Individual Transitions Research Articles

Flexibility and sensitivity in gene regulation out of equilibrium

Cells adapt to environments and tune gene expression by controlling the concentrations of proteins and their kinetics in regulatory networks. In both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, experiments and theory increasingly attest that these networks can and do consume biochemical energy. How does this dissipation enable cellular behaviors forbidden in equilibrium? This open question demands quantitative models that transcend thermodynamic equilibrium. Here, we study the control of simple, ubiquitous gene regulatory networks to explore the consequences of departing equilibrium in transcription. Employing graph theory to model a set of especially common regulatory motifs, we find that dissipation unlocks nonmonotonicity and enhanced sensitivity of gene expression with respect to a transcription factor's concentration. These features allow a single transcription factor to act as both a repressor and activator at different concentrations or achieve outputs with multiple concentration regimes of locally enhanced sensitivity. We systematically dissect how energetically driving individual transitions within regulatory networks, or pairs of transitions, generates a wide range of more adjustable and sensitive phenotypic responses than in equilibrium. These results generalize to more complex regulatory scenarios, including combinatorial control by multiple transcription factors, which we relate and often find collapse to simple mathematical behaviors. Our findings quantify necessary conditions and detectable consequences of energy expenditure. These richer mathematical behaviors-feasibly accessed using biological energy budgets and rates-may empower cells to accomplish sophisticated regulation with simpler architectures than those required at equilibrium.

Characteristics of Severe Late-Life Depression in the Prodromal Phase of Neurodegenerative Dementia

ObjectiveLate-life depression (LLD) is associated with neurodegenerative disease. The clinical characteristics of patients with LLD who develop neurodegenerative dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have not been thoroughly investigated. There has also been evidence that the severity of depression affects the transition to dementia. However, the clinical characteristics of the most severely depressed patients who receive the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and subsequently transition to a diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease remain unclear. MethodWe conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who received ECT between April 2012 and September 2022 at our academic hospital. We compared the clinical characteristics of individuals who transitioned to a diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases and those whose diagnoses remained stable over a follow-up period of more than one year. ResultsOf the 94 patients who underwent ECT, 12 (13%) were diagnosed with neurodegenerative disease 20 months after their last ECT session. These patients had an older age of onset (p = 0.01) , fewer melancholic features (p = 0.03) , and fewer family histories of psychiatric disorders (p = 0.01) than those whose diagnoses did not change. ConclusionsIt is clinically important to consider the potential transition of older individuals with severe depression to neurodegenerative dementia or MCI, especially in cases characterized by an older age of onset, lack of melancholic features, or absence of a family history of psychiatric disorders.

Göç Olgusunun Göçmen Bireyler Üzerindeki Ruh Sağlığına Etkisi

Migration is a complex structure that has existed throughout human history of individuals and units. There are different types of migration. Internal migration means displacement within the borders of the country. Emigration means leaving the regions they belong to for certain reasons. Brain drain, on the other hand, occurs when people who have developed their own personality are academically educated elsewhere due to the country's conditions. As a result of this move, immigrant individuals are affected by spiritual and emotional changes. The psychological effects of immigration on immigrants are known. Immigrant individuals may experience difficulties in three different categories: before migration, during migration and after migration. As a result of research on common pathologies seen in immigrants, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, self-alienation, schizophrenia, somatization disorder, and increased psychotic features have been expressed. It is known that the life disruption of immigrants has also been reduced. There are definitions of these immigrant types, as well as the psychological transitions of immigrant individuals and the common problem seen in immigrants. Literature research is included in their content. It can be stated that the results of the research showing that migration disrupts the daily life of the students and that psychological problems arise in their lives in a negative way can be expressed. Keywords: Types of migration, migrants, psychology, mental health, trauma.

