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Contrast-enhanced Micro-CT imaging of a foetal female pelvic floor reveals anatomical details

Background The pelvic floor is a highly important structure for the stability of the pelvis, providing support for the organs that lie within it. Until today, the detailed anatomy of the female perineal centre and the exact course of surrounding muscles remain controversial. We demonstrate a method to non-destructively obtain high-resolution contrast-enhanced x-ray microtomography images from a long-fixed sample and thereby aim to contribute to the detailed anatomical knowledge about the female pelvic floor. Materials and methods A human foetal pelvis of 20–21 weeks gestational age, formalin-fixed for 4 years, was immersed in Lugol solution and tomographically scanned periodically to document the staining process. The influence of the former fixation time was addressed by comparison with a short time fixed mouse pelvis. High-resolution imaging was performed using µCT, with detailed anatomical analysis supported by segmentation and 3D reconstruction. Results Lugol staining of long-fixed tissue was effective and showed no disadvantages compared to short-fixed tissue. Lugol staining and high-resolution µCT images provided a nicely stained image-stack with clearly identifiable tissue types. The anatomy of the foetal pelvis and its structures were resolved in detail. Interconnections between the external anal sphincter, the bulbospongiosus muscle and the superficial transverse perineal muscle could be shown within the perineal centre. There was no evidence for a skeletal muscle that corresponded to the formerly described deep transverse perineal muscle, instead there was cloudy-looking tissue, most likely smooth muscle fibres dispersed in connective tissue in a 3-D arrangement. Conclusions X-ray microtomography of Lugol-stained tissue is an excellent method to gain anatomical details in high resolution, in a non-invasive and non-destructive way, independently of the fixation time. Using this method, the topographical relationships of the pelvic floor muscles could be illustrated, showing their linkage within the perineal centre.

Climate change worry, awareness, risk appraisal, and pro-environmental behaviors: Are these factors different for individuals with and without chronic diseases?

Background Climate change poses significant risks to human health, particularly exacerbating conditions for individuals with chronic diseases. This study aimed to examine differences in climate change awareness, risk appraisal, pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs), and climate change worry between individuals with and without chronic diseases, and to investigate their interrelationships. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was employed, using convenience sampling. Participants included 405 Israeli adults (146 with chronic diseases, and 259 without) who completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing climate change awareness, risk appraisal, PEBs, and worry. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multivariate analysis of covariance, using SPSS version 29. Moderated serial mediation analysis was conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (model 92) with 5,000 bootstrap samples. Results Participants with chronic diseases reported significantly higher levels of climate change awareness, F(1, 400)=5.88, p = .016; risk appraisal, F(1, 400)=12.68, p < .001; PEBs, F(1, 400)=4.00, p = .046; and worry, F(1, 400)=6.81, p = .009, than did participants without chronic diseases. The moderated serial mediation model was significant (effect = 0.02, SE = 0.01, 95%CI [0.001, 0.04]), explaining 44% of the variance in climate change worry. Awareness positively predicted risk appraisal (B = 0.33, p < .001), which in turn predicted both PEBs (B = 0.23, p < .001) and worry (B = 0.29, p < .001). The indirect pathway from awareness to worry via PEBs was significant only among participants with chronic diseases (B = 0.04, SE = 0.02, 95%CI [0.01, 0.10]). Similarly, the complete serial mediation path—from awareness to risk appraisal, to PEBs, and finally to worry—was significant for participants with chronic diseases (B = 0.02, SE = 0.01, 95%CI [0.01, 0.05]) but not for participants without chronic diseases. Conclusions The results emphasize the need for targeted communication strategies and policy initiatives that address the specific vulnerabilities and behaviors of chronically ill populations. Future research should utilize longitudinal approaches and objective assessments to deepen our understanding of these dynamics and inform effective interventions.

