Prevalence rates of anger and aggression are often higher in military personnel, so it is important to understand more about why this is and factors with which they are associated. Despite this, there is little evidence relating to anger and aggression in UK veterans who are seeking treatment for mental health difficulties such as PTSD. This study investigated the prevalence rates of anger and aggression in this population, as well as the associations between anger and aggression, and various sociodemographic, functioning and mental health variables. A cross-sectional design was used, with participants completing a battery of self-report questionnaires. Prevalence rates for significant anger and aggression were 74% and 28% respectively. Both women and those over 55 were less likely to report difficulties. Those with high levels of PTSD and other mental health difficulties were more likely to report anger and aggression. Other factors related to anger and aggression included childhood adversity; unemployment due to ill health; and a perceived lack of family support. Findings show that veterans who are seeking support for mental health are likely to experiencing significant difficulties with anger and aggression, especially if they have co-morbid mental health difficulties. The associations between anger and aggression and other variables has implications for the assessment and treatment of military veterans.

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.

Research has consistently found that people with mental illness (known as consumers) experience lower levels of participation in meaningful activities, which can limit their opportunities for recovery support. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of participation in a group program designed to address all stages of activity participation, known as Pathways to Participation (P2P). A descriptive longitudinal design was utilized, collecting data at three time points. Outcomes were measured by the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal (CANSAS), Recovery Assessment Scale – Domains and Stages (RAS-DS), Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-24), Living in the Community Questionnaire (LCQ) and time use diaries. All data was analysed using descriptive statistics, and Chi square analyses. Seventeen consumers completed baseline data, eleven contributed post program data and eight provided follow up data. Most were female (63.64%) and had been living with mental illness for 11.50 (± 7.74) years on average. Reductions in unmet needs and improvements in self-rated recovery scores were re-ported, but no changes were identified in either time use or psychosocial health. The findings indicate the P2P program may enable consumers to achieve positive activity and participation out-comes as part of their personal recovery.

Cyber diplomacy is critical in dealing with evolving cybersecurity dangers and possibilities in the digital era. This article investigates the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchains, and Quantum Computing on cyber diplomacy. AI holds the potential for proactive threat identification and response, while IoT enables international information sharing. Blockchains enable secure data sharing and document verification, but they also pose new threats, such as AI-driven cyber-attacks, IoT privacy breaches, blockchain vulnerabilities, and the potential for quantum computing to break encryption. This article conducts case study reviews, in combination with secondary data analysis, and emphasises the value of international cooperation in developing global norms and frameworks to control responsible technology adoption. Cyber diplomacy can promote cybersecurity, protect national interests, and foster mutual trust among nations in the digital sphere by capitalising on possibilities and reducing threats.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental health of individuals globally, and primary healthcare (PHC) nurses play a critical role in providing mental healthcare services. However, limited research has explored the experiences of PHC nurses in providing mental healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the experiences of PHC nurses in providing mental healthcare services during the pandemic in Durban, South Africa. The aim was to identify the challenges faced by healthcare providers and the potential for innovative approaches to improve access to care. A qualitative, exploratory design guided the study, and data were collected through in-depth interviews with twelve PHC nurses purposively selected. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings from interviews with primary healthcare nurses reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing challenges, including medication adherence issues, fear and uncertainty among patients, vaccine hesitancy, decreased clinic visits, and the mental and emotional toll on both patients and healthcare workers. PHC nurses adapted their services by increasing outreach efforts, prioritising patient care, and utilising technology and non-governmental organisations’ (NGO) support. Challenges included reduced patient visits, complexities in healthcare provision, and lack of adequate support. Positive changes observed include increased mental health awareness among healthcare professionals and younger generations. Recommendations include implementing outreach and awareness campaigns, providing accurate information about COVID-19 and vaccinations, and promoting cultural sensitivity in mental healthcare provision.

The adoption of digital health technologies accelerated during Covid-19, with concerns over the equity of access due to digital exclusion. Using data from a text-based online mental health service for children and young people we explore the impact of the pandemic on service access and presenting concerns and whether differences were observed by sociodemographic characteristics in terms of access (gender, ethnicity and deprivation). We used interrupted time-series models to assess whether there was a change in the level and rate of service use during the Covid-19 pandemic (April 2020-April 2021) compared to pre-pandemic trends (June 2019-March 2020). Routinely collected data from 61221 service users were extracted for observation, those represented half of the service population as only those with consent to share their data were used. The majority of users identified as female (74%) and White (80%), with an age range between 13 and 20 years of age,. There was evidence of a sudden increase (13%) in service access at the start of the pandemic (RR 1.13 95% CI 1.02, 1.25), followed by a reduced rate (from 25% to 21%) of engagement during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic trends (RR 0.97 95% CI 0.95,0.98). There was a sudden increase in almost all presenting issues apart from physical complaints. There was evidence of a step increase in the number of contacts for Black/African/Caribbean/Black British (38% increase; 95% CI: 1%-90%) and White ethnic groups (14% increase; 95% CI: 2%-27%) ), the sudden increase in service use at the start of the pandemic for the most (58% increase; 95% CI: 1%-247%) and least (47% increase; 95% CI: 6%-204%) deprived areas. During the pandemic, contact rates decreased, and referral sources change at the start. Findings on access and service activity align with other studies observing reduced service utilisation. The lack of differences in deprivation levels and ethnicity at lockdown suggests exploring equity of access to the anonymous service. The study provides unique insights into changes in digital mental health use during Covid-19 in the UK.

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.

Being forced to live in an area following a catastrophic landslide may adversely impact people's mental well-being. Unprivileged communities such as Adivasis, Dalits, plantation workers, and people with low incomes in Kerala's hilly districts are forced to live in landslide-affected areas despite their fear. This paper examines the fears and concerns of landslide survivors from the marginalized sections of society from a broader framework of the political economy of mental health. This approach aligns with the assertion made by the World Health Organisation that individual factors do not solely determine mental health but are intricately linked to broader social, political, and economic circumstances. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with fatal landslide survivors and key informants [ ]. The study employed thematic data analysis from in-depth interviews of various fatal landslide survivors since 2018. The three major themes unveiled in the analysis are: 1. post-disaster fears, 2. The factors that triggered fear and concern and 3. Socio-economic marginality and mental health. The study asserts that individuals who are poor and unprivileged are highly susceptible to mental health issues associated with landslides.

Machine Learning is increasingly and ubiquitously being used in the medical domain. Evaluation metrics like accuracy, precision, and recall may indicate the performance of the models but not necessarily the reliability of their outcomes. This paper assesses the effectiveness of a number of machine learning algorithms applied to an important dataset in the medical domain, specifically, mental health, by employing explainability methodologies. Using multiple machine learning algorithms and model explainability techniques, the project provides insights into the model workings to help determine the reliability of the machine learning algorithm predictions. The results are not intuitive. It was found that the models were focusing significantly on less relevant features and at times, unsound ranking of the features to make the predictions. The paper therefore argues that it is important for research in applied machine learning to provide insights into explainability of the models in addition to other performance metrics like accuracy. This is particularly important for applications in critical domains such as healthcare. A future direction is to investigate methods to quantify the effectiveness of the machine learning models in terms of the insights from their explainability.

