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“It makes it more real to you”: Abortion attitudes following experience and contact with abortion
Get PDFIntroduction:
When positioned as part of a cluster of related social and political attitudes, abortion attitudes are characterized as somewhat fixed from a young age. The extent to which abortion attitudes are malleable, and can be shaped by experience, is under-researched in the United Kingdom (UK).
Methods:
To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured interviews with individuals with (N = 12) and without (N = 16) abortion experience living in the United Kingdom, consisting of England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Inductive thematic analysis was used to address the research question: How does experience and/or contact with abortion shape attitudes towards abortion?
Results:
The theme From Abstract Idea to Reality illustrates participants' understanding of how abortion attitudes are developed by contact with real, lived experiences of abortion—someone's own and/or their friends’ or acquaintances’ abortions. Participants were clear that proximity to abortion helped them, and others, to see abortion as tangible, personal, and sensory (“reality”) as opposed to intangible, imagined, and conceptual (“abstract”). Subthemes capture our participants’ understanding of abortion as a reality as opposed to something imagined; abortion is a complex issue and abortion experiences are varied (Complexity of Abortion), attitudes towards abortion are largely stable (Consistency of Attitudes), and abortion, and the people who seek abortion in the United Kingdom, is still stigmatized (Persistent Stigma).
Conclusion:
Our themes and discussion provide direction for future scholarship considering contact as a stigma reduction strategy, highlighting some potential benefits but also urging caution in oversimplifying a complicated social issue
Analytical Method and Experimental Verification of Aerostatic Spindle Design Based on the Coupling Effect of Ultra-precision Grinding
Get PDF摘要:超精密内圆磨床工件轴采用空气静压支承，其在超精密内圆磨削过程中与砂轮轴间的耦合效应往往会改变空气静压主 轴的回转精度并引入新的误差，对加工过程和工件精度有重要影响。提出了一种新的建模方法来研究空气静压主轴回转的耦 合效应及对超精密磨削过程的影响。将工件轴-砂轮轴组成的磨削系统作为一个整体加工闭环系统来进行设计分析。为了科学 地解析这一过程，以开发的超精密内圆磨床为研究对象，建立空气静压主轴双转子耦合模型，评估了空气静压轴承参数和超 精密内圆磨削过程对主轴动态响应的影响。并进一步分析耦合效应在亚微米-纳米尺度下对加工表面形貌的影响。研究发现， 空气静压轴承参数和动态磨削力对主轴振动有很大的影响，会降低表面加工质量，而最终的加工表面形貌由磨削系统和磨削 过程的耦合共同影响决定。研究最后展示了加工试验验证，用频谱分析方法得到了加工表面的圆度误差，试验与分析结果一 致，进一步验证了该方法的精密工程可靠性和应用性，该研究对于设计分析高精度空气静压主轴与科学的理解超精密内圆磨 削系统中空气静压主轴耦合效应具有重要意义。The utilization of aerostatic spindles in various applications is accompanied by the presence of coupling effects at the spindles and the machining system during the machining process. These coupling effects inherently result in a decrease in the spindle rotational motion accuracy, subsequently introducing additional errors significantly influencing both the machining process and the precision of the workpiece. The phenomenon of coupling in ultra-precision internal grinding might result in alterations to the rotary precision of the aerostatic spindle. This research presents a novel modeling approach for investigating the coupling effects of the aerostatic spindle rotary and its impact on the grinding process. The comprehensive analysis of the grinding system, which includes the workpiece spindle and the grinding wheel spindle, is conducted. The research investigates the utilization of the developed ultra-precision internal grinding machine to provide a comprehensive explanation of the process. To assess the impact of the aerostatic bearing parameters and the grinding process on the dynamic response of the spindle, a double-rotor coupling model is established. Furthermore, an analysis is conducted to examine the impact of the coupling effect on the surface topography at the submicron scale. The influence of bearing settings and dynamic grinding force on spindle vibration, which can lead to a degradation in machining quality, has been observed. Additionally, the final surface topography is defined through the coupling effects of the grinding system and the grinding process. The study concluded with the execution of machining experiments, wherein the roundness error of the machined surface was determined using spectral analysis. The obtained results from both the experimental and analytical approaches exhibited consistency, thereby confirming the reliability of the employed method. This research holds substantial importance in the realm of high-precision aerostatic spindles design and provides valuable insights into the coupling effects between the workpiece spindles and wheel spindles within the grinding system
