Stressful Situations Research Articles

A systematic review of post-traumatic growth in ambulance personnel: facilitators and prevalence rates

Introduction: Ambulance personnel are exposed to traumatic and stressful situations, which can increase the risk of mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). High rates of PTSD have been found in ambulance personnel (Petrie et al., 2018), but no review is available to examine post-traumatic growth (PTG - positive psychological change following a trauma) in this population. This literature review provides an overview of the prevalence rates and facilitators that may contribute to PTG in ambulance personnel.Methods: A systematic search was conducted on EBSCOhost in January 2024 across the following six databases: Academic Search Ultimate, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, ERIC and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Ultimate.Results: Eleven papers were identified for this review. Pooled prevalence of PTG was moderate (52%), and facilitators for PTG were grouped into five categories: coping style/strategies, resilience, personality traits, gender and incident characteristics.Conclusions: Numerous facilitators contributed to the development of PTG, although these did not arise in all papers. The quality of research ranged from satisfactory to excellent. Evidence suggested that adaptive coping style, high levels of resilience, the absence of a personality trait (neuroticism) and being female may facilitate PTG. Further research is needed to support the reliability of findings.

Psychological impact of the covid -19 pandemic on school age children

Introduction: The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general population has been widely studied. However, few studies have been carried out on children, even though they are experiencing a difficult situation and major stress that may expose them to significant psychological suffering. We are interested in how children perceive these emotional changes during the confinement associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to understand the impact of the pandemic and containment on children. To do this, we assessed the prevalence of depression, anxiety and perceived post-traumatic stress in school-age children, looking for factors associated with these psychopathological dimensions with a view to better management and intervention to reduce the possible negative effects of this situation. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study based on gathering information from all primary school pupils in Fez, who responded freely and voluntarily. The study was carried out over a period of two months, from June 2020 to August 2020, using an online self-questionnaire and psychometric evaluation scales: QIPS, CDI, CRIES-13. Results: 330 students met our inclusion criteria. The mean age of our participants was 8.68 ± 1.94 years, with a minimum of 6 years and a maximum of 12 years. There was a slight female predominance, with 168 girls (50.9%) and 162 boys (49.1%). Most of the pupils (95.2%) lived in urban areas, 92.7% of the children had married parents, and 64.5% of our participants had parents with a university education. Almost half of the children had a family income of more than Dhs10,000 per month. Only 2.1% of the children had a psychiatric history, 16.7% of the children had a history of somatic illness, 22.1% of the participants had a family psychiatric history, 11.2% of our participants had experienced a stressful event in their lives and 22.1% had parents who had previously experienced a stressful event. Evaluation of the CRIES-13 scale showed that 39.4% had a positive score of over 30 in favour of significant symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, a probable depressive state (CDI score>15) was revealed in 26.1% of the children, and with regard to anxiety disorder, the mean score in our sample was 32.27 (±8.147) with a median of 29. The analytical study showed a statically significant relationship between certain socio-demographic characteristics, namely: parents' low level of education, living with divorced parents, low monthly family income and negative psychological impact during the pandemic. On the other hand, female gender was correlated with the occurrence of anxiety. Our study also revealed other correlations, notably between the presence of a personal history of psychiatric or somatic illness and the occurrence of depression, family psychiatric history, and the experience of a stressful event by the child and parents were factors strongly associated with the three psychological disorders studied. Factors related to the child's lifestyle, such as the practice of physical activity at home, a daily study period of less than 2 hours, and dissatisfaction with distance learning, were associated with psychological distress during confinement. In addition, certain personality traits seemed to be implicated in the worsening of this condition during confinement: the presence of a relative with covid-19, the child's knowledge of the pandemic, and the fear that the pandemic would continue. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the general public, particularly children, psychological interventions identifying and targeting children at risk are urgently needed, and future studies are warranted to design and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

Gender cardiology: clinical and pathophysiological features of the course the main diseases in women

