Saccular Kommerell aneurysm, a potential pitfall on MDCT imaging â A review of imaging features and potential mimics

Saccular Kommerell aneurysm represents a potential pitfall on Multidetector CT (MDCT) imaging, mimicking conditions such as saccular aneurysm of the thoracic aorta, ductus diverticulum and dilated Kommerell diverticulum. Accurate diagnosis of this condition is critical in the management of this potentially fatal condition. This paper reviews the MDCT imaging features of Kommerell aneurysms and its mimics and demonstrates how to make an accurate diagnosis through a series of four cases. MDCT features of Kommerell aneurysms, either saccular or fusiform types arising from a Kommerell diverticulum with atherosclerotic plaque and mural thrombus are discussed. Keywords: Kommerell aneurysm, Multi-detector computed tomography, Vascular, Thoracic aorta, Diverticulu

On the mend : a campaign to fix the depression treatment gap in young male adults in Singapore

On The Mend is an communications campaign that aims to encourage young male adults to seek help for depression. Due to masculine norms, men tend to subscribe to help-seeking stigma and perceive seeking help for depression as a weak and feminine behavior. In turn, this causes them to hold negative attitudes towards seeking help and be less prone to seek help for depression. While females seek help for their depression, males tend to "self-medicate" through abusing drugs and alcohol. Furthermore, depression is the most prevalent mental illness in Singapore with 18 - 34 years old adults with the highest risk of experiencing it. With this in mind, On The Mend aims to build a supportive environment where men do not see seeking help as a weak behaviour and feel comfortable seeking help for depression.Bachelor of Communication Studie

The impact and perceived effectiveness of physical punishment: A qualitative study of young adults’ retrospective accounts

Background: Physical discipline is a widely-studied parenting practice given its association with numerous negative outcomes, such as increased aggression and poor parent-child relationships. While research on this topic has been steadily growing, most studies have utilised quantitative data obtained from parents’ perspectives on the topic. As such, less is known about the heterogeneous experiences of children who had received physical punishment which may be better represented in qualitative feedback. Objective: This study aims to retrospectively explore the experience of having been physically disciplined from first-hand accounts. Participants: 25 young adults aged 18 to 24 (M = 21.4; female = 14) who had received physical discipline by their parents in the past were interviewed about their experiences over a video call. Methods: Interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experiences of parental discipline (physical and non-physical). Thematic analysis was conducted where the interviews were transcribed and coded, before being examined for concepts underlying the codes (“themes”). Results: Based on participants’ interviews, four themes were identified in relation to their experiences of physical punishment: 1) Unclear distinctions between physical discipline and abuse; 2) Negative consequences and the ineffectiveness of physical discipline; 3) Rationalising past experiences of physical discipline; 4) Negative past experiences of physical discipline does not preclude future use. Conclusions: The use of qualitative data provided rich insights into the nuances of receiving physical punishment. The four themes identified in this study were discussed in relation to existing literature. Implications of physical punishment on children’s mental health, as well as the importance of advocacy and legislation around physical punishment were highlighted

Using ordered attitudinal indicators in a latent variable choice model: A study of the impact of security on rail travel behaviour

There is growing interest in the use of models that recognise the role of individuals’ attitudes and perceptions in choice behaviour. Rather than relying on simple linear approaches or a potentially bias-inducing deterministic approach based on incorporating stated attitudinal indicators directly in the choice model, researchers have recently recognised the latent nature of attitudes. The uptake of such latent attitude models in applied work has however been slow, while a number of overly simplistic assumptions are also commonly made. In this article, we present an application of jointly estimated attitudinal and choice models to a real-world transport study, looking at the role of latent attitudes in a rail travel context. Our results show the impact that concern with privacy, liberty and security, and distrust of business, technology and authority have on the desire for rail travel in the face of increased security measures, as well as for universal security checks. Alongside demonstrating the applicability of the model in applied work, we also address a number of theoretical issues. We first show the equivalence of two different normalisations discussed in the literature. Unlike many other latent attitude studies, we explicitly recognise the repeated choice nature of the data. Finally, the main methodological contribution comes in replacing the typically used continuous model for attitudinal response by an ordered logit structure which more correctly accounts for the ordinal nature of the indicators

Investigation of the functional impact of CHED- and FECD4-associated SLC4A11 mutations in human corneal endothelial cells.