Integrating clinical risk-predictors and liquid biopsies as potential biomarkers of endometrial cancer: Insights into metabolic and molecular processes
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonEndometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological malignancy in developed countries, with its incidence rising significantly over the last two decades. This increase is largely attributed to an aging population and escalating obesity rates. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have identified key risk factors for EC development, including elevated body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and nulliparity. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions closely related to these risk factors. MetS is also independently associated with EC and characterised by low-grade chronic inflammation, driven by abnormal adipokine signalling from white adipose tissue. Large biomedical databases such as the UK Biobank and the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) enable robust longitudinal analyses to elucidate EC pathogenesis and identify key risk predictors using advanced statistical methodologies, such as hazard regression analysis and machine learning. Chapter one focuses on analysing components of MetS to assess their association with EC development, highlighting differences in risk between pre- and post-menopausal women. Using six readily available clinical parameters, a neural networking algorithm was externally validated to predict the ten-year risk of EC. While the algorithm did not achieve optimal performance, the findings emphasise the need for further refinement and the incorporation of biomarkers to enhance discriminatory ability of risk prediction models. Even the best performing existing models fail to achieve sufficient predictive accuracy for clinical adoption, underscoring the urgent need for robust risk stratification methods in EC.
Biochemical variables, when combined with clinical risk predictors, often enhance the predictive accuracy of diagnostic models and hence chapter two examines the current state of liquid biopsy in EC diagnostics through a systematic review and meta-analysis of blood-based biomarkers. Promising adipokines such as leptin, visfatin, and adiponectin demonstrate potential diagnostic value but lack validation in large studies that would enable widespread clinical adoption. Additionally, asprosin, a fasting-induced adipokine linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and PCOS, is investigated for its potential role in EC pathogenesis and as a predictive biomarker. While no single biomarker achieves sufficient sensitivity or specificity for EC screening, the use of biomarker panels show promise in improving diagnostic accuracy.
Chapter three delves into the role of asprosin in EC. This work includes analyses of receptor expression for the posited receptors of asprosin, OR4M1, TLR4, and PTPRD in EC cell lines and tissues. Immunofluorescence confirmed receptor expression of these receptors across four EC cell lines, while immunohistochemistry revealed strong PTPRD expression and minimal TLR4 expression in both normal and cancerous endometrial tissues, with no significant differences established. Short-term treatment with asprosin did not induce changes in receptor expression patterns seen in EC cell lines. Transcriptomic analyses using RNA sequencing revealed upregulation of genes such as DDIT4, which is implicated in glycolytic pathways and hallmarks of cancer. These findings suggest that asprosin’s role in EC may involve complex cancer-associated signalling pathways requiring further investigation.
The final chapter presents a clinical study analysing plasma adipokines and their receptor expression in EC cases and controls. Plasma leptin levels were significantly higher in EC patients, independent of age or BMI. The free leptin index (FLI), a measure combining leptin and soluble leptin receptor levels, emerged as the most sensitive adipokine based diagnostic measure with an AUC of 0.79. Furthermore, bioinformatic analyses demonstrated significantly increased expression of the candidate asprosin receptors TLR4 and PTPRD in EC cases compared to controls, supporting their potential as diagnostic targets.
This thesis contributes to advancing EC research by highlighting the interplay between metabolic dysfunction and EC pathogenesis. It underscores the importance of integrating clinical and molecular data to develop more accurate risk prediction and diagnostic tools. Future studies focusing on biomarker panels and functional analyses of adipokine signalling pathways are essential for achieving clinically impactful advancements in EC prevention and early detection.