Workplace bullying is a prevalent issue with a significant impact on employees’ mental health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression with a particular focus on the role of gender. A total of 12,344 Korean employees aged 19–65 years were included in the study. They completed questionnaires including the Korean version of the Occupational Stress Scale, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A score of 16 or higher in CES-D indicated depression. The association between workplace bullying and depression was analyzed using logistic regression analyses. The average CES-D scores were higher for both male and female employees who experienced bullying than for those who did not (p < 0.001). The association between the experience of workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression was statistically significant for both genders, with a stronger correlation observed among male employees (p for interaction <0.001). Organizations are urged to address workplace bullying, particularly for male employees, through the implementation of anti-bullying strategies and policies, as well as the provision of mental health resources and support.

The relationship between child psychology and the widespread usage of mobile devices in the modern day is examined in "The Mobile Dilemma: Child Psychology and the Era of Technological Dependence." The abstract serves as a brief synopsis of the work, highlighting its important ideas and arguments. Concerns concerning the effects of excessive time spent on mobile devices on children's mental health and development have arisen in this age of technology dependency. The essay opens by pointing out the importance of investigating the psychological effects of kids' exposure to mobile gadgets. The effects of mobile phone addiction on learning, memory, and social and emotional health are investigated. The neurodevelopmental implications are explored further in the abstract, with a focus on the impact of mobile technology on brain plasticity and the formation of the developing brain. It offers advice on how to establish appropriate limits for children's screen time, encourages the development of digital literacy, and promotes responsible behavior.The pros and cons of using mobile devices in the classroom are also examined, along with their effects on students' ability to study and the risks and difficulties that could arise from implementing such a strategy. The emotional and social impacts of mobile device addiction are discussed in the abstract. This includes the impact on one's social life, empathy, ability to communicate, and sense of self-worth. The abstract also stresses the importance of interdisciplinary efforts involving parents, teachers, psychologists, and legislators to combat mobile device addiction through intervention and preventative techniques. Future directions are highlighted, with a focus on topics such as mobile technology development, digital well-being, privacy protection, mental health implications, screen time limits, digital literacy, and the impact of cultural and socioeconomic variables.

Abstract: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and mental health issues are significant public health concerns in globally. Although rising peaks observed post-COVID-19, there is a sever paucity in high quality data. Using descriptive analysis, we identified the frequency and associations of age- and gender, sport, genetic, and psychiatric consequences in the coexistence of GERD and IBD in 2067 participants 18 to >60 years with mean age of 26.8 ± 12.9 years. Most were 18 -29 years old (66%, n=1364) of which majority were young Saudi females (72.4%, n=1496). Estimated 1099 (53.2%) were students, 428 (20.7%) were unemployed, and 540 (26.1%) were. The majority were Saudis (94.7%, n= 1957). Psychological syndromes anxiety (60.7%), stress (60.7%), and depression (60.6%) were most frequent; whereas, IBD (48.7%) and GERD (36.3%), respectively were the second and third. In 51 % respondents depression, anxiety, and stress occurred first while in 33.9%, and 24.3% IBD and GERD, respectively, were the first signs. In most respondents (59.2%, n=1178), these signs first appeared recently and 33.6% (n=669) reported occurrence during adult life, and only in 7.2% (n=144) the signs noticed during childhood (7.2%, n=144)). Aggravating factors were 32.9% (n=681) genetic and other factors of which 476 (69.9%) inherited IBD while 215(31.6%) and 175 ((25.7), respectively, inherited psychological (depression, anxiety, and stress) and GERD. However, only 18.3% sought treatment (n=378) and only 66 (3.2%) had colectomy or a colostomy bag. Little over half of the studied population (58.1%, n=1201) were active in outdoor. GERD or IBS and psychological factors (anxiety, depression, and stress), were significantly associated with age (P value =.001).; GERD with old age, IBD with mid-age 40-49 years, and psychological disorders among younger ages. Thus, while mental health issues predispose young millennial women to neurogastroenterological disorders, the IBD and GERD initiate psychological problems in old and mid-ages, respectively. Intriguingly, despite the significantly mosaic global genetic population structures, their lifestyles, and nutritional habits, the pattern of these disorders remains similar. Thus, this is potentially consistent with notion that the gut nerve cells are conserved and that the changes in gut dysbiosis of gut microbiome signatures are responsible. These findings have significant clinical implications in the patient treatment strategies and tailored educational and awareness programs in lifestyle medicine. Future microbiome studies would reveal more insight into the mechanisms of disorders.

This systematic review seeks to position online radicalisation within whole system frameworks incorporating individual, family, community and wider structural influences, whilst reporting evidence of public mental health approaches for individuals engaging in radical online content. Methods: Authors searched Medline (via Ovid), PsycInfo (via Ebscohost) and Web of Science (Core Collection), with the use of Boolean operators across ‘extremism’, ‘online content’, and ‘intervention’. Results: Following assessment of full text, all retrieved papers had to be excluded. Results from six excluded articles which did not fit inclusion criteria but identified theoretical relationships between all three elements of online extremism, psychological outcomes, and intervention strategy, were discussed. Authors found no articles outlining public mental health approaches to specifically online radicalisation. Conclusions: There is an immediate need for further research in this field given the increase in different factions of radicalised beliefs resulting from online, particularly social media, usage.

Background: Evidence suggests that children and young people (CYP) who present to the emergency department (ED) for mental health (MH) difficulties may have extended lengths of stay (LOS); however, there is a paucity of research in Australia regarding the factors associated with extended LOS. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with extended LOS for paediatric MH-related presentations to the EDs in South Western Sydney (SWS), a multicultural community in Australia. Methods: We analysed electronic medical records (eMR) of 7,409 MH-related ED encounters of CYP aged 0 up to 18 years from all six public hospitals in SWS from January 2016 to April 2022. Extended LOS was defined as encounters of more than 4 hours. We assessed factors associated with extended LOS using a multilevel logistic regression model, accounting for hospital-level clustering. Results: Approximately 57.6% of all ED presentations for paediatric MH involved extended LOS. ED presentations by adolescents (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.23, 95% CI 1.20-4.17 for 12-14 years and AOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.44-5.00 for 15-17 years), and patients with a preferred language other than English (AOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.15-1.89) had increased odds of extended LOS compared to their counterparts. Deliberate self-harm related presentations, the most commonly presented MH condition, had higher odds of extended LOS than other MH-related presentations (AOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.59-1.98). Patients with MH presentations that required urgent evaluation (triage levels 1-2) had higher odds of extended LOS (AOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.15-1.65) compared to triage level 3, whereas those with triage levels 4-5 had lower odds (AOR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58-0.74). Further, patients with MH-related presentations that came by ambulance (compared to other mode of presentations) and presentations that happened at night and late at night (compared to early morning and daytime presentations). The odds of extended LOS were considerably lower during the COVID-19 period compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (AOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.67-0.82). Additionally, extended paediatric LOS for MH issues in the ED showed notable hospital-level heterogeneity. Conclusion: A large proportion of extended LOS in ED and sociodemographic disparities reflect inequality in access to paediatric MH care. Our findings highlight the need for equitable distribution of resources directed towards at-risk CYP to improve MH outcomes and reduce health system burden.