Recent Insights in the Treatment for Clinical High Risk for Psychosis and Recent Onset Psychosis

Objectives: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of early interventions in preventing psychosis transition, promoting remission, and reducing hospitalization rates in individuals at high risk for psychosis and those with recent onset psychosis (ROP).Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, comparing early intervention strategies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychosocial support to no intervention. The study focused on outcomes related to psychosis transition, remission rates, and prevention of psychiatric hospitalization.Results: Although only a subset of clinical high risk (CHR) individuals transition to full psychosis, non-pharmacological treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy are generally recommended as a first-line approach. In ROP patients, early pharmacological treatment reduces relapse rates, while psychosocial interventions aim to improve various functional outcomes. The meta-analysis results of this study did not show a significant reduction in psychosis transition rates with specialized interventions for CHR patients. For ROP patients, early interventions initially reduced hospitalization rates, but this effect was not sustained in mid-term follow-up results.Conclusion: While early interventions offer short-term benefits in reducing psychosis transition and hospitalization, additional research is needed to determine their long-term effectiveness in functional recovery and overall patient outcomes.

Focused on the Family: Development of a Family-Based Intervention Promoting the Transition to Adult Health Care for Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Background/Objectives: There is minimal evidence for current interventions promoting the transition to adult healthcare for youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Few interventions exclusively target modifiable individual and family-based factors that contribute to transition readiness. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of Behavioral Family Systems Therapy for Diabetes Transition (BFST-DT), a virtual family-based transition readiness intervention for adolescents with T1D. Methods: The development of BFST-DT occurred in three phases. In phase 1, focus groups with adolescents and young adults with T1D, their caregivers, and pediatric and adult diabetes providers were conducted to assess perspectives on common family challenges surrounding diabetes management and the transition to adult healthcare. In phase 2, focus group data were used to create video vignettes to be used as part of the intervention. In phase 3, BFST-DT was created through the adaptation of a previous evidence-based family intervention for families of adolescents with T1D. Results: BFST-DT is a virtual, 6-month family-based intervention involving four multi-family group meetings and six individual family meetings. It targets the modifiable and reciprocal interactions among individual and family transition readiness factors. Conclusions: BFST-DT is the first family-focused intervention promoting transition readiness in adolescents with T1D and is currently being tested. Intervention development benefits from prioritization of engagement with patients, caregivers, and providers, as their perspectives are invaluable for creating interventions that are relevant and acceptable to communities.

Age-Related Changes in Postural Stability in Response to Varying Surface Instability in Young and Middle-Aged Adults

As individuals transition into middle age, subtle declines in postural control may occur due to gradual reductions in neuromuscular control. The current study aimed to examine the effect of age on bipedal postural control across three support surfaces with varying degrees of instability: a firm surface, a foam pad, and a multiaxial balance board. The effect of surface stability was also assessed. Postural accelerations were recorded using a tri-axial accelerometer placed over the lumbar spine (L5) in 24 young female adults (23.9 ± 5.3 years) and 24 middle-aged female adults (51.4 ± 5.9 years). Sample entropy (SampEn) was used to analyze the complexity of postural control by measuring the regularity of postural acceleration. The main results show significant age-related differences in the mediolateral and anteroposterior acceleration directions (p ≤ 0.012). Young adults exhibit more irregular fluctuations in postural acceleration (high SampEn), reflecting greater efficiency or automaticity in postural control compared to middle-aged adults. Increased surface instability also progressively decreases SampEn in the mediolateral direction (p < 0.001), reflecting less automaticity with increased instability. However, no interaction effects are observed. These findings imply that incorporating balance training on unstable surfaces might help middle-aged adults maintain postural control and prevent future falls.

The effects of daylight saving time clock changes on accelerometer-measured sleep duration in the UK Biobank.

