No clear evidence of a difference between individuals who self-report an absence of auditory imagery and typical imagers on auditory imagery tasks
by Zo ë Pounder, Alison F. Eardley, Catherine Loveday, Samuel Evans
Aphantasia is characterised by the inability to create mental images in one’s mind. Studies investigating impairments in imagery typically focus on the visual domain. However, it is possible to generate many different forms of imagery including imagined auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, motor, tas te and other experiences. Recent studies show that individuals with aphantasia report a lack of imagery in modalities, other than vision, including audition. However, to date, no research has examined whether these reductions in self-reported auditory imagery a...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Zo ë Pounder Source Type: research
How our longitudinal employment patterns might shape our health as we approach middle adulthood —US NLSY79 cohort
This study advances our understanding of the critical role employment plays in our health by examining how employment patterns throughout our working lives, based on work schedules, may shape our health at age 50, paying particular attention to the moderating role of social position. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979 (NLSY79), which has collected 30+ years of longitudinal information, was used to examine how employment patterns starting at ages 22 (n ≈ 7,336) might be associated with sleep hours and quality, physical and mental functions, and the likelihood of re porting poor health and depressive symptoms a...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Wen-Jui Han Source Type: research
AP39, a novel mitochondria-targeted hydrogen sulfide donor ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by regulating the AMPK/UCP2 pathway
In this study, DOX-induced cardiotoxicity models were established using H9c2 cells and Sprague –Dawley rats to evaluate the protective effect of AP39 and its mechanisms of action. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that DOX induces oxidative stress injury, apoptosis, and mitochondrial damage in cardiomyocytes and decreases the expression of p-AMPK/AMPK and UCP2. All DOX-induced ch anges were attenuated by AP39 treatment. Furthermore, the protective effect of AP39 was significantly attenuated by the inhibition of AMPK and UCP2. The results suggest that AP39 ameliorates DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by regulating th...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Bin Zhang Source Type: research
Experiences of integrating a psychological intervention into a youth-led empowerment program targeting out-of-school adolescents, in urban informal settlements in Kenya: A qualitative study
ConclusionThe findings demonstrate that integration of mental health services into community-based interventions is feasible and has benefits for adolescents, parents, and mentors. (Source: PLoS One)
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Beth Kangwana Source Type: research
Relationships of gaming disorder, ADHD, and academic performance in university students: A mediation analysis
This study investigates the intersection of Gaming Disorder (GD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Grade Point Average (GPA), among university students, a critical demographic often overlooked in research on these disorders. A sample of 348 university students was analyzed u sing the IGD-20 Test for risk of GD, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) for ADHD symptoms, and GPA as a metric of academic performance. The findings indicate that 4.3% of the surveyed sample scored within the range for GD. The prevalence was higher in males, with 5.3% of the male cohort af fected, compared to 1.2% of th...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Nazir Hawi Source Type: research
Association between hemoglobin trajectories and the incidence of dementia in a cohort of females aged 55 –79 years
ConclusionThe decreasing trajectory of hemoglobin levels within the normal range was associated with dementia. Even females aged 55 –79 years without anemia might be vulnerable to dementia development risk. (Source: PLoS One)
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Dong Yoon Lee Source Type: research
Predictors of delayed initiation of breast milk and exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia: A multi-level mixed-effect analysis
We examined a weighted sample of 2,012 children born within the past 24 months and 623 children aged 0 –5 months at the time of the survey. The data analysis was done using STATA version 15. To understand the variation in delayed initiation and exclusive breastfeeding, statistical measures such as the Intraclass correlation coefficient, median odds ratio, and proportional change in variance were ca lculated. We employed a multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model to identify predictors for each outcome variable. Statistical significance was determined with a p-value (Source: PLoS One)
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Gossa Fetene Abebe Source Type: research
Intestinal microbiome profiles in broiler chickens raised without antibiotics exhibit altered microbiome dynamics relative to conventionally raised chickens
by Seyed Hossien Kairmi, Khaled Abdelaziz, Heidi Spahany, Jake Astill, David Trott, Blake Wang, Alice Wang, John Parkinson, Shayan Sharif
The present study was undertaken to profile and compare the cecal microbial communities in conventionally (CONV) grown and raised without antibiotics (RWA) broiler chickens. Three hundred chickens were collected from five CONV and five RWA chicken farms on days 10, 24, and 35 of age. Microbial gen omic DNA was extracted from cecal contents, and the V4-V5 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequence data indicated significant diff...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Seyed Hossien Kairmi Source Type: research
