The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted a significant impact on mental health globally. The uncertainty, fear, and stress associated with this crisis have contributed to a heightened prevalence of anxiety, depression, and various other mental health disorders. In this scenario, the present study aimed at investigating the relationship between locomotion regulatory mode, resilience, and COVID-19 anxiety. It is worth noting that previous extensive research has established a significant correlation between high levels of locomotion and diverse positive psychological conditions, such as optimism, reduced hopelessness, and positive affect. A total of 243 participants completed measures of locomotion regulatory mode, resilience, and COVID-19 anxiety. In line with our hypotheses, individuals' locomotion regulatory mode was negatively, although non significatively, associated with COVID-19 anxiety. Furthermore, resilience was found to mediate the relationship between locomotion regulatory mode and COVID-19 anxiety, indicating that individuals displaying high locomotion may be better equipped to cope with the stress and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic due to their greater levels of resilience. Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of considering both locomotion and resilience in managing anxiety related to COVID-19 and suggest that interventions aimed at enhancing resilience may be beneficial particularly for individuals with low locomotion regulatory mode.

The restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic left many older adults isolated and confined. Under active aging theory, self-management is crucial for well-being among older adults coping with aging. The current study examines how (a) initial self-management, and (b) changes in self-management due to independent physical training, affect psychological outcomes in a sample of care home residents following outbreak of the pandemic. 64 older adults (53 females, 11 males), mean age is 82.23, reported on their self-management abilities, then embarked on six months of training in chair exercises (one session per week). The training exercises were halted after 22 sessions due to the pandemic, but some residents continued to practice independently. Eight weeks after the outbreak of the pandemic, residents who had continued to practice at least once per week (n = 35) and those who had not continued to practice (n = 29) were questioned again about their self-management, and about five psychological outcomes: anxiety, traumatic stress, satis-faction, general mood, and post-traumatic growth (PTG). Self-management improved among older adults who independently practiced the exercises, and declined among those who did not. Pre-pandemic self-management significantly predicted post-outbreak traumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, general mood, and satisfaction with life, but not PTG. However, the difference in self-management between the pre-pandemic and post-outbreak measures was associated with PTG, and made a unique contribution to prediction of the other effects. Self-management abilities among older adults can be seen as a protective factor against adverse psychological outcomes at times of trauma. Further, the improvement in self-management among older adults who independently practiced physical excises made a unique contribution beyond initial self-management abilities.

The presence of burnout, anxiety and depression among health professionals is a crucial issue that must be carefully addressed. The aim of the present study is to investigate levels of burnout, anxiety and depression among health professionals (medical and nursing staff) during the pandemic crisis, the association of burnout with anxiety and depression as well as the impact of occupational and demographic factors. One hundred twenty-five health professionals (medical and nursing staff) participated who were working in a public hospital in the broader area of Athens (sample of convenience). Specifically, 41 males and 84 females with the majority of them being in the category of 36-45 years of age. For the data collection, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the HADS questionnaire were used. The results showed that there was a statistically significant and negative correlation of emotional exhaustion to HADS total (r= -0,377, p=0,000) as well as HADS anxiety (r= -0,417, p=0,000). Also, there was a statistically significant and negative correlation of depersonalization to HADS total (r= -0,370, p=0,000) as well as HADS anxiety (r= -0,431, p=0,000). Moreover, there was a statistically significant effect (p<0,05) of occupational and demographic characteristics.

Elevated levels of histamine cause the secretion of gastric hydrochloric acid (HCl), leading to gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and anxiety. While aberrant levels of histamine mediate neuroinflammation, pathogenic alterations in the hippocampus of the brain have been linked to anxiety. Eventually, antihistamine drugs that are used against GI disorders appear to be anxiolytic agents. Ranitidine is a widely used antihistamine drug to manage GI disorders as it works by blocking the histamine (H)-2 receptors in oxyntic cells thereby, reducing the HCl production in the stomach. Though some reports indicate the neuroprotective effects of ranitidine, its role against GI disorders related to anxiety remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effect of ranitidine against anxiety-related behaviors, neuronal density, and signs of microglia activation in the hippocampal CA3 region of cysteamine HCl-induced mouse model of GI disorder. Results obtained from the open field test (OFT), light and dark box test (LDBT), and elevated plus maze (EPM) revealed that ranitidine treatment reduces anxiety-like behaviors in experimental animals. Nissl staining and immunohistochemical assessment of Iba-1 positive microglia in the cryosectioned brains revealed that the ranitidine treatment enhances the density of pyramidal neurons in association with reduced activation of microglia in the CA3 region of the hippocampus of experimental mice.

Obesity during childhood has been associated with many important physiological and neurological health considerations. Specifically concerning are the associations between youth obesity and declines in mental health, as shown with increasing rates of adolescent depression and anxiety worldwide. The emergence of mental health disorders commonly arises during adolescent development, and approximately half the global population satisfy the criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder in their lifetime, suggesting a need for early intervention. Adolescence is critical time whereby brain structure and functions are not only negatively associated with obesity and declines in mental health, while also coinciding with significant declines in rates of physical activity among individuals in this age group. Physical activity is thus a prime candidate to address the intersection of obesity and mental health crises occurring globally. This review addresses the important considerations between physiological health (obesity, aerobic fitness, physical activity), brain health (structure and function), and mental wellbeing symptomology. Lastly, we pose a theoretical framework which asks important questions regarding the influence of physiological health on the association between brain health and the development of depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescence.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease defined as exocrine gland hypofunction resulting in dry eyes and dry mouth. Recent interest in biological therapies for pSS has been garnered, however achieving FDA-approval has been challenging due to the numerous complications in the trials. Current literature lacks insight and a molecular target-based approach to the development of biological therapies. This review focuses on novel research in newly defined drug targets and latest clinical trials for pSS treatment. A literature search was conducted on ClinicalTrials.gov using the search term “Primary Sjögren's syndrome”. Articles published between 2000 and 2021 in English language were included. Our findings revealed the potential targets for pSS treatment in clinical trials and the most recent advances in understand-ing of molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of pSS. A prominent gap in current trials is overlooking the treatment of extraglandular symptoms such as fatigue, depression and anxiety which pervade most patients with pSS. Based on dryness and these symptom-directed therapies, emerging biological agents targeting inflammatory cytokines, signal pathways and immune reaction have been studied and proved the efficacy and safety. Novel therapies may complement existing non-pharmacological methods of alleviating symptoms of pSS. Better grad-ing systems adding extraglandular symptoms to gauge disease activity and severity should be created. The future of pSS therapies may lie in gene therapy, stem cell and tissue engineering ther-apy.

Background: Young adults, particularly university students might be at greater risk of developing psychological distress, and exhibiting symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to explore and compare the determinants and predictors of mental health (anxiety and depression) during and after COVID-19 lockdown among university students. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study with a sample size of 417 students. An online survey utilizing International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), General Anxiety Disorder–7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was distributed to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman students via Google forms. Results: During lockdown, family income [χ² (1, n=124) = 5.155, p=0.023], and physical activity [χ² (1, n=134) = 6.366, p=0.012] were associated with anxiety, while depression was associated with gender [χ² (1, n=75) = 4.655, p=0.031]. After lockdown, family income was found to be associated with both anxiety [χ2 (1, n=111) = 8.089, p=0.004], and depression [χ2 (1, n=115) =9.305, p=0.002]. During lockdown, family income (OR=1.60, p=0.018), and physical activity (OR=0.59, p=0.011) were predictors for anxiety, and gender (OR=0.65, p=0.046) being the only predictor for depression. After lockdown, family income was a predictor for both anxiety (OR=1.67, p=0.011), and depression (OR=1.70, p=0.009). Conclusion: Significant negative effects attributed to the COVID-19 lockdown, and certain factors predisposed to the worsening of mental health status in university students. Family income, physical activity level, and gender were some of the major determinants that influenced the anxiety and depression.

SCARED-C instrument (the child version, 41 items) is used for screening anxiety in children between 8 to 18 years old and has been first introduced by Birmaher & collab. in 1995, with good psychometric data - internal consistency from α =.74 to .93 - and good discriminative validity indices in the original versions (1997, 1999). Since then, many countries have adopted the scale, for its utility in identifying five subsets of anxiety disorders (subscales): somatic/panic disorder, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, social phobia, and school avoidance. The present study contains the first Romanian translated and adapted version of the SCARED-C instrument on a community sample of 477 children (8-18 years old) from Mureș county schools. The instrument showed moderate to good internal consistency (α Cronbach from to .63 to .91 for the total scale) and good test-retest reliability (.70) on a subset of 85 children sample. A confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) was conducted to test the factor structure of the Romanian version of SCARED-C; results showed that SCARED-C has good psychometric properties to be used for screening anxiety in Romanian children and adolescents. The implications for using SCARED-C in dental practice are discussed. Future studies need to be conducted for exploring convergent and discriminative validity of the instrument and the sensitivity to current DSM-V criteria. Application on a dental pediatric sample is also required.

The aim of this work was to study age-related changes in the behaviour of adult Wistar rats using the open field (OF) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests. Behavioural changes related to motor activity and anxiety were of particular interest. Results showed that as male and female rats progressed from 2 to 5 months of age there was a decrease in the level of motor and exploratory activities, and an increase in the level of anxiety. Age-related changes were dependent upon initial individual characteristics of behaviour. For example, animals that demonstrated high motor activity at 2 months become significantly less active by 5 months, and animals that showed a low level of anxiety at 2 months become more anxious by 5 months. Low-activity and high-anxiety rats did not show any significant age-related changes in OF and EPM tests from 2 to 5 months of age, except for a decrease in the number of rearings in EPM. Significant individual differences in the behaviour of rats in OF and EPM tests observed at 2 months were not apparent by 5 months.

3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a new psychoactive substance (NPS) and the most widespread and life-threatening synthetic cathinone of the “bath salts”. Preclinical research has proven the cocaine-like psychostimulant effects of MDPV and its potential for abuse. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid that has emerged as a new potential treatment for drug addiction. Here, we tested the effects of CBD (20 mg/kg) on MDPV (2 mg/kg)-induced conditioned place preference and MDPV (0.05 and 0.075 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration paradigm. We also assessed the effects of the combination of CBD, and MDPV (3 and 4 mg/kg) on anxiety-like behaviour using the elevated plus maze (EPM). CBD mitigated the MDPV-induced conditioned place preference. On the contrary, CBD administration throughout the MDPV (0.075 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration increased drug-seeking and taking behaviours, but only in the high-responders group of mice. Additionally, CBD exerted anxiolytic-like effects, but only in MDPV-treated mice. Taken together, our results indicate that CBD modulation of MDPV-induced motivational responses in mice vary depending on the requirements of the learning task, resulting in a complex response. More research attempting to decipher the behavioural and molecular interactions between CBD and MDPV is needed.

Background: Breast cancer is the second type of cancer diagnosed in women and is the first cancer in women worldwide. Breast cancer also causes high morbidity and mortality in women and becomes a heavy burden due to the incidence of disability due to the disease. Purpose: This literature review aims to examine how social support affects anxiety, depression and quality of life in breast cancer sufferers. Method: The data were obtained by searching for reputable and trustworthy journals. have high quality criteria, namely Scopus, Proquest, Science Direct, Elsevier, Pubmed. Journals or articles used in this review literature are searched using keywords and Boolean operators (AND, OR NOT, or AND NOT). Keywords in this review literature are as follows: social support OR family support, quality of life OR Quality, anxiety OR depression, AND Cancer OR cancer treatment OR Chronic disease. Results: The results of this literature review show that there is a significant influence between the social support received by breast cancer patients on the improvement of their quality of life. The social support provided is also able to reduce anxiety and depression in breast cancer sufferersConclusion: Social support given to breast cancer patients is proven to have an effect on improving the quality of life, reducing anxiety and depression.

Since its initial outbreak in late 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the global community. In addition to the negative health consequences of contracting COVID-19, the implementation of strict quarantine and lockdown measures has also disrupted social networks and devastated the global economy. As a result, there is rising concern that the pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of the general population. To better understand its impact, an increasing number of studies examined the effects of the pandemic on mental health and psychosocial implications of enforced quarantine and lockdown. In this article, we aim to review and summarize the findings from a variety of studies that have explored the psychosociological effects of the pandemic and its impact on the mental well-being of the general population. We will also examine how various demographic groups, such as the elderly and youth, can be more susceptible or resilient to the pandemic’s mental health effects. We hope to provide a broader understanding of the underlying causes of mental health issues triggered by the pandemic and provide recommendations that may be employed to address mental health issues in the population over the long-term.