The association between mental illness and violent crimes such as homicide is complex. In 1939, Lionel Penrose hypothesized that the availability of psychiatric hospital beds was inversely related to the prison population, presumably due to the hospitalization of potential offenders with a mental illness. Subsequent studies have found evidence for this association, but questions remain about the contributions of confounding factors. Moreover, there has been a move towards deinstitutionalization and community care of the mentally ill over the past six decades. In this study, the association between national homicide rates and three measures of the availability of psychiatric care – the numbers of psychiatrists, general hospital psychiatric beds, and psychiatric hospital beds per 100,000 population – was examined using a time-lagged correlation analysis. Associations between homicide rates and socioeconomic factors associated with crime were also examined. It was found that the availability of psychiatrists and of general hospital psychiatric beds were both negatively correlated with homicide rates, and that the association with general hospital psychiatric beds remained significant even after correction for confounding factors. These results suggest the need for a more nuanced interpretation of Penrose’s original formulation, involving the interplay of social, economic factors and psychological factors rather than linear causality.

This article is a theoretical contribution to mental model research, which currently has different threads. Whereas some researchers focus on the perceived causal structure, others also include decision policies and decisions. We focus on the link between recognized causal structure (“mental models of dynamic systems”) and policies, proposing Johnson-Laird’s theory of mental models as the link. The resulting framework hypothesizes two types of systematic mental model errors: (1) misrepresentation of the system’s structure and (2) failure to deploy relevant mental models of possibilities. Examination of three experiments through this lens reveals errors of both types. Therefore, we propose that the cognitive theory of mental models opens a path to better understand how people construct their decision policies and develop interventions to reduce such mental model errors. The article closes by raising several questions for empirical studies of the reasoning process leading from mental models of dynamic systems to decision policies.

Background: The number of young Japanese Brazilians, who are return migrants with Japanese ancestral roots, is increasing rapidly in Japan. However, the characteristics of their mental health and the relation between mental health and a complex ethnic identity remains unclear. Methods: This cross-sectional study compared 25 Japanese-Brazilian high school students with 62 Japanese high school students living in the same area. Research using self-report questionnaires on mental health, help-seeking behavior tendencies, and ethnic identity was conducted. The Japanese-Brazilian group was also divided into high and low ethnic identity groups, and their mental health conditions were compared. Results: The Japanese-Brazilian group had significantly poorer mental health conditions and lower ethnic identities than the Japanese group and were less likely to seek help from family members and close relatives. Among the Japanese Brazilians, those with low ethnic identity had significantly poorer mental health than those with high ethnic identity. Conclusions: Young Japanese Brazilians may face conflicts of ethnic identity that can disturb their mental health. To build an inclusive society, the establishment of community services to support mental health and to help return migrants develop their ethnic identity is essential.

Objectives: This study validated the Japanese version of O’Donovan et al.’s (2020) composite measure of psychological safety scale and examined the associations of psychological safety with mental health and job-related outcomes. Methods: Online surveys were administered twice to Japanese employees with teams of more than three members. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability was tested using Cronbach’s α and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Structural validity was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Convergent validity was tested. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between psychological safety and psychological distress, work engagement, job performance, and job satisfaction. Results: Two hundred healthcare workers and 200 non-healthcare workers were analyzed. The Cronbach’s alpha of the total score was 0.92 - 0.96 and ICC was 0.88 - 0.92. CFA demonstrated poor fit, and EFA yielded a two-factor structure, suggesting one factor combined with peers and team. The scale showed good convergent validity. The total score of the scale showed significant associations with all outcomes in adjusted model in all workers. Conclusions: The Japanese version of the measure of the psychological safety scale presented good reliability and validity. Psychological safety is important for employees’ mental health and performance.

Objectives To delineate the features of ischemic stroke patients and their caregivers that may predict distress, depression, and anxiety symptoms in the caregivers. Methods The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), Zarit Burden Interview (22 item-ZBI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were used to assess caregivers' burden, stress, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. We performed partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in order to delineate a multi-step mediation model.Results In this study, 97 stroke patients and their caregivers were included. Multiple regression analysis revealed that ZBI-personal strain and stroke of other determined etiology explained 15.0 percent of the variance in the HADS depression score (p=0.001). We discovered that the caregiver's underlying disease and the National Institute Stroke Score (NIHSS) of the patients explained 13.6 percent of the variance in the total ZBI score of the caregivers (p=0.001). The total ZBI score, the presence of lacunar circulation infarction in the patients, and the caregiver's underlying disease explained 40.9 percent of the variance in the total PSS score of the caregivers (p <0.001). Moreover, PLS analysis showed that the NIHSS and the caregiver's underlying disease had significant indirect effects on the HADS score which were mediated by the ZBI score. Conclusions A large part of the variance in stress and depressive scores in caregivers of ischemic stroke patients is determined by the patient's disability, dependency, cognition, and stroke phenotypes, as well as the caregiver's health status and burden. Screening for the aforementioned factors in ischemic stroke caregivers is critical.

This study has been taken during COVID-19. It describes the working scenario of all class of peoples and their mental anxieties are analysed based on their psychological behaviour patterns.

Introduction: Corona epidemic and quarantine enforcement, various effects on the psychological and social aspects of the population has left. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between depression, anxiety and relationship with medical staff and mental health is caused by corona. Methods: For this purpose, samples of 650 health personnel of private hospitals were selected. Inventory DASS, HADS, and selected social cohesion (Keyes) and the Internet and through social media networks were evaluated. To analyze the data, Pearson correlation and regression analysis were used. Results: The results showed that straw anxiety corona) to negative (and social cohesion caused by corona) to positive (mental health correlates. It was also found that anxiety and social cohesion caused by corona, respectively 47 and 26 percent predict changes in mental health. Conclusion: These results show the positive and negative effects of psychosocial interventions in quarantine and it have practical implications in the development of the epidemic crisis is Corona.

During this epidemic of COVID-19, children are in need of much concentration and profound love of the senior family members. Although the measures taken by the organizations are necessary to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, they may be causing widespread mental health issues, including depression and loneliness. Therefore, it is imperative that parents have to spend the lion-share of time with children while listening to them cordially. Parents can participate in sports with them to help them stay fit so that they can enjoy commemorating moments. However, in this additional time, the parents can also make them habituated to practice the rules of health, so does social distancing.

Background: India has one-fifth of the world's population and the number of people suffering from mental illness is assumed to be huge considering the contribution of mental disorders to the overall burden of the disease being 13.9 %. Objectives of Study: To estimate prevalence and patterns of mental illnesses to assess the current mental health services and systems in the Madhya Pradesh. Material and Methods: Multi-stage, stratified, random cluster sampling technique, with random selection based on probability proportionate to size at each stage. A total of 3240 individuals aged 18 years and above were interviewed. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. A set of 10 instruments including Mini International Neuro-psychiatric Interview were utilized. Results: The overall weighted prevalence for any mental illness was 16.7% lifetime and 13.9% current. Treatment-gap for all mental health problems is as high as 91% in the state along with huge socioeconomic impact of mental illness. Conclusions: This huge burden of mental, behavioural and substance use disorders, in Madhya Pradesh, calls for immediate attention of political leaders, policy makers, health professionals, opinion-makers and society at large. It is hoped that the data from the study will inform mental health policy and legislation and help shape mental health care delivery systems in the country.

