bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Banquières de famille ? Les femmes et la gestion des patrimoines familiaux à Gênes au xiiiᵉ siècle
Authors: Prokopek Skarbimir
Published: November 2023

L’importance de l’activité économique des femmes à Gênes aux xiiᵉ-xiiiᵉ siècles est une particularité bien connue de cette cité. Pourtant, Gênes n’est pas épargnée par le mouvement global de réduction de l’autonomie des femmes. Ce dernier est lié à l’émergence des alberghi, groupements lignagers et topographiques qui réorganisent profondément la société génoise. L’analyse des réseaux sociaux, appliquée à ces problématiques, permet de mettre en évidence le rôle central des femmes dans le fonctionnement des réseaux familiaux aristocratiques. Alors même que leur autonomie et leur capacité à nouer des relations avec des partenaires extérieurs sont restreintes, de véritables banquières de famille apparaissent. Ces femmes, qui administrent des biens considérables, des biens personnels comme des héritages, contribuent à mobiliser et à diriger les moyens du groupe familial en consentant des prêts à ses membres. Leur action permet de tisser les réseaux familiaux ainsi que de pérenniser les groupes à travers l’administration des biens des défunts et la contribution active aux entrées des jeunes dans la carrière marchande.
Que savaient les Islandais du xiie siècle au sujet de la Méditerranée ? Le voyage du jarl Rögnvaldr Kali Kolsson en Terre sainte
Authors: Barabino Victor
Published: November 2023

Cet article se propose d’étudier à nouveaux frais le voyage en Terre sainte accompli entre 1151 et 1153 par le jarl des Orcades Rögnvaldr Kali Kolsson, à partir du récit qui en est fait dans la Saga des Orcadiens (chap. 86-89). Son objectif est de nuancer la thèse selon laquelle ce récit reposerait sur une mauvaise connaissance des pays européens (J. Renaud, 1986), en réinterprétant les passages du texte donnant des indications sur les savoirs géographiques des Islandais médiévaux. En nous appuyant sur la toponymie et une approche comparative avec d’autres sources islandaises et occidentales, nous pouvons conclure que, malgré les imprécisions factuelles, le récit présente une bonne connaissance globale des espaces méditerranéens traversés lors du voyage, témoignant alors des circulations culturelles qui ont pu exister au xiie siècle entre l’Islande, les Orcades et la chrétienté occidentale.
La métamorphose de Hetzel : un éditeur parisien à l’international
Authors: Mauny Polina de
Published: November 2023

Le texte traite de l’entrelacement des stratégies littéraires et éditoriales de l’éditeur Pierre-Jules Hetzel et celles de ses deux auteurs étrangers résidant et travaillant à Paris : l’écrivain russe Ivan Tourgueniev et la femme de lettre ukrainienne et russe Marko Vovtchok (Maria Markovitch). Il retrace les étapes de sa transformation d’éditeur parisien en éditeur international tout en examinant la manière dont les stratégies se réalisent au sein du champ culturel. En outre, non seulement Hetzel évolue, mais également les auteurs qu’il édite.
“It’s just Arabic!”: Linguistic Anxiety and Identity Negotiations in Egypt’s International Schools
Authors: Roushdy Noha
Published: November 2023

This paper examines the tensions around Arabic language education in Egypt’s expanding private international educational field. Drawing on interviews and participant-observation research inside an international school in Cairo between 2016-2017, I focus on the institutional, pedagogical, and sociocultural configuration of Arabic language education in international schools. I argue that students’ linguistic attitudes and practices echoed the sharp division between Standard and Egyptian Vernacular Arabic in the linguistic ideology of formal Arabic education. The research showed that lack of proficiency in Standard Arabic had no bearing on international school students’ academic achievement or social life. Conversely, students’ relationship to Egyptian Vernacular Arabic was central in everyday identity negotiations in the international school and provided a dynamic linguistic and cultural repertoire for the enactment of nationally inflected social and cultural values.
Effect of Thermomechanical Rolling on Mechanical Properties of TRIP-Aided Steel Sheet
Authors: Kobayashi Junya , Kimura Taichi , Kudo Shun , Kojima Genta , Hojo Tomohiko , Kuramoto Shigeru , Itoh Goroh
Published: November 2023