Surfactant-Modified Progesterone-Loaded PVP/Cellulose Fibres for Future Drug Delivery Applications in Menopause
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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.Menopause often results in symptoms that impact physical and mental well-being, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) using progesterone (PGS) is a common treatment. This study explores PGS-loaded transdermal cellulose-based binary fibres as a potential adjunct for oestrogen in HRT. Using ethyl cellulose (EC) and cellulose acetate (CA) bound with Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), the release of PGS is studied via a Franz Diffusion Cell system. Various analyses, including rheology, SEM, FTIR, in vitro drug release, and mathematical modelling, are conducted. SEM revealed that CA fibres are thinner than EC fibres, and FTIR showed more uniform PGS distribution in CA fibres. In vitro drug release tests indicated 400–600 µg of PGS is released from 11.9 mg fibre patches into 5mL PBS within 70 min, demonstrating effective drug penetration. Adding Polysorbate 80 (PS80) significantly increased PGS release. The Makoid-Banakar model best suited EC fibres, while both the Makoid-Banakar and Peppas Sahlin models fit CA fibres. These findings suggest that the fibrous patches offer a convenient, minimally invasive, and personalised method for delivering precise PGS doses in HRT. The study sets a strong foundation for further in vivo and cytotoxicity testing to validate the clinical effectiveness and safety of these patches in alleviating menopausal symptoms. Omar Shafi (OS) would like to thank the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust and UCL Mechanical Engineering for the financial and academic support throughout his PhD studies. Also, OS wishes to thank London Gynaecology for access to the clinical environment and expertise to supplement the research experience
Adoption of the Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines within health psychology and behavioural medicine journal policies: a cross-sectional study
Get PDFSupplemental material is available online at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17437199.2025.2516010# .Scientific journals play a crucial role in promoting open science. The Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines identify a range of standards that journals can adopt to promote the verifiability of the research they publish. We evaluated the adoption of TOP standards within health psychology and behavioural medicine journal policies, as this had not yet been systematically assessed. In a cross-sectional study on 19 health psychology and behavioural medicine journals, eight raters evaluated TOP standard adoption by these journals using the TRUST journal policy evaluation tool. Out of a total possible score of 29, journal scores ranged from 1 to 13 (median = 6). Standards related to use of reporting guidelines and data transparency were adopted the most, whereas standards related to pre-registration of study analysis plans and citation of code were adopted the least. TOP guidelines have to-date been poorly adopted within health psychology and behavioural medicine journal policies. There are several relatively straightforward opportunities for improvement, such as expanding policies around research data to also consider code and materials, and reducing ambiguity of wording. However, other improvements may require a collaborative approach involving all research stakeholders
Aquarius helicase facilitates HIV-1 integration into R-loop enriched genomic regions
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All relevant data supporting the key findings of this study are available within the article and its Supplementary Information files. BioProject and associated SRA metadata for DRIPc-seq from activated CD4+ T cells, as well as HIV-1 integration sites from AQR KO CD4 T cells and integration sites from siCTRL or siAQR HEK293T cells upon HIV-1 infection or MLV-based vector transduction, are available as part of the project PRJNA1055299 at https://dataview.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/object/PRJNA1055299. The integration site sequencing data are also listed in Supplementary Tables 2 and 3. Source data are provided with this paper.Code availability:All code accompanying this paper is available in GitHub at https://github.com/MaKuzman/R-loops-code (ref. 81) and https://github.com/bsrezovic/HIV_Rloops/ (ref. 82). There are no restrictions to code access.Extended data are available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-025-02089-2#Sec44 .Supplementary information is available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-025-02089-2#Sec45 .Source data are available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-025-02089-2#Sec46 .HIV-1 integration into host chromosomes, essential for viral replication, is catalysed by viral integrase (IN). IN recurrently targets intronic regions of transcriptionally active genes, but a detailed understanding of this process is still