Exploring the Impact of the Habitat for Humanity Home-Building Process on Partner Families\u27 Holistic Well-Being

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how participating in the Habitat for Humanity house-building process influenced participants’ purpose well-being, social well-being, community well-being, physical and mental well-being, and financial well-being, and how effective Habitat for Humanity is in aiding neighborhood revitalization within the Greater Lafayette area. The research project resulted in a presentation of quantitative data and a testimonial video that highlighted the stories of families that had worked with Habitat for Humanity. Quantitative data was gathered through a survey that addressed respondents’ levels of satisfaction within the various categories of well-being mentioned above. Testimonial information was gathered from interviews with respondents to gain a more personal insight into their stories. The majority of respondents indicated their satisfaction with the overall Habitat for Humanity process and noticeable positive impacts on all aspects of their well-being. Responses were more varied to questions regarding a sense of community within their neighborhoods and a sense of safety. Respondents also indicated occasional dissatisfaction with the inadequate level of homeowner-related education provided through the Habitat for Humanity house-building process. Habitat for Humanity might consider focusing more attention on neighborhood revitalization initiatives including a focus on a general sense of community, overall safety, and periodic check-ins with those who have previously participated in the house-building project

White matter changes following chronic restraint stress and neuromodulation: A diffusion magnetic resonance imaging study in young male rats

Background 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

Accelerated low-intensity rTMS does not rescue anxiety behaviour or abnormal connectivity in young adult rats following chronic restraint stress

Currently approved repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocols for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) involve once-daily (weekday) stimulation sessions, with 10 Hz or intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) frequencies, over 4–6 weeks. Recently, accelerated treatment protocols (multiple daily stimulation sessions for 1–2 weeks) have been increasingly studied to optimize rTMS treatments. Accelerated protocols might confer unique advantages for adolescents and young adults but there are many knowledge gaps related to dosing in this age group. Off-label, clinical practice frequently outpaces solid evidence as rigorous clinical trials require substantial time and resources. Murine models present an opportunity for high throughput dose finding studies to focus subsequent clinical trials in humans. This project investigated the brain and behavioural effects of an accelerated low-intensity rTMS (LI-rTMS) protocol in a young adult rodent model of chronic restraint stress (CRS). Depression and anxiety-related behaviours were induced in young adult male Sprague Dawley rats using the CRS model, followed by the 3-times-daily delivery of 10 Hz LI-rTMS, for two weeks. Behaviour was assessed using the Elevated Plus Maze and Forced Swim Test, and functional, chemical, and structural brain changes measured using magnetic resonance imaging techniques. CRS induced an agitated depression-like phenotype but therapeutic effects from the accelerated protocol were not detected. Our findings suggest that the age of rodents may impact response to CRS and LI-rTMS. Future studies should also examine higher intensities of rTMS and accelerated theta burst protocols

Probable vertical transmission of Alpha variant of concern (B.1.1.7) with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the syncytiotrophoblast, a case report

IntroductionDefinitive vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been rarely reported. We present a case of a third trimester pregnancy with fetal distress necessitating cesarean section that demonstrated maternal, placental, and infant infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant/B.1.1.7.MethodsCDC's Influenza SARS-CoV-2 Multiplex RT-PCR Assay was used to test for SARS-CoV-2 in a maternal NP swab, maternal plasma, infant NP swab, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) placental tissue specimens. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on maternal plasma, infant, and placental specimens to determine the SARS-CoV-2 genotype. Histopathological evaluation, SARS-CoV-2 immunohistochemistry testing (IHC), and electron microscopy (EM) analysis were performed on placenta, umbilical cord, and membrane FFPE blocks.ResultsAll specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. WGS further revealed identical SARS-CoV-2 sequences from clade 20I/501Y.V1 (lineage Alpha/B.1.1.7) in maternal plasma, infant, and placental specimens. Histopathologic evaluation of the placenta showed histiocytic and neutrophilic intervillositis with fibrin deposition and trophoblast necrosis with positive SARS-CoV-2 immunostaining in the syncytiotrophoblast and electron microscopy evidence of coronavirus.DiscussionThese findings suggest vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2, supported by clinical course timing, identical SARS-CoV-2 genotypes from maternal, placental, and infant samples, and IHC and EM evidence of placental infection. However, determination of the timing or distinction between prepartum and peripartum SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains unclear

POSTNATAL-DEVELOPMENT OF BULBOSPINAL SEROTONINERGIC SYSTEM - EFFECTS OF GM1 GANGLIOSIDE FOLLOWING NEONATAL 5,7-DIHYDROXYTRYPTAMINE TREATMENT