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men. Older women, when coronary heart disease first appears, have more comorbidities and usually complain of atypical symptoms. Mortality and hospitalization rates caused by acute myocardial infarction are higher for women. It should be noted that adherence to secondary prevention for women is lower.Female predominance has been noted in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), hereditary pulmonary hypertension, and collagenosisassociated pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, according to the latest data of the European register COMPERA, gender differences disappear for elderly patients and for the patients having concomitant diseases. The more frequent occurrence of cardiomyopathies among women is considered. Peripartum cardiomyopathy associated with pregnancy and childbirth, and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy due to psychoemotional status, in particular a stressful situation, determines a woman's further prognosis. Arrythmias are explained by changes in hormonal status during pregnancy, menopause, or are associated with the onset of the underlying disease.Heart failure usually affects both sexes equally, with women more likely to suffer from HFpEF and men from HFrEF. The classic cardiovascular, gender, and social risk factors for cardiovascular disease and heart failure have a different meaning for women than for men. It is necessary to take into account the parameters for EchoCG diagnostics for women, since the size of the women heart is smaller.

Conserved quality control mechanisms of mitochondrial protein import.

Mitochondria carry out essential functions for the cell, including energy production, various biosynthesis pathways, formation of co-factors and cellular signalling in apoptosis and inflammation. The functionality of mitochondria requires the import of about 900-1300 proteins from the cytosol in baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human cells, respectively. The vast majority of these proteins pass the outer membrane in a largely unfolded state through the translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) complex. Subsequently, specific protein translocases sort the precursor proteins into the outer and inner membranes, the intermembrane space and matrix. Premature folding of mitochondrial precursor proteins, defects in the mitochondrial protein translocases or a reduction of the membrane potential across the inner mitochondrial membrane can cause stalling of precursors at the protein import apparatus. Consequently, the translocon is clogged and non-imported precursor proteins accumulate in the cell, which in turn leads to proteotoxic stress and eventually cell death. To prevent such stress situations, quality control mechanisms remove non-imported precursor proteins from the TOM channel. The highly conserved ubiquitin-proteasome system of the cytosol plays a critical role in this process. Thus, the surveillance of protein import via the TOM complex involves the coordinated activity of mitochondria-localized and cytosolic proteins to prevent proteotoxic stress in the cell.

Milk Fat Globule Membranes for Mental Health across the Human Lifespan

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) contains bioactive proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. Polar lipids found in the MFGM play a critical role in maintaining cell membrane integrity and neuronal signalling capacity, thereby supporting brain health. This review summarises the literature on the MFGM and its phospholipid constituents for improvement of mental health across three key stages of the human lifespan, i.e., infancy, adulthood, and older age. MFGM supplementation may improve mental health by reducing neuroinflammation and supporting neurotransmitter synthesis through the gut–brain axis. Fortification of infant formula with MFGMs is designed to mimic the composition of breastmilk and optimise early gut and central nervous system development. Early behavioural and emotional development sets the stage for future mental health. In adults, promising results suggest that MFGMs can reduce the negative consequences of situational stress. Preclinical models of age-related cognitive decline suggest a role for the MFGM in supporting brain health in older age and reducing depressive symptoms. While there is preclinical and clinical evidence to support the use of MFGM supplementation for improved mental health, human studies with mental health as the primary target outcome are sparce. Further high-quality clinical trials examining the potential of the MFGM for psychological health improvement are important.

The influence of two decision-making styles on stress perception in military nursing students during clinical practice

The primary objective of this study was to investigate how the tendency to make emotionally urgent decisions influences the perception of stressful situations in military nursing students during their clinical practice. A correlational cross-sectional design was employed, and data were collected from 79 cadets who were enrolled in a nursing program at the only Argentine military institution offering this degree. Two instruments were utilized: the Kezkak Inventory of Clinical Practice Stressors and the Inventory of Bases for Urgent Decision-Making in Extreme Circumstances. Simple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between decision-making styles and specific stressful situations. The results indicated that the inclination to make emotionally urgent decisions was a significant predictor of overall stress perceptions and of specific situations in clinical practice, such as patient suffering, the inability to control the nurse-patient relationship, and the helplessness and uncertainty of not knowing how to proceed. This study highlighted the importance of developing emotional management skills in nursing students, particularly in military contexts, to assist them in making balanced and effective decisions in challenging clinical situations.