unclear. Here, using ex vivo activated human primary CD4+T cells, we find that genomic RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops) preferentially map to intronic regions of active genes that are typical HIV-1 integration sites. IN binds R-loops and their resolution enhances viral integration in vitro. We identify Aquarius (AQR), the splicing RNA helicase of the pentameric intron binding complex (IBC), which associates with IN and show that its RNA:DNA helicase activity promotes integration into hybrid substrates in vitro. Knockout of AQR in primary CD4+ T cells impaired overall integration efficiency, while sequencing of remaining integrations mapped them to intergenic and R-loop distal regions. These findings may have important implications for HIV-1 latency and reactivation and may thus identify novel therapeutic targets.This research was supported by DFG SFB1129 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) Project number 240245660-SFB 1129, Project 20 to M.L., by the DFG Priority Program (SPP2202 3D Genome Architecture in Development and Diseases Project ‘Nuclear landscape of HIV-1 infection in microglia—an unexplored HIV reservoir’ 422856668) to M.L., by DFG Project number 455044444 ‘Unraveling epigenetic and metabolic interplay during cell fate transition of HIV-1 infected T cells’ to M.L. and B.L., and by the German Center for Infection Research, DZIF (TTU04.820 (HIV reservoir) and TTU04.709 (Preclinical HIV-1 Research)), to M.L. and by R61DA059924 (NIH/NIDA) (M.L. co-PI). We acknowledge the Wellcome Trust for supporting V. Pena with grant 220300Z/20/Z. Funding for publication costs was provided by DFG SFB1129 Project number 240245660- SFB 1129, Project 20 to M.L
Bi-level optimization of configurations and scheduling for the multi-microgrid system (MMS) considering shared hybrid electric-hydrogen energy storage service
Get PDFShared energy storage helps lower user investment costs and enhances energy efficiency, which is considered a pivotal driver in accelerating the green transition of energy sectors. In view of the increasing demand for hydrogen, this paper proposes a bi-level optimization of configurations and scheduling for combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) microgrid systems considering shared hybrid electric-hydrogen energy storage service. The upper-level model addresses the capacity allocation problem of energy storage stations, while the lower-level model optimizes the operational strategies for the multi-microgrid system(MMS). To resolve the complexity of the coupled bi-level problem, Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions and the Big-M method are applied to reformulate it into a solvable mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model, compatible with CPLEX. The economic viability and rationality of the proposed approach are verified through comparisons of three cases. Numerical results show that the proposed approach reduces user annual costs by 20.15% compared to MMS without additional energy storage equipment and achieves 100% renewable absorption. For operators, it yields 5.71 M CNY annual profit with 3.02-year payback. Compared to MMS with electricity sharing, it further cuts user costs by 3.84%, boosts operator profit by 60.71%, and shortens payback by 15.88%
Concurrent validity, test–retest reliability, and normative properties of the ignite app: A cognitive assessment for frontotemporal dementia.
Get PDFSupplemental material is available online at: https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/neu0001005.supp .Objective: Digital biomarkers can provide frequent, real-time monitoring of health-related behavior and could play an important role in the assessment of cognition in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, the validity and reliability of digital biomarkers as measures of cognitive function must first be determined. Method: The Ignite cognitive app contains iPad-based measures of executive function, social cognition, and other domains affected in FTD. Here we describe the normative properties of the Ignite tests, evaluate associations with gold-standard neuropsychological tests, and investigate test–retest reliability through two healthy control studies. Over 2,000 cognitively normal adults aged 20–80 years were recruited to complete the Ignite app remotely. A separate cohort of 98 healthy controls completed Ignite at two timepoints (7 days apart), a pen and paper neuropsychology battery, and a User Experience Questionnaire. Results: Significant associations were found between age and performance on several Ignite measures of processing speed (r = 0.42–0.56, p 90%) rated the app favorably, stating it was enjoyable and easy to complete unsupervised. Conclusions: These findings offer early support for the validity of the Ignite tests suggesting they measure the intended cognitive processes, capture a stable picture of performance over time, and are well accepted in healthy controls. This work supports the feasibility of administering the app remotely and its potential utility as a cognitive tool in FTD; however, validation is ongoing, and further work is required before Ignite can be used as an endpoint in clinical trials. Key Points
