Post-traumatic stress disorder among LGBTQ people: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aims: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people (LGBTQ) are at increased risk of traumatization. This systematic review aimed to summarize data regarding the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for LGBTQ people and their subgroups. Methods: Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO and EMBASE were searched until September 2022. Studies reporting a comparative estimation of PTSD among LGBTQ population and the general population (i.e., heterosexual/cisgender), without restrictions on participants' age and setting for the enrolment, were identified. Meta-analyses were based on odds ratio (OR and 95% confidence intervals [CI]), estimated through inverse variance models with random effects. Results: The review process led to the selection of 27 studies, involving a total of 31,903 LGBTQ people and 273,842 controls, which were included in the quantitative synthesis. Overall, LGBTQ people showed an increased risk of PTSD (OR: 2.20 [95% CI: 1.85; 2.60]), although there was evidence of marked heterogeneity in the estimate (I2 = 91%). Among LGBTQ subgroups, transgender people showed the highest risk of PTSD (OR: 2.52 [95% CI: 2.22; 2.87]) followed by bisexual people (OR: 2.44 [95% CI: 1.05; 5.66]), although these comparisons are limited by the lack of data for other sexual and gender minorities, such as intersex people. Interestingly, the risk of PTSD for bisexual people was confirmed also considering lesbian and gay as control group (OR: 1.44 [95% CI: 1.07; 1.93]). The quality of the evidence was low. Conclusions: LGBTQ people are at higher risk of PTSD compared with their cisgender/heterosexual peers. This evidence may contribute to the public awareness on LGBTQ mental health needs and suggest supportive strategies as well as preventive interventions (e.g., supportive programs, counselling, and destigmatizing efforts) as parts of a tailored health-care planning aimed to reduce psychiatric morbidity in this at-risk population

Resolving the physics of Quasar Lyα\alpha Nebulae (RePhyNe): I. Constraining Quasar host halo masses through Circumgalactic Medium kinematics

Ly$\alpha$ nebulae ubiquitously found around z>2 quasars can supply unique constraints on the properties of the Circumgalactic Medium, such as its density distribution, provided the quasar halo mass is known. We present a new method to constrain quasar halo masses based on the line-of-sight velocity dispersion maps of Ly$\alpha$ nebulae. By using MUSE-like mock observations obtained from cosmological hydrodynamic simulations under the assumption of maximal quasar fluorescence, we show that the velocity dispersion radial profiles of Ly$\alpha$-emitting gas are strongly determined by gravity and that they are thus self-similar with respect to halo mass when rescaled by the virial radius. Through simple analytical arguments and by exploiting the kinematics of HeII1640\.A emission for a set of observed nebulae, we show that Ly$\alpha$ radiative transfer effects plausibly do not change the shape of the velocity dispersion profiles but only their normalisation without breaking their self-similarity. Taking advantage of these results, we define the variable $\eta^{140-200}_{40-100}$ as the ratio of the median velocity dispersion in two specifically selected annuli and derive an analytical relation between $\eta^{140-200}_{40-100}$ and the halo mass which can be directly applied to observations. We apply our method to 37 observed quasar Ly$\alpha$ nebulae at 3<z<4.7 and find that their associated quasars are typically hosted by ~$10^{12.16 \pm 0.14}$ M$_{\odot}$ haloes independent of redshift within the explored range. This measurement, which is completely independent of clustering methods, is consistent with the lowest mass estimates based on quasar auto-correlation clustering at z~3 and with quasar-galaxies cross-correlation results.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Coupled macromolecular transport and gel mechanics: Poroviscoelastic approach

Designing drug delivery devices or drug delivery protocols poses problems because they are considered to operate in a mechanically static environment. It should consider, however, transport processes in these cases occur in a mechanically dynamic environment since mechanical stimuli may strongly influence transport within soft hydrated materials. A general framework combines fluid and macromolecular transport with the mechanics of hydrated polymer gels or tissue. As an example, the model equations have been created for a spherical geometry to describe the distribution of macromolecules within the gel resulting from a constant pressure or a constant flow infusion source. The model describes the overall average profiles of the interstitial fluid pressure, velocity and solid matrix dilatation, displacement, and stress, as well as macromolecular distribution. The basic theory provides new insight into understanding the transport of macromolecules within mechanically stimulated polymeric gets and tissues and, therefore, represents a valuable tool for designing and engineering novel drug delivery systems, as well as optimization of drug delivery protocols to be used in detection and treatments

Positron Emission Tomography Molecular Imaging of the Major Neurodegenerative Disorders: Overview and Pictorial Essay, from a Nuclear Medicine Center's Perspective