We aimed at developing and validating a scale on the beliefs and attitudes of mental health professionals towards services users’ rights in order to provide a valid evaluation instrument for training activities with heterogeneous mental health professional groups. Items were extracted from a review of previous instruments, as well as from several focus groups which have been conducted with different mental health stakeholders, including mental health service users. The preliminary scale consisted of 44 items and was administered to 480 mental health professionals. After eliminating non-discriminant and low weighting items, a final scale of 25 items was obtained. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses produced a four-factor solution consisting of the following four dimensions; system criticism/justifying beliefs, freedom/coercion, empowerment/paternalism, and tolerance/discrimination. The scale shows high concordance with our theoretical model as well as adequate parameters of explained variance, model fit, and internal reliability. Additional work is required to assess the cultural equivalence and psychometrics of this tool in other settings and populations, including health students.

Dietary factors are one of the risk factors that can impact the brain chemistry, which leads to mental distress. Based on our data mining approach, we found that mental distress in men is associated with eating unhealthy food. Our aim in this paper is to apply results from our big data analytics approach to inform system dynamics (SD) modeling to investigate the causal relationships between brain structures, nutrients from food and dietary supplements, and mental health. We perform descriptive analysis based on a large data set to estimate the SD modeling parameters. Finally, we calibrate the model towards a time series data collected for individuals on their dietary and distress patterns. The results reveal that bridging these different methodologies leads to further insights from the SD model and decreases the error of calibrated parameter values. Future research is needed to validate our initial results for investigating the relationship between mental distress and dietary intake.

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.

In the contemporary accelerated pace of life, emphasizing the importance of sleep quality is essential for enhancing overall well-being and health. This study investigates the link between poor sleep quality and key factors affecting wellness, such as mental health and eating disorders. Through a cross-sectional analysis involving 407 participants, utilizing established measures including the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire Short (EDE-QS), and the single-item Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), data was collected and analyzed using SPSS v28 and R-Statistics. The findings reveal a significant correlation (p&lt;0.05) between DASS-21, EDE-QS, and SQS, indicating that individuals experiencing poor sleep quality exhibit higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, multinomial logistic regression analysis highlights low sleep quality as a risk factor for both mental health (OR: 1.071, 95% CI: 1.042, 1.102, p&lt;0.05, low vs. high sleep quality), and eating disorders (OR: 1.047, 95% CI: 1.004, 1.092, p&lt;0.05, low vs. high sleep quality). Overall, these results underscore the critical role of sleep quality in mental health and suggest insomnia as a predictive factor for both poor mental well-being and disordered eating habits. Further research through randomized controlled trials is warranted to validate the findings of this cross-sectional study.

This study explores how young people’s mental health was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic using artwork and semi-structured interviews. This is important to understand so that policy and practice professionals can support those affected, prepare, and respond to future crises, and support young people who are isolated and restricted in other contexts. Co-designed participatory art workshops and interviews were conducted with 16–18-year-olds (N = 21) from the London-based Longitudinal cohort Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP). Artworks and interview transcripts were qualitatively co-analysed with young people. From interviews, six themes were identified: adaptation, restriction, change, challenges, overcoming adversity, and lockdown life. From artwork, four themes were identified; trapped, negative mental wellbeing, positive emotions, and technology. Everyday factors such as home environment, relationships, hobbies, habits, and education or work were key determinants of how challenged and restricted participants felt, and their capacity to overcome this. This implies that young people’s mental health services should collaborate with other sectors to address wider life determinants in a holistic way, and that clearer guidance and support in these areas could mitigate the negative mental health impacts of major environmental changes on young people.

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs) play crucial roles in signal transduction, cell differentiation, and transcriptional regulation. Many disrupted genes associated with mental disorders are identified as IDPs, and emerging evidence suggests the functional role of IDPs in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, few studies comprehensively explore the functional association between protein disorder properties and different mental diseases. To address this gap, we collected disrupted gene sets for seven mental diseases (MDD, SCZ, BP, ID, AD, ADHD, ASD) and a control gene set from normal brains using DisGeNET and GeneCards databases. The state-of-the-art predictor IUPred2A was then utilized to calculate the disorder properties , followed by a thorough comparison between the disordered proteins in mental diseases and healthy controls. Functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction networks were conducted to investigate the IDPs’ functional roles in psychiatric diseases. Additionally, we demonstrated the role of IDPs in protein binding formations through a case study of alpha-synuclein using protein docking. Our findings reveal that differentially expressed proteins in mental disorders, especially in ASD and ADHD, exhibit more IDPs than those in healthy controls. IDPs in psychiatric disorders are significantly enriched in neurodevelopmental pathways and play an important role in in gene expression regulation. Our results indicate distinct functional patterns of disorder proteins among mental diseases and healthy controls. When comparing the IDPs between ASD and ADHD, we observed that IDPs in ADHD are more likely linked to the synaptic signaling and regulation, while IDPs in ASD are more tendentiously related to diverse and complex biological processes. Our work offers valuable insights into the important functions of IDPs in psychiatric disorders, enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in psychiatric disorders.

: Suicide is a serious public health problem, with a global mortality rate of 1.4% of all deaths worldwide, and the leading cause of unnatural death in Spain. The use of clinical simulation has proven to be a beneficial tool in the training of nursing students. Such experiences allow them to develop cognitive and affective skills that are fundamental for the detection of warning signs and use of interventions in cases of people who want to take their own lives. Working in a mental health environment can be difficult for nursing students; therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of nursing students on the approach, management and intervention of suicidal crisis through clinical mental health simulation. Methods: qualitative descriptive phenomenological study through focus groups and reflective narratives in a sample of 45 students. A thematic analysis was performed using ATLAS-ti. Results: After the analysis, three themes were obtained: (a) management and handling of emotions (b) identification of suicide motives (c) intervention in suicidal crisis. Discussion: Clinical simulation in mental health allows students to exercise clinical judgment reasoning, detect warning signs for a better treatment approach, and provide tools for effective intervention and management of patient care. The results of this study indicate that nursing students face challenges in approaching mental health clinical simulation due to lack of prior exposure.

Background: In 2020, health providers were expected to provide care to individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) putting them at risk of acquiring COVID-19. The possibility of acquiring poorly understood infectious diseases while providing care may have an impact on the mental health of providers. We conducted a study to explore the effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare providers. Methods: Between April and August 2021, we conducted in-depth interviews with 60 health providers in the infectious disease unit (IDU) and other units in the hospital (non-IDU). Health providers completed an online self-administered survey form with demographic data (age, sex, average income, and known contact with a COVID-19 patient). We used semi-structured interview guides to understand health providers’ lived experiences with stress, anxiety, depression, and their associated factors. We transcribed interviews verbatim, coded and analyzed the transcripts to derive thematic concepts related to mental health experiences. Results: Health providers had a median age of 37 years, [IQR 20.0-58.0], 56.7% were female, 30.0% nurses, 18.3% medical doctors, and 11.7% laboratory technologists. Health providers reported increased stress during the pandemic attributed to high demand for patient care, changes in social life, and fear of COVID-19 infection. They also reported experiences of anxiety and depression as a result of limited knowledge at the beginning of the pandemic and the perception that ‘COVID-19 resulted in death’. Testing positive for COVID-19, high exposure to COVID-19 risks, and death of patients and colleagues reportedly affected health providers’ mental health. Additionally, health providers reported mental health support through debriefing meetings, peer-to-peer support, and psychological counseling with privacy and confidentiality concerns. Conclusion: Health providers faced mental health issues such as stress and anxiety while taking care of COVID-19 patients. An effective mental health response requires institutional practices that address context-specific challenges such as privacy and confidentiality.

