Major Life Research Articles

Reconfiguration of Structural and Functional Connectivity Coupling in Patient Subgroups With Adolescent Depression

Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with serious adverse implications for brain development and higher rates of self-injury and suicide, raising concerns about its neurobiological mechanisms in clinical neuroscience. However, most previous studies regarding the brain alterations in adolescent MDD focused on single-modal images or analyzed images of different modalities separately, ignoring the potential role of aberrant interactions between brain structure and function in the psychopathology. To examine alterations of structural and functional connectivity (SC-FC) coupling in adolescent MDD by integrating both diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI data. This cross-sectional study recruited participants aged 10 to 18 years from January 2, 2020, to December 28, 2021. Patients with first-episode MDD were recruited from the outpatient psychiatry clinics at The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Healthy controls were recruited by local media advertisement from the general population in Chongqing, China. The sample was divided into 5 subgroup pairs according to different environmental stressors and clinical characteristics. Data were analyzed from January 10, 2022, to February 20, 2023. The SC-FC coupling was calculated for each brain region of each participant using whole-brain SC and FC. Primary analyses included the group differences in SC-FC coupling and clinical symptom associations between SC-FC coupling and participants with adolescent MDD and healthy controls. Secondary analyses included differences among 5 types of MDD subgroups: with or without suicide attempt, with or without nonsuicidal self-injury behavior, with or without major life events, with or without childhood trauma, and with or without school bullying. Final analyses examined SC-FC coupling of 168 participants with adolescent MDD (mean [mean absolute deviation (MAD)] age, 16.0 [1.7] years; 124 females [73.8%]) and 101 healthy controls (mean [MAD] age, 15.1 [2.4] years; 61 females [60.4%]). Adolescent MDD showed increased SC-FC coupling in the visual network, default mode network, and insula (Cohen d ranged from 0.365 to 0.581; false discovery rate [FDR]-corrected P < .05). Some subgroup-specific alterations were identified via subgroup analyses, particularly involving parahippocampal coupling decrease in participants with suicide attempt (partial η2 = 0.069; 90% CI, 0.025-0.121; FDR-corrected P = .007) and frontal-limbic coupling increase in participants with major life events (partial η2 ranged from 0.046 to 0.068; FDR-corrected P < .05). Results of this cross-sectional study suggest increased SC-FC coupling in adolescent MDD, especially involving hub regions of the default mode network, visual network, and insula. The findings enrich knowledge of the aberrant brain SC-FC coupling in the psychopathology of adolescent MDD, underscoring the vulnerability of frontal-limbic SC-FC coupling to external stressors and the parahippocampal coupling in shaping future-minded behavior.

From Siege to Survival: Exploring the Multi-Faceted Traumas of Meranao Internally Displaced Persons

The 2017 Marawi Siege in the southern Philippines resulted not only in a city’s physical devastation but also in a profound psychological impact on its internally displaced residents, mainly from the Meranao community. This research aims to understand the trauma endured by these Meranao IDPs, linking it with paradigms of forced migration, cultural displacement, and post-conflict collective memory. Using the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of trauma and Herman’s Trauma Theory as a guiding framework, six IDP survivors from the Sagonsongan area were interviewed. The study adopted the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach to explore the participants’ experiences. This qualitative method involves a detailed examination of personal lived experiences, attempting to understand how individuals make sense of their major life experiences. The IPA approach was particularly suitable for this study as it allowed the researchers to examine the personal stories of trauma, providing a rich and detailed first-person account of the psychological struggles faced by the Meranao IDPs. The data collection involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews that enabled the participants to share their stories in a flexible yet comprehensive manner. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed following the principles of IPA, which involve a cyclical process of reading and re-reading the transcripts, coding for themes, and looking for connections between themes across the different narratives. The researchers remained cognizant of their preconceptions and engaged in a reflective process to minimize bias. The findings revealed several themes, such as the traumatic implications of familial dislocation, economic hardships, persistent trauma, feelings of exhaustion, and a compromised sense of safety. These findings not only intersect with established theories but also provide unique insights into the Meranao community’s post-siege challenges. The trauma narratives contributed to a nuanced account of the Meranao IDPs’ psychological struggles after the siege. Keywords: Meranao community, internally displaced persons, Marawi Siege, trauma

Phase field modelling and simulation of damage occurring in human vertebra after screws fixation procedure

