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Inter-relationships between ADHD, ODD and impulsivity dimensions in emerging adults revealed by network analysis: Extending the ‘trait impulsivity hypothesis’
Full text linkBackground
The trait-impulsivity hypothesis posits impulsivity as the underlying substrate of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptom expressions. The current study applied network analysis to evaluate the inter-relationships of dimensions within ADHD (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity) and ODD (anger/irritable, vindictiveness, and argumentative/defiant behavior) with components of impulsivity as captured by the UPPS-P model (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency).
Method
A total of 324 emerging adults (women = 246) from the general community completed questionnaires covering these dimensions.
Results
Our findings showed that the ADHD and ODD dimensions were associated differentially with different types of impulsivity, in their unique patterns of network connectivities, a possibility that has had little attention in the trait-impulsivity hypothesis literature.
Conclusions
This study is the first to tease out the unique associations of the ADHD and ODD dimensions with different types of impulsivity, and in that way provide new contributions to our understanding of the existing trait impulsivity theory. Our findings would be especially relevant to those interested in understanding how different dimensions of trait impulsivity underly the ADHD and ODD dimensions
Understanding the impact and tackling the burden of osteoarthritis for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Full text linkObjective
The aim of this study was to understand and describe the lived experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with osteoarthritis.
Methods
Qualitative study guided by cultural security, which ensures that research is conducted in a way that will not compromise the cultural values, beliefs, and expectations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Participants were purposively sampled through the networks of project staff. Research yarns (a cultural form of conversation used as a data gathering tool) were conducted with 25 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults with self-reported osteoarthritis in Western Australia and Victoria, Australia. Data were analyzed using a framework approach and presented through composite storytelling (hypothetical stories representing an amalgam of participants’ experiences).
Results
Two composite stories were constructed to reflect themes relating to beliefs and knowledge, impact, coping, and health care experiences. Common beliefs held by participants were that osteoarthritis is caused by previous physically active lifestyles. Many participants feared for their future, increasing disability and needing a wheelchair. Pain associated with osteoarthritis impacted daily activities, sleep, work, family, and social life and cultural activities. Multidimensional impacts were often experienced within complex health or life circumstances and associated with increased anxiety and depression. Most participants reported negative health care experiences, characterized by poor patient–provider communication.
Conclusion
Our findings highlight that osteoarthritis is a multidimensional issue for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that permeates all aspects of life and highlights the need for integrated, multidisciplinary care that is culturally informed and individualized to patient need
Involvement of Methoprene‐tolerant and Krüppel homolog 1 in juvenile hormone‐mediated vitellogenesis of female Liposcelis entomophila (end.) (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae)
Full text linkMethoprene-tolerant (Met) as an intracellular receptor of juvenile hormone (JH) and the Krüppel-homolog 1 (Kr-h1) as a JH-inducible transcription factor had been proved to contribute to insect reproduction. Their functions vary in different insect orders, however, they are not clear in Psocoptera. In this study, LeMet and LeKr-h1 were identified and their roles in vitellogenesis and ovarian development were investigated in Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein). Treatment with exogenous JH III significantly induced the expression of LeKr-h1, LeVg, and LeVgR. Furthermore, silencing LeMet and LeKr-h1 remarkably reduced the transcription of LeVg and LeVgR, disrupted the production of Vg in fat body and the uptake of Vg by oocytes, and ultimately led to a decline in fecundity. The results indicated that the JH signaling pathway was essential to the reproductive process of this species. Interestingly, knockdown of LeMet or LeKr-h1 also resulted in fluctuations in the expression of FoxO, indicating the complex regulatory interactions between different hormone factors. Besides, knockdown of both LeMet and LeKr-h1 significantly increased L. entomophila mortality. Our study provides initial insight into the roles of JH signaling in the female reproduction of psocids and provided evidence that RNAi-mediated knockdown of Met or Kr-h1 is a potential pest control strategy
First report of Fusarium proliferatum causing wilt and root rot disease on wild accessions of pigeonpea from India
No full textPigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) is the sixth most important legume crop in the world. India is the largest producer and consumer. Approximately 15–20% wild pigeonpea plants from three distinct genera (Cajanus spp., Rhynchosia spp. and Flemingia spp.) in the Research Farm of ICAR-IIPR, Kanpur, India, during 2019–20 were visually affected by wilt and root rot symptoms at flowering and fruiting stage..