The employment rate of people who face severe mental health issues is extremely low, while the vast majority expresses their willingness to work. There are various obstacles that impede their work re-integration process. Apart from the illness’ symptoms and the employers’ stigma, these barriers are strongly associated with the effects of long-term unemployment and the lack of positive psychosocial resources, such as career adaptability and resilience. The present study aims at investigating career adaptability and resilience of mental health service users who receive career counseling services. The career counseling approach that was used combines elements from the IPS model and the career construction approach that has been developed to address the contemporary world of work challenges. We investigated how mental health service users view themselves in terms of career adaptability and resilience, and which factors contributed to their development or impeded them. We used a qualitative approach, which allows for an in-depth exploration of the participants’ views. Fifteen mental health users who receive career counseling services were interviewed. Results showed that mental health service users believe that they can overcome any difficulties and setbacks, when they have adequate support from their social network and when they receive career counseling services. They highlighted the importance of counseling services to maintain their work and cope with stressful events. Further implications of the results regarding vocational rehabilitation of mental health users as means for social inclusion are discussed.

The complex and interconnected challenges of climate change, water stress, disasters, and health crises have far-reaching implications for sustainable development and global sustainability agendas, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, one critical issue that has been overlooked is the nexus between climate change impacts and mental health (CCMH). Recognizing and addressing the negative emotions associated with this global phenomenon is essential to fostering a holistic approach to climate action planning and building long-term resilience. In this assessment, we present a set of narratives to argue that CCMH research requires a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach that integrates socio-economic and socio-cultural complexities. For this assessment, we used a case study approach to elucidate that the mental health impacts of climate change are unequally distributed, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups based on age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The assessment presented in this study concluded that adequate mental health support programs are limited due to sociocultural stigmas and limited socioeconomic resources in some regions. Existing climate-related mental health services mechanisms lack coordination and specific action plans, leaving affected populations underserved. Unlike traditional understandings of the climate-health nexus, this research calls for experts from multiple fields to work together and for enhanced attention to and investment in CCMH research to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practical solutions. Such solutions will lead to scalable and lasting change as communities can implement research findings to support those in need and enhance disaster resilience. Furthermore, by collectively recognizing the climate and mental health nexus, global commitments such as the SDGs and the Paris Declaration can advance awareness and action in climate-related mental health, ultimately promoting a healthier relationship between humanity and nature.

The purpose of this article was to check the relashionship of different types of physical activities, BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption (with control for age, sex and level of education) on health (physical and mental). The study was based on Belgium epidemiological data (10661 participants from 19 to 81 years old for whom we have health indicators over a period of 11 years) together with questionnaires about alcohol, tobacco consumption and the frequency of different types of physical activities. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis of epidemiological data was performed with use of STATA v.14. Our results indicate that the different categories of physical activities (PA) had some differences on health indicators impacts. Our findings confirm that leading a healthy life style (all types of physical activities and weight maintenance) is an important issue since it has a significant relationship with physical and mental health indicators, but outdoor physical activities and practicing leisure sport in group have shown slightly higher magnitude in association on general health. Magnitude of association of PA with physical and mental health indicators was similar to those observed with smoking and alcohol consumption.

The overall objective of this mixed-method digital-based observational study was to determine the mental health impact among CTU staff working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Qualtrics Core XM platform was used to deploy the questionnaire where a quantitative analysis was conducted. The qualitative part of the study used the Microsoft Teams digital application to complete the interviews. Various validated mental health assessments were administered: Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pandemic Stress Index (PSI), Burnout Assessment Tool-12 (BAT-12), General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE) and The Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). A total of 485 participants took part, of which 73.4% were female and 70.1% of the sample were white British. A high prevalence of anxiety, exhaustion and depression were identified across all participants. A significant mental health impact was identified among the CTU workforce where wellbeing was compromised during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Mental health difficulties during teenage years e are common and are a risk factor for later mental and physical health problems. Rural young people are at greater risk for mental health difficulties and have less access to services than their urban counterparts. The purpose of this study was to explore young people and their carers’ experiences of mental health support provided by a rural mobile service, and to identify access enablers from the service users’ perspective. Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyse twelve interviews with current service users and eight interviews with family members of young people who had accessed the service.Results: Three main themes were identified: (a) Access and flexibility, (b) Clinicians’ qualities and strategies, and (c) Experiences of change. The mobile service was perceived to be effective in producing positive change in mental health, relationships and attainment of life goals. Key enablers to access included the flexibility of the mobile service, the variety of service delivery modes and therapeutic methods offered, the ease of access facilitated by location in schools, and young people’s autonomy in how they chose to utilise the service. Conclusion: This study provides information about what is important to rural young people and their families in mental health service provision. The findings have implications for changing the way services are organized and operated. Healthcare policy and services could support user-led model design that incorporates the access and use enablers and removes the barriers to rural mental health support.

Mental health and social resilience play a significant role in refugees’ adaptation during the resettlement process in the host country. Maintaining good mental wellbeing helps the refugees to respond to stressful experiences with healthy life choices. This study aimed to explore the mental wellbeing and social resilience of Eritrean refugees living in Germany and to identify social conditions and enablers to foster adaptation. This study employs a qualitative approach with a semi-structured, in-depth interview data collection method. Informants were identified among mostly young adult refugees living in Heidelberg, Germany, with a migration history of 3-6 years. In total, 15 informants were recruited through snowball sampling. Data were sorted and analyzed using the five pillars of the Adaptation and Development after Persecution and Trauma (ADAPT) model. The findings suggest that Eritrean refugees experience psychological distress after resettlement in Germany, however with time, their mental health has improved. The study revealed conditions that were experienced as hindrances, as well as ones that were considered to be resources of positive mental wellbeing and social resilience for resettled refugees. Challenges described were the language barrier, discrimination, unemployment, insecure residence status, loss of family and friends, conflict within the diaspora community, and isolation. The main sources of mental wellbeing and social resilience include the feeling of being welcomed by local communities, access to social services, adopting new relationships, and educational opportunities. These experiences encouraged refugees to have a favorable view of their lives and futures as well as also found to facilitate better integration and adaptation. Understanding refugee mental wellbeing and social resilience require a multidimensional perspective. Eritrean refugees living in Germany have experienced and still are experiencing resettlement challenges, as for example loss of family and friends, negative perception of the German system, loss of past achievements, or unemployment. But they have developed adaptive and resilience mechanisms, too, such as seeing an opportunity for a better life, adopting new roles, and accepting Germany as a “second home”. In addressing those by the refugees as hindrances reported issues, these could be turned into sources of mental well-being and resilience.

