The Interpersonal Dimension of Pandemic Fear and the Dual-Factor Model of Mental Health: The Role of Coping Strategies

(1) Background: Current COVID-19 research has mainly focused on negative outcomes associated with fear of the pandemic with the examination of potentially positive outcomes remaining underexplored. Based on the dual-factor model of mental health, which postulates positive and negative dimensions, we assessed the influence of COVID-19 fear on both negative and positive mental health outcomes and examined the mediational role of coping strategies. (2) Methods: A convenience sample of 231 respondents participated in an online survey reporting on measures of pandemic fear (SFS), distress (HADS), post-traumatic growth (PTGI) and individual differences in terms of coping strategies (CSI-SF). (3) Results: Respondents’ main concerns related with the pandemic highlighted the interpersonal and social dimensions implicated in fear of COVID-19. As expected, fear of the pandemic was associated not just with negative but also positive outcomes, while different coping strategies played a role in determining such effects. More specifically, disengagement coping mediated the effects of fear on anxiety and depression, whereas engagement coping was the only mediator of the relationship between COVID-19 fear and post-traumatic growth. (4) Conclusions: Approaches to promote psychological wellbeing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic should on the one hand be sensitive to the needs of the more vulnerable population groups, while on the other leverage existing resources to harness the potential for growth. Strengthening engagement coping in the context of fears triggered by the pandemic may constitute a valuable target to protect against negative and optimize positive mental health outcomes in the general population

COVID-19 fear, post-traumatic stress, growth, and the role of resilience

Understanding the factors through which pandemic fear may be associated not just with distress, but also with growth outcomes is crucial to informing interventions across population groups and cultural settings. To achieve this aim, in a cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between the fear of COVID-19, post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth while assessing the moderating role of trait resilience. Findings showed that fear of COVID-19 was associated with both stress and growth outcomes and that resilience was a significant moderator of these effects. Specifically, trait resilience acted as a buffer against post-traumatic stress and as a booster factor for appreciation for life. Given the imbalance between needs and resources in times of global pandemic, interventions promoting psychological wellbeing should leverage existing resources and consider psychological resilience as a valuable target to protect against negative and optimise positive outcomes

Integrated Multi-Tumor Radio-Genomic Marker of Outcomes in Patients with High Serous Ovarian Carcinoma.

Purpose: Develop an integrated intra-site and inter-site radiomics-clinical-genomic marker of high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) outcomes and explore the biological basis of radiomics with respect to molecular signaling pathways and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Method: Seventy-five stage III-IV HGSOC patients from internal (N = 40) and external factors via the Cancer Imaging Archive (TCGA) (N = 35) with pre-operative contrast enhanced CT, attempted primary cytoreduction, at least two disease sites, and molecular analysis performed within TCGA were retrospectively analyzed. An intra-site and inter-site radiomics (cluDiss) measure was combined with clinical-genomic variables (iRCG) and compared against conventional (volume and number of sites) and average radiomics (N = 75) for prognosticating progression-free survival (PFS) and platinum resistance. Correlation with molecular signaling and TME derived using a single sample gene set enrichment that was measured. Results: The iRCG model had the best platinum resistance classification accuracy (AUROC of 0.78 [95% CI 0.77 to 0.80]). CluDiss was associated with PFS (HR 1.03 [95% CI: 1.01 to 1.05], p = 0.002), negatively correlated with Wnt signaling, and positively to immune TME. Conclusions: CluDiss and the iRCG prognosticated HGSOC outcomes better than conventional and average radiomic measures and could better stratify patient outcomes if validated on larger multi-center trials

Modified Cav1.4 Expression in the Cacna1fnob2 Mouse Due to Alternative Splicing of an ETn Inserted in Exon 2