Background. The aim of this study is to examine whether biomarkers of the immune-inflammatory response (IRS) and endogenous opioid (EOS) systems are associated with affective symptoms in schizophrenia. Methods. We recruited 115 schizophrenia patients and 43 healthy controls and assessed the Hamilton Depression (HDRS) and Anxiety (HAM-A) rating Scale scores as well as serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, eotaxin (CCL11), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), and mu (MOR) and kappa (KOR) opioid receptors.Results. The HDRS and HAM-A scores are significantly and positively correlated with a) psychosis, hostility, excitation, mannerism, negative symptoms, psychomotor retardation, and formal thought disorders; and b) lowered scores on semantic and episodic memory, executive functions, and attention tests as measured with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Psychiatry. Both HDRS and HAM-A are significantly increased in non-responders to treatment as compared with partial responders. Both affective scores are strongly associated with latent vectors extracted from all symptoms, reflecting overall severity of psychosis (OSOS), and neurocognitive test scores, reflecting a generalized cognitive decline (G-CoDe). The HDRS score was strongly and positively associated with IL-6, HMGB1, KOR, and MOR levels, and the HAM-A score with IL-6, IL-10, CCL11, HMGB1, KOR, and MOR levels. A single latent trait may be extracted from OSOS, G-CoDe, and the HDRS and HAMA scores, and this latent vector score is strongly predicted by HMGB1, MOR, and DKK1.Conclusion. Immune-inflammatory and EOS pathways contribute to the phenome of schizophrenia, which comprises OSOS, affective, and physiosomatic symptoms, and G-CoDe.

Background: COVID-19 crisis has changed the conditions of many throughout the globe. One negative consequence of the on-going pandemic is anxiety brought by uncertainty and the COVID-19 disease. Increased anxiety is a potential risk factor for wellbeing at work. This study investigated psychological, situational, and socio-demographic predictors of COVID-19 anxiety using longitudinal data. Methods: Nationally representative sample of Finnish workers (N = 1308) was collected before and during the COVID-19 crisis. Eighty percent of the participants responded to the follow-up study (N=1044). COVID-19 anxiety was measured with a modified Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. Psychological and situational predictors included perceived loneliness, psychological distress, technostress, personality, social support received from work community, and remote working. Also, number of socio-demographic factors were investigated. Results: Perceived loneliness, psychological distress, technostress, and neuroticism were identified as robust psychological predictors of COVID-19 anxiety. Increase in psychological distress and technostress during the COVID-19 crisis predicted higher COVID-19 anxiety. Recent change in work field and decreased social support from work community predicted COVID-19 anxiety. Women and young people experienced higher anxiety. Conclusions: Different factors explain workers’ COVID-19 anxiety. Increased anxiety can disrupt wellbeing at work, emphasizing organizations’ role in maintaining an inclusive and caring work culture and providing technical and psychological support to workers during crisis.

Coronavirus is believed to have originated from a wet market in Wuhan, China, and has spread all over the world, resulting in a large number of hospitalizations and deaths. Social scientists are just beginning to understand its consequences on human behavior. One policy that public health officials put in place to help stop the spread of the virus were stay-at-home/shelter-in-place lockdown-style orders. Schools, Colleges and Universities across the country have now been shut down till now due to Covid-19. Some Governments in India impose lockdown to reduce the crises created by this unknown virus. It is now difficult to make final assessments by school, school leaving examinations and entrance tests for undergraduate and post-graduate courses. This disruption implies for students across the socio-economic spectrum, both in terms of learning outcomes , food and economic security. Here the aim is to discuss the implications of lockdown-induced in schools in both urban and rural areas in India.The whole world implemented a nationwide lockdown to curb the transmission of the virus. A survey was over Five hundred families to complete a questionnaire with questions around symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and family affluence. The humans who do not have enough supplies to sustain the lockdown were most affected Families with affluence were found to be negatively correlated with stress, anxiety, and depression. Stress, anxiety, and depression more than others are seen in students and healthcare professionals. The main aim of the paper is to find out how symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress on parents due to COVID-19.

This study is framed on the Information Theory as a constructive criterion to generate probabilistic distributions –through the elaboration of Bayesian Networks- and to reduce the uncertainty in the occurrence and relationship between two key psychological variables associated with the sports’ performance: Self-Determined Motivation and Competitive Anxiety. We analyzed 674 universitary students/athletes who competed in the 2017 Universitary Games (Universiade) in México, from 44 universities, with an average age of 21 years old (SD = 2.07), and with a sportive experience of 8.61 years of average (SD = 5.15). Methods: Regarding the data analysis, first of all a CHAID algorithm was carried out for to know the independence links among variables, and then two Bayesian networks (BN) were elaborated. The validation of the BN revealed AUC values ranging from 0.5 to 0.92. Subsequently, various instantations were carried out with hypothetical values applied to the “bottom” variables. Results showed two probability trees that have Extrinisic Motivation and Amotivation at the top, while the anxiety/activation due to the worry for performance was at the bottom of probabilities. The instantiations carried out support the existence of these probabilistic relationships, demonstrating the little influence on the competition anxiety generated by the intrinsic motivation. In conclusion, the reduction of the uncertainty made up by the restricted BN may aloe to re-introduce Information Theory principles in psychosocial studies, allowing authors to obtain useful probabilities values upon target psychological variables related with sportive performance.

Defensive behavior is a function of specific survival circuits, the “aversive brain system”, that are thought to be conserved across vertebrates, and involve threat detection and the organization of defensive responses to reduce or eliminate threat. In mammals, these circuits involve amygdalar and hypothalamic subnuclei and midbrain circuits. The increased interest in teleost fishes as model organisms in neuroscience created a demand to understand which brain circuits are involved in defensive behavior. Telencephalic and habenular circuits represent a “forebrain circuit” for threat processing and organization of responses, being important to mounting appropriate coping responses. Specific hypothalamic circuits organize neuroendocrine and neurovegetative outputs, but are the less well-studied in fish. A “midbrain circuit” is represented by projections to interneurons in the optic tectum which mediate fast escape responses via projections to the central gray and/or the brainstem escape network. Threatening stimuli (especially visual stimuli) can bypass the “high road” and directly activate this system, initiating escape responses. Increased attention to these circuits in an evolutionary framework is still needed.

Anxiety disorders manifest in women more than in men by almost twofold. This narrative review aims to summarize the sex-related biological factors, which underpin anxiety, focusing on the interactions of sex and tryptophan/serotonin with anxiety.A literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and EMBASE databases from inception until December 31, 2017. This review shows that sex may interact with many serotonin functions thereby modulating anxiety, including 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors, 5-HT transporter and central 5-HT concentrations and metabolism. Sex-steroids modulate the expression of serotonin transporter genes, creating a difference in serotonin availability. Sex and estrous cycle phases lead to varying anxiety responses to tryptophan depletion. Testosterone, progesterone and estrogen are important factors in mediating sex differences in serotonin responses to anxiety-generating behavioral tests. At prenatal levels, there are sex-related differences in the reciprocal relationships between serotonin and the HPA-axis, which modulate anxiety-like behaviors. Activated immune-inflammatory pathways induce indoleamine-2,3-dioxynease (IDO) and the tryptophan catabolite (TRYCAT) pathway thereby increasing tryptophan degradation and increasing the production of TRYCATs including kynurenine and quinolinic acid, which may create an overall anxiogenic effect. The effects of immune activation on IDO are significantly more pronounced in women than men and therefore females may show increased levels of anxiogenic TRYCAT following immune challenge. Aberrations in the IDO-activated TRYCAT pathway are found in pregnant females and parturients and are associated with increased anxiety levels in the postnatal period. The results of this review underscore the necessity of studying the associations between serotonin and anxiety in both sexes taking into account the effects of immune activation on IDO and production of anxiogenic TRYCATs. Future anxiety research should focus on the interactions between serotonin/tryptophan and sex, sex hormones, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the HPA axis and the immune system through production of anxiogenic TRYCATs.

Brain imaging studies have recently provided some evidence in favour of covert cognitive processes ongoing in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) (e.g., minimally consciousness states, vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) engaged in passive sensory stimulation or active tasks such as motor imagery. In this exploratory study, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex to assess modulations of corticospinal excitability induced by action observation in eleven patients with DoC. Action observation is known to facilitate corticospinal excitability in healthy subjects, unveiling how the observer’s motor system maps others’ actions onto her/his motor repertoire. Additional stimuli were non-biological motion and acoustic startle stimuli, provided that sudden and loud acoustic stimulation is known to lower corticospinal excitability in healthy subjects. Results indicate that some form of motor resonance is spared in a subset of patients with DoC with some significant difference between biological and non-biological motion stimuli. However, there was no covariation between corticospinal excitability and the type of DoC diagnosis (i.e., whether VS/UWS or MCS). Similarly, no covariation was detected with clinical changes between admission and discharge in clinical outcome measures. Both motor resonance and biological/non-biological motion discrimination correlated with the amplitude of the N20 somatosensory evoked potentials following the stimulation of the median nerve at the wrist (i.e., the temporal marker signalling the activation of the contralateral primary somatosensory cortex). Moreover, the startle-evoking stimulus produced an anomalous increase in corticospinal excitability, suggesting a functional dissociation between cortical and subcortical circuits in patients with DoC. Further work is needed to better comprehend the conditions in which corticospinal facilitation occurs and whether and how they may relate to individual clinical parameters.

Body-centered cubic bismuth (Bi) is considered an enticing pressure marker, and therefore it is highly desirable to command its accurate equation of state (EOS). However, significant discrepancies are noted among the previous experimental EOSs. In the present work, the EOS up to 300 GPa is theoretically obtained by direct solving the partition function via a direct integral approach (DIA). The calculated results nearly reproduce the hydrostatic experimental measurements below 75 GPa, and the deviations from the measurements gradually get larger with increasing pressure. Based on the ensemble theory of equilibrium state, DIA works with high precision particularly in high-pressure conditions, so the hydrostatic EOS presented in this work is expected to be a reliable pressure standard.

A unified critical state model has been developed for both clean sand and silty sand using the modified Cam-clay model (MCC). The main feature of the proposed model is a new critical state line equation in the e-ln(p) plane that is capable of handling both straight and curved test results. With this feature, the error in calculating plastic volumetric strain is eliminated in theory. Another crucial feature of the model is the transformed stress tensor based on the SMP (spatially mobilized plane) criterion, which takes into account the proper shear yield and failure of soil under three-dimensional stresses. Additionally, the proposed model applies the intergranular void ratio with the fines influence factor for silty sand. Only eight soil parameters are required for clean sand, and a total number of twelve soil parameters are needed for silty sand.

Considering the negative impacts of climate changes along with the rapid increase in population in Islamic dominated states, e.g., the Middle East, water tension among upstream and downstream states is increasing. Despite the importance of water management in Islamic culture, the role of religion has been under-valued and under-emphasized by the scholars. The paper has sought to compare and contrast Islamic water management principles (IWMP) with international water law principles (IWLP). The findings from this analysis show not only that IWMP are in conformity with IWLP, but that in many cases, IWMP can be more effective. For instance, where international water accords between riparian states of a shared river basin are poorly developed and lack enforcement mechanisms under IWLP, those upstream states can abuse their geographical locations depriving those downstream-ers. In contrast, IWMPs stress the equitable and reasonable use of water resources among upstream and downstream users of a shared watercourse. Moreover, although IWLPs emphasize the conservation and preservation of ecosystems and the environment at the basin level, the inter-basin states especially those upstream can pose significant harm to the ecosystems. On the other side, Islam as the religion of peace, has placed much emphasis on the preservation of nature. For example, the verse, “.... And waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters” [Quran, 7:31], illustrates the importance of the sustainable use of water and the environment. It is argued that if Islamic Water Management Principles are incorporated into the management instrument of Islamic States, the issue of equitable and sustainable use of water among Muslim-dominated riparian states (e.g., Iran, Afghanistan, etc.) will be solved.

This paper seeks to explain the rapid growth of the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS) and approach the question of “what is” the Islamic State? The paper offers several contributions. First is the proposal of a dynamic hypothesis that ISIS is an emerging-state actor and differs notably from traditional non-state actors and insurgencies. The theory consists of both a causal loop diagram and key propositions. A detailed system dynamics simulation (E-SAM) was constructed to test the theory. The propositions of emerging-state actor theory are constructed as synthetic experiments within the simulation and confirm evidence of emerging-state actor behavior. E-SAM’s novelty is its combination of combat simulation with endogenous geospatial feedback, ethnographic behavior in choosing sides in conflict, and details internal simulation of key actor mechanisms such as financing, recruiting and governance. E-SAM can be loaded with scenarios to simulate non-state actors in different geospatial domains: ISIS in Libya, Boko Haram in Nigeria, Taliban in Afghanistan and even expatriated ISIS fighters returning to pursue new conflicts such as in Indonesia.