#2940 Expression and modulation of SGLT2 in human podocytes. Not all in tubule

Abstract Background and Aims Inhibitors of the sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 (iSGLT2) modify important non-glycemic pathways that lead to the protection of target organs. Its renoprotective pleiotropic effects in CKD, associated or not with diabetes, justifies further studies to elucidate the mechanisms of action (MoA) of these drugs. Although the co-transporter SGLT2 is mostly expressed in the proximal tubule, its location and function in other cells, that can be potential therapeutic targets for inhibitor drugs, has not been well studied. We explored the presence of SGLT2 in human podocyte cells and whether it is modified in different situations of cellular stress. Method Differentiated immortalized human podocytes were cultured under different experimental conditions for 24 or 48 h: Normoxia (Control); Normoxia + High concentration of glucose (HG); Hypoxia(1%)+2 h Reoxygenation(H) and the combination H + HG. Cells were also incubated with 0.1 uM Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). SGLT2 gene expression was determined by quantitative PCR and SGLT2 protein was detected by Western Blot (WB) and immunofluorescence (IF). Results Sglt2 gene expression was detected in human podocytes in culture, with an increase of expression after 24 h of exposure to HG. Protein expression by WB showed a trend to increase after 48h of exposure to HG and hypoxia, which was significant with co-incubation with DHT. HG plus DHT also increased the protein expression of SGLT2 under normoxic conditions. The IF measured by intensity of area did not show an increase in the protein expression of the transporter under HG incubation. However, protein expression increased under all hypoxic conditions: Control 50.05 ± 3, Hypoxia 140 ± 16.3 (p < 0.05 vs control) and HG + Hypoxia 253 ± 21.29 (p < 0.001 vs control). Conclusion Our data suggest that podocyte may be one of the therapeutic targets on which the iSGLT2 is acting. The experimental conditions described did not show differences in the expression of the transporter before the single stimulus of glucose, but they did under hypoxia and the combination Hypoxia-high glucose. In addition, co-incubation with testosterone seems to enhance the expression. Studying the MoA of iSGLT2 will open better comprehension of the kidney pathophysiology, particularly in the podocytopathies, regardless of diabetes.

#2579 Chronic pain in chronic kidney disease: differences between stages and replacement therapies

Abstract Background and Aims Pain is one of the most common symptoms among patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), often going unrecognized or inadequately managed in people undertaking hemodialysis. Over 50% of people on hemodialysis experience pain, with 75% of them being ineffectively treated due to healthcare professionals' lack of awareness of this symptom. Managing pain in this population is a complex and challenging task for healthcare professionals. Variables related to chronic pain can influence the patient's response to pain. There is a gap in the literature on this topic, as it has not been studied whether patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis exhibit characteristics of chronic pain that may be influencing their pain response. The objective of this study is to evaluate the presence and characteristics of variables related to chronic pain in hemodialysis patients with ESRD to assess whether including the management of chronic pain is relevant in the holistic treatment of these patients. Method This is a cross-sectional observational study that is currently ongoing. Participants included subjects that were willing to participate, with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 and 4, CKD stage 5 in hemodialysis and transplanted patients. Several questionnaires were recorded to report different aspects related to chronic pain. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess differences between groups. Results Preliminary results on 26 subjects are shown in Table 1. No significant differences were found between groups. Transplanted and hemodialysis patients (in the hospital) experience more sleep disturbances and more pain catastrophizing. Transplanted and hemodialysis patients (in the hospital) present higher belief in their abilities to handle stressful situations in daily life, but they also suffer more headaches. Hemodialysis patients (hospital and home) present higher levels of anxiety and depression. Hemodialysis patients (at home) and transplanted patients exhibit higher levels of stress conditions. Finally, patients undergoing hemodialysis (in the hospital) and CKD stages 3 and 4 present higher levels of chronic pain. Conclusion A bigger sample is needed. However, based on the data, it seems that patients with CKD exhibit characteristics of chronic pain that should be addressed by healthcare professionals.

A New Assessment of High Punctual Solar Trackers Effects on Poultry Welfare in Agrivoltaïc Open-Air Runs

Open-air poultry farming is currently developing with the increasing society demand for livestock farming better considering animal welfare. Outside animal comfort and open-air runs exploration could be enhanced by shelters such as trees or photovoltaic (PV) structure. The aim of this study is to confirm previous results to evaluate (i) the microclimates generated under high punctual PV trackers, (ii) the effect on laying hens comfort, (iii) the use of panels shadow area by hens. In three experimental sites, microclimates were studied and laying hens were counted in a control area, under such PV tracker and under a tree. Results showed that PV trackers, as big trees, lowered summer soil and air temperatures, radiation and lightness, decreased the occurrences of stress situations for hens, and that more hens were counted under trackers than in a control area. These results may help for optimizing such agrivoltaïc system and the hens welfare by improving the open-air run design with PV structures and vegetation.