Hyperchaotic color image encryption using eight-base DNA complementary rules and extended Zigzag transform

As an efficient technique to protect image content from unauthorized access, image encryption has been a hot spot in recent studies. Among various schemes of image encryption, those that utilize hyperchaotic systems and deoxyribonucleicacid (DNA) computing are promising. In this paper, complementary rules of eight-base DNA computing are proposed, whose number is 5040, whereas the number of complementary rules of traditional four-base DNA is only 6. Hence, complementary rules of eight-base DNA can introduce larger flexibility and complexity into image encryption. In addition, a new extended Zigzag transform is proposed, which can generate a large number of Zigzag-like paths. By combining a four-dimensional (4D) hyperchaotic system, complementary rules of eight-base DNA and the new extended Zigzag transform, a new hyperchaotic encryption scheme for color images called EDCREZT is proposed. During the encryption procedure of EDCREZT, a plaintext color image will pass through five steps: pixel-level permutation, dynamic DNA encoding, DNA-level permutation by the new extended Zigzag transform, two-round DNA-level diffusion by the proposed complementary rules, and dynamic DNA decoding, then the cipher image is obtained. Extensive experiments have been conducted, and the results show EDCREZT possesses satisfying capability against typical attacks.

Close the mathematics gender gap: huge study prompts urgent call to action

Cohort profile: The Belgian I AM frontier prospective cohort study for comprehensive health outcome exploration

Objectives The I AM Frontier cohort was set up to support proof-of-concepts aimed at personalized prevention and health promotion. The study was designed to identify patterns, markers and processes involved in the spectrum between health and early disease onset, with the aim of generating actionable insights in a clinical setting. Study design A prospective cohort study. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Antwerp University Hospital (RegN°: B300201938600). Methods Data collection in the I AM Frontier study spanned 12 months as a longitudinal small-scale cohort study (n = 30) conducted in the Antwerp region of Flanders, Belgium. Participants were employees of the company hosting the study, who did not have a clinical diagnosis and were between 45–60 years old. Results Even though no severe health problems were recorded at baseline, participants reported several physical complaints. There was a clear difference in longitudinal variation between clinical and research grade omics types, which might have affected their respective ability to detect intermediate molecular changes that were be linked to phenotype changes. Conclusion By integrating findings from the IAF cohort into a large-scale cohort on personalized prevention, and incorporating new technologies for microsample data collection and participant engagement, we can develop more precise and individualized health recommendations.

Digitally constructed mask brings a damaged painting back to life

Tailoring neuromuscular dynamics: A modeling framework for realistic sEMG simulation

This study introduces an advanced computational model for simulating surface electromyography (sEMG) signals during muscle contractions. The model integrates five elements that simulate the chain of processes from motor intention to voltage variations over the skin. These elements include the motor control system, motor neurons, muscle fibers, biological tissues, and electrodes. sEMG signals were simulated for isotonic and isometric contractions under two force conditions and compared with real data obtained from elbow flexion experiments. The results demonstrate a high level of similarity between simulated and real signals, encompassing both temporal and spectral features. Additionally, the study reveals a correlation between muscle fiber type distribution and changes in the spectral distribution of the simulated signals. Potential applications of this research include the development of comprehensive sEMG databases and elucidating the relationship between sEMG signal characteristics and internal neuromuscular parameters. Future research aims to further explore these applications and enhance the model’s performance by leveraging emerging technologies such as machine learning. This approach establishes a framework for simulating sEMG signals under tailored neuromuscular conditions and holds promise for advancing our understanding of muscular physiology and human motor control mechanisms.

A comparative analysis of microplastic contamination in hermit crab Clibanarius rhabdodactylus Forest, 1953, inhabiting intertidal and subtidal Coastal habitat of Gujarat state

Microplastics (MPs) contamination has increased significantly due to inadequate plastic waste, leading to MPs infiltration in marine organisms. Crustaceans, especially the anomuran crabs, represented significant benthic communities in the intertidal zone. The current investigation aims to check the variation in MP contamination in Hermit crab Clibanarius rhabdodactylus inhabiting the intertidal and subtidal zone of Gujarat state, India. A total of 50 crabs (25 males and 25 females) of C. rhabdodactylus were collected from both zones along the coast of Gujarat in January and February 2024. In the laboratory, hermit crabs were weighed, dissected, and processed for tissue digestion. Sediment and water samples also underwent digestion. All samples were then processed through flotation, filtration, microscopic observation, and chemical characterization. The higher contamination was recorded in intertidal specimens than in subtidal specimens. The MP contamination in C. rhabdodactylus varied significantly between intertidal and subtidal specimens. MP contamination in both habitats was greater in females than in males. MP contamination in sediment and water was higher in the intertidal region than in the subtidal region, with no significant difference. Morphometric examination of MPs indicated the maximum abundance of fibers in terms of MP shape, followed by fragments and films. Black coloured MPs with 0.5–1 mm size were recorded dominantly in both habitats. The isolated MPs were primarily composed of polyethylene and polypropylene polymers. This study proposed immediate measures to address the issue of effective management of plastic litter in the marine ecosystem of the state. The present study revealed that MPs are widely distributed in the intertidal region and possess a greater risk of MP accumulation than those in the subtidal region.