We explored the effects of daylight saving time clock changes on sleep duration in a large accelerometer dataset. Our sample included UK Biobank participants (n = 11,780; aged 43-78 years) with accelerometer data for one or more days during the 2 weeks surrounding the Spring and Autumn daylight saving time transitions from October 2013 and November 2015. Between-individual t-tests compared sleep duration on the Sunday (midnight to midnight) of the clock changes with the Sunday before and the Sunday after. We also compared sleep duration on all other days (Monday-Saturday) before and after the clock changes. In Spring, mean sleep duration was 65 min lower on the Sunday of the clock changes than the Sunday before (95% confidence interval -72 to -58 min), and 61 min lower than the Sunday after (95% confidence interval -69 to -53). In Autumn, the mean sleep duration on the Sunday of the clock changes was 33 min higher than the Sunday before (95% confidence interval 27-39 min), and 38 min higher than the Sunday after (95% confidence interval 32-43 min). There was some evidence of catch-up sleep after both transitions, with sleep duration a little higher on the Monday-Friday than before, although this was less pronounced in Autumn. Future research should use large datasets with longer periods of accelerometer wear to capture sleep duration before and after the transition in the same individuals, and examine other aspects of sleep such as circadian misalignment, sleep fragmentation or daytime napping.

The ambivalent relationship of e-scooters and public transport: Evidence from France

This paper aims at assessing competitiveness of shared e-scooters relative to public transport proposing a methodology that uses empirical data at the individual trip level and comparing e-scooter trips with the alternative public transit route available to the traveler at the time of the trip, as estimated by a navigation and public transit application. This allows us to obtain information at the individual transit trip level, such as in-vehicle time, walking, waiting, and other. We then explore the competitiveness between the two alternatives using two performance measures – travel time (TT) and an estimation of the generalized cost (GC) of a trip – for different levels of aggregation. Results show that in general, e-scooters are more competitive in terms of travel time. However, due to the higher pricing, generalized cost of transit is generally lower than that of e-scooter. In 60% of the cases users would lower their generalized cost by using public transport instead of e-scooter. On average, e-scooter is a better option for trips up to 15min, while public transit is better for longer trips. They are also more competitive during hours when transit frequency is reduced, as well as in areas with reduced service. Finally, we also find that one in five trips complement public transport service offering transportation outside of transit service hours or between areas with no connectivity. Further research should include surveys in order to obtain more details on the psychological constructs of the users.

The utility of ChatGPT in gender-affirming mastectomy education

IntroductionThe integration of AI such as ChatGPT in medicine has been showing promise in enhancing patient education. Gender-affirming mastectomy (GAM) is a surgical procedure designed to help individuals transition to their self-identified gender, playing a crucial role in mitigating psychological distress for many transmasculine and non-binary (TNB) patients. With increased demand and attention towards GAM, plastic and reconstructive surgeons may rely on AI-driven chatbots as an accessible, accurate, and patient-driven model for relevant details on this procedure. Specific Aim(s)This study aimed to assess the quality and readability of information provided by ChatGPT in response to frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to GAM. MethodsInspired by online forums and physician websites, 10 frequently asked questions (FAQs) about pre- and postoperative topics were submitted to ChatGPT and assessed using validated readability score measures and expert interpretation. ResultsThe average readability score was 16.0 ± 1, indicating a college or graduate reading level. Mean accuracy, comprehensiveness, and danger scores were 8.8 ± 0.5, 7.8 ± 0.7, and 2.2 ± 0.4, respectively. Although physicians appreciated ChatGPT's tone, patient autonomy, and advice to seek professional medical and mental help, they also cited instance of generic information, misinformation, support of debated techniques, and pathologization of gender dysphoria. ConclusionEven with its promise in providing accurate and comprehensive information on GAM, ChatGPT’s current limitations suggest caution as a supplementary tool to physician consultation.

Toward a realistic theoretical electronic spectra of metal aqua ions in solution: The case of Ce(H2O)n3+ using statistical methods and quantum chemistry calculations.