Although migraine belongs to the main causes of disability worldwide the mechanisms of its pathogenesis are poorly known, which is among the reasons that this disease is underdiagnosed and undertreated. As migraine diagnosis is based on the subjective assessment of symptoms, there is a need to establish objective markers of its occurrence and severity. Tryptophan (TRP) metabolism has been associated with the pathogenesis of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In the present work, we investigated an association between migraine and the urine concentration of TRP and its metabolites 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KYNA) and quinolinic acid (QA) in 21 low-frequency episodic migraine patients and 32 controls. Migraine patients displayed lower urinary levels of 5-HIAA and KYNA, but KYN and QA were enhanced as compared with the controls. Consequently, the patients were characterized by different values of the 5-HIAA/TRP, KYN/TRP, KYNA/KYN, and KYNA/QA ratios. Furthermore, urinary concentration of 5-HIAA was negatively correlated with Migraine Disability Assessment score, monthly migraine, and monthly headache days. A negative correlation between Patient Health Questionnaire 9 scores assessing depression. In conclusion, the urinary 5-HIAA level may be an easy-to-determine marker of migraine occurrence and severity and may contribute to the identification of migraine patients with depression.

Abstract: This article aims to better understand the mechanisms that connect climate change perceptions and general willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior using Spanish cross-sectional data (N = 403). To do this, we first developed and validated the General Willingness for Environmental Behavior Scale (GWEBS), which includes the classical approach of voluntarily doing new actions but also actions implying not doing things (degrowth) and actions forced by social constraints. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit for the one-factor structure, which had adequate validity based on their relationship with other variables. Additionally, the GWEBS distinguished between women and men, left- and right-oriented people, and people who belonged to pro-environmental groups and people who did not. In the second place, we tested the parallel mediator role of eco-anxiety and trust in science in the relationship between climate change perceptions and the GWEBS. The results showed that eco-anxiety, fully, and trust in science partially mediated such a relationship, making them crucial to mobilize the intention to act following the perception. This study contributes to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms that eventually drive pro-environmental behaviors and provides a clear direction for future research.

Introduction: Hospitalization in a COVID-19 unit represents a significant source of stress and psychological distress for patients. Our study aims to determine the factors of psychological distress in the therapeutic and psychosocial management of patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 infection. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out over 8 months at the COVID-19 zone of the CHU HASSAN II of FES. 99 patients were evaluated within days of diagnosis by psychometric scales of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. In the course of this follow-up, we found the presence of psychological impacts in these patients, and we tried to find correlating factors between the occurrence of psychiatric disorders and the set of factors related to sociodemographic data, hospitalization course and treatments taken, as well as family support. Results: 35% of patients had scores in favor of post-traumatic stress disorder, 37% of the patients had definite depression and 50% had anxiety. Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety were correlated with sociodemographic factors, hospitalization, treatments received, and length of stay. Conclusion: The prevalence of anxiety-depressive disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder was high in patients with COVID-19, hence the interest in providing psychological and psychosocial care in the emergency department.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the effects of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) acting on the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or its receptor (anti-CGRP/R mAbs) on comorbid symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue in migraine patients resistant to traditional prophylaxis. Methods: The study was an open-label prospective study assessing comorbidities in patients with high frequency (HFEM) and chronic migraine (CM), medication overuse headache (MOH), and resistance to traditional prophylaxis treated with anti-CGRP/R mAbs for 3 months. Results: 77 patients were enrolled with either HFEM (21%) or CM (79%) with or without MOH (56% and 44% respectively). We identified 21 non-responders (27%) and 56 responders (73%), defined on the reduction ≥ 50% of headache frequency. The two groups were highly homogeneous for investigated comorbidities. Disease severity in terms of headache frequency, migraine-related disability, and affective comorbid symptoms were reduced in both groups with different thresholds; allodynia and fatigue were ameliorated only in responders. Conclusion: anti-CGRP/R antibodies improve pain together with affection, fatigue, and sensory sensitization in migraine patients.

(1) Background: This study aimed to explore how prolonged mask use during the COVID-19 pandemic affected appearance anxiety; (2) Methods: It implemented a quantitative–qualitative mixed-research approach based on a convenience sample of young people in Taiwan; (3) Results: A total of 1,118 participants completed the online questionnaire. A total of 49 participants reached the 55-point threshold of Appearance Anxiety Scale. Higher score of appearance anxiety was correlated to higher state anxiety statistically (r = 0.4, p < 0.001). Ten participants were interviewed and qualitative content analysis revealed 5 main themes and 16 subthemes. Three of the main themes were related to the positive effects of wearing masks for pandemic prevention and reducing appearance anxiety: “Wearing masks indicates compliance with the epidemic prevention requirement,” “Wearing masks functions as protection against lack of confidence in appearance,” and “Wearing masks helps mitigate the fear of being judged by others.” The remaining two “Wearing masks shifts attention from appearance to figure” and “Prolonged mask wearing exacerbates the anxiety about taking it off” were related to the impacts of long-term mask use; (4) Conclusions: results enhance understanding of negative emotional experiences and anxiety related to physical appearance.

The prevalence of depression and anxiety among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the Covid-19 pandemics is high. The aim of the study is to identify the importance of self-esteem and occupational factors in association with the incidence of depression and anxiety among HCWs through a longitudinal cohort study during the Covid-19 pandemics in Latvia. Participants were interviewed repeatedly seven times during the Covid-19 pandemics. 322 participants were included in the data analysis for depression and 352 for anxiety. Low self-esteem and working in the general practitioner's office is associated with the incidence of depression and anxiety. Undergraduate education and direct contact with Covid-19 patients are associated with the incidence of depression. The risk of anxiety decreases by 1% each year among HCWs. Our study shows the importance of personality factors of HCWs during the Covid-19 pandemics.

Background and Objectives: Botulinum toxin injections are commonly used for the treatment of spasticity. However, injection procedures are associated with pain and procedural anxiety. While pharmacological approaches are commonly used to reduce these, inno-vative technology might be considered as a potential non-pharmacological alternative. Given this context, immersive virtual reality (VR) has shown effectiveness in the man-agement of procedural pain[1]. Our retrospective pilot study aimed to assess the potential added value of virtual reality in the management of pain and anxiety during intra-muscular injections of botulinum toxin. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one adult patients receiving botulinum toxin injections were included. A numerical rating scale was used to assess pain and anxiety during the injection procedure. The patient reported the pain experienced during previous injections without VR before injection and the pain expe-rienced in the current procedure with VR after the end of the procedure. Level of satis-faction of VR experience, if they agreed to reuse VR for the subsequent toxin botulinum injection, and if they would recommend VR to other patients were assessed. Results: The use of virtual reality showed a decrease of 1.8 pain-related points compared to without technology. No significant improvement in the level of anxiety was reported. Patients were very satisfied by their VR experience (7.9 out of 10) and would agree to reuse VR in their next injection procedure (88%) and to recommend the use of VR in other patients (100%). Conclusion: VR was useful for managing procedural pain related to botulinum toxin injection in adults, with a high level of satisfaction reported by the patient. VR should be considered as a valuable alternative to pharmacological approach to manage procedural pain during Botulinum toxin injection in adults.

Background: Mood disorders, especially depression, and emotional difficulties such as anxiety are very common problems among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The loss of physical training may deteriorate their mental state, which in turn has a significant impact on the improvement of functioning. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of innovative rehabilitation approaches involving robotic assisted gait therapy (RAGT) on mood and anxiety symptoms in pa-tients with SCI. Methods: To this single-centre, single-blinded, single-arm, prospective study, 110 participants with subacute SCI were enrolled; patients were divided into experimental (robotic assisted gait therapy -RAGT) and control (conventional gait therapy with dynamic parapodium - DPT) groups. They received five training sessions per week over 7- weeks. The severity of de-pression was assessed by Depression Assessment Questionnaire (KPD) and anxiety symptoms by State - Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI X-1) on the beginning and end of therapy. Results: SCI patients experienced significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression-related symptoms after completing the seven-week rehabilitation program (KPD: Z=6.35; p<0.001; r=0.43; STAI X-1: Z=-6.20; p<0.001; r=0.42) in both group of patients. In the RAGT group, post-rehabilitation measurements also indicated an improvement in psychological functioning, i.e., a decrease in depression and anxiety, and an increase in self-regulation. Significant results were noted for each variable (STAI X-1: Z = -4.93; KPD: Z = -5.26; SR: Z = -3.21). In the control group, there was also a decrease in the effect on the depression, anxiety-state and an increase in self-regulation ability (STAI X-1: Z=-4.01; KPD: Z=-3.65; SR: Z=-2.83). Rehabilitation modality did not appear to have a statistically significant relationship with the magnitude of improvement in KPD (including SR) and STAI scores. However, there were some significant differences when comparing the groups by extent and depth of injury and type of paralysis. The study also did not find a significant rela-tionship between improvements in physical aspects and changes in psychological factors. Conclusion: Subjects in RAGD and DPT groups experienced a decrease in anxiety and depres-sion after a 7-week rehabilitation program. However, the rehabilitation modality (DPT vs. RAGT) did not differentiate patients with SCI in terms of the magnitude of this change. Our results may suggest that individuals with severe neurological condition and complete spinal cord injury (AIS A) may experience more benefit in terms of change in psychological parameters after rehabilitation with RAGT.

The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the various articles published in the field of neuropsychology of anxiety research in terms of publication type and volume, methodology, and subject matter. The significance of this topic derives from the clinical and functional consequences of cognitive symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder refers to the cluster of clinical symptoms characterized by predominant anxious anticipation and difficulty controlling worry. In order for the review to be systematic and reproducible, a search of the PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, Elsevier databases and an analysis using the PRISMA method are suggested. After analyzing the research data, empirical studies evaluating the clinical neuropsychology of generalized anxiety disorder are discussed.

Cumulative exposure to multiple early life stressors are expected to affect behavioral development causing increased susceptibility towards neuropsychiatric disorders. The present study was designed to mimic such conditions in rat model to study behavioral impairments during adolescence and adulthood. Female Wistar rats (n=32; 140-150 gm) were switched to low protein (LP; 8% protein) or Control (20% protein) diet, 15 days prior to conception and then diet regime was maintained throughout the experimental period. Pups born to Control and LP dams were intraperitoneally injected with deltamethrin (DLT-pyrethroid insecticide; 0.7mg/kg body weight; PND 1 to 7) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS-bacterial endotoxin; 0.3mg/kg body weight; PND 3 and 5) or DLT+LPS, on designated days forming 8 experimental groups (Control, LP, Control+LPS, LP+LPS, Control+DLT, LP+DLT, Control+DLT+LPS and LP+DLT+LPS). Neurobehavioral assessments were performed in F1 rats (1, 3, 6 months) by Open field, Elevated plus maze, Light and Dark box, and Rotarod tests. LP rats were found to be more susceptible to either singular or cumulative exposure as compared to their age matched control counterparts, showing significantly severe behavioural abnormalities, as hyperactivity, attention deficits, impulsiveness and low anxiety, the hallmark symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and ADHD, suggesting thereby that early life multi-hit exposure may predispose individuals to developmental disorders.

The vacuolar H+-ATPase is a multisubunit enzyme which plays an essential role in the acidification and functions of lysosomes, endosomes, and synaptic vesicles. Many genes encoding subunits of V-ATPases, namely ATP6V0C, ATP6V1A, ATP6V0A1 and ATP6V1B2, have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy. The autosomal dominant ATP6V1B2 p.Arg506* variant can cause both deafness, congenital, with onychodystrophy, autosomal dominant (DDOD) and deafness, onychodystrophy, osteodystrophy, mental retardation, and seizures syndromes (DOORS). Some but not all individuals with this truncating variant have intellectual disability and/or epilepsy, suggesting incomplete penetrance and/or variable expressivity. To further explore the impact of the p.Arg506* variant in neurodevelopment and epilepsy, we generated Atp6v1b2emR506* mutant mice and performed standardized phenotyping using the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC) pipeline. In addition, we assessed the EEG profile and seizure susceptibility of Atp6v1b2emR506* mice. Behavioral tests revealed that the mice present locomotor hyperactivity and show less anxiety-associated behaviors. Moreover, EEG analyses indicate that Atp6v1b2emR506* mutant mice have interictal epileptic activity and that both heterozygous (like patients) and homozygous mice have reduced seizure thresholds to pentylenetetrazol. Our results confirm that variants in ATP6V1B2 can cause seizures and that the Atp6v1b2emR506* heterozygous mouse model is a valuable tool to further explore the pathophysiology and potential treatments for vacuolar ATPases-associated epilepsy and disorders.

Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets from an infected person and contact with tainted surfaces or items. Social distancing became the primary measure of preventing the spread of COVID-19, with the principal aim being to reduce the probability of contact with an already infected person. Social distancing can be distressing, as it is against the community's way of life. Saudi Arabia imposed a curfew and suspended all religious, entertainment, sporting, and mass congregations. The daily updates on COVID-19 infection and mortality are upsetting and further, aggravate depression and anxiety. With this background, this study was planned with the following objectives. To determine the sociodemographic profile of the study participants, to find the prevalence of psychological morbidity, and to measure the association between the sociodemographic details, COVID-19 associated factors, and psychological effects among Abha citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in the Abha city population from August 2021 to July 22. This study followed snowball sampling, the data was collected using an online Google form the link was shared in WhatsApp groups and through emails to contacts, asking friends to share it with their friends, until reaching the adequate sample size the responses were accepted. Results: A total of 530 participated, and their age ranged from 19 -70 years. Many of the participants (34.5%, n=183) belonged to 36-45 years old. Most of the responders were 69.8% married and Females (69.2%, n=367). Half of the participants had been quarantined (49.6%), and 51.5% were scared from fear of COVID-19. 64.8% of the participants had depression; 14.2%, 20.8%, 13.6%, and 16.2% had mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe depression, respectively. Around 58.2% of participants suffered from anxiety; 5.8% experienced mild anxiety, 21.7% moderate anxiety, and 30.7% severe anxiety. The proportion of stress among the participants was 45.0%; 10.8% had mild stress, 9.4% had moderate stress, and 24.5% had severe to extremely severe stress. Conclusions: COVID-19 poses mental health problems among individuals and communities. There is a need to find the more susceptible individuals for mental health issues or other psychological disorders. Mental health and psychological problems can be resolved with health education, counseling, and appropriate interventions to curb the negative health impacts of COVID-19.

Although vaccinating the world is adopted by the WHO to limit COVID-19 transmission, people’s worries about vaccines may suppress their desire for vaccination despite vaccine availability. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of stress and anxiety among 250 Jordanians who received their first vaccine dose at a local community health center. The respondents completed the stress and anxiety subscales of the Depression Anxiety and Stress scale 21 (DASS-21) pre- and post-vaccination. The respondents expressed more moderate-severe levels of stress pre than post vaccination (20.8% and 13.2%, respectively). Meanwhile, 37.2% and 45.2% of the respondents expressed moderate-severe anxiety pre and post vaccination, respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed that the drop in the level of stress from pre (median (IQR) = 5 (1-8)) to post vaccination (median (IQR) = 3 (1-7)) was statistically significant (z = -3.81, p = 0.001, r = 0.17) while the increase in anxiety was not. Anxiety median significantly dropped among individuals experiencing mild to severe anxiety pre vaccination. Similarly, stress and anxiety significantly increased among individuals expressing normal anxiety pre vaccination (z = -3.57 and -8.24, p values = 0.001, r = 0.16 and 0.37, respectively). Age positively correlated with post vaccination anxiety among respondents with mild pre vaccination anxiety, and it negatively correlated with pre vaccination level of stress in the normal anxiety group. Gender, marital status, respondents’ level of education, and history of COVID-19 infection had no significant correlation with anxiety or stress at either point of measurement. Overcoming their hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccine, individuals with normal levels of anxiety experienced a rise in their distress symptoms following immunization. On the contrary, vaccination seemed to desensitize anxious individuals. Policymakers need to formulate a population-specific plan to increase vaccine preparedness and promote psychological well-being over all during the pandemic.

Before COVID-19, post-secondary learning was dominated by in-person, institution-organized meetings. With the March 12, 2020 lockdown, learning became virtual, largely dependent on commercial online platforms. Already more likely to experience anxiety and depression in re-lation to their research work, perhaps no students have endured more regarding the limitations imposed by COVID-19 on their mentorship and supervision than graduate students. The in-crease in mental health issues facing graduate students has come to the attention of their post-secondary institutions. Programs have been devised with the aim of reducing these chal-lenges. However, the additional attention and funds to combat depression and anxiety have not shown anticipated results. A new approach to mitigate anxiety and depression in graduate students through mentorship and supervision is warranted. Offered here is an award-winning model featuring self-directed learning in a community based on consensus decision-making where consensus represents the adding together of different points of view rather than agreement. The approach is non-hierarchical in structure, based in narrative research. The proposed model and approach are presented and limitations considered. This model and approach are offered as a likely solution to ebb the increase in anxiety and depression in graduate stu-dents—particularly in response to COVID-19.

COVID-19 and new concept, lockdown, change social life of all classes of humans. Children partially feel the changes of daily life and this situation has been children’s free mind. Children are under a new type of restriction imposed on them by their parents. Normally they prefer play with their their friends than study and always waiting for holidays. They heard a new jargon i.e. lockdown where everything stands still. Very often they see peoples in the roads and few vehicles are moving in the roads. However, a peculiar thing happens now that they sit in front of computer to hear the virtual classes that are taken by the teachers. This also happens when there is no lockdown since COVID-19 still affects people. The environment is totally changed and they do not find any proper answers from the parents about the scenario.This study has been made an attempt to carry out the mental affairs of children in West Bengal, India. Several families are surveyed for collecting responses mostly from rural areas as well as urban areas for the time-period from April, 2020 to July, 2020. An effort has been given in this paper to predict the stress, depression and anxiety faced by children during the COVID-19. A Deep Learning Neural Network (DLNN) based method is applied to understand the stress level, depression level and anxiety level amongst the children. A hybrid DLNN has been presented in this research that combines both Convolutional Layer and Gated-Recurrent Unit (GRU) for obtaining the prediction of the mental health of children. The model obtains an accuracy of 89.57% for defeminizing mental anxiety of children.

Objective: To examine whether 1) immune and nitro-oxidative stress (IO&NS) biomarkers are associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS); and 2) changes in IO&NS biomarkers during the menstrual cycle (MC) are associated with PMS symptoms and plasma estradiol and progesterone. Methods: Forty-one women completed the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) rating scale during 28 consecutive days and MC Associated Syndrome (MCAS) was diagnosed when the summed DRSP score during the MC is > 0.666 percentile. We assayed plasma levels of complement C3 and C4, highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), haptoglobin (Hp), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx), total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP), sulfhydryl (-SH) groups and the activity of paraoxonase (PON)1 at days 7 (D7), 14 (D14), 21 (D21) and 28 (D28) of the MC. Results: All biomarkers, except hsCRP, showed significant alterations during the MC. Arylesterase (AREase) was lowered at D28, while LOOH increased at D14 and C4 at D21 in women with MCAS. The total DRSP score was predicted by the combined effects of C4 (positively) and AREase and malondialdehyde (MDA) (both inversely associated). Progesterone lowered levels of LOOH, AOPP and C3 and estradiol lowered levels of Hp while both sex hormones increased 4-(chloromethyl)phenyl acetate (CMPA)ase and AREase activities and levels of -SH groups. Conclusion: PMS/MCAS is not accompanied by a peripheral inflammatory response. Lowered MDA and antioxidant defenses and increased C4 may play a role in MC-associated symptoms while sex hormones may have a protective effect against oxidative stress toxicity.

The purpose of our study is to determine the effectiveness of various types of psychocorrection measures: social and psychological training, a method of biological feedback and Sandplay for the indicators of childhood anxiety among younger schoolchildren. The study was conducted in the school of Magadan, North East of Russia (9-10 year old students, n = 43). We used a standardized method of Multidimensional Assessment of Child Anxiety which included 10 scales. The correction methods were used: socio-psychological training (SPT), biofeedback method (BFB), individual and group Sandplay. Students of group I (n = 12) participated only in the SPT. Students of group II (n = 11) participated in the SPT and underwent a course of training in self-regulation using the BFB method. In correction work with the students of group III (n = 20), the SPT, BFB, individual and group Sandplay were used. In group I, after the correction activities, a significant decrease in anxiety was observed in 3 of 10 scales (2, 6, 7; (p <0.05). In group II it was seen in 5 scales (1, 3, 6, 7, 8; p <0.05). In group III, a significant improvements took place in 7 scales (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10; p <0.01–p <0.05). The present study has shown the different efficacy of applying the remedial techniques separately and in combination. The use of methods in the complex enhances the impact on the types of the child anxiety.

Adolescence is a critical developmental period associated with an increase in stress, the appearance of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and changes in sleep patterns. Even though the disruption of sleep patterns in stress and anxiety and depressive disorders is well known, the independent effects of childhood trauma and stressful life events on sleep patterns are less understood. We tested the independent effects of stress (childhood trauma and stressful life events) while controlling for anxiety and depression on adolescent sleep patterns. Seven hundred fifty-two adolescents completed self-report questionnaires about childhood trauma, stressful life events, anxiety, and depression. Four sleep factors identifying movement during sleep, sleep regularity, sleep disturbances and sleep pressure were extracted in the principal component analysis of sleep questions. Both childhood trauma and recent stressful life events were significantly associated with sleep disturbances before and after controlling for anxiety and depression.

The mechanization of agricultural activities has led to indiscriminate deposition of toxic xenobiotics, including organophosphates in the biomes, and this has led to intoxication characterized with deleterious oxidative and neuronal changes. This study investigated the consequences of oxidative and neurogenic disruptions that follow exposure to two organophosphates, chlorpyrifos (CPF) and dichlorvos (DDVP) on neuro-cognitive performance and anxiety-like behaviors in rats Thirty-two adult male Wistar rats (150 – 170g) were randomly divided into 4 groups, orally exposed to normal saline (NS), DDVP (8.8mg/kg), CPF (14.9mg/kg) and DDVP+CPF for 14 consecutive days. On day 10 of exposures, anxiety-like behaviors and amygdala dependent fear learning were assessed using Open Field and Elevated Plus Maze paradigms respectively, while spatial working memory was assessed on day 14 in the Morris water maze paradigm, following 3 training trials each on days 11, 12 and 13. On day 15, the rats were euthanized, and their brains excised, hippocampus and amygdala removed, 5 of which were homogenized and centrifuged to analyze nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, total reactive oxygen species (ROS), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and the other three processed for histology (cresyl violet stain) and proliferative marker (Ki67 immunohistochemistry). Marked (p≤0.05) loss in body weight, AChE depletion, and overproduction of both NO and ROS were observed after repeated exposure to individual and combined doses of CPF and DDVP. Insults from DDVP exposure appeared more severe owing to the observed greater losses in the body weights of exposed rats. There was also a significant (p≤0.05) effect on the cognitive behaviors recorded from the exposed rats, and these deficits were related to the oxidative damage and neurogenic cell loss in the hippocampus and the amygdala of the exposed rats. Taken together, these results provided an insight that oxidative and neurogenic damages are central to the severity of neuro-cognitive dysfunction and increased anxiety-like behaviors that follow organophosphate poisoning.

The Samenta study was conducted in 2009 in the Greater Paris area to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among the homeless. A cross-sectional survey was performed with a three-stage random sample of homeless people (n = 859), including users of day services, emergency shelters, hot meal distribution, long-term rehabilitation centres and social hotels. Information was collected by a lay interviewer, using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and completed by a psychologist through an open clinical interview. In the end, a psychiatrist assessed the psychiatric diagnosis according to the ICD10. One third of the homeless in the Paris area had at least one severe psychiatric disorder: psychotic disorders (13%), anxiety disorders (12%) or severe mood disorders (7%). One in five was alcohol dependent and 18% were drug users. Homeless women had significantly higher prevalence of anxiety disorders and depression and men were more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders. Homeless people of French origin were at higher risk of SPD, as well as people who experienced various adverse life events before the age of 18 (running away, sexual violence, parental disputes, and/or addictions) and those who experienced homelessness for the first time before the age of 26. The prevalence rates of main psychiatric disorders within the homeless population of our study are consistent with those reported in other Western cities. Our results advocate for an improvement in detection, housing and care of psychiatric homeless.

This paper describes an entropy equation that can be used for measuring energy. It originated from measuring economy in AI models, where the assumption would be that any organic system makes use of energy efficiency to form its structures. Looking at clustering and cohesion resulted in the equation E = (mean * variance). It was apparent however, that it was a very generic type of equation and it could be adjusted so that distance represents mean. This new version was applied to the domain of physics and the universe, when the equation can support the idea that work is done through the energy released by the 'change' in entropy. A comparison with Einstein's relativity equation is made and also the audacious suggestion that a black hole has only potential energy inside, which converts to kinetic energy after a Big Bang, for example. From that suggestion, a universal theory about state change can be made.