To attain the aim of weight reduction and safety improvement of vehicles, some high strength steel sheets have been developed and investigated. TRIP-aided steel sheets with transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) of the retained austenite have high strength and ductility, and excellent hydrogen embrittlement resistance. In previous study, as high strength TRIP-aided steel for forging parts, the volume fraction of retained austenite in the TRIP-aided steel could be increased by hot forging with austempering. Similarly, our research group reported that the thermomechanical process of hot rolling following by austempering could also increase the amount of retained austenite in the TRIP-aided steel sheet. The tensile properties and formabilities of TRIP-aided steel sheet subjected to the thermomechanical rolling just before austempering possess obvious advantages compared with those of TRIP-aided steel sheet without thermomechanical rolling process (with only austempering). These excellent mechanical properties may be caused by the finely dispersed retained austenite and refined bainitic ferrite and/or martensite brock by thermomechanical rolling process.
Grain Refinement in 441 Ferritic Stainless Steel: High Versus Low Ti/Al Ratio after Casting and Hot Rolling
Authors: Siyasiya Charles Witness , Asante Joshua , Matengaifa Rutendo
Published: November 2023

The effect of Ti/Al ratio (mass%) on the evolution of the microstructures after casting and hot rolling of Ca treated 441 dual stabilized ferritic stainless steel (FSS) was investigated in order to understand its effects on grain refinement mechanism. Industrially cast and lab simulated hot rolled samples, were subjected to similar processing conditions but with different Ti/Al ratios of 2.4 and 7.8. The microstructures and inclusions were analysed by the OM, SEM-EDS, SEM-EBSD and AzTecFeature software. The results showed that the steel with higher Ti/Al ratio exhibited finer grains after continuous casting and hot rolling, i.e., the initial finer as-cast structure resulted in finer grains and less substructure after hot rolling. The steel with higher Ti/Al ratio contained more Ti-rich complex inclusions and precipitates (especially TiN), which led to more heterogeneous nucleation of the -ferrite and grain refinement during solidification. On the contrary, the steel with low Ti/Al ratio exhibited coarser as-cast grain structure, less recrystallization and higher volume fraction of substructure after hot rolling. Therefore, it was deduced that the Ti/Al ratio is one of the essential parameters to achieving grain refinement in Ca treated 441 FSS during continuous casting.
Thermomechanical Processing of V-N Structural Plate Steels in Low Temperature Austenite
Authors: Banks Kevin Mark , Maubane Dannis Rorisang Nkarapa
Published: November 2023

Austenite restoration during thermomechanical (TM) rolling of typical vanadium-microalloyed structural steels was studied to optimize strength in the as-rolled and air-cooled condition. Multi-pass plate rolling simulations were performed on V-N microalloyed and CMn steels to compare recrystallisation behaviour in various temperature regions. Included were a conventional schedule ending at high temperature and two TM schedules with mill exit temperatures in the intermediate and low austenite regions. Increasing delay periods after roughing enhance the suppression of recrystallisation after the start of finishing thereby increasing both nucleation site density and nucleation rate for ferrite formation and refinement in grain size. Good agreement was found between microstructures after industrial TM rolling and those obtained from laboratory simulations. Although precipitation of vanadium carbonitrides is an effective strengthening mechanism, appreciable gains in yield strength due to grain refinement can be achieved by rolling in the lower austenite region. Low nitrogen contents in V steels produce coarser final ferrite grain sizes and lower strengths probably due to a larger precipitate size. V-N steels display similar flow behaviour to CMn grades down to approximately 825°C at low to intermediate strain rates but may experience alternate regions of work hardening and dynamic softening at lower temperatures in austenite.
Recent Development of Hot-Rolled AHSS for Lightweight Chassis
Authors: Lee Jewoong , Kim Sung Il , Im Youngroc
Published: November 2023

The development of ultra-high-strength automotive steel sheets for lightweight automobiles is still an effective strategy from the material point of view. In the case of cold-rolled steels for BIW(Body In White), it has been a long time since steel with 980MPa of UTS or higher were commercialized, and the use of 1.2GPa and 1.5GPa of cold-rolled steels is also increasing. However, in the case of hot-rolled steel for chassis, the increase in strength is not as fast as that of cold-rolled steel, because chassis parts are the lower structure of a vehicle and are very sensitive to durability.
On High Performance Steels for Fasteners
Authors: Lu Heng Chang , Hu Jie , Yang Xian Liang , Hu Chun Dong , Shi Wen , Dong Han
Published: November 2023