Interrelation of Military Professional Training and Physical Fitness of Servicemen

Topicality. The success of military professional activity depends on the soldiers` training and education peculiarities, which must be created using the certain methods of influence and characteristics of military personnel. The conditions of combat operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine against the aggressor of the russian federation and the maintenance of an appropriate level of combat readiness of servicemen require new approaches to improving the means of training, education and formation of soldier`s physical and psychological readiness to act in difficult conditions in order to successfully perform military professional activities. Thus, the formation and interconnection of the military professional training tasks and servicemen`s physical fitness remains an urgent issue. The purpose to analyze and determine the impact of the development of physical qualities and military-applied skills of servicemen on the effectiveness of performing military and professional tasks. Methods. Analysis of scientific and methodological literature, testing, and methods of mathematical statistics have been used in the research. Results. It has been established that physically trained soldiers are more maneuverable on the battlefield (by 20-35%), successfully perform combat training tasks and standards (by 15-20% faster) than soldiers with a low level of physical fitness. The data obtained on the low level of combat preparedness indicate insufficient moral and psychological readiness to endure significant physical and psychological stress in a combat situation, both in combat and physical trainings. It has been found that the functional state of the body and the excellent development of basic physical qualities have a positive effect on the main indicators of combat readiness of personnel and significantly affect the results of the effective performance of military and professional activities. Conclusions. The research made it possible to find out that excellent physical condition is an integral part of the quality and successful performance of assigned tasks in accordance with the position held and the foundation of their combat readiness.

BR regulates wheat root salt tolerance by maintaining ROS homeostasis.

Trace amounts of epibrassinolide (EpiBL) could partially rescue wheat root length inhibition in salt-stressed situation by scavenging ROS, and ectopic expression of TaDWF4 or TaBAK1 enhances root salt tolerance in Arabidopsis by balancing ROS level. Salt stress often leads to ion toxicity and oxidative stress, causing cell structure damage and root development inhibition in plants. While prior research indicated the involvement of exogenous brassinosteroid (BR) in plant responses to salt stress, the precise cytological role and the function of BR in wheat root development under salt stress remain elusive. Our study demonstrates that 100mM NaCl solution inhibits wheat root development, but 5nM EpiBL partially rescues root length inhibition by decreasing H2O2 content, oxygen free radical (OFR) content, along with increasing the peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities in salt-stressed roots. The qRT-PCR experiment also shows that expression of the ROS-scavenging genes (GPX2 and CAT2) increased in roots after applying BR, especially during salt stress situation. Transcriptional analysis reveals decreased expression of BR synthesis and root meristem development genes under salt stress in wheat roots. Differential expression gene (DEG) enrichment analysis highlights the significant impact of salt stress on various biological processes, particularly "hydrogen peroxide catabolic process" and "response to oxidative stress". Additionally, the BR biosynthesis pathway is enriched under salt stress conditions. Therefore, we investigated the involvement of wheat BR synthesis gene TaDWF4 and BR signaling gene TaBAK1 in salt stress responses in roots. Our results demonstrate that ectopic expression of TaDWF4 or TaBAK1 enhances salt tolerance in Arabidopsis by balancing ROS (Reactive oxygen species) levels in roots.

Assessing Students` Experiences of Psychosocial Support for Sustainable Learning at a South African TVET College

A positive psychosocial environment is necessary to create a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning. Thus, this study assessed students` experiences of psychosocial support for sustainable learning at a South African TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) College. This study followed a qualitative phenomenological research technique, which provides participants with a voice to share their psychosocial experiences. Data was collected from twenty individuals through face-to-face interviews and a focus group discussion. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The results of the study revealed that majority of students at this college experience low self-esteem, stressful situations, lack of peer tutoring, peer counselling, counselling skills from a Student Development Practitioner (SDP), and inadequate provision of social and emotional needs. This was attributed to a lack of psychosocial support to students from lecturers and SDPs, who ought to work collaboratively to provide such support to students at South African TVET colleges. It became evident from this study that lecturers and college personnel need to assist students in improving their self-esteem by doing the following: reducing students` stressful situations, promoting peer tutoring, providing peer counselling, providing counselling skills and catering for students` social and emotional needs at a college in order to promote sustainable learning. This study will empower lecturers and SDPs with psychosocial support skills to be able to respond to the psychosocial challenges of student development. Keywords: Academic support, emotional support, psychosocial support, sustainable learning, TVET college.