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide key structural information on brain pathophysiology. Positron emission tomography (PET) measures metabolism in the living brain; it plays an important role in molecular neuroimaging and is rapidly expanding its field of application to the study of neurodegenerative diseases. Different PET radiopharmaceuticals allow in vivo characterization and quantization of biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels, from which many neurodegenerative diseases develop. In addition, hybrid imaging tools such as PET/CT and PET/MRI support the utility of PET, enabling the anatomical mapping of functional data. In this overview, we describe the most commonly used PET tracers in the diagnostic work-up of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. We also briefly discuss the pathophysiological processes of tracer uptake in the brain, detailing their specific cellular pathways in clinical cases. This overview is limited to imaging agents already applied in human subjects, with particular emphasis on those tracers used in our department

A Preliminary Assessment of an FBG-Based Hard Landing Monitoring System

In aeronautics, hard landing is a critical condition as the aircraft approaches the runway with a vertical velocity that exceeds 2 m/s. Beyond that level, the energy that should be then absorbed by the whole structure could cause severe damage to the landing gear and the whole structural system. This document reports on the set-up, execution and results of a preparatory test campaign performed on a small landing gear (LG) demonstrator instrumented with a fibre-optic sensor system. In detail, a leaf spring landing gear was released from a drop tower to detect information about the strain state and the related acceleration history of some specific components during the impact. The objective of the present research is the development of a method for assessing whether hard landing is experienced, and to what extent. Deformation measurements through an integrated Fibre-Bragg Grating (FBG) network allowed retrieving impact velocity by a devoted, original algorithm. The proposed preliminary methodology is the base for assessing a more complex procedure to correlate structural response to the energy entering the structure during the touchdown event

Preliminary Assessment of an FBG-Based Landing Gear Weight on Wheel System

Weight-on-Wheels (WoW) systems are aimed at indicating if the aircraft weight is loading onto the landing gear and its wheels, even partially. These systems are an integral part of the actuation system for safety-critical applications and shall provide reliable information on the actual operational status of the LG. That information reveals if the vehicle is in flight or on the ground. In this way, several kinds of accidents may be prevented, relating for instance, to the incorrect deployment of the landing gear, or even manoeuvres to a certain extent, therefore protecting the aircraft from dangerous damage. There are different architectures that have been proposed in the bibliography, some of them based on strain gauges deployed on the structure, or on proximity sensors installed on the wheels. Being this device and considered critical for safety, it is convenient to couple it with complementary measurements, recorded and processed by different sources. In general, it can be stated that such an intelligent sensor network may be seen as a fundamental support for proper landing gear deployment. The presented paper reports the results of a preliminary investigation performed by the authors to evaluate the possibility of deploying fibre optics on the landing gear structure as part of a WoW system to retrieve the required information. This choice would have a remarkable effect in terms of significant cabling reduction (a single array of sensing elements could be deployed over a single line), and cost abatement from both a manufacturing and operational point of view. There are many other benefits also when referring to an optical instead of a standard electrical sensor system. Due to its small size and ease of integration into different families of materials, it could be considered a system for monitoring the operating status of most actuators on board modern aircraft

Preliminary Assessment of an FBG-Based Landing Gear Weight on Wheel System

Weight-on-Wheels (WoW) systems are aimed at indicating if the aircraft weight is loading onto the landing gear and its wheels, even partially. These systems are an integral part of the actuation system for safety-critical applications and shall provide reliable information on the actual operational status of the LG. That information reveals if the vehicle is in flight or on the ground. In this way, several kinds of accidents may be prevented, relating for instance, to the incorrect deployment of the landing gear, or even manoeuvres to a certain extent, therefore protecting the aircraft from dangerous damage. There are different architectures that have been proposed in the bibliography, some of them based on strain gauges deployed on the structure, or on proximity sensors installed on the wheels. Being this device and considered critical for safety, it is convenient to couple it with complementary measurements, recorded and processed by different sources. In general, it can be stated that such an intelligent sensor network may be seen as a fundamental support for proper landing gear deployment. The presented paper reports the results of a preliminary investigation performed by the authors to evaluate the possibility of deploying fibre optics on the landing gear structure as part of a WoW system to retrieve the required information. This choice would have a remarkable effect in terms of significant cabling reduction (a single array of sensing elements could be deployed over a single line), and cost abatement from both a manufacturing and operational point of view. There are many other benefits also when referring to an optical instead of a standard electrical sensor system. Due to its small size and ease of integration into different families of materials, it could be considered a system for monitoring the operating status of most actuators on board modern aircraft