The consumption of steel for fasteners in China is about 9 million tons annually, accounting for approximately one-fifth of worldwide usage. High strengthening is the main development trend of high performance of fasteners. As strength increase, the sensitivity of both fatigue failure and delayed fracture increases, and the processing technology varies. These are the main problems need to be addressed. Fasteners of property classes 8.8-12.9 are currently the most widely used high-strength fasteners. The match between fatigue life with strength is commonly the paramount consideration. We have developed a series of steels involving (i) SCM435 steel wire for key fasteners of engine with ultra-narrow composition (ΔC≤0.01%), slight hardness variation (ΔHRC≤ 2) and a qualified fatigue performance of 1×107 cycles; (ii) 10.9 and 12.9 fastener steels with large size, low cost and high hardenability for wind tower; (iii) A286 alloy wire with desirable 650 °C durability. In addition, we developed ML35 wire free of spheroidizing and microalloyed steels for slender bolts free of quenching & tempering process. The use of ultra-high strength fasteners ≥13.9 is necessary to achieve equipment light weighting. We have developed steels for 13.9 and 15.9 fasteners with an excellent resistance to delayed fracture. An austempering process was applied to 14.8-17.8 fasteners, which enables the reduction of the alloy content. A novel strengthening method needs to be introduced to develop fasteners in excess of class 19.8 fastener. We have developed 19.8 fastener steel with good fatigue and delayed fracture resistance. Secondary hardening plays a key role in the improvement of strength.
Application of CALPHAD for the Prediction of Matrix Phase Transformations in Steel
Authors: Kreyca Johannes , Schwarz-Gsaxner Andreas , Zamberger Sabine
Published: November 2023

Phase boundaries of the pseudo-binary Fe-C diagram are key inputs for the prediction and understanding of matrix phase transformation in steels. The mechanical properties, of such steels, however, are often not dictated by the individual phase fractions, accessible through CALPHAD calculations, but by the arrangement of the phases, i.e., the steel’s microstructure. The prediction of these microstructural constituents requires the application of additional models, which are reviewed in the present contribution. Additionally, the current use and limitations for industrial application are presented together with an outlook to future challenges and opportunities in this field of research.
Assessment of Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of EUROFER97 Steel after Thermo-Mechanical Treatments
Authors: Stornelli Giulia , Di Schino Andrea , Montanari Roberto , Testani Claudio , Varone Alessandra
Published: November 2023

EUROFER97 martensitic steel is recognized in EU as the reference material for the test blanket module in ITER reactor and for structural sections subject to high radiation doses in DEMO reactor. An extended experimental campaign has been carried out with the scope of improving strength without loss of ductility. The main idea behind the present study is to reach the goal through grain refinement achieved by cold rolling and heat treatments for inducing recrystallization of the work hardened structure. A combination of five cold rolling reduction ratios (CR) (20%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 80%) and eight heat treatments in the temperature range 400-750°C (steps of 50 °C) with soaking time of 1 hour has been examined to describe the evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties. The strength of deformed samples decreases as the heat treatment temperature increases and the change is more pronounced in the samples cold-rolled with higher CR ratios. The results showed that cold rolling with CR of 80% followed by a treatment at 650 °C produces a fully recrystallized structure with sub-micrometric grains which guarantees improved yield stress and hardness than standard EUROFER97 steel, with a comparable total elongation. In conclusion, this work demonstrated the feasibility to strengthen EUROFER97 without compromising its ductility.
Low Temperature Hot Press Forming of a Zinc Coated Third Generation Advanced High Strength Steel
Authors: Rana Radhakanta , Kop Theo , Beentjes Peter , van der Aa Ellen
Published: November 2023

A 7 wt.% Mn steel was designed and was cast and processed to 1.5 mm sheets. The sheets were continuous annealed and coated with a Zn alloy by hot dip galvanizing before subjecting them to hot press forming cycles. The final microstructure was characterized by ultrafine ferrite grains and a high fraction of retained austenite. Excellent combinations of in-service strength-ductility-bendability were achieved for hot forming in the temperature range of 530-675 °C. The use of the low temperature hot forming minimized the liquid metal embrittlement induced cracking with Zn coating during hot forming and spot welding. Various application properties such as oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance, and springback were found at optimum levels for hot forming at 675 °C.
Effects of Substrate Microstructure and Chemical Composition on Liquid Metal Embrittlement in Galvanized 3rd Generation AHSS
Authors: Speer John G. , Bhattacharya Diptak , Colburn Jake A. , Klemm-Toole Jonah
Published: November 2023