Mutations in the solute linked carrier family 4 member 11 (SLC4A11) gene are associated with congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy (CHED) and Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy type 4 (FECD4), both characterized by corneal endothelial cell (CEnC) dysfunction and/or cell loss leading to corneal edema and visual impairment. In this study, we characterize the impact of CHED-/FECD4-associated SLC4A11 mutations on CEnC function and SLC4A11 protein localization by generating and comparing human CEnC (hCEnC) lines expressing wild type SLC4A11 (SLC4A11WT) or mutant SLC4A11 harboring CHED-/FECD4-associated SLC4A11 mutations (SLC4A11MU). SLC4A11WT and SLC4A11MU hCEnC lines were generated to express either SLC4A11 variant 2 (V2WT and V2MU) or variant 3 (V3WT and V3MU), the two major variants expressed in ex vivo hCEnC. Functional assays were performed to assess cell barrier, proliferation, viability, migration, and NH3-induced membrane conductance. We demonstrate SLC4A11-/- and SLC4A11MU hCEnC lines exhibited increased migration rates, altered proliferation and decreased cell viability compared to SLC4A11WT hCEnC. Additionally, SLC4A11-/- hCEnC demonstrated decreased cell-substrate adhesion and membrane capacitances compared to SLC4A11WT hCEnC. Induction with 10mM NH4Cl led SLC4A11WT hCEnC to depolarize; conversely, SLC4A11-/- hCEnC hyperpolarized and the majority of SLC4A11MU hCEnC either hyperpolarized or had minimal membrane potential changes following NH4Cl induction. Immunostaining of primary hCEnC and SLC4A11WT hCEnC lines for SLC4A11 demonstrated predominately plasma membrane staining with poor or partial colocalization with mitochondrial marker COX4 within a subset of punctate subcellular structures. Overall, our findings suggest CHED-associated SLC4A11 mutations likely lead to hCEnC dysfunction, and ultimately CHED, by interfering with cell migration, proliferation, viability, membrane conductance, barrier function, and/or cell surface localization of the SLC4A11 protein in hCEnC. Additionally, based on their similar subcellular localization and exhibiting similar cell functional profiles, protein isoforms encoded by SLC4A11 variant 2 and variant 3 likely have highly overlapping functional roles in hCEnC

Effect of Exclusion Diets on Symptom Severity and the Gut Microbiota in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background & aimsAltered fecal microbiota have been reported in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), although studies vary, which could be owing to dietary effects. Many IBS patients may eliminate certain foods because of their symptoms, which in turn may alter fecal microbiota diversity and composition. This study aimed to determine if dietary patterns were associated with IBS, symptoms, and fecal microbiota differences reported in IBS.MethodsA total of 346 IBS participants and 170 healthy controls (HCs) completed a Diet Checklist reflecting the diet(s) consumed most frequently. An exclusion diet was defined as a diet that eliminated food components by choice. Within this group, a gluten-free, dairy-free, or low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols diet was further defined as restrictive because they often are implicated in reducing symptoms. Stool samples were obtained from 171 IBS patients and 98 HCs for 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing and microbial composition analysis.ResultsHaving IBS symptoms was associated with consuming a restrictive diet (27.17% of IBS patients vs 7.65% of HCs; odds ratio, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.66-6.75; P value = .006). IBS participants on an exclusion or restrictive diet reported more severe IBS symptoms (P = .042 and .029, respectively). The composition of the microbiota in IBS patients varied depending on the diet consumed. IBS participants on an exclusion diet had a greater abundance of Lachnospira and a lower abundance of Eubacterium (q value, <.05), and those on a restrictive diet had a lower abundance of Lactobacillus (q value, <.05).ConclusionsRestrictive diets likely are consumed more by IBS patients than HCs to reduce GI symptom severity. Dietary patterns influence the composition of the fecal microbiota and may explain some of the differences between IBS and HCs