Based on the dynamic strength variation mechanism of concrete under complex loading conditions, two approaches were devised: numerical testing and CT scanning, guided by the principle of minimizing energy dissipation. A methodology for calculating concrete's failure area and measuring its strength was developed. The analysis delves into the mechanisms behind failure patterns and variations in concrete specimen strength, focusing on crack initiation, development, and the resultant failure surface formed by crack propagation, along with the stress distribution in concrete specimens subjected to diverse loading conditions. Through evaluating the strength and computed failure area of concrete specimens, it is evident that the loading method influences both the strength and failure area of concrete specimens. In general, a larger failure area correlates with a higher measured strength.

The equation of state of asymmetric nuclear matter as well as the neutron and proton effective masses and their partial-wave and spin-isospin decomposition are analyzed within the Brueckner–Hartree–Fock approach. Theoretical uncertainties for all these quantities are estimated by using several phase-shift-equivalent nucleon-nucleon forces together with two types of three-nucleon forces, phenomenological and microscopic. It is shown that the choice of the three-nucleon force plays an important role above saturation density, leading to different density dependencies of the energy per particle. These results are compared to the standard form of the Skyrme energy-density functional and we find that it is not possible to reproduce the BHF predictions in the (S,T) channels in symmetric and neutron matter above saturation density, already at the level of the two-body interaction, and even more including the three-body interaction.

Partially state-owned firms are common in both developed and developing countries and contribute around 10% of the world's GDP. This has led to a rich literature exploring various aspects of competition between such “mixed”-ownership firms. This paper contributes to the existing literature by studying the effects of mixed ownership on the intensity of competition in oligopoly markets. Our findings indicate that state ownership exerts an anti-competitive influence, with a higher state ownership share resulting in less aggressive behavior by firms in the product market. This result implies that industries with a higher proportion of state ownership yield lower total surplus. Further, when considering factors such as taxes, soft budget constraints, and weak property rights, the anti-competitive effects of state ownership are accentuated.

In recent times, there has been significant enthusiasm for the development of all solid state batteries. This interest stems from a dual focus on safety—addressing concerns related to toxic and flammable organic liquid electrolytes—and the pursuit of high energy density. \cite{SCHNELL2018160,Zheng2018}. While liquid electrolyte batteries constitute for now the vast majority of commercial cells, solid electrolyte batteries show great promise. In parallel with experimental research, computational models \cite{GrazioliEtAlCM2016} clarify the several fundamental physics \cite{LiMonroeARCBM2020} that take place throughout battery operations. We review some classical models, emphasizing the conceptual advancements documented in the most recent works.

Bridges enable communications and transportation of goods nationally and internationally, underpinning economic and social activities, thus they are pylons of our prosperity and mobility. Bridges worldwide are constantly subjected to physical wear, ageing, deterioration, hazards, environmental influences, and increased loading. Loss of performance and functionality of bridge structures would have a crucial impact on overall infrastructural resilience and would cause significant negative economic and social consequences. Monitoring their behaviour for different loading conditions relies on accurate estimations of the stress-strain state of various critical components and remaining capacities. These activities are of high importance for better planning lifespan prolongation, that is the extension of their service life and prevention of unforeseen collapses, in line with sustainability principles of well-informed maintenance. In many cases, access to the structure is limited or even impossible, which causes the need for the deployment of remote and contactless methods. One such innovative technique, which has recently attracted attention in scientific and practical applications is the digital image correlation (DIC). DIC is a contactless approach applicable for long-term measurements, which enables obtaining the full field of strains and deformations. Although the DIC approach has been widely used in world engineering practice for monitoring bridges and has proved to be a reliable and accurate method, there is a lack of systematic integral review on previous practical applications, revealing limitations and perspectives. This is the main motivation and novelty of this study, which will describe selected case studies, in which DIC was used on real full-scale bridge structures and propose improvements for the method.

This review provides an extensive overview of the developments in the field of polymer science, focusing on the solid-state modification (SSM) of thermoplastic materials. The background of the study places thermoplastics within the context of their increased use over the past century, highlighting their versatility in various applications and the associated environmental and health concerns due to certain additives. The methods section delves into the specifics of SSM, a technique that involves the incorporation of monomers or oligomers into the amorphous phase of polymers through multiple exchange reactions, distinguishing it from traditional melt polymer modification methods. The results section outlines the unique aspects of SSM and its increasing recognition for its potential to enhance material performance in areas such as catalysts and composites. It also discusses the application of SSM in modifying different thermoplastic polymers, highlighting various studies demonstrating the method's effectiveness in altering polymer properties. Finally, this work emphasizes SSM's importance in environmental sustainability and its potential in the recycling and upcycling of plastic materials. It acknowledges the challenges and future perspectives in the field, particularly regarding the scalability of SSM techniques for industrial applications and their role in advancing a circular economy in the polymer industry.

There is a continuous interest in cannabinoids like Δ9-tetrahydro cannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). A patent of Webster et al., described the conversion of CBD to either D8-THC or D9-THC, depending on the acid catalyst applied. The use of para-toluene sulfonic acid (pTSA) led to the formation of D8-THC, while boron trifluoride etherate (BF3·Et2O) yielded mainly D9-THC. The enormous difference in product selectivity between these two catalysts was investigated with Molecular Modeling. It was found that pTSA leads to fast isomerization of Δ9-CBD to Δ8-CBD and subsequent ring closure to Δ8-THC. BF3·Et2O catalysis leads to the formation of tertiary carbenium ions in the Transition States which yield D9-THC and some iso D8-THC. Under dry conditions in refluxing toluene, it was found that pTSA is predominantly present as a dimer, and only a small fraction is available as monomeric catalyst. Applying the computationally derived activation barriers in Transition State theory yielded reaction rates predicting amounts of cannabinoids that are in close agreement with the experimental findings.

Karate is a martial art that originated in Japan It is characterized by its diverse techniques, including punches, kicks, strikes, and open hand techniques. Generally, karate practitioners shall execute techniques fast, with an impactful finishing towards the target. The present study aims to examine the effectiveness of customized gym sessions in enhancing the athletes’ general performance with a duration of 3-months’time. A total of 7 tests were monitored, i.e., anthropometric measurement, sit and reach test, stork balance stand test, T-test, counter movement jump, 20m sprint, and Yo-Yo endurance test. 4 male amateur athletes (state representative) that has practiced karate for at least 6 years, with at least 5 days training per week, were selected. The age ranges from 15 to 20 years old. The athletes were requested to have a proper rest (at least 7 hours sleeping time) five days before the actual test day. The results show that all athletes have at least maintained or improved stork balance for both legs. The balance improvement ranges from 0% up to 134.69%. However, both the T-test and 20m sprint test demonstrated a negative outcome. The time consumed to complete 20m is increased, which deteriorated the linear speed capability by 1.89% up to 8.93%. Also, 3 out of 4 athletes show that the T-test performance does not provide a satisfactory achievement. The agility of athletes was found to drop by 3.58% up to 10.60%. Interestingly, the athletes’ stamina was found to improve based on the VO2 max prediction and Yo-Yo test. The enhancement of VO2 max prediction and Yo-Yo test recorded as 0% - 7.53% and 9.09% - 20%, respectively. So far, there is no clear indicator on the flexibility of the athletes’ spine and length of the hamstring muscles, based on the sit and reach test. Short-term gym sessions with a duration of 3 months might improve the strength and body balance of athletes. However, the impact on the responsiveness and agility of athletes did not show any significant breakthrough. In future study, it is recommended that a large sample of participants should be included in the analysis.

This paper proposes a metaphysical framework for distinguishing between human and machine intelligence. By drawing an analogy from Kant’s incongruent counterparts, it posits two identical deterministic worlds -- one comprising a human agent and the other comprising a machine agent. These agents exhibit different types of information processing mechanisms despite their apparent sameness in a causal sense. By postulating the distinctiveness of human over machine intelligence, this paper resolves what it refers to as “the vantage point problem” – namely, how to legitimize a determinist’s assertion of determinism by placing the determinist within the universe.

As the global community shifts away from fossil fuels towards more environmentally friendly energy alternatives, there is an escalating demand for sophisticated energy storage solutions. Solid-State Batteries (SSBs) have emerged as a promising advancement, presenting a superior substitute to conventional lithium-ion batteries. This review provides an in-depth examination of SSBs, emphasizing their enhanced energy density, safety, and longevity. We evaluate conventional cathode materials, including lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4), and lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). Additionally, we introduce emerging materials such as sulfides, oxides, and air-based cathodes, discussing their benefits, limitations, and their congruence with solid electrolytes. Special attention is devoted to the structural fine-tuning of cathode ma-terials, investigating approaches like nanostructuring, surface coatings, and composite strategies to counteract issues such as restricted conductivity and structural volatility. The review critically analyzes the electrical and thermal properties of these materials, which are essential for battery safety and efficacy. Moreover, we present a comparative assessment of cathode materials based on performance indicators and identify prevailing research voids and hurdles in the commerciali-zation of SSB cathodes. Concluding, we suggest prospective research directions and innovations, underscoring the revolutionary potential of SSB technologies in paving the way for a sustainable energy horizon.

The fact that quantum gravity does not admit a co-variant vacuum state has far-reaching consequences for all physics. It points out that space could not be empty, and we return to the notion of an ether . Such a concept requires a preferred reference frame for, e.g., universe expansion and black holes. Here, we intend to discuss vacuum and quantum gravity from three essential viewpoints: universe expansion, black holes existence, and quantum decoherence.

Covid-19 has become a non-natural national disaster that affects the national resilience of the Indonesian state. In maintaining national resilience, the implementation of state defense is needed. This research aims to describe the awareness of defending the state of millennials during the current situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia by using a quantitative approach with descriptive analysis methods with survey techniques. The results of this study indicate that most millennials are aware of the obligation to defend the state amid the current Covid-19 pandemic, namely by implementing health protocols such as preparing cleaning equipment, conducting social distancing, and working from home. However, there are still millennials who cannot run it for some reason. Based on the results of this study, it concluded that most millennials are aware of the obligation to defend the state during a pandemic by complying with health protocols as a form of state defense character.

The exact dynamics of emergence remains one of the most prominent outstanding questions for the field of complexity science. I first discuss various perspectives on emergence in various contexts, then offer a different perspective on understanding emergence in a graph-theoretic representation. From the discussion, an observer’s choice in state space seems to have an effect for that observer to detect emergent behavior. To test these ideas, I analyze the dynamics of all possible spatial state spaces near the critical temperature in an Ising model. As a result, state space topologies that appear more deterministic flip more bits than topologies that appear more random, which is contrary to our intuitions about randomness. In addition, the size of different state spaces constrain a system’s ability to explore various states within the same time frame. These results are important to understanding emergent phenomena in biological systems, which are layered with various state spaces and observational perspectives.

Multipartite entanglement is a resource for application in disparate protocols, of computing, communication and cryptography. Nested entanglement provides resource-states for quantum information processing. In this paper, Matryoshka quantum resource-states, which contain nested entanglement patterns, has been studied. A novel scheme for the generation of such quantum states has been proposed using an anisotropic XY spin-spin interaction-based model. The application of the Matryoshka GHZ-Bell states for n-qubit teleportation is reviewed and an extension to more general Matryoshka ExhS-Bell states is posited. An example of Matryoshka ExhS-Bell states is given in the form of the genuinely entangled seven-qubit Xin-Wei Zha state. Generation, characterisation and application of this seven-qubit resource state in theoretical schemes for quantum teleportation of arbitrary one, two and three qubits states, bidirectional teleportation of arbitrary two qubit states and probabilistic circular controlled teleportation are presented.

Multipartite entanglement is a resource for application in disparate protocols, of computing, communication and cryptography. In this paper, generation, characterisation and application of a genuine genuinely entangled seven-qubit resource state is studied. Theoretical schemes for quantum teleportation of arbitrary one, two and three qubits states, bidirectional teleportation of arbitrary two qubit states and probabilistic circular controlled teleportation as well as three schemes for undertaking tripartite quantum state sharing are presented.