Question: How valid and reliable is the Ignite cognitive app in measuring key cognitive domains? Findings: Preliminary evidence suggests that the app offers a useful and consistent measure of cognitive performance, though its validation remains an ongoing process. Importance: Designed for remote use, the app allows individuals to complete assessments from home on an iPad, making it especially valuable for monitoring brain health over time, such as in clinical trials for frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a condition that impacts cognitive abilities. With its user-friendly design and positive reception from participants, Ignite shows promise as a research tool. Next Steps: Future studies will further explore its validity using updated versions of the app to ensure its effectiveness in detecting early cognitive impairments in individuals at risk of developing FTD.This article was funded by the National Brain Appeal awarded to Rhian S. Convery. Open Access funding provided by UCL Institute of Neurology
H-SynEx: Using synthetic images and ultra-high resolution ex vivo MRI for hypothalamus subregion segmentation
Get PDFA preprint version of the article is archived on this institutional repository under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). It has not been certified by peer review. You are advised to consult the version of record published by Elsevier on 25 Sep 2025 at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artmed.2025.103271 .The preprint version is also available at arXiv:2401.17104v2 [eess.IV] for this version), https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.17104. Submission history: From: Livia Rodrigues [view email]: [v1] Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:36:02 UTC (2,991 KB); [v2] Mon, 1 Jul 2024 22:33:32 UTC (5,149 KB).The hypothalamus is a small structure located in the center of the brain and is involved in significant functions such as sleeping, temperature, and appetite control. Various neurological disorders are also associated with hypothalamic abnormalities. Automated image analysis of this structure from brain MRI is thus highly desirable to study the hypothalamus in vivo. However, most of the automated segmentation tools currently available focus exclusively on T1w images. In this study, we introduce H-SynEx, a machine learning method for automated segmentation of hypothalamic subregions that generalizes across different MRI sequences and resolutions without retraining. H-synEx was trained with synthetic images built from label maps derived from ultra-high resolution ex vivo MRI scans, allowing finer-grained manual segmentation when compared with 1 mm isometric in vivo images. We validated our method using Dice Coefficient (DSC) and Average Hausdorff distance (AVD) across in vivo images from six different datasets with six different MRI sequences (T1, T2, proton density, quantitative T1, fractional anisotropy, and FLAIR). Statistical analysis compared hypothalamic subregion volumes in controls, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) subjects using the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUROC) and the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Our results show that H-SynEx successfully leverages information from ultra-high resolution scans to segment in vivo from different MRI sequences. Our automated segmentation was able to discriminate controls versus patients with Alzheimer’s disease on FLAIR images with 5 mm spacing. H-SynEx is openly available at https://github.com/liviamarodrigues/hsynex.L. Rodrigues acknowledges the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (88887.716540/2022-00). M. Bocchetta is supported by a Fellowship award from the Alzheimer’s Society, UK (AS-JF-19a-004-517). J.E. Iglesias acknowledges NIH 1RF1MH123195, 1R01AG070988, and a grant from the Jack Satter foundation. L. Rittner acknowledges CNPq 313598/2020-7 and FAPESP 2013/07559-3. S. Appenzeller acknowledges CAPES Print , CAPES 001 e BRAINN
Predictive Accuracy of Impulse Responses Estimated Using Local Projections and Vector Autoregressions
Get PDFFor the purpose of open access, the authors have applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising.JEL Classification: C32; C53.We examine the finite-sample accuracy of impulse responses obtained using local projections (LP) and vector autoregressive (VAR) models. In view of the fact that impulse responses are differences between multistep predictors, we propose to assess the relative performance of impulse-response estimators using tests for equal predictive accuracy. In our Monte Carlo experiments, LP-based and VAR-based estimators are found to be equally accurate in large samples under a mean-squared-error risk function. VAR-based estimators tend to have an advantage over LP-based estimators in small and moderately sized samples, particularly at long horizons
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