The supply of mental health processes in primary care has gaps. This study aims to analyze the association of agreement criteria and flows between primary care teams and the Family Health Support Center (NASF) for mental health collaborative care, considering the difference between capital and non-capital cities in Brazil. This cross-sectional study was conducted based on secondary data from the Primary Care Access and Quality Improvement Program. Agreement criteria and flows were obtained from 3883 NASF teams of the matrix support or collaborative care. The Chi-square test and multiple Poisson regression were used; p &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Prevalence ratios of negative associations demonstrated protective factors for support actions: follow-up at Psychosocial Care Center, management of psychopharmacotherapy, offer of other therapeutic actions, care process for users of psychoactive substances, and offer of activities to prevent the use of psychoactive substances. Collaborative care in primary care was effective, and capital cities were a protective factor compared with non-capital cities.

Purpose Violence against paramedics is a complex – but underreported – problem. Extant research suggests organizational culture may play a role in sustaining cultural norms that downplay the significance and limit reporting. Our objective was to qualitatively explore paramedics’ experience with violence, with particular emphasis on understanding how organizational culture contributes to under-reporting. Approach We surveyed paramedics from a single, large, urban service in Ontario, Canada, asking participants to describe their experiences with violence, including whether – and why or why not – the incidents were reported. Within a constructivist epistemology, we used inductive thematic analysis with successive rounds of coding to identify and then define features of organizational culture that limit reporting. Findings A total of 196 (33% of eligible) paramedics completed the survey. Fully 98% of participants disclosed having experienced some form of violence; however only a minority (40%) reported the incidents to management, or the police (21%). We defined a framework within which a lack of support from management, and consequences for offenders, implicitly positions the ability of paramedics to “brush off” violent encounters as an expected professional competency. Disclosing emotional or psychological distress in response to violent encounters invited questions as to whether the individual is personally suited to paramedic work. Originality While the extant research has indicated that underreporting is a problem, our findings shed light on why – a critical first step in addressing what has been described as a serious public health problem.

The transition of people from paediatric to adult diabetes services is associated with worsening glycaemia and increased diabetes-related hospitalisation. This study compared the clinical characteristics of those with and without mental health conditions among attenders at a diabetes young adult clinic diabetes before and after changes in service delivery. Retrospective review of 200 people with diabetes attending a Sydney public hospital over eight years corresponding to the period before (2012-2016) and after (2017-2018) restructuring of a clinic for young adults aged 16-25 years. Characteristics of those with and without mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, diabetes related distress, eating disorders), were compared. Among clinic attenders (type 1 diabetes n=184, 83.2%), 40.5% (n=89) had a mental health condition particularly, depression (n=57, 64%), which was higher among Indigenous than non-Indigenous people (5.6% vs 0.8% p=0.031) but similar between diabetes type. Over eight years, those with, compared with those without a mental health condition had higher HbA1c at the last visit (9.4%[79 mmol/mol] vs 8.7% [71 mmol/mol], p=0.027), the proportion with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA 60.7% vs 42.7%,p=0.009), smoking (38.4 vs 13.6%,p=0.009), retinopathy (9.0 vs 2.3%,p=0.025), multiple DKAs (28.4 vs 16.0%,p=0.031) were significantly higher. Having a mental health condition was associated with 2.02 (95% Confidence intervals 1.1-3.7) fold increased risk of HbA1c ≥ 9.0%[75mmol/mol]. Changes to the clinic were not associated with improvements in mental health condition (39.0% vs 32.4%, p=0.096). In conclusion, we found that mental health conditions, particularly depression, are common in this population and are associated with diabetes complications. Diabetes type and clinic changes did not affect the reported mental health conditions. Additional strategies are required to reduce complication risks among those with mental health conditions. .

Mental stress is one of the serious factors that lead to many health problems. Scientists and physicians have developed various tools to assess the level of mental stress in its early stages. Several neuroimaging tools have been proposed in the literature to assess mental stress in the workplace. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal is one important candidate because it contain rich information about mental states and condition. In this paper, we review the existing EEG signal analysis methods on the assessment of mental stress. The review highlights the critical differences between the research findings and argues that variations of the data analysis methods contribute to several contradictory results. The variations in results could be due to various factors including lack of standardized protocol, the brain region of interest, stressor type, experiment duration, proper EEG processing, feature extraction mechanism, and type of classifier. Therefore, the significant part related to mental stress recognition is choosing the most appropriate features. In particular, a complex and diverse range of EEG features, including time-varying, functional, and dynamic brain connections, requires integration of various methods to understand their associations with mental stress. Over this, the review suggests fusing the cortical activations with the connectivity network measures and deep learning approaches to improve the accuracy of mental stress level assessment.

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is provoking a prevalent consequence on mental health because of less interaction among people, economic collapse, negativity, fear of losing jobs, and death of the near and dear ones. To express their mental state, people often are using social media as one of the preferred means. Due to reduced outdoor activities, people are spending more time on social media than usual and expressing their emotion of anxiety, fear, and depression. On a daily basis, about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are generated on social media, analyzing this big data can become an excellent means to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on mental health. In this work, we have analyzed data from Twitter microblog (tweets) to find out the effect of COVID-19 on peoples mental health with a special focus on depression. We propose a novel pipeline, based on recurrent neural network (in the form of long-short term memory or LSTM) and convolutional neural network, capable of identifying depressive tweets with an accuracy of 99.42%. Preprocessed using various natural language processing techniques, the aim was to find out depressive emotion from these tweets. Analyzing over 571 thousand tweets posted between October 2019 and May 2020 by 482 users, a significant rise in depressing tweets was observed between February and May of 2020, which indicates as an impact of the long ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among student athlete’s identity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between perceived social support from teammates and mental health in student-athletes. Two studies were conducted to investigate to clarify the mental health states of student-athletes in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Study 1 conducted in April 2020, the participants were 402 male student-athletes, and examined the relationships among student-athlete’s identity and mental health. The results of correlational analyses indicated that there were significant negative correlations between degree of student-athlete’s identity and depression and sports helplessness. In Study 2 conducted in March 2021, the participants were 136 male student-athletes, and examined the relationship between perceived social support from teammates, student-athlete’s identity and mental health. The results indicated that there was significant correlation among social support, student athlete’s identity and mental health. These results suggested that mental health may be improved if student-athletes are strongly aware of their social identity, which is their social role, when unforeseen events such as the COVID-19 pandemic occur. In addition, social support provided by significant others such as teammates may contribute to the improvement of mental health.

The purpose of this article was to check the effects on health of various types of physical activities, diet, BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption and their interrelationships with control for age, sex and level of education. The study was based on epidemiological data (9617 participants from 19 to 81 years old for whom we have health indicators over a period of 11 years) together with questionnaires about diet, alcohol, tobacco and the frequency of different types of physical activities. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric correlational analysis of epidemiological data was performed with use of SPSS v.19. Our results indicate the existence of the significant relationship between leading a healthy life style (type of physical activities, limitations of fats consume and weight maintenance). However, the different categories of physical activities were analysed separately and showed slight differences on health indicators impacts. Our findings confirm that leading a healthy life style (all types of physical activities, limitations of fats consume and weight maintenance) is an important issue since it has a significant relationship with physical and mental health indicators, but outdoor physical activities and practicing sport in group have shown slightly higher impact on health.

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.