New proposals for the equation of state of four- and five-dimensional hard-hypersphere mixtures in terms of the equation of state of the corresponding monocomponent hard-hypersphere fluid are introduced. Such proposals (which are constructed in such a way so as to yield the exact third virial coefficient) extend, on the one hand, recent similar formulations for hard-disk and (three-dimensional) hard-sphere mixtures and, on the other hand, two of our previous proposals also linking the mixture equation of state and the one of the monocomponent fluid but unable to reproduce the exact third virial coefficient. The old and new proposals are tested by comparison with published molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation results and their relative merit is evaluated.

A methodological similarity between Thomas Hobbes and Pëtr Kropotkin is the intention to spread a theoretical foundation to everyone, in the sense that they are willing to give to all the people a clear description of the reality and a subsequent political view. To do so, they use a scientific method, deductive (starting from empirical observations) in the case of Hobbes, inductive-deductive in the case of Kropotkin. Kropotkin underlines the educational value of the scientific method.In this work we want to highlight that, although they both start their argumentations from a materialist ontology, Hobbes and Kropotkin conjecture two completely different states of nature. Hobbes describes the state of nature through the two famous metaphors homo homini lupus (citing Plautus) and bellum omnium contra omnes, while Kropotkin introduced the theory of mutual aid. Both the theory of a state of war by Hobbes and the theory of mutual aid by Kropotkin have been revolutionary. Hobbes has been influenced by the scientific revolution initiated by Francis Bacon, one of his mentors, and Galileo Galilei, together with a criticism towards the ancient Greece philosophers, in particular Aristotle. Kropotkin has been influenced by the ground-breaking writings of Charles Darwin together with a very fruitful Russian scientific environment.We want to stress here that the disenchanted view of the human nature in Hobbes, a state of war due to the fact that everyone has rights on everything, helps him to legitimate sovereignty, while the positive view of human nature in Kropotkin, a spontaneous mutual aid among people in a community, helps him to legitimate anarchy. Therefore, the fascinating scientific methods of the two materialists Hobbes and Kropotkin to structure a solid political theory cannot neglect different views on human nature due to their historical contexts.

Solid state fermentation (SSF) is considered more sustainable than traditional fermentation because it uses low amounts of water and transforms agro-industrial residues into value added products. Enzymes, biofuels, nanoparticles and bioactive compounds can be obtained from SSF. The key factor in SSF processes is the choice of microorganisms and their substrates. Many fungal species can be used and are mainly used due their lower requirements of water, O2 and light. Residues rich in soluble and insoluble fiber are utilized by lignocellulolytic fungi because they have the enzymes that break fiber hard structure (lignases, celullases or hemicelullases). During the hydrolysis of lignin, some phenolic compounds are released but fungi also synthetize compounds such as mycophenolic acid, dicerandrol C, phenylacetates, anthraquinones, benzofurans and alkenyl phenols that have health beneficial effects such as antitumoral, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiviral activities. Another important group of compounds synthetized by fungi during fermentation are polysaccharides that also have important health promoting properties. Fungal biofermentation has also proved to be a process which can release high contents of phenolics and it also increases the bioactivity of these compounds.

It is shown that quantum entanglement is the only force able to maintain the fourth state of matter, possessing fixed shape at an arbitrary volume. Accordingly, a new relativistic Schrödinger equation is derived and transformed further to the relativistic Bohmian mechanics via the Madelung transformation. Three dissipative models are proposed as extensions of the quantum relativistic Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The corresponding dispersion relations are obtained.

Open source software such as OpenDSS has given a lot of help to distribution network researchers and educators. With high penetration of distributed renewable energy resources into distribution network, tradition distribution steady state analysis software such as OpenDSS is faced with difficulty in handling distributed generators. Three-phase distributed generators are often modeled in sequence frame while unbalanced distribution network are usually modeled in phase frame. So a load flow in sequence-phase coupled frame is proposed to handle models described in both frames. Voltage controlled DGs which are difficult to cope with in OpenDSS are handled in proposed program. The steady state analysis platform is programmed with open source Modelica language and the main aim of this paper is to introduce an open source platform for active distribution network steady analysis include load flow and short circuit analysis which can be easily adopted and improved by other educators and researchers.

In this paper a full state feedback control of a double inverted pendulum on a cart (DIPC) are designed and compared. Modeling is based on Euler-Lagrange equations derived by specifying a Lagrangian, difference between kinetic and potential energy of the DIPC system. A full state feedback control with H infinity and H 2 is addressed. Two approaches are tested: open loop impulse response and a double inverted pendulum on a cart with full state feedback H infinity and H 2 controllers. Simulations reveal superior performance of the double inverted pendulum on a cart with full state feedback H infinity controller.

We propose a theoretical method for the deterministic shaping of quantum light via photon number state selective interactions. Nonclassical states of light are an essential resource for high precision optical techniques that rely on photon correlations and noise reshaping. Notable techniques include quantum enhanced interferometry, ghost imaging, and generating fault tolerant codes for continuous variable optical quantum computing. We show that a class of nonlinear-optical resonators can transform many-photon wavefunctions to produce structured states of light with nonclassical noise statistics. The devices, based on parametric down conversion, utilize the Kerr effect to tune photon number dependent frequency matching, inducing photon number selective interactions. With a high amplitude coherent pump, the number selective interaction shapes the noise of a two-mode squeezed cavity state with minimal dephasing, illustrated with simulations. We specify the requisite material properties to build the device and highlight the remaining material degrees of freedom which offer flexible material design.

Modern development of high-intensity and high-resolution X-ray technology allows detailed studies of the multiphoton absorption and scattering of X-ray photons by deep and subvalent shells of molecular systems on a wide energy range. The interpretation of experimental data requires the improvement of computational methods for obtaining excited and ionized electron states of molecular systems with one or several vacancies. The specificity of solving these problems requires the use of molecular orbitals obtained in one-center representation. Slow convergence of one-center expansions is a significant disadvantage of this approach; it affects the accuracy of the calculation of spectroscopic quantities. We offer a method of including higher harmonics in one-center expansion of a molecular orbital with the use of wave functions of electrons of deep shells of a ligand (off-center atom of a molecule). The method allows one to take into account correctly electron density of a linear molecule near the ligand when describing vacancies created in a molecular core leading to radial relaxation of electron density. The analysis of the parameters of one-center expansion of the ligand functions depending on ligand’s charge is performed. The criteria for the inclusion of higher harmonics of one-center decomposition of the ligand functions in the molecular orbital are determined. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated by the example of diatomic molecules HF, LiF, and BF by estimating energy characteristics of their ground and ionized states.

This paper offers a novel geometric and visual approach to the renowned Four Color Map Theorem and K5 non-planarity problem while unveiling their profound connection to the "kissing number" problem in 2D. We represent planar graphs through circles and tangents, simplifying complex structures and shedding light on these classic problems. Our proofs by contradiction, rooted in the kissing number concept, reveal that both the Four Color Map Theorem and K5 non-planarity are fundamentally linked, as they pivot around the concept of coloring. This study bridges the realms of geometry and graph theory, providing fresh insights and emphasizing the significance of the kissing number problem in various fields.

Background: Features of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety may be present in Pulmonary Embolism (PE) patients along with impaired Quality of Life (QoL). We aim to evaluate health related QoL, anxiety and satisfaction with life, during the pandemic, in patients with a PE. Methods: Patients with PE were enrolled during their follow-up. All participants completed the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) X1 and X2 form, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results: 92 PE patients were included (mean age±SD=62.50±15.33 years, 56.5% males). Most of the mean values of the SF36 subscales were above the normative value except for “physical role functioning”) (45.92±42.41). “Emotional role functioning” (51.26±43.31) and “general health perceptions” (GH) (54.02±18.79) were slightly above the normative value of 50. Mean STAIX1 levels were 37.05±11.17 and mean STAIX2 levels were 39.80±10.47. Mean SWLS levels were 23.31±6.58. According to multiple linear regression analysis, mental healthscore (MH) and GH were predictive of SWLS(F (10,76) = 10.576, p

Abstract: The VSI represents a significant advancement in the assessment of gastrointestinal-specific anxiety among patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). However, an Italian version of the instrument is not yet available for the reference population. This study utilized a national sample of 500 individuals, including healthy controls and patients with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease, to test the validity and reliability of the Italian VSI. Using back-translation methodology to ensure translation fidelity, the research applied a questionnaire and the VSI through an online format to 500 participants. Data analysis revealed that the Italian VSI had excellent psychometric properties, demonstrating high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.95) and construct validity. The scale proved sensitive in detecting significant differences in visceral sensitivity among groups, highlighting its utility as a clinical and research assessment tool. Specifically, the Italian VSI exhibited a unidimensional factorial structure and maintained a strong correlation with other measures of anxiety and the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, confirming its role in enhancing the understanding and management of IBS and IBD in Italy.

Studies have established the crucial role of sleep among the students which plays a significant role in their mood. This study aimed to examine the mood disorders and sleep quality among undergraduate students at the University of Georgia (UG) and comparison between students’ nationality.This cross-sectional study was a self-reported questionnaire comprised of demographics including age, gender, year of study, current location, lifestyle data (Exercise and smoking), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DAS21) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). We performed a descriptive analysis, and the Chi-square was statistically significant at p<0.05. The prevalence was at a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) as multivariate analysis examined the multicollinearity. The female students were most of the respondents, below the age of 20 years. The student's mean age was 20.20 (SD± 3.0). DAS report presented 72.7% of students with depressive symptoms, 77.8% with anxiety symptoms, and 62.2% had stress. Georgian students were more at risk of having depressive complaints (95% Cl[1.567-3.788]), anxiety (95% Cl[1.612-4.285]), and stress symptoms (95% Cl[1.743-3.831]). There was a strong relationship between the students who experienced poor sleeping patterns and depressive complaints (aOR 0.10). The students who were smokers (aOR 0.39) were more likely to report anxiety symptoms than the students that do not exercise (aOR 1.68). It was observed that students with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and complaints of stress had a significantly high risk of poor sleep quality. Further studies are recommended to curb psychological symptoms of mood changes in association with sleep disorders among students.

Abstract: Few studies have been conducted in Iraq regarding the association of violence at multiple ecological levels and child mental health outcomes. Therefore, the study objectives were 1) to conduct a nationwide analysis to explore violence at multiple socio-ecological levels and children's mental health outcomes, and 2) to identify the most vulnerable children according to the spatial distribution of Iraqi governorates. This cross-sectional study used the 2018 Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 6), which included 12,358 caregivers who provided complete information regarding their parenting and disciplinary practices regarding their children between the ages of 5 and 14. Logistic regression was employed to examine the factors associated with children’s depression and anxiety. This study showed that 22% of children had depression, while 38% experienced anxiety. Notably, children residing in Iraq's South/Central regions, specifically in areas like Nainawa, Najaf, and Basrah, exhibited notably higher anxiety and depression. The research also showed that living in unsafe neighborhoods, women's acceptance of domestic violence, and the use of severe physical punishment as corporal discipline all contributed to the development of anxiety and depression. This study addresses the scarcity of information on children's mental health outcomes in Iraq at national and governorate levels, emphasizing the need for urgent national-level policy discussions to achieve key Sustainable Development Goals related to ending all forms of violence against children by 2030.

The correlation between pain and emotional status in subjects with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is known. Regardless of that up to date these findings were seldomly confronted with the objective assessment of pain using a digital algometer on the mastication muscles. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the emotional status, chronic pain pain pressure threshold (PPT). 38 subjects were screened for the existence of temporomandibular disorders with the 3Q/TMD questionnaire, for chronic pain (GCPS) and emotional status (PHQ-9 and GAD-7). The results were confronted with the PPT measured with the digital algometer on the masseter muscles. Each subject was examined three times (after 1 month and after 7 months from the initial exami-nation session. Chronic pain scores (GCPS) were found to be higher in the TMD group in all three examination sessions (p<0,05). The pain, depression and anxiety levels were higher in females de-spite the existence of TMD, but only some were significant.A correlation between chronic orofacial pain scores and PPT was found in 2 out of 3 examination sessions. The PPT scores on the masseter muscles did not correlate with the emotional state in the study population.

(1) Background: Some evidence suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) has potential to help alleviate HIV symptoms due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here we examined acute CBD effects on various behaviors and the endocannabinoid system in HIV Tat transgenic mice. (2) Methods: Tat transgenic mice (female/male) were injected with CBD (3,10,30 mg/kg) and assessed for antinociception, activity, coordination, anxiety, and recognition memory. Brains were taken to quantify endocannabinoids and related lipids. Additionally, CBD and metabolite 7-hydroxy-CBD were quantified in the plasma and cortex. (3) Results: Tat decreased striatal-related nociception and locomotion, with some sex-dependent effects on coordination. CBD had no effect on nociception and coordination, but increased locomotor activity. For anxiety, differential CBD effects were noted for sex, with decreasing anxiety-like behavior in males only. In the striatum and spinal cord, male sex was associated with lower 2-arachidonoylglycerol and with elevated concentrations of its proinflammatory metabolite arachidonic acid. CBD metabolism was altered by sex and Tat. (4) Conclusion: Findings indicate that acute CBD effects are not altered by HIV Tat, and CBD has minimal effects on behavior and the endocannabinoid system. Interestingly, sex-dependent alterations were noted for endocannabinoids and related lipids, which may be of relevance in view of potential CBD-based treatment options for people living with HIV.