Effect of authentic leadership and mindfulness educational program on nursing managers' competencies: a quasi-experimental study

BackgroundAuthentic leadership is an emerging perspective in leadership that focuses on leaders' values and beliefs. while the mindfulness perspective permits nurse managers to be fully present, aware of themselves and their impact on others, and aware of their reactions in stressful situations. so, authentic leadership and mindfulness if combined create nurse managers who have clearer, more focused thinking, and a growth mindset that help subordinates improve and grow. as well as mindfulness-based interventions help them to improve interpersonal relationships with patients and colleagues, and to take better care of themselves and others.AimThe present study aims to; explore the effect of authentic leadership and mindfulness educational program on nursing managers' competencies in hospital.MethodsA quasi-experimental design (Quantitative pre-, post-, and follow-up design) was used to conduct the study at Shirbeen General Hospital, Egypt. The study subjects consist of a purposive sample of 70 nurse managers and 226 nurses. Three tools used for data collection consisted of; the authentic leadership questionnaire, the five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the managerial competencies of Nurse Managers. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, Qualitative categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test. A significant level value was considered when the p-value ≤ 0.05, and Cohen's d was used to measure the effect size which indicated there was a large effect of educational program on post and follow-up knowledge, authentic leadership, mindfulness, and managerial competencies scores.ResultsThe current study revealed that there were significant differences between nurse managers’ knowledge, authentic leadership, mindfulness, and managerial competencies (P = 0.001) pre-, post-, and after 3 months of the program. As determined by Cohen’s d test, there was a large effect of educational program on post and follow-up knowledge, authentic leadership, mindfulness, and managerial competencies scores.ConclusionThe educational program about authentic leadership and mindfulness had a positive effect on nurse managers’ managerial competencies.Trial registration number (TRN)The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Nursing, Port Said University, Egypt (code number: NUR 13/3/2022–11).

Coping strategies and adherence in people with mood disorder: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionNon-adherence to treatment recommendations is a significant problem, as it contributes to the progression of the disease and to the exacerbation of distressing symptoms. Failure to cope with the disease and elevated levels of stress, in turn, influence the choice of strategy for coping with a difficult situation, and thus adherence to recommendations.ObjectivesThe purpose of our study was to evaluate the impact of the subjects’ stress coping styles on therapeutic adherence, life satisfaction, disease acceptance and quality of life (QoL) in people with mood disorders.MethodsThis survey-based study included 102 respondents diagnosed with mood disorders, living in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. It was performed using the sociodemographic questionnaire and standardized tools: The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), The Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey, The Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale (ARMS), and The Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS).ResultsSome 47.06% of the respondents suffered from depressive disorders, while 34.31% had depression or mixed anxiety disorder. Patients who made greater use of an emotion-focused style were found to have significantly lower life satisfaction than other patients. Moreover, this style was related to such SF-36 domains as general health, social functioning, role emotional, vitality, and mental health, as well as to physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS).ConclusionTreatment non-adherence is a serious challenge in the treatment of patients with mood disorders. Individuals who do not adequately follow treatment recommendations often resort to alternative activities as a mechanism for coping with difficult situations. Patients who predominantly adopt an emotion-oriented coping style tend to experience lower life satisfaction and greater difficulty accepting their condition compared to their peers. Conversely, patients who adopt a task-oriented coping style report better quality of life than those who rely on emotion-oriented coping or alternative activities.