Bodies of/at Work: How women of colour experienced their workplaces and have been expected to ‘Perform’ during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textAlmost 50 years ago, Edward Said wrote on ‘the other’ in relation to race and gender in his path-breaking book Orientalism (1978). While much has evolved around notions of gendered and racialised otherness since then, Said’s conceptualisation still resonates today. Our paper reports on a 2020/2021 survey of Women of Colour in the Australian workplace. The survey was conducted during the pandemic by Women of Colour Australia, a not-for-profit group, working with the lead author. We focus on the qualitative answers from participants, many of which detail sometimes painful and extremely personal workplace experiences. More than 500 Women of Colour, including seven per cent who were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, completed the survey. Sixty per cent said they had experienced discrimination in the workplace, despite 59 per cent of participants saying their workplace had a Diversity and Inclusion policy. Participants had to ‘perform’ their identities whilst being subjected to intersectional issues of racism and sexism, some of which the pandemic exacerbated. Our paper describes the harmful ramifications of gendered othering of Women of Colour for Australian organisations and society in the years of the pandemic
Active congestion quantification and reliability improvement considering aging failure in modern distribution networks
Full text linkThe enormous concerns of climate change and traditional resource crises lead to the increased use of distributed generations (DGs) and electric vehicles (EVs) in distribution networks. This leads to significant challenges in maintaining safe and reliable network operations due to the complexity and uncertainties in active distribution networks, e.g., congestion and reliability problems. Effective congestion management (CM) policies require appropriate indices to quantify the seriousness and customer contributions to congested areas. Developing an accurate model to identify the residual life of aged equipment is also essential in long-term CM procedures. The assessment of network reliability and equipment end-of-life failure also plays a critical role in network planning and regulation.
The main contributions of this thesis include a) outlining the specific characteristics of congestion events and introducing the typical metrics to assess the effectiveness of CM approaches; b) proposing spatial, temporal and aggregate indices for rapidly recognizing the seriousness of congestion in terms of thermal and voltage violations, and proposing indices for quantifying the customer contributions to congested areas; c) proposing an improved method to estimate the end-of-life failure probabilities of transformers and cables lines taking real-time relative aging speed and loss-of-life into consideration; d) quantifying the impact of different levels of EV penetration on the network reliability considering end-of-life failure on equipment and post-fault network reconfiguration; and e) proposing an EV smart charging optimization model to improve network reliability and reduce the cost of customers and power utilities.
Simulation results illustrate the feasibility of the proposed indices in rapidly recognizing the congestion level, geographic location, and customer contributions in balanced and unbalanced systems. Voltage congestion can be significantly relieved by network reconfiguration and the utilization of the proposed indices by utility operators in CM procedures is also explained. The numerical studies also verify that the improved Arrhenius-Weibull can better indicate the aging process and demonstrate the superior accuracy of the proposed method in identifying residual lives and end-of-life failure probabilities of transformers and conductors. The integration of EV has a great impact on equipment aging failure probability and loss-of-life, thus resulting in lower network reliability and higher cost for managing aging failure. Finally, the proposed piecewise linear optimization model of the EV smart charging framework can significantly improve network reliability by 90% and reduce the total cost by 83.8% for customers and power utilities
Statistical analysis plan for the stepped wedge clinical trial Healing Right Way—enhancing rehabilitation services for Aboriginal Australians after brain injury
Full text linkBackground
Aboriginal Australians are known to suffer high levels of acquired brain injury (stroke and traumatic brain injury) yet experience significant barriers in accessing rehabilitation services. The aim of the Healing Right Way trial is to evaluate a culturally secure intervention for Aboriginal people with newly acquired brain injury to improve their rehabilitation experience and quality of life. Following publication of the trial protocol, this paper outlines the statistical analysis plan prior to locking the database.
Methods
The trial involves a stepped wedge design with four steps over 3 years. Participants were 108 adult Aboriginal Australians admitted to one of eight hospitals (four rural, four urban) in Western Australia within 6 weeks of onset of a new stroke or traumatic brain injury who consented to follow-up for 26 weeks. All hospital sites started in a control phase, with the intervention assigned to pairs of sites (one metropolitan, one rural) every 26 weeks until all sites received the intervention. The two-component intervention involves training in culturally safe care for hospital sites and enhanced support provided to participants by Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinators during their hospital stay and after discharge. The primary outcome is quality of life as measured by the Euro QOL–5D-3L VAS. A mixed effects linear regression model will be used to assess the between-group difference at 26 weeks post-injury. The model will control for injury type and severity, age at recruitment and time since commencement of the trial, as fixed effects. Recruitment site and participant will be included as random effects. Secondary outcomes include measurements of function, independence, anxiety and depression, carer strain, allied health occasions of service received and hospital compliance with minimum processes of care based on clinical guidelines and best practice models of care.
Discussion
The trial will provide the first data surrounding the effectiveness of an intervention package for Aboriginal people with brain injury and inform future planning of rehabilitation services for this population. The statistical analysis plan outlines the analyses to be undertaken.