The present endeavour numerically exploits the use of a phase-field model to simulate and investigate fracture patterns, deformation mechanisms, damage, and mechanical responses in a human vertebra after the incision of pedicle screws under compressive regimes. Moreover, the proposed phase field framework can elucidate scenarios where different damage patterns, such as crack nucleation sites and crack trajectories, play a role after the spine fusion procedure, considering several simulated physiological movements of the vertebral body. Spatially heterogeneous elastic properties and phase field parameters have been computationally derived from bone density estimation. A convergence analysis has been conducted for the vertebra-screws model, considering several mesh refinements, which has demonstrated good agreement with the existing literature on this topic. Consequently, by assuming different angles for the insertion of the pedicle screws and taking into account a few vertebral motion loading regimes, a plethora of numerical results characterizing the damage occurring within the vertebral model has been derived. Overall, the phase field results confirm and enrich the current literature, shed light on the medical community, which will be useful in enhancing clinical interventions and reducing post-surgery bone failure and screw loosening. The proposed computational approach also investigates the effects in terms of fracture and mechanical behaviour of the vertebral-screws body within different metastatic lesions opening towards major life threatening scenarios.

Statistical Analysis of Regional Heterogeneity of Marital Dissolution Among Women in Ethiopia, EDHS 2016: Application of Multilevel Logistic Regression Model

Divorce is a major life stressor for the individuals involved, with potentially strong negative consequences for the mental and physical health of all members of the family. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of regional heterogeneity marital dissolution among women in Ethiopia. The study used data from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey which was a stratified two stage cluster sampling procedure was used. The researcher has been used (n=11405) of all married women from the selected population of study nested within nine regional states and two administrative cities in Ethiopia at time of interview. The Multilevel model were used to explore the major risk factors and regional variations of marital dissolution in Ethiopia using R statistical software. The descriptive result revealed that among eligible married women the proportion of marital dissolution was 9.91%. Among the three multilevel logistic models the random slope model found to be the best description of the data set and to evaluate the within and between regional heterogeneity of marital dissolution. Using this model variables that significantly affect the marital dissolution in Ethiopia were residence, education level of women, work status of women, duration of marriage, number of children, education level of husband and number of unions. The effects of the determinant variables are the same for each region, but the number of children and education level of husband were the two variables which varies within and between in each region. The other important result from this paper is that missing data analysis using appropriate imputation technique was performed to make better inferences.

Changes in Shared Decision-Making Roles and Perceived Stress in Syrian Refugee Parents Resettled in the Greater Toronto Area

This study explored changes in shared decision-making roles (day-to-day, financial, and major life decisions) and their relationships to perceived stress among 148 Syrian refugee parents after resettling in Toronto using a generalized estimated equation model. Parents were categorized as “towards shared” decision-making for 20.3%, 23.0%, and 21.6% of day-to-day, major life, and financial decisions, respectively. In families where both parents were unemployed, those who “always shared” making financial decisions had significantly lower perceived stress than those “towards shared” (p = .02). Understanding the cultural contexts of gender roles and the impact of acculturation may help promote better post-migration strategies.

The Garden of Perfect Brightness

Abstract: “The Garden of Perfect Brightness” is the story of a displaced mother on the precipice of a major life change, a husband on the road, and a daughter on the verge of a highly unusual transformation—all unfolding beneath a solar eclipse.

The Impact of Nursing Students’ Characteristics on Sustaining Career Decision-making Self-efficacy, Career Decision Level and Career Resilience: A Longitudinal Study

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify nursing students’ characteristic factors sustaining career decision-making self-efficacy, career decision level and career resilience over time.Methods: A longitudinal survey with the four-phase study design was conducted using self-reported questionnaires among 77 second-year students enrolled in BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program at a college in Daegu Metropolitan City. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, McNemar test, repeated measures ANOVA and linear mixed model.Results: The impact of subjects’ higher level of career decision-making self-efficacy, career decision level and career resilience in BSN 2nd year was continued until the end of BSN 4th year and 3 to 5 years post-graduation. The influence of career decision-making self-efficacy at a higher level carried on regarding higher satisfaction both in major and college life and the ICPP (individual career plan program) score of 70 or greater, career decision level underwent relating to higher satisfaction in major, and career resilience sustained concerning higher satisfaction both in major and college life and the ICPP score of 70 or greater in BSN 2nd year.Conclusions: Personal factors sustaining career decision-making self-efficacy, career decision level and career resilience over time were the successful experience regarding satisfaction of nursing major and college life, and the ICPP score in pre-clinical BSN year. The continuing career planning and development program of early-career nurses may be provided before entering 3 years nursing career to ensure sustainable career resilience and related variables.