The risk and protective factors on the mental health of healthcare workers during the lockdown period due to covid-19 pandemic

This study aimed to analyze the impact of the lockdown period due to COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health status of healthcare workers and identify the related risk factors of psychosomatic distress. We conducted an online questionnaire survey to investigate the general demographic characteristics, perceived stress level, adult attachment style (AAS), family cohesion and adaptability, social support, sleep state, emotional state, and physical health of healthcare workers during the lockdown period due to the pandemic in 2022. We compared the mental health status between doctors and nurses, and further analyzed the factors influencing sleep, emotions, physical symptoms, and severe psychosomatic distress separately. For factors that showed statistical significance in the univariate analysis, forward stepwise regression was used for logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for the corresponding issues. A total of 622 healthcare workers participated in the survey. Among the participants, 121 (19.5%) reported sleep problems, 209 (33.6%) had negative emotional states, and 147 (23.6%) reported physical health problems. There were 48 (7.7%) healthcare workers with severe psychosomatic distress. Compared to the group of nurses, the group of doctors exhibit a higher prevalence of emotional issues, physical health problems and psychosomatic distress. Perceived stress was identified as a risk factor for sleep disturbance, while living with others during quarantine and family adaptability were identified as protective factors. Higher educational background and perceived stress were identified as risk factors for negative emotion, while subjective support was identified as a protective factor. Perceived stress and coming from a rural area were also identified as risk factors for physical health. Overall, for the comparison between the no psychosomatic distress and severe psychosomatic distress groups, perceived stress was identified as a risk factor for severe psychosomatic distress, while subjective support was identified as a protective factor. Healthcare workers’ potential mental and physical health problems are related to their educational background, family cohesion and adaptability, perceived stress and social support. This makes it clearer on how to deal with and prevent adverse consequences when facing stressful situations.

The Coping Strategies After a Resilience Intervention Programme: A Randomised Controlled Trial Among Adolescent Students with Hearing Loss

ABSTRACT Children and adolescents with hearing-loss experience stress in their lives, and try to manage it by using coping strategies. This study examined the effectiveness of a resilience intervention programme on use of coping strategies in adolescent students with hearing-loss. A pre-test, post-test, follow-up and control group design was enforced. The participants consisted of 122 students with hearing loss in mainstreaming settings. They were randomly assigned to intervention (61 students) and control groups (61 students). The intervention group arranged in sub-groups of three to five and they received training for 6 weeks (two times per week for seventy-five min). The ‘Ways of Coping Questionnaire’ was used to measure different coping strategies used by individuals in stressful situations. The results showed significant difference between the control and interventional groups in terms of using types of coping strategies, at the post-test and follow-up measurements. The significant difference was found for seeking social support, planful problem solving in post and follow-up measurements. Using all types of coping strategies was enhanced in post measurement, except for accepting responsibility, escape/avoidance and distancing strategies. The resilience training programme was very effective on using the coping strategies and could be utilized to help students with hearing-loss cope with stressful situations.

INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

This study aimed to analyze the mental health issues among students at the National University “Yuriy Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, taking into account the international experiences in implementing psychosocial diagnostic programs. Based on this analysis, recommendations were formulated for the effective implementation of programs aimed at enhancing the mental well-being of the Ukrainian student community. Materials and Methods: A total of 812 students from various specialties at Yuriy Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic National University participated in the study. The age range of the participants was between 18 and 22 years old, with 47% (382 individuals) being male and 53% (430 individuals) female, ensuring gender balance in the sample distribution and representing a diverse cross-section of respondents. The survey was conducted anonymously using a Google form, thereby upholding the principle of confidentiality in psychological research. Result and discussion. The survey revealed a correlation between military operations and an escalation in anxiety disorders among civilians and refugees within the Ukrainian context. However, there remains an incomplete understanding of the mental well-being of the youth demographic. Presently, numerous studies indicate a decline in the psycho-emotional state of Ukrainian students. A significant proportion of respondents reported feelings of depression, nervousness, loneliness, and anger, with an uptick in cases involving alcohol, tobacco, and sedative abuse. An investigation into the mental health of women within educational institutions, including female students and teachers, unveiled heightened levels of fear and diminished resilience to stressful situations. This methodological approach facilitated the organization of information, enabling an objective comprehension of the issue and the formulation of specific recommendations for future action. Notably, there is a pressing need to implement programs aimed at enhancing both mental and physical health. Initiatives incorporating physical activity, balanced nutrition, and relaxation techniques have demonstrated potential in reducing stress levels and fostering improved mental well-being among students. Conclusions: The proposed recommendations are geared towards enhancing mental health standards and mitigating the impact of psychological challenges on academic performance, social integration, and overall life satisfaction.