Introduction: The majority of epidemiological reports focus on confirmed cases of COVID-19. In this study, we aim to assess the health and well-being of adults not infected with Covid-19 after two months of quarantine in Morocco. Materials and methods: Two months after the declaration of quarantine in Morocco following the Covid-19 epidemic, we carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study of 279 Moroccan citizens. We used the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) as a determinant of quality of life, which is based on eight dimensions of health. The data were collected using an electronic questionnaire distributed online. The participants also indicated their socio-demographic data, their knowledge and practices regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and whether they had chronic health problems. Results: The quality of life of all participants was moderately disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic with a mental health score (MCS) of 34.49 (± 6.44) and a physical health score (PCS) of 36.10 (± 5.82). Participants with chronic diseases scored lower with 29.28 (± 1.23) in mental health (MCS) and 32.51 (± 7.14) in physical health (PCS). The seriousness of COVID-19 has an impact on the quality of life and health well-being of people and this impact is more marked in people with chronic health problems. Conclusion: Our results confirm the need to pay attention to the health of people who have not been infected with the virus. Our results also point out that uninfected people with chronic illnesses may be more likely to have well-being problems due to quarantine restrictions.

Although it may seem paradoxical, primary care and mental health professionals develop prejudices and discriminatory attitudes towards people with mental health problems in a very similar way to the rest of the population. The main objective of this project was to design, implement and evaluate two awareness interventions respectively tailored to reduce stigma and discrimination beliefs and attitudes towards persons with a mental health diagnosis among primary care (PC) and mental health (MH) professionals. These interventions were developed by Obertament, the Catalan alliance against stigma and discrimination in mental health. The TLC3 (Targeted, Local, Credible, Continuous Contact) methodology was adapted to the Catalan PC and MH professional contexts. Activists with lived experience of mental health diagnosis carried out awareness-raising interventions in PC and MH health centres. The efficacy of these interventions was evaluated using two prospective double-blind cluster-wait-list-randomized-controlled trial experimental designs. Stigmatizing beliefs and behaviours were measured with the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers in primary care centres and with the Beliefs and Attitudes towards Mental Health Service users’ rights in mental health centres. Positive reductions in both PC and MH professionals’ stigmatising beliefs and attitudes were found in the 1-month follow-up, although a ‘rebound effect’ at the 3-month follow up was also detected. This emphasizes the importance of the continuity of the presence of anti-stigma activities and messages. Attrition rates where high, which can hamper the reliability of the results. Further follow-up studies should enquiry effects of long-term interventions aimed at reducing stigmatising beliefs and attitudes among primary care and mental health professionals.

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.

Background: Caring for a loved one can be rewarding but also associated with substantial caregiver burden, developing mental outcomes and affecting happiness. Eventually, these physical and psychological disorders can lead to an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system. Meditation has been found to offer multiple benefits to relieve these disorders and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a four-week 16-hour presential meditation program on physiological and psychological parameters and vagal nerve activity in high-burden caregivers, comparing the results with those not receiving this program. Methods: A non-randomized repeated-measures controlled clinical trial was conducted, dividing participants between intervention and control groups by convenience allocation because random assignment was ethically inappropriate. Results: After the meditation program, the experimental group showed a significant reduction in anxiety levels (F= 24.92, p<0.001), a non-significant amelioration of depression levels (F= 1.75, p=0.19), and significantly improved heart rate variability (F= 8.40, p<0.05) and SDNN (F=15.59, p<0.05). Conclusions: Meditation can be a useful therapy to enhance the mental health and autonomic nervous system balance of informal caregivers, improving symptoms of physical and mental overload.

Hope is important in the rehabilitation of persons with schizophrenia, through scales to measure hope are not appropriate for this population. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify the psychometric properties of the Schizophrenia Hope Scale-9 (SHS-9) using data from 83 people with schizophrenia in four mental health centers and 762 healthy persons from two universities in South Korea. The mean (standard deviation) SHS-9 score of the participants with schizophrenia and healthy participants was 11.24 (4.90) and 14.83 (3.10), respectively. Lower scores indicate a lower level of hope. The internal consistency alpha coefficient was 0.92 with a 4-week test-retest reliability of 0.89. Criterion-related construct validity was established by examining the correlation between the SHS-9 and the State-Trait Hope Inventory scores. Divergent validity was identified through a negative relationship of SHS-9 with the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The construct validity of the SHS-9 was confirmed through principal component analysis with extraction methods, which resulted in a one-factor solution, accounting for 49–60% of the total item variance.. This study provided evidence for the validity and reliability of the SHS-9; therefore, it could be used to measure hope in people with schizophrenia.

This review examines from a services perspective strategies for preparedness and response to mental health impacts of three types of climate-related events: 1) acute climate-related events such as hurricanes, floods and wildfires, 2) sub-acute or long-term changes in the environment such as drought and heat stress; and 3) the existential threat of long-lasting changes, including higher temperatures, rising sea levels and a permanently altered and potentially uninhabitable physical environment. Strategies for acute events include development and implementation of guidelines and interventions for monitoring and treating adverse mental health outcomes and strengthening individual and community resilience, training of non-mental health professionals for services delivery, and the mapping of available resources and locations of at-risk populations. Additional strategies for sub-acute changes include advocacy for mitigation policies and programs and adaptation of guidelines and interventions to address the secondary impacts of sub-acute events such as economic loss, threats to livelihood, health and well-being, population and family displacement, environmental degradation and collective violence. Strategies for long-lasting changes include implementation of evidence-based risk communication interventions that address the existential threat of climate change, promoting the mental health benefits of environmental conservation, and promoting positive mental health impacts of climate change.

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.

Social media, traditionally reserved for social exchanges on the net, has been increasingly used by researchers to gain insight into different facets of human life. Unemployment is an area that has gained attention by researchers in various fields. Medical practitioners especially in the area of mental health have traditionally monitored the effects of involuntary unemployment with great interest. In this work, we compare the feedback gathered from social media using crowdsourcing techniques to results obtained prior to the advent of Big Data. We find that the results are consistent in terms of 1) financial strain is the biggest stressor and concern, 2) onslaught of depression is typical and 3) possible interventions including reemployment and support from friends and family is crucial in minimizing the effects of involuntary unemployment. Lastly, we could not find enough evidence to study effects on physical health and somatization in this work.

Objective: The study investigated the benefit of practicing the art of bonsai and the well-being of practitioners. The art promotes relaxation, focus and art therapy that can have personal and emotional value in a self-help setting. When the bonsai tree is used as a healing object, it may improve the ability of the bonsai practitioner to adapt to adverse and stressful life events, such as the present global COVID-19 pandemic. Method: International bonsai artists (n = 255) participated in a study that examined the effect their bonsai had on their mental well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with bonsai artists answering the question: “How has bonsai helped you?”. Results: Most participants acknowledged that being able to take care of their bonsais affected their mood in a positive manner. Discussion: Although the participants did not report overall improved mental health, participants expressed an improvement in their mood when being able to work on a bonsai tree. Conclusion: These findings are significant in that it can be useful in as a preventative and restorative manner in the mental well-being of people who practice the art.