Providing context: Extracting non-linear and dynamic temporal motifs from brain activity

Approaches studying the dynamics of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) activity often focus on time-resolved functional connectivity (tr-FC). While many tr-FC approaches have been proposed, most are linear approaches, e.g. computing the linear correlation at a timestep or within a window. In this work, we propose to use a generative non-linear deep learning model, a disentangled variational autoencoder (DSVAE), that factorizes out window-specific (context) information from timestep-specific (local) information. This has the advantage of allowing our model to capture differences at multiple temporal scales. We find that by separating out temporal scales our model’s window-specific embeddings, or as we refer to them, context embeddings, more accurately separate windows from schizophrenia patients and control subjects than baseline models and the standard tr-FC approach in a low-dimensional space. Moreover, we find that for individuals with schizophrenia, our model’s context embedding space is significantly correlated with both age and symptom severity. Interestingly, patients appear to spend more time in three clusters, one closer to controls which shows increased visual-sensorimotor, cerebellar-subcortical, and reduced cerebellar-visual functional network connectivity (FNC), an intermediate station showing increased subcortical-sensorimotor FNC, and one that shows decreased visual-sensorimotor, decreased subcortical-sensorimotor, and increased visual-subcortical domains. We verify that our model captures features that are complementary to - but not the same as - standard tr-FC features. Our model can thus help broaden the neuroimaging toolset in analyzing fMRI dynamics and shows potential as an approach for finding psychiatric links that are more sensitive to individual and group characteristics.

Antennal sensilla diversity in diurnal and nocturnal fireflies (Coleoptera, Lampyridae)

Insects use their antennae to collect environmental information. While the structural diversity of insect antennae is immediately obvious, the diversity of the minute antennal sensilla that interact with the environmental stimuli and translate them into sensory input, is largely unknown for many insect groups. This includes the beetle family Lampyridae, which includes nocturnal species that use bioluminescent signals during mate search, and diurnal species that rely exclusively on pheromones to identify and locate a potential mate. Relative to their bodysize, diurnal species tend to have larger antennae, and diurnal males have larger antennae than their females. It is generally assumed that antennal size reflects sensilla numbers, but this remains to be tested. We used Scanning Electron Microscopy to document the sensilla diversity of both males and females of three diurnal and four nocturnal firefly species, as well as total sensilla numbers, densities and their distribution along the antenna. We identified 14 sensilla morphotypes across the seven species, including 12 morphotypes that are new for Lampyridae. Based on their putative function we sorted all sensilla into two categories, mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors. Mechanosensilla (3 morphotypes) were the most abundant and conserved sensilla across firefly species, and the distribution of chemosensilla (9 morphotypes) was unexpectedly variable across species. We hypothesized that the differences in mating signals between diurnal and nocturnal fireflies would be reflected in their chemosensilla counts or densities. As predicted, diurnal and nocturnal fireflies did not differ in their mechanosensilla counts or densities, nor did males and females. In contrast, firefly males had significantly more chemosensilla (and higher densities) than females and the interaction term (activity by sex) was also significant: diurnal males had significantly more chemosensilla than nocturnal males, highlighting the importance of pheromones for diurnal species. Based on a series of predictions, we also identified a pheromone sensilla candidate for each species that will facilitate functional testing in future studies.