Impact of a private sector residential early parenting program on clinically significant postnatal depressive symptoms experienced by women: Audit of routinely collected data.

Early parenting services in Australia offer brief structured residential programs to address moderate to severe non-psychotic mental health problems among women and unsettled infant/toddler behaviours. The aims were to (1) estimate the immediate and medium-term impact of a five-night psychoeducational residential early parenting program on postpartum depressive symptoms and (2) identify the factors associated with improvement or worsening of postpartum depressive symptoms after completing the program and six weeks post-discharge. Audit of routinely collected medical record data from pre-admission, pre-discharge and post-discharge assessments of a consecutive cohort of women admitted, with their infants/toddlers in a 15-month period to Masada Private Hospital Early Parenting Centre. Data included structured questions assessing: demographic characteristics, access to family and social support, past and current mental health problems, reproductive and obstetric health, chronic health conditions, breastfeeding problems, coincidental major life events, health risk behaviours and infant/toddler feeding, sleeping and crying behaviours. Standardised instruments included the Partner Interaction after Birth Scale (PIBS), the MacLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD), Modified Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) and selected items from the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale. The primary outcomes were Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores at pre-discharge and follow up assessments. Data were analysed using multinomial logistic regression models in which individual and psychosocial characteristics at pre-admission were included as predictors of the likelihood of the changes of the outcomes from pre-admission to pre-discharge and follow up. Complete data from 1220 of 1290 (95%) eligible women were available to assess pre-admission to pre-discharge and from 559 (45.8%) to assess pre-discharge to six-week follow-up changes. The mean pre-admission EPDS score was 11.7 (95% CI: 11.5; 12.0), pre-discharge it was 7.1 (95% CI: 6.9; 7.4) and at six-week follow up it was 5.7 (95% CI: 5.3; 6.1). We found that almost all women experienced a clinically meaningful and rapid improvement in depressive symptoms of at least this magnitude (reduction in mean EPDS scores of 4.6 points from pre-admission to pre-discharge (five nights) and a further reduction of 1.2 points pre-discharge to follow up) (six weeks) and we identified an interpretable set of risk factors for symptoms that did not improve or worsened. The adverse outcomes were associated with having symptoms of borderline personality disorder, a partner experienced as lacking kindness and care, coincidental adverse events and having a child younger than six months. Residential early parenting programs, which take a psycho-educational approach to strengthening caregiving skills, maximising agency, and reducing helplessness, have a rapid beneficial effect on women's postpartum depressive symptoms. These programs provide a valuable and effective component of comprehensive mental health services. Long-term dialectical behaviour therapy is indicated for women with borderline personality disorder traits for whom early parenting programs alone are insufficient to improve depressive symptoms.

Do blockchain capabilities help overcome supply and operational risks: Insights from firm market returns during COVID-19

Uncertainty and risk have become increasingly prominent issues in firm operating environments. Addressing uncertainties and risks brought by the historically disruptive COVID-19 pandemic crisis requires organizations to establish reliable, visible, and traceable information processing and sharing capabilities. Blockchain is a disruptive technology that can build capabilities to support operational resilience where uncertainty may manifest as risk or opportunity. Using an event study, we examine the COVID-19 pandemic relationship to stock returns for 217 blockchain-related firms—those that develop or apply blockchain technology—over five major pandemic life cycle periods. Our results indicate firms with blockchain capabilities have less mean negative stock price reaction—on average, a reduced 8.24 % shareholder value loss across crisis stages. Different blockchain application fields exhibit varied shareholder value effects—in general, production blockchain applications can help firms reduce more negative impact while financial blockchain applications show no significant mitigation effects. We further demonstrate how blockchain operational characteristics affect stock returns. Overall, blockchain technology provides effective risk buffer capabilities and can help manage shifting institutional fields—which the market views as building resilient capabilities resulting in competitive advantage to overcome known and unknown uncertainties and risks.

Characterizing Trends in the Use of Food Donations and Other Food-Related Community-Based Social Assistance Programs in a Cohort of New Food Bank Users in Quebec, Canada.

