conditions, male accession demonstrated distinct and more rapid stress sensing and signaling. These differences in stress response appeared to be strongly related to sex-specific plasticity influenced by geoclimatic origin. Furthermore, we established distinct protein gene ages and genomic distribution trends, underscoring the importance of protein diversification over time. This study provides an evolutionary perspective on sexual divergence and stress emergence employing a systems biology approach, which allowed for the establishment of global and sex-specific interaction networks in the stress response.

The combination of a microbial and a non-microbial biostimulant increases yield in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under salt stress conditions by up-regulating cytokinin biosynthesis.

Salinization poses a significant challenge in agriculture, exacerbated by anthropogenic global warming. Biostimulants, derived from living microorganisms or natural extracts, have emerged as valuable tools for conventional and organic agriculture. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of biostimulants is very limited, especially in crops under real cultivation conditions. In this study, we adopted an integrative approach to investigate the effectiveness of the combined application of plant growth-promoting bacterium (Bacillus megaterium strain BM08) and a non-microbial biostimulant under control conditions (normal watering) and salt stress. After confirming the yield increase under both conditions, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed effect by measuring a number of physiological parameters (i.e., lipid peroxidation, antioxidants, chlorophylls, total phenolics and phytohormone content), as well as RNA sequencing and primary metabolite analyses. Our findings reveal that the combined effect of the microbial and non-microbial biostimulants led to a decrease in the antioxidant response and an up-regulation of genes involved in cytokinin biosynthesis under salt stress conditions. This, in turn, resulted in a higher concentration of the bioactive cytokinin, isopentenyladenosine, in roots and leaves and an increase in γ-aminobutyric acid, a non-proteic amino acid related to abiotic stress responses. In addition, we observed a decrease in malic acid, along with an abscisic acid (ABA)-independent up-regulation of SR-kinases, a family of protein kinases associated with abiotic stress responses. Furthermore, we observed that the single application of the non-microbial biostimulant triggers an ABA-dependent response under salt stress; however, when combined with the microbial biostimulant, it potentiated the mechanisms triggered by the BM08 bacterial strain. This comprehensive investigation shows that the combination of two biostimulants is able to elicit a cytokinin-dependent response that may explain the observed yield increase under salt stress conditions.

The moderating effect of access to food facilities and recreational activity space on mHealth multiple health behavior change intervention.

To evaluate whether the neighborhood social and built environment moderates response to a mobile health multiple health behavior change intervention targeting fruit/vegetable intake, sedentary behavior, and physical activity. Participants were 156 Chicago-residing adults with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Using linear mixed models, we evaluated whether access to food facilities (fast food restaurants and grocery stores) and recreational activity spaces (gyms and parks) moderated the difference in behavior change between the active intervention condition relative to control. Using spatial data analysis (cross K functions), we also assessed whether participants who achieved goal levels of behaviors ("responders") were more or less likely than those who did not achieve intervention goals ("non-responders") to reside near fast food restaurants, grocery stores, gyms, or parks. According to linear mixed models, none of the neighborhood social and built environment factors moderated the difference in behavior change between the active intervention condition and the control condition (Likelihood Ratio (χ²[1] = 0.02-2.33, P-values > 0.05). Cross K functions showed that diet behavior change responders were more likely than non-responders to reside near fast food restaurants, but not grocery stores. The results for activity behavior change were more variable. Sedentary screen time responders were more likely to reside around recreational activity spaces than non-responders. Moderate-vigorous physical activity responders had greater and lesser clustering than non-responders around parks, dependent upon distance from the park to participant residence. A complex relationship was observed between residential proximity to Chicago facilities and response to multiple health behavior change intervention. Replication across diverse geographic settings and samples is necessary.

