Surface activation of polyester fabric using ammonia dielectric barrier discharge and improvement in colour depth

The effect of atmospheric pressure ammonia dielectric barrier discharge on the surface of polyester fabric has been studied using contact angle goniometer, ATR–FTIR spectroscopy and SEM. It is observed that the surface of plasma treated polyester is more hydrophilic due to incorporation of nitrogenous polar functional groups and shows different conformational composition and crystallinity. The ATR–FTIR results clearly indicate the conversion of trans ethylene glycol residue to gauche one after plasma treatment and thus reduction in crystallinity. Plasma treatment has shown synergetic effect on dye uptake. Natural dyeing of plasma treated polyester with ‘Rubia cordifolia’ has shown 65% improvement in colour depth in comparison to untreated polyester fabric

Emotional urgency predicts bipolar symptoms, severity, and suicide attempt better than non-emotional impulsivity: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionEmotional urgency is an emotion-based subdimension of trait impulsivity that is more clinically relevant to psychopathology and disorders of emotion dysfunction than non-emotional subdimensions (i.e., lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, lack of premeditation). However, few studies have examined the relative effects of emotional urgency in bipolar disorder. This cross-sectional study aimed to establish the clinical relevance of emotional urgency in bipolar disorders by (1) explicating clinically relevant correlates of emotional urgency and (2) comparing its effects against non-emotional impulsivity subdimensions.Methods and resultsA total of 150 individuals with bipolar disorder were recruited between October 2021 and January 2023. Zero-order correlations found that emotional urgency had the greatest effect on bipolar symptoms (r = 0.37 to 0.44). Multiple two-step hierarchical regression models showed that (1) positive urgency predicted past manic symptomology and dysfunction severity (b = 1.94, p < 0.001 and 0.35 p < 0.05, respectively), (2) negative urgency predicted current depression severity, and (3) non-emotional facets of impulsivity had smaller effects on bipolar symptoms and dysfunction by contrast, and were non-significant factors in the final step of all regression models (b < 0.30, ns); Those who had a history of attempted suicide had significantly greater levels of emotional urgency (Cohen’s d = –0.63).DiscussionNotwithstanding the study’s limitations, our findings expand status quo knowledge beyond the perennial relationship between non-emotion-based impulsivity and bipolar disorder and its implications

A reduced state of being: The role of culture in illness perceptions of young adults diagnosed with depressive disorders in Singapore.

Illness perceptions form a key part of common-sense models which are used widely to explain variations in patient behaviours in healthcare. Despite the pervasiveness of depressive disorders worldwide and in young adults, illness perceptions of depressive disorders have not yet been well understood. Moreover, while a high proportion of cases of depressive disorders reside in South-east Asia, few have explored illness perceptions that are culturally relevant to this region. To address these limitations, this study aimed to understand illness perceptions of young adults diagnosed with depressive disorders. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted among Chinese, Malay, and Indian young adults aged 20 to 35 years old, who were seeking treatment at a psychiatric hospital. Data reached saturation after 33 interviews (10 to 12 interviews per ethnic group) and five themes emerged from the thematic analysis: 1) A reduced state of being experienced at a point of goal disengagement, 2) the accumulation of chronic stressors in a system that demands success and discourages the pursuit of personally meaningful goals, 3) a wide range of symptoms that are uncontrollable and disabling, 4) poor decision making resulting in wasted opportunities, with some positive takeaways, and 5) accepting the chronicity of depression. Young adults typically experienced depression as a reduced state of being and it was thought of cognitively as an entity that may be a part of or separate from the self. Over and beyond these aspects of cognitive representations was the emergence of themes depicting conflicts and dilemmas between the self and the social environment that threatened self-identity and autonomy. Addressing these conflicts in therapy would therefore be of utmost relevance for young adults recovering from depressive disorders in the local setting

Sleep disturbance as transdiagnostic mediator between adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology in children and adolescents: A structural equation modeling meta‐analysis

Abstract Background Increasing research efforts have focused on understanding why some individuals develop severe psychopathology after exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Sleep disturbances (insomnia, nightmares, and sleep disorders) are prevalent sequelae of ACEs and associated with psychopathology; however, there is no meta‐analytic evidence on whether sleep disturbance functions as a transdiagnostic mediator in the relationship between ACEs and psychopathology (internalizing/externalizing disorders and psychosis) in children and adolescents. Methods Systematic searches in three databases (PubMed; PsycINFO; Web of Science) identified 98 articles (N = 402,718; age range 1–17 years) and the present study used a novel two‐stage meta‐analytic structural equation model to investigate whether ACEs predict psychopathology through sleep disturbance. Subgroup analyses determined potential biases due to study design (cross‐sectional vs. longitudinal) and geographical differences (Western vs. non‐Western countries). Sensitivity analyses evaluated the influence of early childhood (<5 years old) and overlapping symptoms (i.e., nightmares and trauma symptoms) on model stability. Results The pooled correlations among ACEs, sleep disturbance, and psychopathology were significant; the effect sizes ranged from moderate to high (r = 0.21 to r = 0.29). The indirect effect from ACEs via sleep disturbance to psychopathology was significant (β = 0.05, 95% CI [0.04, 0.06]). The direct effect of ACEs on psychopathology was significant (β = 0.18, 95% CI 0.13–0.24). Subgroup analyses revealed larger effects for cross‐sectional studies than longitudinal studies (Δ χ2 (3) = 9.71, p = 0.021). Sensitivity analyses revealed stable and consistent results. Conclusions The present meta‐analytic results indicate that sleep disturbance is a transdiagnostic mediator in the relationship between ACEs and psychopathology among children and adolescents. Further research is required to determine the synergistic effects between sleep disturbance and other risk mechanisms, and elucidate the complex pathways that lead to disorder in the aftermath of childhood adversities