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Neuroanatomical dimensions in medication-free individuals with major depressive disorder and treatment response to SSRI antidepressant medications or placebo
Get PDFMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome with widespread subtle neuroanatomical correlates. Our objective was to identify the neuroanatomical dimensions that characterize MDD and predict treatment response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants or placebo. In the COORDINATE-MDD consortium, raw MRI data were shared from international samples (N=1,384) of medication-free individuals with first episode and recurrent MDD (N=685) in a current depressive episode of at least moderate severity, but not treatment resistant depression, as well as healthy controls (N=699). Prospective longitudinal data on treatment response were available for a subset of MDD individuals (N=359). Treatments were either SSRI antidepressant medication (escitalopram, citalopram, sertraline) or placebo. Multi-center MRI data were harmonized, and HYDRA, a semi-supervised machine learning clustering algorithm, was utilized to identify patterns in regional brain volumes that are associated with disease. MDD was optimally characterized by two neuroanatomical dimensions which exhibited distinct treatment responses to placebo and SSRI antidepressant medications. Dimension 1 was characterized by preserved gray and white matter (N=290 MDD), whereas Dimension 2 was characterized by widespread subtle reductions in gray and white matter (N=395 MDD) relative to healthy controls. Although there were no significant differences in age of onset, years of illness, number of episodes, or duration of current episode between dimensions, there was a significant interaction effect between dimensions and treatment response. Dimension 1 showed a significant improvement in depressive symptoms following treatment with SSRI medication (51.1%), but limited changes following placebo (28.6%); in contrast, Dimension 2 showed comparable improvements to either SSRI (46.9%) or placebo (42.2%) (β=-18.3, 95% CI (-34.3 to -2.3), p=0.03). Findings from this case-control study indicate that neuroimaging-based markers can help identify the disease-based dimensions that comprise MDD and predict treatment response
Understanding the complexity of materials procurement in construction projects to build a conceptual framework influencing supply chain management of MSMEs
Get PDFPurchasing is a fundamental step of materials procurement in the construction sector, and since materials can represent up to 70% of the project's construction costs, reducing wastage and improving productivity can have big benefits, both for the environment and the economy, especially for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). This manuscript will focus on the process of purchasing materials from these companies’ perspective, seeking to investigate the impact of effective materials management on site. In light of the acknowledged absence of system thinking for MSMEs, this research aims to build a new conceptual framework that illustrates the complexity of the materials purchasing process in construction and embodies the risks linked to materials, relationships, information, and cash flows. The conceptual framework aims to influence supply management in construction and is based on the recognition of five main levels, going from the specification of materials to data management and feedback. It is designed to illustrate the sequence, logical structure, and complexities of the purchasing process. Data from the literature, followed by on-site observations, feeds into the framework
Digital tools for direct assessment of autism risk during early childhood: A systematic review
Get PDFCurrent challenges in early identification of autism spectrum disorder lead to significant delays in starting interventions, thereby compromising outcomes. Digital tools can potentially address this barrier as they are accessible, can measure autism-relevant phenotypes and can be administered in children’s natural environments by non-specialists. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify and characterise potentially scalable digital tools for direct assessment of autism spectrum disorder risk in early childhood. In total, 51,953 titles, 6884 abstracts and 567 full-text articles from four databases were screened using predefined criteria. Of these, 38 met inclusion criteria. Tasks are presented on both portable and non-portable technologies, typically by researchers in laboratory or clinic settings. Gamified tasks, virtual-reality platforms and automated analysis of video or audio recordings of children’s behaviours and speech are used to assess autism spectrum disorder risk. Tasks tapping social communication/interaction and motor domains most reliably discriminate between autism spectrum disorder and typically developing groups. Digital tools employing objective data collection and analysis methods hold immense potential for early identification of autism spectrum disorder risk. Next steps should be to further validate these tools, evaluate their generalisability outside laboratory or clinic settings, and standardise derived measures across tasks. Furthermore, stakeholders from underserved communities should be involved in the research and development process
Indoor environmental conditions of selected shopping malls in Nigeria: A comparative study of microclimatic conditions, noise levels, and microbial burdens
Get PDFThe activities of people and equipment used within shopping malls are major factors that contribute to air pollution and increased sound levels, thereby affecting indoor environmental quality and the well-being of mall operators. This study assessed indoor environmental quality through microbial characterization and measurement of environmental conditions present in selected shopping malls. Investigations were conducted at three shopping malls in Ibadan selected through convenience sampling technique. Environmental parameters such as noise level, relative humidity, temperature, PM₂.₅ levels, total volatile organic compound (TVOC) levels, microbial characterization, and quantity were determined. Microclimatic parameters (temperature and relative humidity) were measured using a 4-in-1 Precision Gold N09AQ multi-tester. Culturable airborne microbes were collected using the settle plate technique. PM₂.₅ and TVOC levels were measured using a Thermo Scientific MIE pDR-1500 PM monitor and sf200-TVOC meter respectively. Two bacteria species and five fungi species were isolated across the malls. The noise levels ranged from 61.27 to 81.20 dB. The mean temperatures (highest mean of 33.44 ± 1.42 °C), PM₂.₅ (highest mean of 114.06 ± 25.64 μg/m³), and TVOC (highest mean of 55.21 ± 8.28 ppm) concentrations were higher than the permissible limits stipulated by the WHO guidelines and NESREA standard limits across all the selected malls. A positive correlation was found to exist between particulate matter and TVOC (r = 0.174, p = 0.004). The total bacteria count was generally high with the highest mean of 1965.33 ± 368.56 CFU/m³, while the total fungi count was generally low with the highest mean of 579.82 ± 51.55 CFU/m³. Bacillus spp. and Candida spp. were found to the consistent from all sample points across the three malls. The bacteria isolated are Gram-positive bacteria associated with human skin which suggests a high rate of indoor pollution from humans. In conclusion, this research has demonstrated the necessity to monitor noise levels and indoor air quality in malls. Also, there is need for government policies to improve indoor air quality which must be enforced and regulated, especially within shopping malls