Performance trend of the family physician referral system before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study in northern Iran

BackgroundConsidering the challenges of the referral system in the family physician program and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of the relevant ministry’s programs, it is necessary to assess the performance of the referral system. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the performance of the family physician referral system before and during COVID-19 in Golestan province.MethodsThe present repeated cross-sectional study was conducted on secondary data Recorded of 786,603 cases referred and cared by family physicians (including information on physicians’ and midwives’ visits, percentage of prescriptions and other information) in Golestan province from 2017 to 2022 in a census and retrospective manner. Data were collected using the reference ratio checklist and analyzed with SPSS 23 software at a significance level of less than 0.05.ResultsReferral to 10 types of medical specialties and 10 indicators of family physicians referral before and during COVID-19 were investigated. The highest and lowest percentages of referrals by family physicians were belonged to the surgical (17.6%) and infectious (2%) specialists before COVID-19, and internal medicine (15.07%) and urology (3%) specialists during COVID-19, respectively. Referral due to physician’s diagnosis increased by 19.3% compared to before Covid-19, target group increased by 0.86%, care decreased by 2.69% and reverse referral decreased by 36.1%. The amount of population covered by rural insurance, the amount of visits to midwives, the percentage of electronic appointments in the post-Covid-19 years have changed significantly compared to before.it (P-Value < 0.05).ConclusionThe present study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on family physician referral indicators, such as the process of referral to specialists, drug prescriptions, insurance coverage, one-time service population, and patient care, which can be used to eliminate the weaknesses and Strengthening the strengths of the programs being implemented in the face of possible pandemics is very useful and effective and can be used in the country. Finally, the results obtained from this research provide evidence to discuss the importance of the family physicians care and referral system in the face of special conditions for quality control in health policies.

A Meta-Analysis of Interpersonal and Psychodynamic Psychotherapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Established trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have remission rates of approximately 30%-40%. Alternatively, interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT) focus on disrupted attachment, mentalization, and social connection in PTSD and may help some patients. The authors conducted a meta-analysis on these interpersonal and affect-oriented approaches to treating PTSD. Building on a prior meta-analysis, the authors searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing IPT or PDT with other established PTSD treatments or control conditions for adults diagnosed as having PTSD. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to assess outcome effect sizes and dropout rates. RCTs were rated via the Randomized Controlled Trial Psychotherapy Quality Rating Scale. Ten RCTs (eight of IPT) comparing IPT or PDT with control (k=7) or active treatment (k=4) conditions were identified, nine of which were of adequate quality. IPT (k=5) and PDT (k=2), when analyzed together, were superior to control conditions overall (g=-1.14, p=0.011 [as was IPT alone: g=-0.88, p=0.034]) and to waitlist (g=-1.49) and treatment-as-usual (g=-0.70) groups. Effect sizes, however, may have been inflated by outliers or publication bias. IPT (k=3) and PDT (k=1), when analyzed together, were equally efficacious compared with other active PTSD treatments (primarily exposure-based psychotherapies), as was IPT alone, and had lower dropout rates (relative risk=0.63, p=0.049 for IPT and PDT analyzed together; relative risk=0.61, p=0.098 for IPT alone). Affect-focused therapies hold promise in the treatment of PTSD. IPT has demonstrated efficacy in multiple trials, whereas the evidence base for PDT is sparse.

High-throughput digital imaging and detection of morpho-physiological traits in tomato plants under drought

Abstract Advances in informatics, robotics, and imaging techniques make it possible to use state-of-the-art digital reconstruction technologies for high-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP) affected by stress factors, as well as for the ontology of their structural and functional traits. Digital imaging of structural and functional features of the aboveground part of plants is non-destructive and plants can be monitored throughout their entire life cycle. In the experiment with tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.; cv. Gruzanski zlatni) grown in controlled environmental conditions and affected by gradual soil dehydration, we evaluated phenotypic traits and phenotypic plasticity by the PlantScreenTM platform using digital imaging of plant optical signals. In this study, 25 different morpho-physiological traits of the plant were evaluated during the precise control and monitoring of the water content in the soil. Different levels of plant water supply induced statistically significant differences in the formation of individual phenotypic traits. Several plant traits have been identified that are characterized by low variability in both well-hydrated and water-stressed conditions, as well as traits with high phenotypic plasticity. Geometric traits (especially Isotop, Round-2top, and Compside) showed a relatively low level of drought-induced phenotypic plasticity. However, functional and chemometric characteristics (ΔF/F′m, Rfd, Water-1, and ARI-1) showed the potential to exhibit rapid plasticity in water-stressed conditions. Our results confirmed that a high-throughput phenotyping methodology coupled with advanced statistical analysis tools can be successfully applied to characterize crop stress responses and identify traits associated with crop stress tolerance.

Influence of gestational window on offspring vascular health in rodents with in utero exposure to electronic cigarettes.