Accurately predicting spectra for heavy elements, often open-shell systems, is a significant challenge typically addressed using a single cluster approach with a fixed coordination number. Developing a realistic model that accounts for temperature effects, variable coordination numbers, and interprets experimental data is even more demanding due to the strong solute-solvent interactions present in solutions of heavy metal cations. This study addresses these challenges by combining multiple methodologies to accurately predict realistic spectra for highly charged metal cations in aqueous media, with a focus on the electronic absorption spectrum of Ce3+ in water. Utilizing highly correlated relativistic quantum mechanical (QM) wavefunctions and structures from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we show that the convolution of individual vertical transitions yields excellent agreement with experimental results without the introduction of empirical broadening. Good results are obtained for both the normalized spectrum and that of absolute intensity. The study incorporates a statistical machine learning algorithm, Gaussian Mixture Models-Nuclear Ensemble Approach (GMM-NEA), to convolute individual spectra. The microscopic distribution provided by MD simulations allows us to examine the contributions of the octa- and ennea-hydrate of Ce3+ in water to the final spectrum. In addition, the temperature dependence of the spectrum is theoretically captured by observing the changing population of these hydrate forms with temperature. We also explore an alternative method for obtaining statistically representative structures in a less demanding manner than MD simulations, derived from QM Wigner distributions. The combination of Wigner-sampling and GMM-NEA broadening shows promise for wide application in spectroscopic analysis and predictions, offering a computationally efficient alternative to traditional methods.

Sport, criminal justice interventions and possible future selves: Towards a research agenda

There is growing evidence surrounding the instrumental role of sport and physical activity as a tool to address issues within criminal justice systems and act as a mechanism to engage, educate and develop individuals both in community and correctional settings. This article outlines how sport-based interventions might serve to support the individual aspirations and imagined ‘future selves’ of their participants. Utilising the seminal work of Markus and Nurius, we consider the barriers that may impede the development of an idealised future self for people involved in, or on the margins of, crime. Considering these barriers, the article examines the concept of ‘liminality’, outlining the challenges evident when reconstructing personal identity as the individual transitions ‘betwixt and between’ former and imagined lives. Finally, the article presents evidence which advocates for mentoring within sport-based interventions to facilitate the construction of possible selves, before concluding with suggestions for future research in this area.

Effect of repulsive interaction and initial velocity on collective motion process.

Self-propelled collective motion is a highly complex phenomenon, necessitating advanced practical and theoretical tools for comprehension. The significance of studying collective motion becomes apparent in its diverse applications. For instance, addressing evacuation challenges in scenarios with multiple agents can be achieved through an examination of collective motion. Research indicates that the transition of individuals (such as birds, fish, etc.) from a state of rest to equilibrium constitutes a phase transition. Our interest of the issue is to delve into the nature of this transitional phase and elucidate the parameters that shape it. Hence, the primary aim of this paper is to grasp the kinetic phase transition by examining how initial velocity and repulsive interactions impact the dynamics of the system. To gain insight into the complex behavior of multi-agent systems, we apply an extended version of the classical Vicsek model. This extension includes an additional interaction zone, the repulsive zone, where particles repel each other at close range to avoid collisions. Our study uses numerical simulations to explore the system's behavior under various conditions. The focus of this study is the impact of initial velocity on the collective movement of particles. The importance of this research lies in comprehending how velocity affects the overall movement. The conclusion we can draw from these results is that the initial velocity affects both the noise and the density. The novelty of the work is the transition phase, yet it lacks universal characteristics because the critical noise depends on the initial velocity system and the repulsion radius zone. Notably, the repulsion radius and particle density play pivotal roles in achieving a phase transition from one equilibrium state to another aligned equilibrium state.

The Effect of the Surrounding Matrix on Spin Transition Nanoparticles: How Shell Characteristics Alter Core Elastic Properties in Core‐Shell Particles

A surrounding matrix is known to alter nanoparticle spin transitions, the solid state structural phase changes associated with transitions between high spin (HS) and low spin(LS) states. To better quantify how the spin transition solid and surrounding matrix interact, several series of core‐shell particles were prepared based on RbxCo[Fe(CN)6]z∙nH2O, RbCoFe‐PBA, as spin transition core with isostructural shells of different compositions and thicknesses. Synchrotron PXRD through the thermal high HS to LS, the LS to photoexcited high spin (PXHS), and thermal PXHS to LS transitions, show the activation energy is lowered as shells become thicker and stiffer. Calorimetry data coupled with transition state theory analysis indicate the core stiffens in the core‐shell particles relative to the uncoated particles. The conclusion is supported by microstrain analysis that shows stiffer shells limit the extent to which the core distorts as individual sites transition, leading to the lower activation energy. Finally, differences in lattice mismatch with different shell materials are shown to alter the mechanism by which the transition progresses.