Cancer/testis antigens FBXO39 and CEP55 expression correlates with survival in GBM patients

Background Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is a primary brain malignancy resistant to conventional therapies, with poor survival. Cancer testis antigens (CTAs) are important cancer diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Bioinformatics analysis of GBM clinical and molecular data was undertaken to identify and validate the key CTA genes, whose expression correlates with the survival of GBM patients. Methods RNA-seq data of GBM were downloaded from TCGA and CGGA databases to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Cancer Testis genes (from the CT database), found up and down-regulated in the GBM series compared to normal samples, were determined in both TCGA and CGGA databases. Overall survival (OS) of GBM patients in the TCGA and CGGA databases as a function of the expression of key CTA genes was considered to identify those whose expression significantly predicts patient survival. The predictive values of our candidate genes were then tested using our independent cohort (n = 29) using an RT-qPCR approach. Results Compared to normal brain samples, a total of 2463 and, 6249 up- and 3706 and, 6606 down-regulated genes were found in the TCGA and CGGA, respectively. The intersection between 279 CTAs in the CD database and the up-and-down-regulated genes of both other databases was found in 11 and 8 CTAs, respectively. Using tumor samples from our cohort of 29 patients and an RT-qPCR approach, we found that FBXO39 and CEP55 genes were highly expressed in GBM and that their expression predicted the OS (P < 0.05). Conclusions Our results support the potential use of FBXO39 and CEP55 gene expression measurement as prognostic biomarkers in GBM patients.

Time to first antenatal care contact and pooled prevalence among reproductive-age women in East Africa: Log-logistic shared frailty model

Background Antenatal care (ANC), the provision of prenatal healthcare by skilled medical practitioners, is essential for ensuring the well-being of pregnant women and their fetuses. It reduces maternal and child morbidity and mortality. However, there is a lack of comprehensive, region-wide analyses of ANC initiation, particularly across diverse East African countries. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the time to first antenatal care and its associated factors in East African countries. Methods Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 2012–2022 consisting of 12 countries were extracted. A total of 93,213 weighted reproductive-age women (15–49 years) were included in this study. A Kaplan–Meier survivor curve was generated to estimate the time of the first antenatal care contact. A log-rank test was used to compare the difference in survival curves. The log-logistic gamma shared frailty model was selected based on the reduced Akaike and Bayesian Information Criteria, and Cox-Snell residual plot. The shared frailty model was utilized to capture the correlation of outcomes within clusters (countries), as individuals within the same country may experience similar risks. Results The pooled prevalence of women with a minimum of 4 ANC contacts in East African countries was 57.7% (95% CI: (49.9–65.1%). The variability in effect sizes of ANC utilization across included countries is estimated at τ2= 0.2032 [95% CI: 0.1111–0.6611]. The overall median time to the first antenatal care contact was 4 months. The log-logistic shared frailty model showed that place of residence [ϕ = 1.014, 95% CI: (1.006, 1.021)], maternal age [ϕ = 0.978, 95% CI: (0.970, 0.980)], women’s education level [ϕ = 0.964, 95% CI: (0.952, 0.971)], marital status [ϕ = 0.970, 95% CI: (0.963, 0.978)], wealth index [ϕ = 0.990, 95% CI: (0.982, 0.997)], healthcare distance [ϕ = 0.975, 95% CI: (0.969, 0.980)], and parity [ϕ = 1.111, 95% CI: (1.093, 1.129)] were significant determinants of time at first antenatal care visit. Conclusion Women in East Africa initiated their first ANC visit later than the optimal period recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The positive correlation between early ANC initiation and access to media, healthcare access, and educational attainment may be utilized to promote increased early engagement in ANC services. Thus, governments and other responsible bodies should strive to implement programs to enhance access to healthcare and education, particularly for women living in rural areas, to improve the early initiation of antenatal care visits.

Screening and validation of key microRNAs regulating muscle development in Hanper sheep

Background/Objectives In sheep farming, the economic significance of meat characteristics is substantial, and advancing the genetic quality of livestock relies heavily on understanding the cellular mechanisms behind muscle growth and its regulation. This study examined miRNA expression patterns in the longissimus dorsi muscle tissue of Hanper sheep of various ages, with the goal of determining their biological functions and identifying miRNAs and their target mRNAs that influence muscle development and meat quality. Methods Using the Image-Pro Plus 6.0 program and HE and fluorescent staining procedures, we measured the diameter of muscle fibers in the longissimus dorsi of Hanper sheep at three distinct ages (1, 7, and 13 months) in order to calculate the average fiber size. For the analysis of muscle fiber area, one-way Analysis of Variance was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 25.0, with Least Significant Difference tests applied afterward to compare the different groups. Transcriptome sequencing was conducted to identify miRNAs, and bioinformatics tools were applied to predict their target genes. GO and KEGG functional annotations were used to analyze the biological functions of these target genes. RT-qPCR was performed to validate the expression levels of differential expressed miRNAs. Results Muscle fiber diameter and area increased progressively with age, as indicated by HE and fluorescence staining. Four novel miRNAs identified for the first time in sheep were among the 116 differential expressed miRNAs that were found. These miRNAs were found to be involved in key pathways such as TGF-β, mTOR, Wnt, and MAPK, which regulate muscle growth and development. It was determined that three new miRNA-mRNA pairs included oar-miR-133/MSC, oar-miR-148a/FST, and oar-miR-410-3p/NIN may be essential for muscle growth. RT-qPCR results confirmed the expression trends observed in the transcriptome sequencing data. Conclusions Our knowledge of the fundamental molecular mechanisms underpinning muscle growth and development is improved by the discovery of new miRNAs and the target genes that correspond to them. These findings may serve as new breeding targets for improving meat quality in sheep.