Studies have shown cerebrovascular dysfunction in offspring with full-gestational electronic cigarette (Ecig) exposure, but little is known about how individual trimester exposure impacts offspring health. This study aimed to determine if there is a critical window during gestation that contributes to vascular and anxiety-like behavioural changes seen with full-term exposure. To test this, rats were time-mated, and the pregnant dams were randomly assigned to Ecig exposure during first trimester (gestational day, GD2-7), second trimester (GD8-14), third trimester (GD15-21) or full-term gestation (GD2-21). We also assessed the effect of maternal preconception exposure. Both male and female offspring from all maternal exposure conditions were compared to offspring from dams under ambient air (control) conditions. Ecig exposure consisted of 60-puffs/day (5days/week) using either 5 or 30watts for each respective exposure group. We found that maternal exposure to Ecig in the second and third trimesters resulted in a decrease (23-38%) in vascular reactivity of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) reactivity in 3- and 6-month-old offspring compared to Air offspring. Further, the severity of impairment was comparable to the full-term exposure (31-46%). Offspring also displayed changes in body composition, body mass, anxiety-like behaviour and locomotor activity, indicating that Ecigs influence neurodevelopment and metabolism. Maternal preconception exposure showed no impact on offspring body mass, anxiety-like behaviour, or vascular function. Thus, the critical exposure window where Ecig affects vascular development in offspring occurs during mid- to late-gestation in pregnancy, and both 5W and 30W exposure produce significant vascular dysfunction compared to Air. KEY POINTS: Exposure to electronic cigarettes (Ecigs) is known to increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease in both animals and humans. Maternal Ecig use during pregnancy in rodents is found to impair the vascular health of adolescent and adult offspring, but the critical gestation window for Ecig-induced vascular impairment is not known. This study demonstrates Ecig exposure during mid- and late-gestation (i.e. second or third trimester) results in impaired endothelial cell-mediated dilatation (i.e. middle cerebral artery reactivity) and alters anxiety-like behaviour in offspring. Maternal exposure prior to conception did not impact offspring's vascular or anxiety-like behavioural outcomes. Rodent models have been a reliable and useful predictor of inhalation-induced harm to humans. These data indicate maternal use of Ecigs during pregnancy should not be considered safe, and begin to inform clinicians and women about potential long-term harm to their offspring.

Sleep disturbances and psychological well-being among military medical doctors of the Swiss Armed Forces: study protocol, rationale and development of a cross-sectional and longitudinal interventional study

BackgroundCompared to civilians and non-medical personnel, military medical doctors are at increased risk for sleep disturbances and impaired psychological well-being. Despite their responsibility and workload, no research has examined sleep disturbances and psychological well-being among the medical doctors (MDs) of the Swiss Armed Forces (SAF). Thus, the aims of the proposed study are (1) to conduct a cross-sectional study (labeled ‘Survey-Study 1’) of sleep disturbances and psychological well-being among MDs of the SAF; (2) to identify MDs who report sleep disturbances (insomnia severity index &amp;gt;8), along with low psychological well-being such as symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, but also emotion regulation, concentration, social life, strengths and difficulties, and mental toughness both in the private/professional and military context and (3) to offer those MDs with sleep disturbances an evidence-based and standardized online interventional group program of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (eCBTi) over a time lapse of 6 weeks (labeled ‘Intervention-Study 2’).MethodAll MDs serving in the SAF (N = 480) will be contacted via the SAF-secured communication system to participate in a cross-sectional survey of sleep disturbances and psychological well-being (‘Survey-Study 1’). Those who consent will be provided a link to a secure online survey that assesses sleep disturbances and psychological well-being (depression, anxiety, stress, coping), including current working conditions, job-related quality of life, mental toughness, social context, family/couple functioning, substance use, and physical activity patterns. Baseline data will be screened to identify those MDs who report sleep disturbances (insomnia severity index &amp;gt;8); they will be re-contacted, consented, and randomly assigned either to the eCBTi or the active control condition (ACC) (‘Intervention-Study 2’). Individuals in the intervention condition will participate in an online standardized and evidence-based group intervention program of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (eCBTi; once the week for six consecutive weeks; 60–70 min duration/session). Participants in the ACC will participate in an online group counseling (once the week for six consecutive weeks; 60–70 min duration/session), though, the ACC is not intended as a bona fide psychotherapeutic intervention. At the beginning of the intervention (baseline), at week 3, and at week 6 (post-intervention) participants complete a series of self-rating questionnaires as for the Survey-Study 1, though with additional questionnaires covering sleep-related cognitions, experiential avoidance, and dimensions of self-awareness.Expected outcomesSurvey-Study 1: We expect to describe the prevalence rates of, and the associations between sleep disturbances (insomnia (sleep quality); sleep onset latency (SOL); awakenings after sleep onset (WASO)) and psychological well-being among MDs of the SAF; we further expect to identify specific dimensions of psychological well-being, which might be rather associated or non-associated with sleep disturbances.Intervention-Study 2: We expect several significant condition-by-time-interactions. Such that participants in the eCBTi will report significantly greater improvement in sleep disturbances, symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress reduction both at work and at home (family related stress), and an improvement in the overall quality of life as compared to the ACC over the period of the study.ConclusionThe study offers the opportunity to understand the prevalence of sleep disturbances, including factors of psychological well-being among MDs of the SAF. Further, based on the results of the Intervention-Study 2, and if supported, eCBTi may be a promising method to address sleep disturbances and psychological well-being among the specific context of MDs in the SAF.