There are few studies of the psychological effects of language brokering (speaking on behalf of) among minors migrated to Europe, even though language brokering is becoming more current in many migrant families. As the psychological implications of language brokering remain controversial, further investigation is needed. Earlier studies have documented that language brokering is sometimes linked with emotional maladjustment and developmental drawbacks, but other studies have shown faster acquisition of social and Language skills. The present study assessed the relation of language brokering with psychological well-being in a sample of Latino migrant adolescents living in Italy; the dependent variables were depression, anxiety, and emotions. Statistically significant differences between boys and girls confirmed the sex-specificity of language brokering and the lack of statistically significant negative association between language brokering and psychological well-being.

Background: Studying anxiety, stress and the selection of coping strategies in the COVID-19 pandemic is necessary to minimize the adverse changes associated with the risk of infection and the consequences of the disease. Objective: To investigate the level of anxiety, stress perception and coping strategies in relation to the presence of illness. Material and Methods: The anonymous cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 3950 university students of northeastern Poland (1822), Lithuania (232) and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad (1896). Due to the almost identically applied anti-epidemic measures, the respondents were treated as a unified group. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale-10 and Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced questionnaires were used. Results: Among 1212 men and 2738 women, COVID-19 was diagnosed in 348 (28.7%) and 1020 (37.3%) individuals, respectively, according to the clinical protocol. The prolonged nature of the process and the longer consequences of the disease were indicated by an increase in anxiety levels. Conclusions: The risk of possible infection and coping with illness required the adoption of active anti-stress strategies, which was observed regardless of going through the disease. Convalescents differed from non-diseased individuals in having higher levels of concern about their own emotions and their more frequent turn to religion, notably among the females. The repertoire of strategies among women was broader, with elevated levels of helplessness and avoidance seen as integral strategies.

Objective: Physical inactivity is linked to chronic illnesses and disabilities among workers, especially those in high demanding jobs like teachers. Despite the global prominence of sedentary behaviour research, studies drawing the relationships between physical inactivity and multimorbidity among working teacher populations in low-and middle-countries remain untapped. This study assessed the sedentariness and health status of primary school teachers in Cape Coast Metropolis in Ghana. Method: This cross-sectional survey employed 1109 primary school teachers from the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana, using convenient sampling method. Results: Generally, the teachers were highly sedentary and reported poor health status. Other results showed no difference in sedentariness across gender, t (1107) = -0.32, p > .05. However, female teachers suffer more pain and discomfort, [t (1103.51) = - 3.07, p < .05, anxiety and depression, [t (1099.56) = - 2.85, p < .000,)], and poor health status [t (1107) = 2.14, p < .05, than their male counterparts. Also, pain and discomfort, anxiety and depression, health status and years of work significantly predicted sedentariness among the teachers, F (4, 1104) = 5.966, p=.00, R = .145, R2 = .029, adjusted R2 = .018. Conclusion: The findings suggest that individualized or personalized interventions are urgently needed to promote regular physical activity to improve the health status and reduce associated complications on the health and well-being, especially among the female primary school teachers. Given the health risks of sedentary lifestyle, behavioral interventions at the person-level (i.e., individualized- routine weekly physical activity programmes) and built environmental restructuring (e.g., creation of walkways to encourage regular walking) could be done to physical activity behavior among teachers within the Cape Coast Metropolis, and perhaps beyond.

Introduction: Neuroinflammation following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration induces locomotor deficit and anxiety-like behavior. In this study, minocycline was compared to memantine, the NMDA receptor antagonist, for its effects on LPS-induced locomotor deficit and anxiety-like behavior in rats. Methodology: Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were administered either two different doses of minocycline (25 or 50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) or 10 mg/kg/day of memantine (i.p.) for 14 days four days prior to LPS (5 mg/kg, i.p.) injection. The locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavior were assessed using the open field test (OFT). The phosphorylated tau protein level was measured using ELISA while the expression and density of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) protein in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were measured using immunohistochemistry and western blot, respectively. Results: In the mPFC, minocycline treatment reduced the locomotor deficit and anxiety-like behavior, reduced phosphorylated tau protein level, and upregulated BDNF/CREB protein expression comparable to memantine, with the higher dose of minocycline having better benefits. Conclusion: Minocycline treatment attenuated LPS-induced locomotor deficit and anxiety-like behavior in rats, possibly via a decrease in phosphorylated tau protein levels and an increase in the expression of the BDNF/CREB proteins.

Background: This study aimed to examine the course of Depression and anxiety in COVID-19 survivors with a psychiatric history compared with those without a psychiatric history. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey for COVID-19 survivors was conducted from July to September 2021. 6016 COVID-19 survivors, the accuracy of whose responses was determined to be assured, were included in analyses. Exposures included psychiatric history and time since COVID-19 infection, and the main outcomes and measures included severity of depression and anxiety, as assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), respectively. Results: Mean severity of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were significantly higher in participants with a psychiatric history than in those without a psychiatric history. Two-way analysis of covariance for PHQ-9 showed a significant main effect of the presence of psychiatric history and a significant interaction effect of psychiatric history × time since infection. Two-way analysis of covariance for the GAD-7 score revealed a significant main effect of the presence of psychiatric history and time since COVID-19 infection and the interaction effect of these factors. Conclusions: The course of depression and anxiety was more severe in COVID-19 survivors with a psychiatric history than in those without a psychiatric history.

Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience significantly higher rates of sleep disturbances than their typically developing peers. Pre-sleep anxiety and waking emotional content is known to affect the content and frequency of nightmares, which can be distressing to children and caregivers. This is the first study to analyse nightmare frequency and content in FASD, and to assess its association with psychometric outcomes. We assessed reports from 277 caregivers of children with ASD (n=61), FASD (n=112), and TD children (n=104) using the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the Behavior Rating Inventory for Executive Functioning (BRIEF). Within the ASD group, 40.3% of caregivers reported their children had nightmares. Within the FASD group, 73.62% of caregivers reported their children had nightmares and within the TD group, 21.36% of caregivers reported their children had nightmares. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between anxiety and nightmares, maladaptive behaviour and nightmares, and executive functioning and nightmares in the TD and FASD groups, but not ASD group. This paper adds to the emerging body of work supporting the need for sleep interventions as part of clinical practice with regard to children with ASD and FASD. As a relatively niche but important area of study this warrants much needed further research.

Strategies implemented worldwide to contain COVID-19 outbreaks varied in severity across different countries, and established a new normal for work and school life (i.e. from home) for many people, reducing opportunities for physical activity. Positive relationships of physical activity with both mental and physical health are well recognised, therefore the aim was to ascertain how New Zealand’s lockdown restrictions impacted physical activity and mental health and wellbeing. Participants (n=4007; mean±SD: age 46.5±14.7y, 72% female, 80.7% New Zealand European) completed (10–26 April 2020) an online amalgamated survey (Qualtrics): International Physical Activity Questionnaire: Short Form; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-9; World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index; Stages of Change Scale. Positive dose response relationships between physical activity levels and wellbeing scores were demonstrated for estimates that were unadjusted (moderate activity OR 3.79, CI 2.88-4.92; high activity OR 8.04, CI 6.07-10.7) and adjusted (confounding variables: age, gender, socioeconomic status, time sitting, co-morbidities) (moderate activity 1.57, CI 1.11-2.52; high activity 2.85, CI 1.97-4.14). The study results support previous research demonstrating beneficial effects of regular physical activity on mental health and wellbeing. Governments may use such results to promote meeting physical activity guidelines in order to protect mental health and wellbeing during the ongoing COVID-19 and future pandemics.

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, insomnia, stress, PTSD, and distress in Chinese healthcare workers (HCWs) and the changes in prevalence before and after the peak incidence of COVID-19 in China. 20 cross-sectional studies assessing the aforementioned psychological outcomes were included. Eligible studies were searched from the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Comparative analysis based on the time period of the included studies was conducted to assess changes in prevalence before and after peak incidence. Additionally, subgroup analyses based on study quality, province, survey tools, gender and healthcare profession, frontline or non-frontline working status, and severity of psychological outcomes were conducted to evaluate the prevalence of outcomes across various study methods, geographic regions, and professions. The findings of this study suggest that the overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, insomnia, stress, PTSD, and distress before peak incidence were 36.2%, 34.2%, 22.4%, 31.3%, 9.8%, and 56.7% as opposed to 31.8%, 24.1%, 34.4%, 59.0%, 20.9%, and 40.7% after the peak. The higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and distress prior to the peak incidence of COVID-19 in China and of insomnia, stress, and PTSD thereafter serve as evidence that the mental health decline of HCWs is dynamic and should be addressed with adaptive approaches that provide tailored treatments.

The purpose of this research has been to provide information about the psychological effects of confinement forced by a prolonged quarantine in a suitable adult sample of 596 Bolivians of both sexes. It was sought to explore the perceptions of the participants about their own emotional state: fears, anxieties, depressions, while they were in isolation to reduce the probability of contagion of COVID 19. Additionally, we were interested in verifying the modulating effects of resilience and self-efficacy on such emotional states. The results indicated, in the same direction of similar studies, significant relationships between high perceived loneliness, high levels of stress and anxiety, with relatively high levels of depression. Likewise, it was clear that stress, perceived loneliness, and anxiety are predictors of depression among those in conditions of forced isolation. Finally, it was found that both resilience and self-efficacy exert a clear moderating effect by attenuating the relationships of perceived loneliness and anxiety, on depression.

Purpose: A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the cause of COVID-19 eventually led to the declaration of Public health emergency of international concern and a pandemic by WHO due to its exponential global spread. Present study was conducted to investigate the impact of second wave of pandemic on mental wellbeing and social behaviors among university students of Pakistan during this crucial period of COVID-19 infection. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was designed to evaluate the psychosocial impact during the current COVID-19 outbreak among the students of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Snowball sampling or chain referral sampling procedure was adopted to recruit the participants in the study. Verbal informed consent was taken from all participants before recruitment in the study irrespective of their gender, age and socioeconomic status. Results: Mental health of university students during COVID-19 epidemic was affected to a varying degree revealing that 26.66% were recorded to have mild, 27.15% moderate and 17.04% suffering from severe anxiety out of total 1029 students. Students who were residing in urban areas with parents and having a steady family income were negatively associated and found protective factors against anxiety. However, having a relative or an acquaintance infected with COVID-19 was an independent risk factor for experienced anxiety. Positively associated factors with the level of anxiety symptoms included economic stressors, effects on daily-life, and academic delays whereas social support was negatively correlated with anxiety in COVID-19 related stressors. Conclusion: Public health emergencies and such pandemic are exerting serious psychological impacts on university students. It is recommended that the higher authorities should plan better policies to reduce this impact for the provision of high quality and timely crisis-oriented psychological services to university students.

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress and determined the association between various factors, social support, and depression and anxiety among university healthcare workers in Malaysia after the government lifted the movement control order (MCO) put in place to curb the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This online, cross-sectional survey recruited 399 participants from two university hospitals, and they were administered a self-reported questionnaire on demographic, personal, and clinical characteristics; COVID-19-related stressors; and coping. In addition, they completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) to measure perceived social support, as well as the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess depression, anxiety, and stress. We found that the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress were 21.8%, 31.6%, and 29.1%, respectively. Participants with moderate to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress made up 13.3%, 25.8%, and 8.1% of the sample, respectively. Being single or divorced, fear of frequent exposure to COVID-19 patients, those who agreed that their area of living had a high prevalence of COVID-19 cases, and uncertainty regarding the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in the area of living were associated with higher odds of depression and anxiety. Conversely, having more than three children and greater perceived friend support were associated with lower odds of depression and anxiety. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress remained elevated even after the MCO was lifted.