Objective: To characterize 12-month trends in the use of food donations and other food-related community-based social assistance programs (CB-SAPs) during the first year following the enrollment of new food bank (FB) users in Quebec, Canada. Methods: A cohort of 1,001 newly registered FB-users in Quebec from the Pathways Study were followed-up during 12-month following baseline assessment. Outcomes were monthly use of food donations and other food-related CB-SAPs. Main predictors were alternative food source utilization (AFSU) profiles: 1) exclusive-FB-users; 2) FB+fruit/vegetable-market-users; and 3) Multiple/diverse-AFS-users. Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and major life events. We fit Bayesian hierarchical mixed-effect models, accounting for spatial clustering, temporal correlation, and censoring. Results: We observed an overall downward trend of food donation use among study completers (n = 745). Each AFSU profile had a distinctive monthly trend of food donation use, but probabilities of use across the three profiles overlapped, between 44% and 55%. The use of other food-related CB-SAPs was low and not correlated with AFSU profiles. Conclusion: De novo FB-users use food donations in different ways over time according to specific contextual AFSU profiles.

Hippocampal Structures Among Japanese Adolescents Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Few studies have used a large-sample, longitudinal, population-based cohort study to examine whether the COVID-19 pandemic as a global major life event is associated with structural plasticity of the adolescent hippocampus. To examine whether Japan's first state of emergency (SoE) during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with alterations in the macrostructures and microstructures of the hippocampus during its development. The population-neuroscience Tokyo TEEN Cohort study is a prospective cohort study with 4 consecutive waves in Tokyo, Japan. Due to the SoE, data collection was suspended between March 27, 2020, and July 30, 2020. Analyzed data, comprising 1149 brain structural scans obtained from 479 participants, of whom 336 participants had undergone 2 or more scans, were collected between October 2013 and November 2021. Data were analyzed from August 2022 to December 2023. Japan's first SoE (April 7 to May 25, 2020). Hippocampal volume, 12 hippocampal subfield volumes, and 7 microstructural measures of the hippocampus. A total of 1060 brain scans from 459 participants (214 female participants [47%]) including 246 participants from wave 1 (median [IQR] age, 11.3 [11.1-11.7] years), 358 from wave 2 (median [IQR] age, 13.8 [13.3-14.5] years), 304 from wave 3 (median [IQR] age, 15.9 [15.4-16.5] years), and 152 from wave 4 (median [IQR] age, 17.9 [17.5-18.4] years) were included in the final main analysis. The generalized additive mixed model showed a significant associations of the SoE with the mean hippocampal volume (β = 102.19; 95% CI, 0.61-203.77; P = .049). The generalized linear mixed models showed the main associations of the SoE with hippocampal subfield volume (granule cell and molecular layer of the dentate gyrus: β = 18.19; 95% CI, 2.97-33.41; uncorrected P = .02; CA4: β = 12.75; 95% CI, 0.38-25.12; uncorrected P = .04; hippocampus-amygdala transition area: β = 5.67; 95% CI, 1.18-10.17; uncorrected P = .01), and fractional anisotropy (β = 0.03; 95% CI, 0.00-0.06; uncorrected P = .04). After the first SoE, a volumetric increase in the hippocampus and trend increase in 3 subfield volumes and microstructural integration of the hippocampus were observed, suggesting that the transient plasticity of the adolescent hippocampus was affected by a major life event along with the typical developmental trajectory.

Resilience of racial and ethnic minority older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of a prior disability prevention intervention.

Older adults from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and with preexisting mental illness have been disproportionately vulnerable to severe illness, disability, and death due to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a sample of older adults (60 +; N = 307) from a randomized clinical trial (Positive Minds-Strong Bodies [PMSB]) conducted between May 25, 2015, and March 5, 2019. Participants were recontacted to assess symptoms of anxiety, depression, general distress, and physical functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2, 2021, and July 18, 2022 (62.7% recontacting rate excluding ineligible participants; N = 165). We estimated an analysis of covariance model to evaluate whether or not prior differences between the PMSB intervention and enhanced usual care (EUC) groups continued to be observed at the COVID-19 follow-up. Results showed that, compared to EUC, participants who received the PMSB intervention reported fewer depression symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale-15 scores) and greater physical functioning (Late-Life Functioning and Disability Instrument scores) at the COVID-19 follow-up. No significant differences were observed between the PMSB intervention and EUC groups on anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scores) during the pandemic. Last, findings suggested that the lower depression symptoms and greater physical functioning observed after treatment completion were sustained, though not further improved, over time. These findings provide evidence that the PMSB intervention is a powerful intervention to promote resilience and prevent disability associated with major life stressors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research is needed to examine the underlying mechanisms of psychosocial and exercise training interventions that lead to lasting resilience. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of TRPV4 in programmed cell deaths.