Application of Galenic Strategies for Developing Gastro-Resistant Omeprazole Formulation for Pediatrics

Objectives: This study addresses a critical need in pediatric pharmacotherapy by focusing on the development of an enteric formulation of omeprazole for pediatric use. Omeprazole, a widely used proton pump inhibitor, is essential for treating various gastrointestinal disorders in children. The main objective is to design a compounding formula that can be prepared in hospital pharmacy services without the need for industrial equipment, which is often unavailable in these settings. Methods: The research applied different galenic strategies to overcome the challenges of omeprazole’s instability in acidic environments and its complex pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties. The experiments were conducted sequentially, employing salting out, ionic gelation, and matrix granulation strategies. Based on the results obtained, the control conditions and parameters for the various trials were established. Results: Among the techniques used, wet granulation proved to be the most promising, achieving a gastro-resistance level of 44%. In contrast, the ionic gelation and salting-out techniques did not yield satisfactory results. Conclusions: The findings of this study underscore the need to adopt alternative formulation strategies to ensure the stability of omeprazole. This goal requires a multidisciplinary approach and continuous effort to design omeprazole formulations that meet quality standards and appropriate gastro-resistance requirements.

Feasibility of superimposed supine cycling and lower body negative pressure as an effective means of prolonging exercise tolerance in individuals experiencing persisting post-concussive symptoms: Preliminary results.

To examine the feasibility, utility and safety of superimposed lower body negative pressure (LBNP) and tilt during supine cycling in individuals suffering from persisting post-concussive symptoms (PPCS). Elevenindividuals aged 17-31 (6 females/5 males) participated in two randomized separate visits, 1week apart. A ramp-incremental test was performed during both visits until volitional failure. Visits included no pressure (control) or LBNP at -40Torr (experimental) with head-up tilt at 15degrees (females) or 30degrees (males). Transcranial Doppler ultrasound was utilized to quantify middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv), while symptom reports were filled out before and 0, 10, and 60min post-exertion. Ratings of exertion and overall condition followed similar trends for participants across both tests. The relative increase in MCAv was blunted during the experimental condition (8%) compared to control (24%), while a greater heart rate (17 beats/min) was achieved during the LBNP condition (P=0.047). Symptom severity at the 0 and 10minpost-exertion time points displayed negligible-to-small effect sizes between conditions (Wilcoxon's r<0.11). Symptom reporting was lower at the 60min post-exertion time point with these displaying a moderate effect size (Wilcoxon's r=0.31). The combination of LBNP and tilt during supine cycling did not change the participants' subjective interpretation of the exertional test but attenuated the hyperpnia-induced vasodilatory MCAv response, while also enabling participants to achieve a higher heart rate during exercise and reduced symptoms 1h later. As this protocol is safe and feasible, further research is warranted in this area for developing PPCS treatment options. HIGHLIGHTS: What is the central question of this study? What are the feasibility, safety and utility of combining head-up tilt with lower body negative pressure during supine cycling for blunting the increase in cerebral blood velocity seen during moderate-intensity exercise in individuals experiencing persisting post-concussion symptoms? What is the main finding and its importance? Although no differences were found in symptoms between conditions within the first 10min following exertion, symptom severity scores showed a clinically meaningful reduction 60min following the experimental condition compared to the non-experimental control condition.