Social Justice, Social Discrimination, and Mental Health: Theory, Practice, and Professional Issues
No full textCritical Acting Pedagogy: Intersectional Approaches
No full textCritical Acting Pedagogy: Intersectional Approaches invites readers to think about pedagogy in actor training as a research field in its own right: to sit with the complex challenges, risks, and rewards of the acting studio; to recognise the shared vulnerability, courage, and love that defines our field and underpins our practices.This collection of chapters, from a diverse group of acting teachers at different points in their careers, working in conservatoires and universities, illuminates current developments in decolonising studios to foreground multiple and intersecting identities in the pedagogic exchange. In acknowledging how their positionality affects their practices and materials, 20 acting teachers from the United Kingdom, the United States, Europe, and Oceania offer practical tools for the social justice acting classroom, with rich insights for developing critical acting pedagogies. Authors test and develop research approaches, drawn from social sciences, to tackle dominant ideologies in organisation, curriculum, and methodologies of actor training.This collection frames current efforts to promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity in the studio. It contributes to the collective movement to improve current educational practice in acting, prioritising well-being, and centering the student experience
Proceedings of the International Conference: Repurposing Places for Social and Environmental Resilience
Get PDFWhilst the 20th century was mostly about starchitects, 21st century is about synergies and the relevant complex dynamics that these allow to grow. This shift happens in parallel to others; reusing, retrofitting, and giving a new life to the existing places, buildings and neighbourhoods, in an environmentally and socially resilient manner, developing ways for the existing communities to grow in a symbiotic relationship with new ones, designing processes of circular economy and upcycling, which allow people to collaborate and find viable solutions. Participation in architecture is a notion that continuously evolves, even more so in recent years. Knowledge and innovation that contributes to social justice and responsible design practices, emerges from complex networks and agile cross-disciplinary collaborations.In this context, this conference examines the relationship between social and environmental resilience, by looking into designed projects, cross-disciplinary research and investigations, participatory and collaborative design methods. It welcomes architects, designers, artists, planners, urbanists, engineers, academics, educators, as well as researchers and practitioners of other relevant disciplines, who have addressed some of the above themes through their work. Projects on adaptation and retrofitting of places in an environmentally and socially responsible way, as well as participatory projects, are particularly welcome. It also welcomes presentations of ongoing projects and collaborations, which will drive the relevant conversations forward.It is often argued that: environmental resilience = social resilience. Indeed, there is an inextricable link between environmental (spatial) resilience and social resilience and the former leads to, or effects, the latter. However, in the context of this conference, we do not consider this as a simple one-way equation, and we aim to investigate further the complex relationship between the two
The Acute Impact of Endurance Exercise on Right Ventricular Structure and Function
Get PDFThere have been many studies since the late 1980s investigating the effect of endurance exercise on the left ventricle. More recently, attention has shifted to the right heart, with suggestions that endurance exercise may have a detrimental effect on the right ventricle. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes and critiques 26 studies, including 649 athletes, examining the acute impact of endurance exercise on the right ventricle. We also present a subanalysis contrasting ultraendurance with endurance exercise. Finally, we identify areas for future research, such as the influence of sex, ethnicity, and age
Influence of Multi-Stage Processing and Mechano-Chemical Treatments on the Hydration and Microstructure Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete
Get PDFOn account of the shortage of naturally occurring coarse aggregate, recycled aggregate (RA) made from crushed concrete debris is now used in the construction industry. With this rise in the utilisation of recycled aggregate in the construction sector, there has been extensive research into ways to improve its quality. The significant fraction of mortar remains that are left on the RA surface is the primary factor that affects its quality. Concrete made from RA loses strength and mechanical performance due to the attached mortar's increased porosity and water absorption values and the frailer transition region between the new mortar and aggregates. In order to minimise the old cement fractions and increase the quality, this paper studies the effect of concrete incorporating multi-stage processed RA from demolished concrete waste, followed by treatment with mechanical abrasion and sodium silicate immersion. The recycled aggregates were produced through multi-stage jaw crushing, followed by utilising natural aggregate, recycled aggregate, and recycled aggregate obtained after mechanical abrasion, followed by sodium silicate treatment for concrete mix design at various substitution percentages as coarse aggregates. The experimental investigation further progresses with the evaluation of mechanical and durability properties of concrete mixes, which is additionally followed by microstructural studies such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The outcomes demonstrate that two-stage treatment, such as mechanical abrasion followed by sodium silicate immersion, yields superior-quality RA. Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) made with these treated aggregates illustrated an increase in workability and density with respect to an untreated RAC mix. Furthermore, comparable strengths in compression, flexure, and tension are found in treated RAC mixes, particularly at 35% replacement levels, with respect to concrete mixes comprised of natural aggregates. A similar trend is detected in the chloride penetration tests and water sorptivity tests. In addition, the microstructural investigation confirmed the formation of additional calcium silicate hydrate for treated RAC mixes, particularly for the 35% substituted RA mix. On the basis of the results, it is suggested that multi-stage jaw crushing followed by treatment through mechanical abrasion and sodium silicate can potentially enhance the mechanical, microstructural, and durability performance of RAC