Extensive efforts have been undertaken worldwide to develop new high strength steels with substantial fractions of retained austenite, for lightweight automobile manufacturing and other applications requiring improved combinations of strength and formability. These “3rd Generation” Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) are being implemented, and spot-welding has been found to present new challenges for these steels when Zn-based corrosion resistant coatings are involved, wherein zinc liquid metal embrittlement (LME) can occur. Some recent work is highlighted here that was designed to examine the separate effects of prior microstructure and alloy composition on LME sensitivity. LME behavior was assessed by comparing hot-ductility of steels with and without a Zn coating tested under conditions simulating spot-weld thermal cycles. Effects of prior microstructure on LME susceptibility were assessed with a single AHSS alloy composition, using annealing modifications to produce martensitic, Q&P, TBF and dual-phase substrates. The dual-phase steel exhibited less sensitivity to LME, perhaps because the Zn penetration and cracking are unable to follow (prior) austenite boundaries in this microstructure. With respect to alloy composition, carbon and manganese variations did not lead to noticeable effects on LME sensitivity, while silicon clearly leads to increased LME sensitivity. Addition of 1.3 wt. pct. aluminum to a 0.5 wt. pct silicon-containing AHSS steel further increased LME sensitivity at some test temperatures. The effects of alloying are interpreted in terms of the propensity to form an intermetallic reaction layer that consumes liquid and physically separates the substrate and liquid zinc.
Double Soaking of Medium Manganese Steels
Authors: De Moor Emmanuel , Glover Alexandra , Mueller Josh , Speer John G. , Matlock David K.
Published: November 2023

Double soaking (DS) has been proposed as an alternate processing route for medium manganese steels. DS consists of soaking in the intercritical annealing region to stimulate manganese enrichment of austenite by depletion of ferrite followed by secondary soaking at a higher temperature and cooling to room temperature to obtain a martensite/austenite microstructure. DS is different from more traditional medium manganese heat treating which usually involves a single soaking step in the intercritical region to generate a ferrite/austenite microstructure. DS has been shown effective at generating attractive tensile properties notably tensile strength levels in excess of typically observed levels in medium manganese steels. A review of properties and microstructural evolution obtained by DS of medium manganese steels is presented here.
The Application of Physical Simulation in Hot and Cold Rolling of Steels
Authors: Siciliano Fulvio
Published: November 2023

Physical simulation is a well-known tool for cloning industrial rolling conditions and generating large quantities of useful data. Physical simulation allows not only considerable time and resources savings in the development process but also product quality improvement. Additionally, physical simulation enables risk-free experiments and at negligible cost when compared to full-scale trials. In this paper, three physical simulation cases are presented. All cases are applicable to steel hot rolling or post cold rolling: (1) a strip rolling simulation where the roll forces are predicted, (2) a plate rolling simulation aiming improvement in mechanical properties and (3) a continuous annealing line case where the increase in the line speed generated a large raise in profit and productivity.
Effect of Nitrogen Impurity on the Tensile Ductility and Impact Toughness of Al-Bearing DQP Steels
Authors: Kantanen Pekka K. , Pallaspuro Sakari , Somani Mahesh Chandra , Tervo Henri , Kaijalainen Antti , Kömi Jukka I.
Published: November 2023

The influence of small contents of nitrogen present as an impurity in 0.3C Al-bearing steels, which were processed through thermomechanical rolling followed by direct quenching and partitioning (TMR-DQP), was examined in respect of room temperature tensile ductility and impact toughness. Two similar chemical compositions (in wt.%): Fe-0.3C-0.6Si-1.1Al (High-Al) with different N contents of 10 and 30 ppm were selected for this study. In addition, two other DQP steels with compositions: Fe-0.3C-1.0Si (High-Si) and Fe-0.3C-0.5Si-0.5Al (Al-Si), both containing about 30 ppm nitrogen, were also included in the study to compare the properties. Detailed metallographic studies using FESEM-EDS, TEM, EPMA and XRD combined with tensile testing and fractographic analysis indicated that already 30 ppm of nitrogen could impair tensile ductility of TMR-DQP processed High-Al steel in comparison to that with 10 ppm nitrogen. Similarly, the effect was adverse also in Al-Si steel (30 ppm N) despite its reduced Al content (0.5 wt.%), but High-Si steel (Al < 0.002 wt.%, N 30 ppm) did not show any such detrimental effect on tensile ductility. Extensive material characterization verified that even 30 ppm of nitrogen could impair ductility of Al-bearing steels, essentially due to the presence of AlN inclusions, despite that TMR-DQP processing enabled stabilization of 6–10% retained austenite (RA) in the steels. The capacity of RA in promoting improved ductility and strain hardening capacity was impaired by the presence of these inclusions. In contrast, impact toughness transition temperature T28J was not clearly affected with Al-Si when compared to low-N High-Al steel, although excessive splitting in Al-Si caused pronounced scatter in the results and increase in upper shelf impact toughness.
Risk of thyroid cancer among patients with vitiligo: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Yi-Rong , Chang Ting-An , Wang Jen-Hung , Chen Li-Yu , Lu Jing-Wun , Loh Ching-Hui , Chen Tai-Li
Published: November 2023