Analyses of prediction, moderation, and mediation of a transdiagnostic, indicated preventive intervention (PROCARE-I) for adolescents at high risk of emotional problems

ABSTRACT Background Emotional disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are highly prevalent among adolescents, emphasizing the critical importance of developing effective preventive interventions and advancing the understanding of mechanisms inherent in these interventions. Objective To conduct secondary prediction/moderation analyses of sociodemogrphic and clinical variables regarding outcomes of a transdiagnostic, indicated preventive intervention for high-risk adolescents (PROCARE-I) and an active control condition (ACC) based on psychoeducation. Additionally, mediation analyses examined the role of resilience in improved PROCARE-I outcomes. Method Sixty-four emotionally high-risk adolescents (53% female and 47% male), aged 12 to 18 years (M = 13.69; SD = 1.56), were randomized into the PROCARE-I condition (n = 36) and the ACC (n = 28). Results There was a nonspecific prediction effect, indicating that a combination of anxious and depressive symptoms is associated with higher self-reported emotional risk following the interventions. No treatment moderation effect was found. Regarding mediation analyses, receiving a transdiagnostic preventive intervention, as opposed to an intervention based solely on psychoeducation, increased resilience levels. This rise in resilience mediated the reduction in emotional risk levels, emotional symptomatology, as well as the improvement in the quality of life reported by adolescents. Conclusions Enhancement of resilience could play a fundamental role in achieving positive outcomes following a transdiagnostic preventive intervention for emotionally high-risk adolescents.

The serotonergic psychedelic N,N-dipropyltryptamine alters information-processing dynamics in in vitro cortical neural circuits

Abstract Most of the recent work in psychedelic neuroscience has been done using non-invasive neuroimaging, with data recorded from the brains of adult volunteers under the influence of a variety of drugs. While this data provides holistic insights into the effects of psychedelics on whole-brain dynamics, the effects of psychedelics on the meso-scale dynamics of neuronal circuits remains much less explored. Here, we report the effects of the serotonergic psychedelic N,N-diproptyltryptamine (DPT) on information-processing dynamics in a sample of in vitro organotypic cultures of cortical tissue from post-natal rats. Three hours of spontaneous activity were recorded: an hour of pre-drug control, and hour of exposure to 10 μM DPT solution, and a final hour of washout, once again under control conditions. We found that DPT reversibly alters information dynamics in multiple ways: first, the DPT condition was associated with higher entropy of spontaneous firing activity and reduced the amount of time information was stored in individual neurons. Second, DPT also reduced the reversibility of neural activity, increasing the entropy produced and suggesting a drive away from equilibrium. Third, DPT altered the structure of neuronal circuits, decreasing the overall information flow coming into each neuron, but increasing the number of weak connections, creating a dynamic that combines elements of integration and disintegration. Finally, DPT decreased the higher-order statistical synergy present in sets of three neurons. Collectively, these results paint a complex picture of how psychedelics regulate information processing in meso-scale neuronal networks in cortical tissue. Implications for existing hypotheses of psychedelic action, such as the Entropic Brain Hypothesis, are discussed.

TNF reduces osteogenic cell fate in PDL cells at transcriptional and functional levels without alteration of periodontal proliferative capacity.

To investigate the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on the growth of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, their osteogenic differentiation and modulation of their matrix secretion in vitro. The influence of 10 ng/ml TNF on proliferation and metabolic activity of PDL cells was analyzed by cell counting (DAPI [4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole] staining) and the MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) assay. In addition, cells were cultured under control conditions and osteogenic conditions (media containing 10 mMβ-glycerophosphate). Quantitative expression analysis of genes encoding the osteogenic markers alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen typeI alpha1 chain (COL1A1), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and osteopontin (OPN) was performed after 7 and 14days of cultivation. Calcium deposits were stained with alizarin red. Our studies showed that 10 ng/ml TNF did not affect the survival and metabolic activity of PDL cells. Quantitative expression analysis revealed that long-term cultures with TNF impaired osteogenic cell fate at early and late developmental stages. Furthermore, TNF significantly reduced matrix secretion in PDL cells. The present data confirm TNF as aregulatory factor of proinflammatory remodeling that influences the differentiation behavior but not the metabolism and cell proliferation of the periodontium. Therefore, TNF represents an interesting target for the regulation of orthodontic remodeling processes in the periodontium.