Background and Aim: Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and invasion of tissues. It seems that personality differences and psychological factors are important factors that lead to different reactions to cancer. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between type D, stress level of life events, personality traits, and anxiety sensitivity in people with breast cancer attending to Tehran Bu-ali Hospital. Methods: The study was a correlational study in which 100 cancer patients referred to Bu-ali Hospital in Tehran, selected by the available sampling method from April to June 2018. The tools used included the Denollet DS-14 Type D Questionnaire, the Paykel Life events Questionnaire, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the ASI Anxiety Scale, Floyd et al., Data analysis in this study is taken place by using SPSS software, two descriptive levels (percentage, frequency, etc.) and regression. Results: The study results showed that there is a relationship between type D personality with stress of life events, neurosis, extraversion, and psychopath dimensions of personality and anxiety sensitivity in breast cancer patients. Conclusion: Psychological factors play a role in the incidence and exacerbation of breast cancer, and ultimately patients with personality type D and personality traits such as psychosis and high anxiety sensitivity and more stress of life events show more symptoms.

This article investigates hydraulic percolation in saturated porous media, focusing on containment systems using sheet pile walls and gravity concrete dams. The Laplace equation, which governs hydraulic flow in porous media, is solved using the Finite Element Method through the ANSYS software. The modeling of the porous media employs a planar quadratic element called Plane 55, originally used for thermal problems, composed of four nodes and one hydraulic degree of freedom per node. The numerical results of the water pressure acting on the hydraulic structure, flow rate, and hydraulic gradient at the outlet of the porous media are compared with results obtained in the technical-scientific literature using flow nets. Two different methodologies are used to obtain the rate of seepage: by using the average hydraulic velocity or by calculating the integral of the hydraulic gradient perpendicular to the flow area. Both methodologies are compared and validated in the numerical simulations. This work also demonstrates the importance of mesh refinement for obtaining the flow rate in the studied hydraulic systems.

This study focuses on the synthesis, characterization and study of a new perovskite-type materials as cathode in SOFC. The synthesized doped perovskites have been successfully synthesized with high purity. The electrochemical performance of these materials was extensively examined through the characterization of I-V-P and EIS curves at the three temperatures: 750, 800 and 850 °C. Where it is revealing a substantial reduction of total resistances by approximately 50% and 70%, accom-panied by an impressive increase in power densities by around 200% and 300%, respectively. The cell featuring Sm0.01Sr0.99Fe0.5Co0.5O3 exhibited the most commendable electrochemical properties at each temperature, following closely were Pr0.01Sr0.99Fe0.5Co0.5O3 and La0.01Sr0.99Fe0.5Co0.5O3.

In our discipline, some numbers, facts and methods are established and unquestionable. Still, a credible source is hard to find. Likewise, some state-of-the-art papers do not have the right focus, or they do not point at current research trends and future mission statements. Lastly, reliable resources for claims and statements that are arguable are not always found in the typical journals of our field. The paper at hand solves this issue for our field. Through critical review of a vast amount of journal papers, monographs, handbooks, conference proceedings and theses as well as manuals, textbooks and tutorials, numbers, facts, methods, claims statements, state-of-the-art, research and application trends are reflected and substantiated.

Many bacteria have the ability to survive in challenging environments; however, they cannot grow on standard culture media, a phenomenon known as the Viable but Non-Culturable (VBNC) state. Bacteria commonly go into the VBNC state under nutrient-poor environments or under stressful conditions. This review explores the concept of the VBNC state, providing insights into the beneficial bacteria known to employ this strategy. The investigation covers different chemical and physical factors that can induce the latency state, cell features, and gene expression observed in cells in the VBNC state. The revision also covered the significance and applications of beneficial bacteria, methods for evaluating bacterial viability, the ability of bacteria to persist in environments associated with higher organisms, and the factors that facilitate the return to the culturable state. Knowledge about beneficial bacteria capable of entering the VBNC state remains limited, however, beneficial bacteria in this state could face adverse environmental conditions, and return to culturable state when conditions become suitable and continue to exert their beneficial effects. Likewise, this unique feature positions them as potential candidates for healthcare applications, such as the use of probiotic bacteria to enhance human health, applications in industrial microbiology for the production of prebiotics, functional foods, and in the beer and wine industry. Moreover, their use in formulations to increase crop yield and for bacterial bioremediation offers an alternative pathway to harness their beneficial attributes.

Approximately 6 million youth aged 12 to 20 consume alcohol monthly in the United States. The effect of alcohol consumption in adolescence on behavior and cognition is heavily researched, however, little is known about how alcohol consumption in adolescence may alter brain function, leading to long-term developmental detriments. In order to investigate differences in brain connectivity associated with alcohol use in adolescents, brain networks were constructed using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data collected by the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) from 698 youth (12-21 years, 117 hazardous drinkers and 581 no/low drinkers). Analyses assessed differences in brain network topology based on alcohol consumption in eight pre-defined brain networks, as well as in whole-brain connectivity. Within the central executive network (CEN), basal ganglia network (BGN), and sensorimotor network (SMN), no/low drinkers demonstrated stronger and more frequent connections between highly globally efficient nodes, with fewer and weaker connections between highly clustered nodes. Inverse results were observed within the dorsal attention network (DAN), visual network (VN), and frontotemporal network (FTN), with no/low drinkers demonstrating weaker connections between nodes with high efficiency and increased frequency of clustered nodes compared to hazardous drinkers. Results from this study show clear organizational differences between adolescents with no/low or hazardous alcohol use, suggesting that aberrant connectivity in these brain networks is associated with risky drinking behaviors.

To reduce environmental impacts from sodium silicate synthesis it was suggested the use of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a source of silicon dioxide and sodium carbonate using the ceramic method. Although the production of sodium silicate is carried out on a large scale, it should be noted that its process requires temperatures above 1000 °C or the use of highly corrosive agents such as sodium hydroxide and chlorine gas used to neutralize the remaining sodium hydroxide. In the present work, the synthesis temperatures were reduced to 800 °C with a reaction time of 3 hours by pressing equimolar mixtures of previously purified SCBA and sodium carbonate, then heat treatment was carried out under the indicated conditions. The resulting materials were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Among the crystalline phases, calcium disodium silicate was identified, in addition to sodium silicate, so it was inferred that the other components of the ash can interfere with the synthesis of silicate. Therefore, to obtain the highest composition of sodium silicate, a leaching treatment of the SCBA is required.

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are of enormous significance to the emergence of flexible and wearable electronics and continued growth of modern devices. Versatile and tunable TCEs, featuring with not only high optical transmittance but also intriguing features of electrochemical energy-storage capability, remain a significant challenge. Here we develop capacitive active films comprised of graphene-conjugated V2O5@poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) ternary composite (V2O5@PEDOT/rGO) on silver nanowire coated substrates as solid-state super/pseudocapacitors. The constructed electrodes exhibit improved electrolyte ions interaction with effective graphene layer, achieving high areal capacitance 0.6-1.2 mF.cm−2 with 0.5M LiCl electrolytes at optical transparency >60% with record durability. As demonstrated, the kinetic blocking of PEDOT layer and anchoring capability of graphene upon amphoteric soluble vanadium ions from layered V2O5 nanoribbons/nanobelts contribute synergistically to the unusual electrochemical stability, also shown using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) providing electroactivity sites and ion transportation rates. As-fabricated symmetric solid-state supercapacitors delivered broad potential window >1.4 V under two different electrolyte environments (aqueous LiCl and LiCl/PVA gel) and demonstrated higher power and energy density (0.27 μWh.cm−2) outperforming previously reported devices at <0.1 μWh.cm−2. The electrochemical properties are also discussed in terms of solvation in polymer gel electrolyte ions.

Background: World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there were 558000 new cases with resistance to Rifampicin, of which 82% had multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Objectives: We aimed to identify the prevalence of MDR-TB in River Nile state, Sudan, and the risk factors contributing to its occurrence. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study involved 200 specimens taken from patients suspected of having MDR-TB tested using an automated GeneXpert assay. Results: Results of GeneXpert assay showed that the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 81 (40.5%), and out of 81 positive test results there were 13 (16%) had MDR-TB. Additionally, 7 cases of MDR-TB were previously treated which represented about (53%) of MDR patients, the remaining 6 MDR-TB patients were new cases and represented (47%) of MDR-TB patients. Moreover, there were 4 MDR-TB patients who had a history of contact with MDR-TB patients. Conclusion: Prevalence of MDR-TB in River Nile State, Sudan was 16%, which is greater than WHO estimation for Sudan (10.1%). The results revealed that the main risk factor to develop MDR-TB was a history of contact with MDR-TB, so adherence to treatment and social awareness about the spread of MDR-TB are crucial preventive measures.

In the paper is described the control electronics for an industrial pneumatic – hydraulic system based on a low-cost PLC. The developed system is a hydraulic pulse system and it generates series of high pressure hydraulic pulses (max. 200 bar). We describe requirements, an overall concept of the embedded control system, user interface, security features and network connectivity. In the description of the software solution we describe implementation of hierarchical ordered program threads (multithreaded program) and main control state machine. At the conclusion, we describe the calibration method of the system and calibration curves and we present the schematic diagram and a photo of a functional prototype of the system.

In this article we derive a closed form expression for the symmetric logarithmic derivative of Fermionic Gaussian states. This provides a direct way of computing the quantum Fisher Information for Fermionic Gaussian states. Applications range from quantum Metrology with thermal states to non-equilibrium steady states with Fermionic many-body systems.

This paper discusses the management of public expenditures in Indonesia in State Budget 2017. The data collected from fiscal policy documents, especially about government spending plans in 2017, and then be reviewed by policy analysis, the theory of public expenditures, and the theory of public goods, and compared with the theory of public expenditure in Islamic economics. Public expenditure management in Indonesia has implemented a distribution system that divided public expenditure for central government expenditures, transfers to the regions, and the village fund. In terms of fiscal policy, public expenditure priorities to support the achievement of sustainable economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and the reduction of gaps in the welfare of the whole community. In Islamic economics, public expenditure is used to meet the needs of the community based on the principles of general interest derived from the shari'a. Public expenditure on Indonesia's government as an effective tool to divert economic resources and increase the income of society as a whole, and focused on the embodiment of the people's welfare.

The current state-of-the-art does not provide a universal and rapid method of determining the state of health (SOH) of a battery or a supercapacitor without carefully examining the degradation of hundreds of full charge/discharge cycles. Lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors of different cell chemistries were studied by impedance spectroscopy during lifetime tests. Faradaic and capacitive charge storage are distinguished by the relationships between stored electric charge and capacitance. For batteries, impedance spectroscopy is best applicable in the flat region of the voltage-charge curve. An approximately linear correlation between pseudocapacitance and Ah capacity is observed as long as overcharge and deep discharge are avoided. The correct calculation of quantities related to complex impedance and differential capacitance is outlined – which may also be useful as an introductory text and tutorial for newcomers to the field. Novel diagram types are proposed for the purpose of instant performance and failure diagnosis of batteries and supercapacitors.

Dementia patients express a set of problematic and deteriorating symptoms, along self-care dependency. Overtime, the mental health of family caregivers of persons with dementia may suffer, putting them at a high risk for psychopathology, which may be associated with endangered wellbeing of demented people. This cross-sectional study examined the psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8-items (DASS-8), DASS-12, DASS-21 in a convenient sample of 571 caregivers from northern Italy and southern Switzerland (Mean age = 53, SD = 12, range = 24–89 years). A bifactor structure of the three measures had the best fit; some items of the DASS-12/DASS-21 failed to load on their domain-specific factors. The three-factor structure was invariant across various groups (e.g., gender, education, etc.), expressed adequate reliability and convergent validity, and had strong positive correlation with the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLALS3). Dementia type had no effect on distress scores, which were higher among females, adult children caregivers, those caring for dependent patients, and those who received help with care. For 54.9 and 38.8% of the latter, care was provided by relatives and health professionals, respectively. Since the DASS-8 expresses adequate psychometrics comparable with the DASS-21, it may be used as a brief measure of distress in this population.

The Attentional Control Theory (ACT) suggests that trait anxiety does not directly affect performance but may alter processing efficiency through the generation of compensatory strategies. However, the ACT does not describe the nature of these strategies, which could be reflective in nature. One hundred ten students (M = 20.12; SD = 2.10) completed questionnaires on trait anxiety, metacognitive beliefs, and emotion regulation strategies (ERS). They performed two working memory tasks: the digit span task from the WAIS-IV and an emotional n-back task. Anxiety, metacognitive beliefs, and maladaptive ERS were not linked to performance but were associated with longer response times. Additionally, participants using maladaptive ERS, such catastrophizing and rumination, made fewer negative commission errors and employed more strategies during the digit span. These findings support the role of the reflective level in influencing trait anxiety's impact on performance and emphasize considering metacognitive beliefs and maladaptive ERS for a comprehensive understanding of the ACT. Identifying these variables provides insights to optimize cognitive abilities and promote academic success.