Background:

Whether patients with vitiligo have an increased risk of thyroid cancer remained controversial.

Objectives:

To study the risk of developing thyroid cancer among vitiligo patients using meta-analysis.

Methods:

This meta-analysis was performed via a literature review of four databases (Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library) from their respective inception till February 17, 2023. Relevant reviews and the bibliographies of eligible studies were also scrutinized. During searching in databases, no filter was placed regarding the language or geography of the study. Only observational studies presenting with adjusted risk estimates were eligible for meta-analysis. The random-effects model was employed for performing this meta-analysis.

Results:

Four studies with 200,629 vitiligo patients and 404,124 nonvitiligo controls were included in this meta-analysis, and patients with vitiligo were found to have an elevated risk of thyroid cancer (pooled relative risk, 1.341; 95% confidence interval, 1.083–1.661).

Conclusion:

Our systematic review and meta-analysis found that vitiligo patients are at a slightly elevated risk of thyroid cancer, although the exact underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Even though the evidence is limited, clinicians should not ignore the possible susceptibility of developing thyroid malignancy among vitiligo patients.
Exploring the association between serum β-Carotene and metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Jahrami Haitham , Saif Zahra , Trabelsi Khaled , Pandi-Perumal Seithikurippu R. , Seeman Mary V.
Published: November 2023

Background and Aims:

There has been no previous investigation into the relationship between serum β-Carotene levels and metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia. This research aims to explore the association between schizophrenia, metabolic syndrome, and serum β-Carotene levels. Specifically, this study addresses this knowledge gap and examines whether lower serum β-Carotene levels are associated with an increased risk for metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods and Results:

The present study involved 38 patients with schizophrenia (n = 38). We collected demographic data, anthropometric measurements, blood samples for lipid panels, sugar levels, and serum β-Carotene levels, as well as participant responses to food frequency questionnaires. Results revealed the median serum β-Carotene was 0.87 (range: 0.69–1.14 μmol/L). The median metabolic syndrome Z-score using waist circumference was 0.13 (range: −1.10–2.39). Pairwise Spearman's correlation between metabolic syndrome Z-score versus β-Carotene showed a rho = −0.56, P< 0.001 for the overall sample. Linear regression between metabolic syndrome Z-score as a dependent variable and serum β-Carotene as an independent variable showed a regression coefficient of −3.11, P< 0.001.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study offer suggestive evidence of a statistically significant positive correlation between reduced serum β-Carotene levels in individuals with schizophrenia and a heightened global risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This preliminary study has implications for the management of schizophrenia patients, suggesting that patients' serum levels of β-Carotene be periodically checked and referrals made to dieticians as necessary.
Pattern and associated factors of cognitive failures in the general chinese population during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Yan Wei , Ni Shuyu , Liu Chang , Yuan Junliang , Zhao Yimiao , Zeng Na , Mei Huan , Wu Shuilin , Que Jianyu , Yuan Kai , Shi Le , Sun Siwei , Meng Shiqiu , Ran Maosheng , Leng Yue , Ravindran Arun V. , Shi Jie , Bao Yanping , Lu Lin
Published: November 2023

Background:

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide has caused a high burden of mental problems, which may be associated with subjective cognitive impairment in the general population.

Objectives:

This cross-sectional survey aimed to investigate the level and pattern of cognitive failure (CF) and its negative changes during the COVID-19 pandemic among the general population in China.

Methods:

The participants completed an online questionnaire between April 18 and May 4, 2020, and those aged between 18 and 70 were included in this study. CF was measured using the 14-item CF Questionnaire (CFQ-14). Factors associated with CF and negative changes in CF were evaluated using multiple linear and logistic regression models. A total of 30,879 eligible participants were recruited; most were female (59.10%) and aged 31–45 (61.51%).