The postnatal development of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the pons medulla and spinal cord segments of rats treated with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-HT) and/or GM1 ganglioside has been investigated. Animals have been sacrificed at 4, 7, 28 and 56 days of age. In control rats, 5-HT and 5-HIAA increase in all areas during the first postnatal week. Thereafter, 5-HT and 5-HIAA remain constant in the thoracic and lumbar segments while a further increment takes place in the cervical portion. In the pons medulla, 5-HT reaches a plateau at 28 days, while 5-HIAA reaches a peak at 7 days and then declines to the adult value at 28 days. Neonatal administration of 5,7-HT produces mixed-type alterations in the developing bulbospinal serotoninergic system. Whilst 5-HT and 5-HIAA markedly decrease in the most distal 5-HT nerve terminal projections (thoracic and lumbar cord) they increase in the pons medulla ("pruning effect"). These alterations are accompanied by regional variations of the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio, an index of 5-HT turnover. In particular, a prominent decrease of 5-HIAA/5-HT occurs in the lumbar segment of 1- and 2-month-old rats. In this area, where the effect of 5,7-HT is the most severe, an "up-regulation" of 5-HT, receptors is observed in 2-month-old rats. GM1 administration does not modify the development of the bulbospinal serotoninergic system. However, GM1 treatment has a counteracting effect on the alterations induced by 5,7-HT. Recovery of 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels occurs in the thoracic and lumbar cord of 1- and 2-month-old rats and is paralleled by a reduction of the "pruning effect" in the pons medulla. Furthermore, in the lumbar cord of 2-month-old rats, GM1 prevents the decrease of the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio and the "up-regulation" of 5-HTl receptors induced by the neurotoxin. It is suggested that the GM1 effect is due to a prevention of the retrograde axonal degeneration occurring after the lesion and/or a growth stimulation of injured axons

Sarcopenia e fratture vertebrali da fragilità : studio retrospettivo

Sarcopenia e fratture vertebrali da fragilità : studio retrospettiv

A Proposal for Automatic Coastline Extraction from Landsat 8 OLI Images Combining Modified Optimum Index Factor (MOIF) and K-Means

The coastal environment is a natural and economic resource of extraordinary value, but it is constantly modifying and susceptible to climate change, human activities and natural hazards. Remote sensing techniques have proved to be excellent for coastal area monitoring, but the main issue is to detect the borderline between water bodies (ocean, sea, lake or river) and land. This research aims to define a rapid and accurate methodological approach, based on the k-means algorithm, to classify the remotely sensed images in an unsupervised way to distinguish water body pixels and detect coastline. Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) multispectral satellite images were considered. The proposal requires applying the k-means algorithm only to the most appropriate multispectral bands, rather than using the entire dataset. In fact, by using only suitable bands to detect the differences between water and no-water (vegetation and bare soil), more accurate results were obtained. For this scope, a new index based on the optimum index factor (OIF) was applied to identify the three best-performing bands for the purpose. The direct comparison between the automatically extracted coastline and the manually digitized one was used to evaluate the product accuracy. The results were very satisfactory and the combination involving bands B2 (blue), B5 (near infrared), and B6 (short-wave infrared-1) provided the best performance

Generalized lymphatic anomaly: A case report

Complex Lymphatic Anomalies are a group of rare diseases characterized by a non-neoplastic proliferation of lymphatic vessels. They include Generalized Lymphatic Anomalies and Kaposiform Lymphangiomatosis (both with involvement of visceral organs and bone with multifocal and non-progressive osteolysis) and Gorham-Stout Disease (characterized by a predominant involvement of bone with destruction of the bone matrix causing absorption of bone - the so-called "vanishing bone" disease - and a far less frequent visceral involvement). Because of the rarity of these diseases, the diagnosis may be confused by their similar clinical presentation. We describe a case of a young man with Generalized Lymphatic Anomalies with a diffuse involvement of the skeleton and of the spleen. The aim of this report is to point out the characteristics of different types of lymphatic anomalies to allow a correct diagnosis and a more adequate therap

Modeling and Accuracy Assessment of Determining the Coastline Course Using Geodetic, Photogrammetric and Satellite Measurement Methods: Case Study in Gdynia Beach in Poland

The coastal environment represents a resource from both a natural and economic point of view, but it is subject to continuous transformations due to climate change, human activities, and natural risks. Remote sensing techniques have enormous potential in monitoring coastal areas. However, one of the main tasks is accurately identifying the boundary between waterbodies such as oceans, seas, lakes or rivers, and the land surface. The aim of this research is to evaluate the accuracy of coastline extraction using different datasets. The images used come from UAV-RGB and the Landsat-9 and Sentinel-2 satellites. The method applied for extracting the coast feature involves a first phase of application of the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), only for satellite data, and consequent application of the maximum likelihood classification, with automatic vectorization. To carry out a direct comparison with the extracted data, a coastline obtained through a field survey using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) device was used. The results are very satisfactory as they meet the minimum requirements specified by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) S-44. Both the UAV and the Sentinel-2 reach the maximum order, called the Exclusive order (Total Horizontal Uncertainty (THU) of 5 m with a confidence level of 95%), while the Landsat-9 falls into the Special order (THU of 10 m with a confidence level of 95%)

The Influence of Interpolation Methods and point density on the Accuracy of a Bathymetric Model

The construction of three-dimensional models of the seabed starting from sample data requires the use of interpolators to calculate the depth where it has not been measured. The accuracy of the model depends on several factors, e.g., the interpolation method, the seabed morphology, the density and distribution of the samples. This article aims to investigate the accuracy of bathymetric models in relation to the interpolation methods and the number of points available. Eight different methods available in ArcGIS software are analyzed in this study, including 6 deterministic methods, i.e., Inverse distance weighting (IDW), and 5 variations of Radial Basis Functions (RBFs). Additionally, two stochastic methods, such as Universal Kriging (UK) and Ordinary Kriging (OK), are also examined. The experiments are carried out using the bathymetric information from an Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) at a scale 1:30,000 concerning the north-eastern sector of the Gulf of Naples. The 12,638 depth points including in the ENC are organized in four datasets presenting different data density (25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the available data respectively). The results of the study confirm that the accuracy of the models improves as the number of points used increases. Specifically, RBF interpolators are found to be more effective than other methods at low density values (25% and 50% of available data) while Kriging interpolators outperform other methods when using large numbers of points (75% and 100% of available data)