Programmed cell death is a major life activity of both normal development and disease. Necroptosis is early recognized as a caspase-independent form of programmed cell death followed obviously inflammation. Apoptosis is a gradually recognized mode of cell death that is characterized by a special morphological changes and unique caspase-dependent biological process. Ferroptosis, pyroptosis and autophagy are recently identified non-apoptotic regulated cell death that each has its own characteristics. The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is a kind of nonselective calcium-permeable cation channel, which is received more and more attention in biology studies. It is widely expressed in human tissues and mainly located on the membrane of cells. Several researchers have identified that the influx Ca2+ from TRPV4 acts as a key role in the loss of cells by apoptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis and autophagy via mediating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, oxidative stress and inflammation. This effect is bad for the normal function of organs on the one hand, on the other hand, it is benefit for anticancer activities. In this review, we will summarize the current discovery on the role and impact of TRPV4 in these programmed cell death pathological mechanisms to provide a new prospect of gene therapeutic target of related diseases.

Goal-directed learning in adolescence: neurocognitive development and contextual influences.

Adolescence is a time during which we transition to independence, explore new activities and begin pursuit of major life goals. Goal-directed learning, in which we learn to perform actions that enable us to obtain desired outcomes, is central to many of these processes. Currently, our understanding of goal-directed learning in adolescence is itself in a state of transition, with the scientific community grappling with inconsistent results. When we examine metrics of goal-directed learning through the second decade of life, we find that many studies agree there are steady gains in performance in the teenage years, but others report that adolescent goal-directed learning is already adult-like, and some find adolescents can outperform adults. To explain the current variability in results, sophisticated experimental designs are being applied to test learning in different contexts. There is also increasing recognition that individuals of different ages and in different states will draw on different neurocognitive systems to support goal-directed learning. Through adoption of more nuanced approaches, we can be better prepared to recognize and harness adolescent strengths and to decipher the purpose (or goals) of adolescence itself.

Major Stressful Life Events and the Risk of Pancreatic, Head and Neck Cancers: A Case-Control Study.

Major stressful life events have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, breast cancer and the development of various chronic illnesses. The stress response generated by our body results in a variety of physiological and metabolic changes which can affect the immune system and have been shown to be associated with tumor progression. In this study, we aim to determine if major stressful life events are associated with the incidence of head and neck or pancreatic cancer (HNPC). This is a matched case-control study. Cases (CAs) were HNPC patients diagnosed within the previous 12 months. Controls (COs) were patients without a prior history of malignancy. Basic demographic data information on major stressful life events was collected using the modified Holmes-Rahe stress scale. A total sample of 280 was needed (79 cases, 201 controls) to achieve at least 80% power to detect odds ratios (ORs) of 2.00 or higher at the 5% level of significance. From 1 January 2018 to 31 August 2021, 280 patients were enrolled (CA = 79, CO = 201) in this study. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis after controlling for potential confounding variables (including sex, age, race, education, marital status, smoking history), there was no difference between the lifetime prevalence of major stressful event in cases and controls. However, patients with HNPC were significantly more likely to report a major stressful life event within the preceding 5 years when compared to COs (p = 0.01, OR = 2.32, 95% CI, 1.18-4.54). Patients with head, neck and pancreatic cancers are significantly associated with having a major stressful life event within 5 years of their diagnosis. This study highlights the potential need to recognize stressful life events as risk factors for developing malignancies.

The relationship between major life events and non-suicidal self-injury among college students: the effect of rumination and body image.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) poses a growing risk to public health worldwide. While numerous studies have identified major life events as key risk factors for NSSI, the mechanisms by which emotional and cognitive problems mediate or moderate this relationship remain unclear. To enhance the understanding of this field, we will draw upon the cascade theory of self-injury and the benefits and barriers model, to examine the relationship between major life events and NSSI, as well as the effect of rumination and body image. A sample of 2,717 college students (Mage = 19.81 years; SD = 1.09) participated in this study and anonymously completed the questionnaires. The moderated mediation model were conducted using Model 4 and Model 15 of the Process macro program in SPSS. The results showed that rumination mediated the positive relationship between major life events and NSSI. Furthermore, body image was found to moderate both the relationship between major life events and NSSI, as well as the relationship between rumination and NSSI. The current findings suggest that rumination is an important mediator in the relationship between major life events and NSSI among college students. Teachers, parents, and researchers should recognize the important role of body image self-perceptions of college students and actively promote a healthy and accurate body image.