The Cacna1fnob2 mouse is reported to be a naturally occurring null mutation for the Cav1.4 calcium channel gene and the phenotype of this mouse is not identical to that of the targeted gene knockout model. We found two mRNA species in the Cacna1fnob2 mouse: approximately 90% of the mRNA represents a transcript with an in-frame stop codon within exon 2 of CACNA1F, while approximately 10% of the mRNA represents a transcript in which alternative splicing within the ETn element has removed the stop codon. This latter mRNA codes for full length Cav1.4 protein, detectable by Western blot analysis that is predicted to differ from wild type Cav1.4 protein in a region of approximately 22 amino acids in the N-terminal portion of the protein. Electrophysiological analysis with either mouse Cav1.4wt or Cav1.4nob2 cDNA revealed that the alternatively spliced protein does not differ from wild type with respect to activation and inactivation characteristics; however, while the wild type N-terminus interacted with filamin proteins in a biochemical pull-down experiment, the alternatively spliced N-terminus did not. The Cacna1fnob2 mouse electroretinogram displayed reduced b-wave and oscillatory potential amplitudes, and the retina was morphologically disorganized, with substantial reduction in thickness of the outer plexiform layer and sprouting of bipolar cell dendrites ectopically into the outer nuclear layer. Nevertheless, the spatial contrast sensitivity (optokinetic response) of Cacna1fnob2 mice was generally similar to that of wild type mice. These results suggest the Cacna1fnob2 mouse is not a CACNA1F knockout model. Rather, alternative splicing within the ETn element can lead to full-length Cav1.4 protein, albeit at reduced levels, and the functional Cav1.4 mutant may be incapable of interacting with cytoskeletal filamin proteins. These changes, do not alter the ability of the Cacna1fnob2 mouse to detect and follow moving sine-wave gratings compared to their wild type counterparts

The diversity and evolution of pollination systems in large plant clades: Apocynaceae as a case study

Background and Aims Large clades of angiosperms are often characterized by diverse interactions with pollinators, but how these pollination systems are structured phylogenetically and biogeographically is still uncertain for most families. Apocynaceae is a clade of >5300 species with a worldwide distribution. A database representing >10 % of species in the family was used to explore the diversity of pollinators and evolutionary shifts in pollination systems across major clades and regions. Methods The database was compiled from published and unpublished reports. Plants were categorized into broad pollination systems and then subdivided to include bimodal systems. These were mapped against the five major divisions of the family, and against the smaller clades. Finally, pollination systems were mapped onto a phylogenetic reconstruction that included those species for which sequence data are available, and transition rates between pollination systems were calculated. Key Results Most Apocynaceae are insect pollinated with few records of bird pollination. Almost three-quarters of species are pollinated by a single higher taxon (e.g. flies or moths); 7 % have bimodal pollination systems, whilst the remaining approx. 20 % are insect generalists. The less phenotypically specialized flowers of the Rauvolfioids are pollinated by a more restricted set of pollinators than are more complex flowers within the Apocynoids + Periplocoideae + Secamonoideae + Asclepiadoideae (APSA) clade. Certain combinations of bimodal pollination systems are more common than others. Some pollination systems are missing from particular regions, whilst others are over-represented. Conclusions Within Apocynaceae, interactions with pollinators are highly structured both phylogenetically and biogeographically. Variation in transition rates between pollination systems suggest constraints on their evolution, whereas regional differences point to environmental effects such as filtering of certain pollinators from habitats. This is the most extensive analysis of its type so far attempted and gives important insights into the diversity and evolution of pollination systems in large clades

“Back in the Day”… What Are Surgeon Bloggers Saying About Their Careers?

The projected shortage of general surgeons is owing to an increased demand for surgical services and a declining pool of practicing general surgeons. Burnout and attrition of residents from surgical residencies contribute to the latter. Attrition may be caused by the choice of a career in surgery without an understanding of the realities; subsequent recognition of the realities may cause residents to reexamine the opportunity costs of a career in the field. Because weblogs (blogs) are often used for reflection, qualitative analysis of the content of blogs authored by general surgeons may provide insight into the positive and negative realities of a surgical career. These insights may be informative to students as they consider a surgical career, may better prepare residents for the reality of what is to come, and identify targets for improving the culture of surgery and mitigating sources of career dissatisfaction. This is a qualitative analysis of entries on blogs authored by practicing general surgeons. A systematic approach was used to identify a sample of blog posts. These posts were analyzed using a constant comparative analysis method associated with constructivist grounded theory. Thirty-five posts drawn from 9 blogs were analyzed. Five main themes were identified in the reviewed blogs. Overall, 104 comments were positive in tone, 74 were neutral, and 147 were negative. There were 96 comments that focused on the rewards of being a surgeon, 88 concerning the practice environment, 57 about the educational environment, 54 about the toll of being a surgeon, and 30 pertaining to nostalgia. The most commonly identified subthemes focused on the training experience (38 comments), a surgical career providing personal fulfillment (35 comments), the impact of the culture of surgery (33 comments), and financial concerns (30 comments). A conceptual framework focused on balance was used to explain how the themes relate to each other. Themes identified are consistent with prior studies about surgeon career satisfaction. The considerable rewards of being a surgeon were outweighed by the challenges encountered in day-to-day practice. Meeting societal needs for more general surgeons would require efforts to minimize the tolls, to the extent possible, while encouraging individuals drawn to the rewarding work of being a surgeon