Trends in Revision Facial Feminization Surgery.

Facial feminization surgery (FFS) can be an important part of an individual's transition; however, outcomes have not been well explored in the literature. This study aims to elucidate trends in FFS with a focus on drivers of secondary FFS to further improve care for TGNB patients. A manual chart review was conducted on patients from a single institution from 2012 to 2023 with a diagnosis of transsexualism (F64) who had undergone one or more surgeries associated with any 1 or more of 95 CPT codes related to gender-affirming surgery. Patients who underwent >1 FFS procedure were separated into staged, unplanned, and revision FFS. Three hundred twenty-seven patients were included in the analysis, with 111 of these patients undergoing FFS. Those who underwent FFS were significantly older (P<0.001), had a lower BMI (P<0.001), and began socially transitioning and hormone therapy at an older age (P<0.001 and P=0.001) than those who did not undergo FFS. 44.1% of patients who underwent FFS also underwent secondary FFS, with 26.1% of FFS patients undergoing unplanned secondary FFS. Patient factors, including BMI, age at first FFS, smoking status, race, ethnicity, and order of FFS in relation to other gender-affirming surgeries, were not significantly associated with differences in rates of unplanned secondary FFS. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring the surgical approach to a patient's transition to their unique situation, as well as the need for future studies to identify factors influencing the need for revision FFS and to enhance surgical outcomes for patients undergoing gender-affirming procedures.

Discharge from secondary care services to primary care for adults with serious mental illness: a scoping review

BackgroundEffective transitions of patients from Secondary Care Services (SCSs) to primary care are necessary for optimization of resources and care. Factors that enable or restrict smooth transitions of individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) to primary care from SCSs have not been comprehensively synthesized.MethodsA scoping review was conducted to answer the questions (1) “What are the barriers and facilitators to discharge from SCSs to primary care for adults with SMI?” and (2) “What programs have been developed to support these transitions?”.ResultsBarriers and facilitators of discharge included patient-, primary care capacity-, and transition Process/Support-related factors. Patient-related barriers and facilitators were most frequently reported. 11 discharge programs were reported across the evidence sources. The most frequently reported program components were the provision of additional mental health supports for the transition and development of care plans with relapse signatures and intervention plans.ConclusionsEstablished discharge programs should be comprehensively evaluated to determine their relative benefits. Furthermore, research should be expanded to evaluate barriers and facilitators to discharge and discharge programs in different national contexts and models of care.Trial RegistrationThe protocol for this scoping review is registered with the Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NBTMZ).

Introducing a New Paradigm in Occupational Therapy for Mental Health in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is making strides in supporting mental health needs by incorporating occupational therapy into rehabilitation care. Despite challenges like social stigma and limited resources, a shift toward a socio-humanistic approach is underway. Occupational therapy practitioners have set up a mental health day treatment service to help individuals transition from hospitals to the community, focusing on daily living skills and meaningful activities. Integrating mental health day treatment service with government psychiatric hospitals and improving rehabilitation and home care follow-up can significantly enhance support for people with mental health needs in low-resource settings.