Factors associated with recurrent malaria episodes among children under five at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital in Kayunga District, Central Uganda

Background Malaria poses a substantial global challenge and continues to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity in numerous developing nations. Children under the age of five in low- and middle-income countries such as Uganda are the most affected. However, there remains a deficiency in knowledge regarding recurrent malaria episodes in Uganda. We determined the prevalence and factors associated with recurrent malaria episodes among children under five at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study conducted among children under five at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital in central Uganda. The data was collected among 250 consecutively sampled participants who were caring for children under five. Data was collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire and analyzed at univariate, bivariate, and multivariate levels. Results A total of 250 participants participated in the study with a response rate of 98.45%. The prevalence of recurrent malaria episodes was 84% (210). The factors significantly associated with recurrent malaria episodes were; children from houses that were annually sprayed (aOR; 8.93, 95%CI,2.11–37.81), children from houses that were not sprayed (aOR; 3.80,95%CI,1.27–9.41, p = 0.017), children who were treated with quinine antimalarial in the previous infection (aOR, 0.28, 95%CI,0.12–0.65) and children who were residing in a house whose windows were closed at 7–8 pm (aOR, 8.31, 95%CI, 2.21–10.27). Conclusion The recurrence of malaria episodes among children under five is significantly high, suggesting the possibility of malaria resistance. Importantly, quinine remains a robust alternative treatment for complicated malaria, owing to its significant efficacy against malaria parasites in regions of moderate to high transmission rates. Malaria prevention programs should consider biannual indoor residual spraying in high malaria transmission areas using vector-susceptible insecticides.

How to keep weight off after obesity drugs

Protocol for a QUALICOPC study in a Malaysian setting: Primary care pharmacy services system performance and T2DM older adults’ quality of life evaluation

Pharmacists may play a crucial role in enhancing the primary care (PC) system by offering convenient patient care and leveraging their expertise to promote community health through pharmaceutical care and value-added services. Given the significant healthcare issue of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Malaysia and other Asian countries, the associated treatment costs have become a global economic concern. The increasing prevalence of T2DM in Malaysia, particularly among older adults, is intensifying its clinical and economic impact on the country. To address this, the current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of PC pharmacies using the Quality and Costs of Primary Care (QUALICOPC) Survey, which is widely used in Europe and other developed and developing countries. This research seeks to collect experience and value feedback from older adults with T2DM or their caregivers, and job satisfaction feedback from pharmacy staff. Additionally, the quality of life (QOL) of older adults with T2DM will be assessed among the patients who are respondents in this study. This study will use the adapted and validated QUALICOPC questionnaires that are in line with international standards and tailored to the Malaysian context. An expert panel, including the Pharmaceutical Services Division of the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia and the Kulliyyah of Pharmacy at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), has been involved in the content validity of the adapted QUALICOPC questionnaires. The QUALICOPC questionnaires will be validated for the construct with a minimum of 38 samples for each client experience questionnaire, 30 samples for each value questionnaire, and 19 samples for the staff questionnaire. The survey will involve 192 samples from each group of T2DM older adults or caregivers and all corresponding public PC pharmacy staff. The QOL will be evaluated using the EuroQol (EQ) 5-dimensions 5-levels [EQ-5D-5L] and an EQ visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). The findings from this study will be valuable for informing the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Malaysian government in designing more effective health policies.