Telehealth-Supported Exercise or Physical Activity Programs for Knee Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The integration of telehealth-supported programs in chronic disease management has become increasingly common. However, its effectiveness for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of telehealth-supported exercise or physical activity programs for individuals with KOA. A comprehensive literature search encompassing Embase, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, PEDro, GreyNet, and medRxiv from inception to September 2023 was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials comparing telehealth-supported exercise or physical activity programs to a control condition for KOA. Data were extracted and qualitatively synthesized across eligible studies, and a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effects. The study was reported according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020. In total, 23 studies met eligibility criteria, with 20 included in the meta-analysis. Results showed that telehealth-supported exercise or physical activity programs reduced pain (g=-0.39; 95% CI -0.67 to -0.11; P<.001), improved physical activity (g=0.13; 95% CI 0.03-0.23; P=.01), and enhanced physical function (g=-0.51; 95% CI -0.98 to -0.05; P=.03). Moreover, significant improvements in quality of life (g=0.25; 95% CI 0.14-0.36; P<.001), self-efficacy for pain (g=0.72; 95% CI 0.53-0.91; P<.001), and global improvement (odds ratio 2.69, 95% CI 1.41-5.15; P<.001) were observed. However, self-efficacy for physical function (g=0.14; 95% CI -0.26 to 0.53; P=.50) showed insignificant improvements. Subgroup analyses based on the World Health Organization classification of digital health (pain: χ22=6.5; P=.04 and physical function: χ22=6.4; P=.04), the type of teletechnology in the intervention group (pain: χ24=4.8; P=.31 and function: χ24=13.0; P=.01), and active or inactive controls (pain: χ21=5.3; P=.02 and physical function: χ21=3.4; P=.07) showed significant subgroup differences. Telehealth-supported exercise or physical activity programs might reduce knee pain and improve physical activity, physical function, quality of life, self-efficacy, and global improvement in individuals with KOA. Future research should consider longer implementation durations and assess the feasibility of incorporating wearables and standardized components into large-scale interventions to evaluate the effects. PROSPERO CRD42022359658; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=359658.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of strategies to promote vaccination uptake.

Although immunization can dramatically curb the mortality and morbidity associated with vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccination uptake remains suboptimal in many areas of the world. Here, in this meta-analysis, we analysed the results from 88 eligible randomized controlled trials testing interventions to increase vaccination uptake with 1,628,768 participants from 17 countries with variable development levels (for example, Human Development Index ranging from 0.485 to 0.955). We estimated the efficacy of seven intervention strategies including increasing access to vaccination, sending vaccination reminders, providing incentives, supplying information, correcting misinformation, promoting both active and passive motivation and teaching behavioural skills. We showed that the odds of vaccination were 1.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.27 to 1.77) times higher for intervention than control conditions. Among the intervention strategies, using incentives and increasing access were most promising in improving vaccination uptake, with the access strategy being particularly effective in countries with lower incomes and less access to healthcare.

Where should I search next? Messages embedded in storybooks influence children's strategic exploration in Turkey and the United States.

Despite the vital role of curiosity-driven exploration in learning, our understanding of how to enhance children's curiosity remains limited. Here, we tested whether hearing a strategic curiosity story with curiosity-promoting themes (e.g., strategically approaching uncertainty, adapting flexibly to new information) versus a control story with traditional pedagogical themes (e.g., following rules, learning from others) would influence children's strategic exploration across two cultures. Three- to 6-year-olds from the United States (N = 138) and Turkey (N = 88) were randomly assigned to hear one of these stories over Zoom, before playing a game in which they searched for sea creatures across five fish tanks. All tanks had the same number of hiding spots but varied in the number of creatures they contained. Time was limited and children could not return to prior tanks, pushing them to allocate search effort strategically. Results indicated that across both countries, children in the strategic curiosity condition explored the virtual "aquarium" more broadly; they moved through tanks more rapidly than children in the control condition and were more likely to explore all five tanks before time ran out. Children in the strategic curiosity condition also showed relatively more strategic search, adapting their search based on the likelihood of finding creatures in each tank. While further research is needed to pinpoint which elements of our stories produced differences in search behavior and whether they did so by enhancing or inhibiting children's strategic exploration, storybooks appear to be a promising method for shaping children's exploration across multiple countries. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).