Global stability analysis, stabilization and synchronization of an SEIR epidemic model

In this paper, we investigate an SEIR epidemic model in which recruitment is assumed to be regulated by a constant function. The SEIR model is a widely-used epidemiological framework that categorises the population into four distinct groups: Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious, and Removed. It employs a system of differential equations to describe the transitions of individuals among these groups, making it a valuable tool for understanding and modelling the dynamics of infectious diseases. Mathematical analysis is used to study the dynamic behaviour of this model. We first determine the basic reproduction number, denoted as R 0 , which governs the dynamics of the SEIR model. Our findings reveal that when R 0 is less than 1, the unique disease-free equilibrium is asymptotically stable, and there is no endemic equilibrium. However, when R 0 exceeds 1, the disease-free equilibrium becomes unstable, and a unique, asymptotically stable endemic equilibrium emerges. Furthermore, by constructing appropriate Lyapunov functions, we have studied the global asymptotic stability of the two equilibrium points. On the other hand, we have used the backstepping method to design a control law that stabilises the SEIR model towards the disease-free equilibrium, which means the eradication of the disease from the target population. Next, we have used the same method to synchronise the SEIR drive system and the SEIR response system. This method is used to stabilise the synchronisation error dynamics arising from the mismatch between the drive and response systems. Finally, we presented numerical simulations to illustrate the theoretical results.

Evolutionary distribution and mode transition in medium frequency from 50 kHz to 5 MHz of argon atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma

Dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) provide a promising technology for generating non-equilibrium cold plasmas at atmospheric pressure. For both application-focused and fundamental research, it is important to explore the discharge mode transition and electron heating mechanism to enable effective independent tuning of key plasma parameters in a DBD system. In this work, we report numerical studies of the effects of single-frequency excitation on atmospheric argon DBDs, which are carried out in the medium driving frequency (MF) range from 50 kHz to 5 MHz by using a one-dimensional hydrodynamics coupling model. The spatio-temporal evolution of particle density associated with the discharge mode transition and electron dynamic behavior has been investigated. By tuning different components of a single frequency, we observe the electron heating behaviors of the individual modes and mode transitions from the Townsend discharge to the glow discharge in the low frequency to the Ω mode and the hybrid mode in the medium frequency to the α-mode and the γ-mode in the radio frequency. The physical analysis is understood based on these fundamental insights into the plasma physics.

Developmental trajectories of children's playfulness in two- to six-year-olds

Even though playfulness has been found to be highly relevant to the development and wellbeing of young children, hardly any longitudinal findings are available on stability and changes in children's playfulness. This study examined developmental trajectories of children's playfulness in two- to six-year-olds over a two-year period and analyzed whether individual and family characteristics and transition to primary school explain these trajectories. The sample included 839 children (47.3% girls, MAge = 4.87 years, SDAge = 1.39) from 38 childcare centers and 47 kindergartens in Switzerland. Children's playfulness was assessed at three measurement time points at one-year intervals using the multidimensional Children's Playfulness Scale to gather parent and teacher reports. Second-order linear growth curve models showed significant interindividual differences in children's playfulness at initial baseline. These differences correlated with effects for age, migrant background, and maternal education. The growth-related processes varied depending on children's age, and the individual dimension of children's playfulness whether an increase, stability, or decline was observed. In particular, social components of playfulness were found to change. On average, children's playfulness increased in early years but decreased from school age onwards. However, closeness in parent–child relationships proved to be supportive of children's playfulness at all time points. The results indicate the significance of positive parenting to children's playfulness, but they also draw attention to how playful qualities can be maintained and more highly valued in the school environment. In general, the study can contribute to a better understanding of the construct of playfulness in childhood.

Stability of ecologically scaffolded traits during evolutionary transitions in individuality

Evolutionary transitions in individuality are events in the history of life leading to the emergence of new levels of individuality. Recent studies have described an ecological scaffolding scenario of such transitions focused on the evolutionary consequences of an externally imposed renewing meta-population structure with limited dispersal. One difficulty for such a scenario has been explaining the stability of collective-level traits when scaffolding conditions no longer apply. Here, we show that the stability of scaffolded traits can rely on evolutionary hysteresis: even if the environment is reverted to an ancestral state, collectives do not return to ancestral phenotypes. We describe this phenomenon using a stochastic meta-population model and adaptive dynamics. Further, we show that ecological scaffolding may be limited to Goldilocks zones of the environment. We conjecture that Goldilocks zones—even if they might be rare—could act as initiators of evolutionary transitions and help to explain the near ubiquity of collective-level individuality.