To progress, science must be truly global

Associations between COVID-19 infection, symptom severity, perceived susceptibility, and long-term adherence to protective behaviors: The Los Angeles pandemic surveillance cohort study

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, protective behaviors like mask wearing or social distancing were encouraged to limit viral spread. While pandemic fatigue is tied to the reduction of protective behaviors over time, little evidence exists examining predictors of long-term protective behaviors after recovering from COVID-19. Purpose This study investigates the association between COVID-19 infection status and future use of protective behaviors. Methods We analyzed data from 676 adults who completed questionnaires in May 2021 and January 2023 as part of the Los Angeles Pandemic Surveillance Cohort Study. Measures included self-reported COVID-19 infection status and symptom severity, and mask wearing, hand washing, social distancing and perceived susceptibility to COVID-19. We performed Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, ordinal logit regression models, and mediation analysis to assess behavior change, associations, and whether perceived susceptibility mediated the effects. Results The use of protective behaviors declined significantly from baseline to follow-up. Self- reported asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection was associated with less social distancing (aOR=0.57, 95% CI [0.35, 0.92]), less mask wearing (aOR=0.63, 95% CI [0.40, 0.99]), and lower perceived susceptibility (aβ = −0.17, 95% CI [−0.33, −0.02]) at follow-up. Moderate or severe COVID-19 infection was associated with less mask wearing (aOR=0.55, 95%CI [0.38, 0.81]). Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 mediated 15% of the effect of mild COVID-19 infection on mask wearing (indirect effect aβ = −0.16, 95% CI [−0.31, −0.02]). Conclusions These results provide novel insights into the drivers of decreased use of protective behaviors over the course of the pandemic, particularly after an asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection. More research is needed on the effect of COVID-19 infection on long-term adherence to preventive measures against future pandemics.

Synthesis of novel N-substituted β-amino acid derivatives bearing 2-hydroxyphenyl moieties as promising antimicrobial candidates targeting multidrug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among ESKAPE group pathogens presents a significant challenge in the healthcare sector, contributing to higher morbidity and mortality rates globally. Thus, it is essential to develop novel antimicrobial agents effective against drug-resistant pathogens. In this study, we report the synthesis and in vitro antimicrobial activity characterization of novel N-substituted β-amino acid derivatives bearing 2-hydroxyphenyl core against multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens. The synthesized compounds (2–26) exhibited promising antimicrobial activity specifically against Gram-positive bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 4 to 128 µg/mL. Compounds 9 (R = 4-nitrophenyl), 17 (R = 5-nitro-2-thienyl), 18 (R = 5-nitro-2-furyl), thiosemicarbazide 16, and 26 exhibited the most promising activity against Staphylococcus aureus MRSA USA300 lineage strain TCH-1516, with MIC values between 4 and 16 µg/mL. Compound 26 demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity against both S. aureus TCH-1516 and E. faecalis AR-0781, with the activity comparable to control antibiotics. Furthermore, compound 26 exhibited antifungal activity drug-resistant against Candida albicans AR-0761 (MIC 16 µg/mL). These findings indicate that N-substituted β-amino acid derivatives with a 2-hydroxyphenyl core warrant further investigation as a potential scaffold for the further development of antimicrobial agents based on compound 26 targeting Gram-positive pathogens and drug-resistant C. albicans AR-0761.

Three forms of temporal disorientation: A thematic analysis of subjective reports about Covid-19 restriction periods

During the Covid-19 restrictions, people reported various surprising disruptions in their experience of time, such as time simultaneously passing slower and faster, or feeling unreal. This hints at instances of dissociative time experiences in the general public in times of crisis. We investigate the temporal experience of the pandemic through a corpus-based thematic analysis and a multiple correspondence analysis of 149 subjective reports gathered in March 2021, during a period of long lasting and ongoing restrictions in France and the UK. We argue that three forms of temporal disorientation constitute a fitting umbrella over a heterogeneous phenomenology. The loss of temporal landmarks made it harder to orient oneself and induced episodic forms of temporal disorientation. Distinctively, sustained temporal disbelief, an existential form of temporal disorientation, could occur when people’s past perspective was severely distorted. Finally, a future-oriented form of temporal disorientation whose hallmarks were feelings of anxiety and hopelessness could occur alongside inabilities to project oneself into the future. Our findings suggest that future landmarks should be provided to those most exposed to dissociative temporal experiences during crises.