Endophytes Alleviate Drought-Derived Oxidative Damage in Achnatherum inebrians Plants Through Increasing Antioxidants and Regulating Host Stress Responses

Endophytes generally increase antioxidant contents of plants subjected to environmental stresses. However, the mechanisms by which endophytes alter the accumulation of antioxidants in plant tissues are not entirely clear. We hypothesized that, in stress situations, endophytes would simultaneously reduce oxidative damage and increase antioxidant contents of plants and that the accumulation of antioxidants would be a consequence of the endophyte ability to regulate the expression of plant antioxidant genes. We investigated the effects of the fungal endophyte Epichloë gansuensis (C.J. Li & Nan) on oxidative damage, antioxidant contents, and expression of representative genes associated with antioxidant pathways in Achnatherum inebrians (Hance) Keng plants subjected to low (15%) and high (60%) soil moisture conditions. Gene expression levels were measured using RNA-seq. As expected, the endophyte reduced the oxidative damage by 17.55% and increased the antioxidant contents by 53.14% (on average) in plants subjected to low soil moisture. In line with the accumulation of antioxidants in plant tissues, the endophyte increased the expression of most plant genes associated with the biosynthesis of antioxidants (e.g., MIOX, crtB, gpx) while it reduced the expression of plant genes related to the metabolization of antioxidants (e.g., GST, PRODH, ALDH). Our findings suggest that endophyte ability of increasing antioxidant contents in plants may reduce the oxidative damage caused by stresses and that the fungal regulation of plant antioxidants would partly explain the accumulation of these compounds in plant tissues.

Salivary analysis to unveil the paradigma of stress of domestic horses reared in the wild

Horse welfare is the product of multiple factors, including behavioral and physiological adjustments to cope with stressful situation regarding environment and housing condition. Collectively, it is supposed that a horse kept in the wild has a lower level of stress than other housing system, and the aim of the present study was to investigate the level of stress in domestic horses reared in the wild and then moved to human controlled housing, through saliva analysis. Twelve clinically healthy Catria (Italian local breed) mares, usually reared in the wild, were moved into collective paddocks for a folkloric event. Saliva samples were obtained before and after the change of housing condition to evaluate stress biomarkers including salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, and butyrylcholinesterase (BChol). The mares were also scored using the Welfare Aggregation and Guidance (WAG) Tool to highlight the presence of abnormal behaviors. Despite the absence of differences in behavioral scores between wild and paddocks, salivary cortisol and BChol were found to be higher in the wild and lower when mares were moved to paddocks. The highest concentrations in stress biomarkers like salivary cortisol and BChol in the wild was unexpected, but the need for managing hierarchical relationships, and the exposure to feral animals, predators, and weather changes, might explain these findings. The overall results of the present study may provide further knowledge toward stress response in domesticated horses living in the wild moved to human controlled housing system.

Assessment of abdominal lesions in pigs with wounded umbilical outpouchings transported to slaughter

BackgroundUmbilical outpouchings (UOs) in pigs are of welfare and production concern in Danish pig herds. One of the challenges is the transportation of these animals due to the size of the UOs and ulcerations on them. With certain precautions and an approval from a veterinarian, pigs with UOs may be transported, however, UOs are associated with several intra-abdominal lesions, e.g. peritonitis and incarceration, which may worsen during the process of transportation. The prevalence and characterization of intra-abdominal lesions associated with UOs following transportation has not been investigated. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate lesions associated with the intestines and peritoneum in slaughter pigs with wounded UOs following transportation to an abattoir.ResultsA cross-sectional study involving three conventional Danish pig herds was conducted comprising 96 slaughter pigs with wounded UOs transported to an abattoir. Following slaughter the UOs with accompanying intestines were examined pathologically. Three distinct morphological categories were present: hernia, enterocystoma and herniating enterocystoma. Intra-abdominal lesions were present in 72% of the animals, representing 65% (44/68) of the hernias, 77% (10/13) of the enterocystomas, and 100% (15/15) of the herniating enterocystomas. Several different lesions were found like bleedings, acute/chronic peritonitis and hypertrophy of the intestinal muscular layers.ConclusionsThe prevalence of intra-abdominal lesions in pigs transported with a wounded UO was found to be high independent of the underlying condition, and it is clear that these pigs possess a vulnerable group of animals, especially during physical stressful situations like transportation. More information is needed regarding the prevalence of intra-abdominal lesions in UO pigs without wounds on the UO. The results provide valuable knowledge, that can be used when examining and evaluating UO pigs before transportation.