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Deleuze and His Critics: Review of Gilles Deleuze and Film Criticism: Philosophy, Theory, and the Individual Film
No full textGilles Deleuze and Film Criticism: Philosophy, Theory, and the Individual Film, edited by Dominic Lash and Hoi Lun Law. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2023. 221 pages. 99.00 eBook
Chronic Illness Education 2024: Addressing Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in the Adult Population
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Susceptibility to Neurodegenerative Disorders: Insights from Paleogenomic Data
No full textAncient human genome data accumulated in recent years can be employed to establish the spatiotemporal trajectories of genetic variants associated with human diseases. Such knowledge might illuminate if and how past adaptations impact contemporary human health and medicine. Scarcely any studies have yet attempted to evaluate genetic susceptibility to neurodegenerative disorders in ancient human communities. Using publicly available ancient human genome-wide data, this study evaluated the molecular predisposition to neurodegenerative disorders in ancient human communities. Ancient genome-wide data was screened for the presence of variants unequivocally associated with neurodegenerative disorders in modern populations, identifying two rare variants in the LRRK2 gene associated with Mendelian Parkinson’s disease, a pathogenic variant in the CRH gene associated with an uncommon form of epilepsy, and a rare variant in the TREM2 gene that is a possible risk modifier associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Their historical and geographic prevalence was also assessed, indicating differing spatiotemporal frequency dynamics for these clinically significant variants. Neurodegenerative disorders often have poorly understood pathogenesis that might be elucidated by studying the interaction of past genetic variability with ecological and evolutionary factors such as adverse environmental conditions, specific selective pressures, periods of population isolation, and admixture processes. Data on molecular predisposition to neurodegenerative disorders in ancient genomes is instructive to modern medical diagnostic and therapeutic practices
Disease and Healing in Ancient Societies: Dental Calculus Residues and Skeletal Pathology Data Indicate Age- and Sex-Biased Medicinal Practices among Native Californians
Get PDFThe health of humans is intricately linked to the substances we ingest—both food and nondietary items. Adverse health outcomes related to smoking of such products as tobacco and other psychoactive substances are clearly established in modern populations but are less well understood for ancient communities. Grasping these dynamics is further complicated by the curative, religious, and medicinal context of many of these substances, which have often been commodified, refined, and altered in recent history. As part of a larger collaboration with the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe dedicated to understanding medicinal plant use among Native Californians, this article summarizes new metabolomic data from three Middle- and Late-Period ancestral heritage Ohlone sites: Thámien Rúmmeytak (CA-SCL-128), ’Ayttakiš ’Éete Hiramwiš Trépam-tak (CA-ALA-677/H), and Síi Túupentak (CA-ALA-565/H). The authors used an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry platform to analyze chemical residues from 95 human dental calculus samples from 50 burials. Using multivariate statistics, they coanalyzed demographic and skeletal pathology data with chemical residue profiles and considered skeletal markers for a series of oral and postcranial health conditions. Results indicate sex and age biases in consumption patterns. Periodontitis stands out as the most significant local factor for changes in the oral metabolome. However, while chemical markers of oral diseases may be related to pathogen activity, associations between residues and postcranial conditions such as osteoarthritis suggest traditional curative practices and the ingestion of medicinal substances. Hence, this study yields new insights into the broader context of illness and healing in the past
Exploring the Neural Correlates of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Youth
Get PDFMindfulness based interventions (MBI) reduce the severity of anxiety and depression among a variety of populations. While the psychological benefits of MBIs are increasingly recognized, less is known about the underlying neural correlates—particularly during childhood and adolescence, a time when many psychopathologies begin to emerge. Here, we provide the first systematic review on the neural correlates of MBI in youth. We reviewed the PubMed database for original articles examining the neural correlates of MBI in youth (0-18 years) leveraging neuroimaging. The search yielded 331 studies, of which 13 were included in the review. These studies comprised 451 participants and were summarized following PRISMA guidelines. Thirteen studies were functional magnetic resonance imaging (n=4 task-based, n=7 resting-state, n=2 graph theory) and two were structural. Most studies (n=10) included non-typically developing adolescents (e.g. familial risk for bipolar disorder) and the remainder were typically developing. Results from the studies were mixed. However, multiple studies reported reduced default mode network (DMN) activity during meditation, increased resting-state connectivity within fronto-parietal and salience networks, and increased fractional anisotropy in various in white matter pathways, following a MBI. Further research is necessary to clarify the diverse ways in which mindfulness affects neural connectivity and structure in both typically developing and non-typically developing youth. This is crucial due to its potential implications for psychopathology, with hyperactivity of the DMN implicated in processes such as rumination and increased risk of depression
Peer-to-Peer Model to Educate and Spread Awareness of Vaccines in Detroit
Get PDFSince the COVID-19 pandemic, national vaccination rates show a dangerous decline with Detroit being amongst the lowest with only 41.3% of adolescents completing the vaccine series. The Vaccine Ambassador program was created to mitigate the decline in vaccination rates through the education and empowerment of youth via train-the-trainer model of education.
The program was implemented over the course of two years with a total of 28 high school students who received education on the history and mechanism of vaccines, herd immunity, and how to effectively communicate. The program was created in collaboration with physicians in Infectious Diseases and a professor of communication at Wayne State University.