“I Would Like to, But My World Wouldn’t End If I Didn’t”: Marital Aspirations Among Sexual Minority Young Adults

Despite the legalization of same-sex marriage across the US, research on young adults’ marital aspirations has tended to overlook sexual identity altogether or focus exclusively on those who are heterosexual. To address this, in this article, I draw upon quantitative and qualitative data from an online survey to describe the marital aspirations and motivations of a convenience sample of sexual minority young adults ( N = 256). Descriptive analyses indicate that although a majority of respondents would like to marry someday, a similar number claim that getting married is not “a major life goal.” Those who want to marry cite several primary reasons, including companionship and lifelong commitment, but also qualify their marital aspirations in several ways, including by questioning both the necessity and normativity of marriage. The relatively small number of respondents do not want to marry express similar concerns and critique marriage as a heteronormative institution.

Evaluation of a Life Functioning Goal Attainment Psychosocial Treatment Program for Adults with Psychotic Disorders

Purpose: To determine if the use of an integrated goal attainment cognitive behavioral social skill training program can impact serious mental illness related treatment and life functioning avolition. Methods: The attendance and goal attainment progress of thirty-eight serious mental ill diagnosed adults admitted to psychiatric clinic’s integrated goal attainment cognitive behavioral social skills group training program were studied. Demographic (age, gender, race, education), clinical (psychiatric diagnosis, trauma history), and life experience (work, income, housing, relational status, friendship support, incarceration and drug arrest histories) variables were compared to identify possible program attendance and goal attainment level associations and differences. Results: Participants attended a mean of 8 program days of the 6 to 8-week program with younger and unmarried attending significantly more days than older and married participants. Greater attendance and participation rates were positively correlated with higher levels of assessed goal attainment. Conclusions: Individuals with serious mental illness conditions are likely to voluntarily attend and participate in psychosocial intervention programs focused on major area life functioning goal attainment. Higher levels of attendance and participation were associated with higher levels of short-term goal attainment. Functioning focused psychosocial interventions may be effective in reducing serious mental illness related avolition.

Natural deep eutectic solvents for turbidity removal from synthetic pharmaceutical wastewater

Contamination of water resources by active pharmaceutical ingredient wastes is among major environmental concerns. To prevent major disruptions of aquatic life, an efficient and environmentally-friendly turbidity removal procedure of common contaminants such as paracetamol should be established. In this study, several natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) were screened to reduce the turbidity of simulated water contaminated with paracetamol below the standard turbidity limit recommended by the National Water Quality Standards for Malaysia (50 NTU). The optimal operating parameters (NADES dosage, stirring time and operating pH) were determined. Under optimized conditions, stearic acid-based NADES achieved the highest turbidity removal of 97.5 %. High coagulation performances were investigated based on molecular interaction using COSMO-RS (COnductor like Screening MOdel for Real Solvents) ?-profile and ?-potential (histogram of charge density distribution over molecular surface) and showed high affinity between the NADES compounds and paracetamol. Thus, NADESs are promising candidates for turbidity removal of paracetamol from water and are viable in further investigations for effluent treatment applications.

KELEA Restoring of Nature’s Allostasis as a Low-Cost Alternative to Using Chemicals in Agriculture

Synthetic chemicals are widely used in agriculture mainly as fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals were initially considered highly beneficial for crops and relatively harmless to humans and the environment. Experience, however, has shown that many have time-limited effectiveness, yet cause persisting biological disruptions. They are also an added cost amounting to approximately $130 billion annually. Nature has a limited capacity to adapt to changed conditions, including the cultivation of large monocultures and the presence of unnatural chemicals. These adaptations are referred to as Nature’s allostasis. In addition to requiring time, allostasis depends on there being sufficient life force energy. KELEA is an acronym for Kinetic Energy Limiting Electrostatic Attraction. It functions as a major life force energy, which can be conveyed in KELEA activated water. Various means are available to increase the KELEA level of groundwater and in turn that of growing crops. A low-cost approach to KELEA activation of water is provided by using pellets of volcanic rock materials that have been pulverized and heated before pelleting. Relatively few commercially available pellets, marketed as Kiko Technology, greatly increase the production of rice. Further, when used in conjunction with biochar, the pellets markedly reduce the levels of pollution in water, some of which would normally flow into land used for agriculture. The effects are attributed to KELEA Assisted Restoration of Nature’s Allostasis (KARNA). Without apparent adverse e