Explainable artificial intelligence models for predicting risk of suicide using health administrative data in Quebec
This study demonstrated the useful potential of explainable AI models as tools for decision-making and population-level suicide p revention actions. The ML models included individual, programmatic, systemic, and community levels variables available routinely to decision makers and planners in a public managed care system. Caution shall be exercised in the interpretation of variables associated in a predictive model since they are not causal, and other designs are required to establish the value of individual treatments. The next steps are to produce an intuitive user interface for decision makers, planners and other stakeh...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Fatemeh Gholi Zadeh Kharrat Source Type: research
Infection kinetics, syncytia formation, and inflammatory biomarkers as predictive indicators for the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in Calu-3 cells
by Priyo Budi Purwono, Vimvara Vacharathit, Suwimon Manopwisedjaroen, Natali Ludowyke, Ampa Suksatu, Arunee Thitithanyanont
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants as a result of continued host-virus interaction and viral genome mutations. These variants have been associated with varying levels of transmissibility and disease severity. We investigated the phenotypic profiles of six SARS-CoV-2 variants (WT, D614G, Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron) in Calu-3 cells, a human lung epithelial cell line. In our model demonstrated that all variants, except for Omicron, had higher efficienc...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Priyo Budi Purwono Source Type: research
Study on awareness and management based health action using video intervention (SAMBHAV) for postpartum depression among mothers attending immunisation clinic in a tertiary medical college hospital: Study protocol
DiscussionIf it becomes apparent that this video intervention is successful in raising awareness of PPD among postpartum mothers and reducing stigma, it can be used to aid early identification of mothers with PPD which can result in early management and improved health outcome for both mothers and children. The major goals of the video intervention are to raise awareness, lessen stigma, and prevent PPD through strong family support, adopting healthy lifestyles, having access to information, practising self-care, and enhancing help-seeking. Trial registrationThe trial is registered under the Clinical Trial Registry- India (...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Latha K. Source Type: research
The effectiveness of the buddy program training module to enhance the daily living function, social participation and emotional status of older adults in residential aged care homes
ConclusionsThe buddy program training module can be used as a guideline for older adults with more significant disabilities in residential aged care homes in managing activities of daily living. Future studies could be implemented to explore the intergenerational buddy program among older adults and young children in the community. (Source: PLoS One)
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Siti Noraini Asmuri Source Type: research
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder diagnostic clinic capacity in Canadian Provinces and territories
This study investigated the diagnostic capacity for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in multidisciplinary clinics across several provincial and one territorial jurisdictions of Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Northwest Territories. The data were collected directly fr om clinics capable of providing diagnoses of FASD and examined annual capacity for the assessment and diagnosis of FASD per year from 2015 to 2019. In total, 58 FASD diagnostic clinics were identified and 33 clinics participated in this survey. The study identified inadequate FASD diagnostic capacit y in all participating jurisdi...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Svetlana Popova Source Type: research
Comparing psychological versus pharmacological treatment in emotional disorders: A network analysis
This study used Network Intervention Analysis (NIA) to investigate the direct and differential effects of TD-GCBT + TAU and TAU on specific symptoms of anxiety and depression. Data are from a multicentre randomised clinical trial (N = 1061) comparing TD-GCBT + TAU versus TAU alone for EDs. The networks included items from the PHQ-9 (depression) and GAD-7 (anxiety) questionnaire and mixed graphical models were estimated at pre-treatment, post-treatment and 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up. Results revealed that TD-GCBT + TAU was associated with direct effects, mainly on several anxiety symptoms and depressed mood after treatme...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Francisco Jurado-Gonz ález Source Type: research
Spatial and temporal differences and convergence analysis of multidimensional relative poverty in ethnic areas
This article takes 12 ethnic regions in China as the research object and constructs a multidimensional relative poverty measurement system. The calculated multidimensional rela tive poverty index is decomposed according to provinces, cities, dimensions, and indicators. Then, the Dagum Gini coefficient and convergence analysis are used to analyze spatiotemporal heterogeneity and convergence characteristics. The results show that the multi-dimensional relative poverty situat ion of various provinces in ethnic minority areas has improved from 2012 to 2021, among which Tibet province is the most serious and Shaanxi is the best...
Source: PLoS One - April 3, 2024 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Jing Cheng Source Type: research