Ambassadors aimed to spread this knowledge to youth in Detroit communities through outreach events. The impact of the program was measured through a two-pronged approach—through a pre- and post-survey given to the Vaccine Ambassadors and through a pre- and post-test given to the youth at the events. The survey for the Ambassadors included thirty-one items that measured their knowledge about vaccines and immunity. The test for the youth at the outreach events included seven items that tested knowledge about vaccines.
Based on both pre-test responses, it is apparent that Detroit’s youth lack knowledge regarding vaccines. The Vaccine Ambassador program increased the ambassador’s depth of knowledge and reaffirmed their positive attitudes about vaccines. Youth can apply their knowledge and teach others, and by doing so, can make informed decisions when older and enact behavioral changes that promote healthier living
Exploring the Relationship of Varying Hydrocephalus Severity on CSF Dynamics in a Pediatric Hydrocephalus Rodent Model
Get PDFHydrocephalus causes neurological effects and high intracranial pressure (ICP) in the pediatric condition. Studies observing the relationship between ICP and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production in an electrical resistance model have been performed, but less has been done to define this relationship in living organisms. This study explored CSF flow dynamics as a consequence of hydrocephalus severity utilizing a novel model.
The model induced hydrocephalus in rats through injecting 30-50 micrometers of 25% (w/v) kaolin into the cisterna magna to obstruct CSF outflow. After 15-16 days of acclimation, the rats were anesthetized with isoflurane. A Transonic SP200 pressure transducer was inserted into the femoral artery and advanced to the thoracic aorta to measure mean arterial pressure, heart rate, contractility index, and pulse height. While maintaining the probe, a craniotomy was performed and CSF flow was measured via Sensiron SLI 0430 simultaneously to measurement of the cardiac variables. Rats were euthanized for investigation of the degree of ventriculomegaly by Evan’s Ratio of the whole brain. The hydrocephalic ventricles were compared to controls that had CSF flow obstructed immediately before measurements to direct flow towards the probe.
Evan’s Ratios were compared to CSF flow to see if there were linear relationships, but no significant relationships were observed (R2=0.182; n=12).
This model was useful in measuring CSF flow and cardiac function, but further exploration of non-linear/multi-regression relationships between these variables is warranted. Confounding variables such as probe placement and environmental conditions, may have impacted outcomes, requiring additional control in the future
Utilizing Bibliometrics to Understand the Role of Machine Learning in the Current Orthopedic Arthroplasty Literature
Get PDFBackground: Machine learning technology has been demonstrated to be a very useful tool in current orthopedic research. Furthermore, machine learning has shown to be quite impactful in the field of arthroplasty solving many clinical and scientific problems, leading to greater utilization in retrospective studies. This current study aims to identify machine learning arthroplasty research and predict future hotspots. We hypothesize that the production of current scientific literature on machine learning will be produced by US-based national institutions and will have exponentially grown in the past 5 years.
Methods: Machine learning arthroplasty publications between 1996 and 2023 were identified using the Web of Science Core Collection of Clarivate Analytics. Then bibliometric indicators were obtained and imported for further analysis with VOSviewer and Bibliometreix to identify previous and ongoing trends within this field.
Results: The bibliometric sourcing identified a total of 235 documents that were associated with machine learning applications to arthroplasty. 34 countries published articles on the topic and the United States demonstrated to be the largest contributor. The year 2022 had the highest number of publications produced in a year, totaling 66 articles. A total of 405 institutions across the world had published articles, the most relevant institutions with the highest production were Harvard University and Harvard Medical School with 41 and 34 articles produced respectively. Kwon YM was the most productive author while Haeberle HS and Ramkumar PN are the most impactful based on h-index. Co-occurrence visualization and thematic map identified niche and major themes within the literature.
Conclusions: Machine learning in arthroplasty research continues to show an increasing trend since 2021 with contributions from authors and institutions globally. United States institutions and authors are the leading contributors to machine learning applications in arthroplasty research. This study identifies previous, current, and developing trends within this field for future hotspot development
Mental Health Attitudes and Perspectives of Arab Americans: Beliefs Associated with Stigma, Treatment, and the Origins of Pathology
Get PDFPurpose:
Arab Americans are one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States. Despite elevated incidence of mental illness and diminished rates of treatment within this community, the mental health of Arab Americans, along with their attitudes towards mental health, has not received adequate study. Unique cultural interpretations of mental illness may engender stigma, exacerbating disparities in treatment. This study aimed to assess the attitudes and perspectives of Arab Americans concerning mental illness, with the goal of identifying and addressing barriers to treatment.
Methods:
Using an anonymous bilingual Qualtrics survey, we assessed Arab and non-Arab participants (n = 294; ages 18+) on their conceptualizations of the causes of mental illness and on their stigma towards mental illness and mental health treatments. Comparisons were performed between Arabs and non-Arabs, as well as among Arabs.
Results:
Compared to non-Arabs, Arabs reported higher average mental illness stigma and were more likely to rate psychiatric medications as addictive and unhelpful. Among Arabs, being Christian, male, and older (\u3e29 years old) were each associated with higher stigma. Arabs were less likely than non-Arabs to believe in a biological explanation for mental illness.
Conclusion:
Our results demonstrate higher levels of stigma towards mental illness among Arab Americans, especially Christian, male, and older Arabs, potentially related to a weaker belief in a biomedical model for mental illness. These are among the first findings describing mental illness stigma and beliefs about mental health in the Arab American population, offering potential guidance for forthcoming community interventions to deliver culturally competent care