This observational study was ordered by the Medical Practitioners’ Chamber in Warsaw. The objective of the study was to evaluate the health status of physicians in relation to their occupational duties. Professional burnout was considered relative to different features of personality. This study was initially carried out from 2005–2008, but further analysis of burnout and personality was carried out from 2017–2018. The research tools were anonymous, validated questionnaires. The sample size was based on the size of the population— the registry of the Regional Chamber of Medical Practitioners— and literature on burnout prevalence. The respondents’ work places were randomly selected from the Mazovian District register. The test on burnout was completed by 378 respondents, while 62 subjects completed a personality test. Results showed that burnout syndrome was an occupational problem for healthcare workers. Professional burnout affected as many as 42% of respondents(n = 158). It affected two age groups in particular: physicians up to 31 years old and individuals aged 41-50. Moreover, neuroticism was found to be significantly related to burnout syndrome. In conclusion, burnout syndrome is common among medical practitioners, and neuroticism may be correlated with burnout syndrome.

This study investigated the associations of imageability with fear reactivity. Imageability ratings of four word classes: positive and negative (i) emotional and (ii) propriosensitive, neutral and negative (iii) theoretical and (iv) neutral concrete filler, and fear reactivity scores – degree of fearfulness towards different situations (TF score) and total number of extreme fears and phobias (EF score), were obtained from 171 participants. Correlations between imageability, TF and EF scores were tested to analyze how word categories and their valence were associated with fear reactivity. Imageability ratings were submitted to recursive partitioning. Participants with high TF and EF scores had higher imageability for negative emotional and negative theoretical words. The correlations between imageability of negative emotional words and negative theoretical words for EF score were significant. Males showed stronger correlations for imageability of negative emotional words for EF and TF scores. High imageability for positive emotional words was associated with lower fear reactivity in females. These findings were discussed with regard to negative attentional bias theory of anxiety, influence on emotional systems, and gender-specific coping styles. This study provides insight into cognitive functions involved in mental imagery, semantic competence for mental imagery in relation to fear reactivity, and a potential psycholinguistic instrument assessing fear tendency.

Previous research suggests that the economic crisis can affect mental health. The purpose of this study was to analyse the association of risk of poor mental health with various socioeconomic, demographic, health, quality of life and social support variables; and to evaluate the contribution of socioeconomic variables most affected by the beginning of the economic crisis (employment situation and income) on the changes in the prevalence of the risk of poor mental health between 2005 and 2010. A study of prevalence evolution in adult population residents of the Valencian Community in the Spanish Mediterranean was conducted. We studied 5781 subjects in 2005 and 3479 in 2010. Logistic regression models have been adjusted to analyse the association between variables. A standardization procedure was carried out to evaluate which part of the changes in overall prevalence could be attributed to variations in the population structure by age, sex, employment status and income between the years under study. The prevalence of GHQ + increased from 2005 to 2010, in both men and women. Several variables were closely associated with the risk of poor mental health (sex, age, country of birth, number of non-mental chronic diseases, social support, disability, cohabitation in couple, employment status, and income). The changes produced as a result of the onset of the economic crisis in income and unemployment (increase in low income and in unemployment rates) contributed to the increase of poor mental health risk. This could confirm the sensitivity of mental health to the economic deterioration caused by the crisis.

The mental workload induced by a Web page is essential for improving the user’s browsing experience. However, continuously assessing the mental workload during a browsing task is challenging. In order to face this issue, this paper leverages the correlation between stimuli and physiological responses, which are measured with high-frequency, non-invasive psychophysiological sensors during very short span windows. An experiment was conducted to identify levels of mental workload through the analysis of pupil dilation measured by an eye-tracking sensor. In addition, a method was developed to classify real-time mental workload by appropriately combining different signals (electrodermal activity (EDA), electrocardiogram, photoplethysmography (PPG), electroencephalogram (EEG), temperature and eye gaze) obtained with non-invasive psychophysiological sensors. The results show that the Web browsing task involves on average four levels of mental workload. Also, by combining EEG with the PPG and EDA, the accuracy of the classification reaches 95.73 %.

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.

Diabetes and mental disorders have been recognized as two significant public health concerns globally. Recent research indicates that there is a bidirectional relationship between these two conditions, with each influencing the other's course and outcomes. Nutrition plays an essential role in the prevention and treatment of both mental disorders and diabetes. A comprehensive review of existing literature was conducted to examine the impact of anxiety and depression on the development of diabetes and the influence of diabetes on the occurrence of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, the effects of nutrition on the prevention and management of mental disorders, diabetes, and related complications in at risk individuals were assessed. Our findings show that mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and are associated with poorer glycemic control, increased diabetes-related complications, and higher mortality rates. Conversely, diabetes is also linked with an increased risk of developing mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. The biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to the comorbidity between these two conditions are complex and multifaceted. Therefore, an integrated approach to the management of both conditions is critical for improving patient outcomes and reducing the overall burden of disease. Nutritional interventions should be utilized to reduce the risk of diabetes in patients with anxiety and depression as well as enhance mental health in patients with diabetes.

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.

Patients with a psychotic disorder frequently report oral health problems, while mental health nurses (MHNs) seem not to be fully aware of these problems and the risk factors. Therefore, this study aims to develop supportive tools for MHNs regarding oral health to increase sensitization among MHNs and to provide MHNs with knowledge to recognize (potential) oral health problems in patients with a psychotic disorder. We used a human-centered design in which the user, MHNs as well as experts by experience, were placed in the centre of the research process. Problems and needs in MHNs working with patients with a psychotic disorder were addressed. To identify key issues of problem as well as the needs in terms of resources, we started with focus groups (n = 9). We analysed the data thematically based on context of patients and MHNs in practice regarding oral health, preferred oral health tools focused on MHN, and intended outcomes of tools. A Multi Criteria Decision Matrix was developed and analysed (n = 9) to identify the most optimal and viable solution based on established criteria and issues that are prevalent in the work of MHNs. Most promising result was the development of a brochure with an awareness screener. The brochure with awareness screener was developed as a low-fidelity prototype for MHNs regarding oral health in patients with a psychotic disorder, based on the latest scientific evidence. After testing it, the feasibility was tested through semi-structured interviews (n=19). MHNs and experts by experience were satisfied with the tool and provided recommendations for adjustments to the content. Significant augmentations to the brochure include a clinical lesson and a toothbrush with toothpaste for patients. We can conclude that a brochure with an awareness screener is feasible for MHNs. Future steps aiming to further refine and optimize care processes for oral health tools in MHNs, should take refining eligibility criteria for psychiatric populations and the language level of the target group of a tool into account.

New information suggests female autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is much more common than previously thought, with a likely prevalence of 6% and with 80% undiagnosed at the age of 18. ASD then becomes a common comorbidity of female mental illness with nearly one in five women who develop a mental illness being autistic. ASD has heretofore been regarded as a pediatric condition and though now thought to be life long it is still not well recognized by adult health services. Most mental illness first presents in the teens and early twenties. Comorbid ASD is more difficult to diagnose due to diagnostic overshadowing, and ASD comorbidity maks the mental illness more severe and mor difficult to treat. Recognized ASD is readily treatable with an approach sympathetic to neurodiversity. Improving the pathway from adolescence to adulthood by increasing knowledge of autism in adult health services would dramatically improve female mental health at surprisingly little extra cost. It is low hanging fruit in a very fraught area of healthcare. This paper will examine the extent of the problem. It will explore solutions and quantify the gains of appropriate therapy.