Trial registration
Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618000139279. Registered 30 January, 2018
Plant growth-promoting microorganisms as biocontrol agents of plant diseases: Mechanisms, challenges and future perspectives
Full text linkPlant diseases and pests are risk factors that threaten global food security. Excessive chemical pesticide applications are commonly used to reduce the effects of plant diseases caused by bacterial and fungal pathogens. A major concern, as we strive toward more sustainable agriculture, is to increase crop yields for the increasing population. Microbial biological control agents (MBCAs) have proved their efficacy to be a green strategy to manage plant diseases, stimulate plant growth and performance, and increase yield. Besides their role in growth enhancement, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria/fungi (PGPR/PGPF) could suppress plant diseases by producing inhibitory chemicals and inducing immune responses in plants against phytopathogens. As biofertilizers and biopesticides, PGPR and PGPF are considered as feasible, attractive economic approach for sustainable agriculture; thus, resulting in a “win-win” situation. Several PGPR and PGPF strains have been identified as effective BCAs under environmentally controlled conditions. In general, any MBCA must overcome certain challenges before it can be registered or widely utilized to control diseases/pests. Successful MBCAs offer a practical solution to improve greenhouse crop performance with reduced fertilizer inputs and chemical pesticide applications. This current review aims to fill the gap in the current knowledge of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM), provide attention about the scientific basis for policy development, and recommend further research related to the applications of PGPM used for commercial purposes
White matter changes following chronic restraint stress and neuromodulation: A diffusion magnetic resonance imaging study in young male rats
Full text linkBackground
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a noninvasive neuromodulation technique, is an effective treatment for depression. However, few studies have used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the longitudinal effects of rTMS on the abnormal brain white matter (WM) described in depression.
Methods
In this study, we acquired diffusion magnetic resonance imaging from young adult male Sprague Dawley rats to investigate 1) the longitudinal effects of 10- and 1-Hz low-intensity rTMS (LI-rTMS) in healthy animals; 2) the effect of chronic restraint stress (CRS), an animal model of depression; and 3) the effect of 10 Hz LI-rTMS in CRS animals. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics and fixel-based analysis.
Results
Similar changes in diffusion and kurtosis fractional anisotropy were induced by 10- and 1-Hz stimulation in healthy animals, although changes induced by 10-Hz stimulation were detected earlier than those following 1-Hz stimulation. Additionally, 10-Hz stimulation increased axial and mean kurtosis within the external capsule, suggesting that the two protocols may act via different underlying mechanisms. Brain maturation–related changes in WM, such as increased corpus callosum, fimbria, and external and internal capsule fiber cross-section, were compromised in CRS animals compared with healthy control animals and were rescued by 10-Hz LI-rTMS. Immunohistochemistry revealed increased myelination within the corpus callosum in LI-rTMS–treated CRS animals compared with those that received sham or no stimulation.
Conclusions
Overall, decreased WM connectivity and integrity in the CRS model corroborate findings in patients experiencing depression with high anxiety, and the observed LI-rTMS–induced effects on WM structure suggest that LI-rTMS might rescue abnormal WM by increasing myelination
Communication from the zoo: Reports from zoological facilities of the impact of COVID-19 closures on animals
Full text linkZoos engaged in a range of communication types with prospective visitors during the temporary closures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to (1) investigate social media reports and public responses to zoo-animal-related posts over a one-year period during COVID-19 lockdowns; (2) understand the use of reporting language in news articles concerning animal responses during zoo closures, and to investigate whether this differed across species; and (3) investigate how keepers perceived general animal behavior, and how they perceived animal behavior in keeper–animal interactions, during the COVID-19 facility closures. Data were collected from BIAZA-accredited zoos’ Facebook pages (March 2020 to March 2021) and news reports (Google search outputs from 20 March to 5 April 2021). Keeper perceptions were captured via questionnaires (May to August 2021). Data were collected on taxa, the reported behavioral changes and the language used in media communications. In Facebook posts and news reports, mammals were more frequently represented than was expected (p < 0.05). Behavioral responses were more frequently negative (p < 0.05) and less frequently positive or neutral (p < 0.05). Keepers reported overall behavioral changes, as well as changes during their own interactions with animals. On Facebook, mammals were described using a combination of behavioral descriptions and anthropomorphic terms, which were used more frequently than was expected (p < 0.05). In the news reports concerning primate species, anthropomorphic descriptions were used more frequently than expected (p < 0.05), while behavioral descriptions were used less frequently than expected (p < 0.05). The reports regarding the Carnivora were the reverse of this. This study enabled an understanding of the impact of the temporary closures on the animals, and how this impact was communicated to the public. The findings may reflect the relationships that humans have with animals and the need for communication methods that will capture visitors’ interest and induce empathy with the various species