Fiber Bragg Grating Bonding Characterization under Long-Period Cyclic Loading

The Smart Landing Gear system to be developed in the framework of the ANGELA project provides the strain measurements on landing gear structure at landings, and this system should be maintained efficiently under operational conditions. It is intended to assess the relevance of Fiber Bragg Gratings for in-flight testing. To assess the capabilities of the FBG bonding and to analyze the strain transmission conditions from the host structure to the FBG through the bonding layer during the operational phases of landing gears, a long-period cyclic loading test campaign on the bonding layer itself was performed. The primary objective of this fatigue-like test was to prove the ability of FBG sensors to withstand the operational life-cycle of landing gear while providing the same strain transfer function throughout the entire cycle; the secondary objective was to select the most suitable fiber-coating and bonding agents for this application. This document describes the execution and results of the fatigue-like test, intended as a preparatory test campaign to support the preliminary design activities of the Smart Landing System

Self-harm and suicidality among LGBTIQ people: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Research evidence has consistently documented a higher risk of suicidality in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer (LGBTIQ) population. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to report a detailed description of research data regarding the risk of Attempted Suicide (SA), Suicide Ideation (SI), and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) behaviours for LGBTIQ people and their subgroups. Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO, and EMBASE were searched for studies reporting a comparative estimation of SA, SI, and NSSI rates among LGBTIQ population and the general population (i.e. heterosexual/cisgender), without restrictions on participants' age and setting for the enrolment. Pooled analyses were based on odds ratios (ORs, with 95% CIs), estimated through inverse variance models with random effects. Fifty studies were selected for the quantitative synthesis and included fifty samples involving 3.735.601 controls and 87.252 LGBTIQ people. LGBTIQ people reported an increased risk of SA (OR:4.36[95%CI:3.32;5.71]), SI (OR:3.76[95%CI:3.02;4.69]), and NSSI (OR:4.24[95%CI:3.23;5.55]). Among LGBTIQ subgroups, the Bisexual group has shown the highest risk of suicidality (SA, OR:6.71; SI, OR:5.04; NSSI, OR: 5.03), followed by the Lesbian-Gay for attempted suicide (SA, OR:6.03), and the Transgender-Intersex-Queer for suicide ideation and non-suicidal self-injury (SI and NSSI, OR:3.42). The quality of the evidence ranged from low to moderate. Our findings have shown that LGBTIQ people report a higher risk of suicidality compared with their cisgender/heterosexual peers. This evidence may contribute to the public awareness on LGBTQI mental health needs and suggest supportive strategies as well as preventive interventions (e.g. supportive programs, counselling, and destigmatizing efforts) as parts of a tailored health-care planning aimed to reduce psychiatric morbidity and mortality in this at-risk population

The effect of ketamine on cognition, anxiety, and social functioning in adults with psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: It has been shown that ketamine can improve suicidality and depression. Evidence for other dimensions of psychopathology is lacking. We undertook a systematic review to investigate the effect of ketamine on cognition, anxiety, quality of life, and social functioning in adults with psychiatric disorders. Methods: PubMed (Medline), Scopus, PsycINFO, and EMBASE were searched up to April 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on ketamine [or its S (+) enantiomer] reporting data on cognition, anxiety, quality of life, social functioning in adults with psychiatric disorders were included. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used for summarizing continuous outcomes. Results: Twenty-two reports were included in the final selection, of which 20, corresponding to 1,298 participants, were included in the quantitative synthesis. Affective disorders were the predominant diagnostic category. Median follow-up time was 21 days. The evidence was rated moderate to very low. In most trials, ketamine was administered intravenously or as adjuvant to electro-convulsant therapy (ECT). Only 2 trials of intranasal esketamine were identified. The effect of ketamine on depression was confirmed (SMD: −0.61 [95% CI: −1.06; −0.16]). Furthermore, by pooling results of 6 RCTs, ketamine may be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms (SMD: −0.42 [95% CI: −0.84; 0.003]), particularly when administered not within ECT (5 trials; SMD: −0.58 [95% CI: −1.07; −0.09]). However, there was moderate heterogeneity of results. Patients treated with ketamine also had an improvement in social functioning (SMD: −0.31 [95% CI: −0.52; −0.10]), although the estimate was based only on 2 studies. No difference to comparators was found with respect to cognition and quality of life. Conclusion: Alongside the antidepressant effect, ketamine may also improve anxiety and social functioning in adults with affective disorders