Results:

The mean CFQ-14 score was 15.62 (standard deviation = 11.55), and 4,619 (14.96%) participants reported negative changes in CF during the pandemic. Multiple regression analyses showed that participants with female gender, history of physical and mental disease, the self-perceived influence of COVID-19, altered appetite and taste preference, worse interpersonal relationships, long sleep duration, poor sleep quality, depressive, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms had a higher level of CF and negative CF changes, while regular exercise was associated with a lower risk of both outcomes.

Conclusions:

This study indicates that CF symptoms should be monitored in the general population during pandemics. A healthy lifestyle and reduction in psychological stress could help promote normal cognitive function during pandemics.
Psychological stress in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: A pilot pre-COVID survey
Authors: Firth Karl , Daukantaité Daiva , Hamrefors Viktor , Sutton Richard , Fedorowski Artur
Published: November 2023

Background/Aims:

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic condition in which patients show a marked increase in heart rate on standing, but also suffer from a range of additional symptoms, which may include fatigue and difficulty in concentration. This study's aim was to investigate the role of psychological stress, resilience, and lifestyle as possible contributing factors in POTS onset and symptomatology.

Methods:

Sixty patients diagnosed with POTS at a tertiary investigation center were contacted by mail. A 64-item, online survey was developed in five sections to explore stressful events at symptom onset, present lifestyle factors, and perceptions of stress and resilience. A link was provided for the online survey to those who accepted study participation.

Results:

Twenty-four POTS patients completed the survey. The average age at onset of symptoms was 20 years and 4 months, with patients waiting an average of 9 years and 5 months for a POTS diagnosis. Respondents reported 54 stressful events in the 12 months leading up to the onset of their symptoms, an average of 2.48 (standard deviation [SD] = 3.24) events per person. However, the modal response was zero events. Patients with POTS had a statistically significant higher score for perceived stress (M = 19.38, SD = 8.88, P< 0.01) than the general population of Sweden (M = 13.96, SD = 5.63). However, there was no correlation between perceptions of stress and symptom severity measured by the orthostatic hypotension questionnaire.

Conclusions:

Swedish POTS patients have higher levels of perceived stress, similar to other disease states like chronic pain. However, no correlation between perceptions of stress and symptom severity was found. While some respondents reported many stressful events in the lead up to symptom onset, their role is unclear. Further study is required.
Tobacco and alcohol use among adolescents in Northern India
Authors: Lakhute Sadhana V. , Rathod Hetal , Ray Suman , Lijhara Tanvi , Agarwal Kshitij Anand , Srivastava Kajal
Published: November 2023

Background:

Alcohol and cigarette usage are major public health issues that particularly affect young people worldwide. Because most users begin using these drugs well before the age of 18, there are significant psychosocial and health consequences. This study seeks to identify the incidence of underage drinking and smoking in northern India and the multiple risk factors associated with this exposure.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted on adolescents (13–18 years) from Northern India, to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practice of usage of alcohol and tobacco. The study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire for interview purposes and analyzed via Epi Info version 7.

Results:

The mean age of the participants was 16.15 (1.34) years, of which 65.74% are males and 34.26% are females. 18.25% of students stay in a hostel. Of 108 participants, about 24.07% of students have tried their first cigarette before 18 years of age. 28.70% of students have people in their homes, and 41.67% have friends who use tobacco. Among the 108 respondents, 26.85% of students have tried or used alcohol before 18 years of age.

Conclusion:

It is crucial to create preventive techniques to lessen tobacco use in light of the significant negative health effects that come along with tobacco addiction. Spreading awareness among at-risk children and adolescents by limiting advertising and promotional efforts, early user detection and treatment are all examples of preventive techniques.
Attitudes toward the use of facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Indian community
Authors: Kanojia Pearl , Chaudhury Bhushan , Kelkar Parisha , Javadekar Archana , Chaudhury Suprakash , Saldanha Daniel
Published: November 2023

Background:

The use of face masks by all community members for the prevention of COVID-19 infection is considered one of the most effective strategies. However, the use of masks by community members was influenced by many factors which affected its efficacy as a preventive measure.

Aim:

To evaluate the attitudes toward the use of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Indian community.

Materials and Methods:

We did an online survey with the help of a questionnaire which included information about demographic data, awareness and attitudes about COVID-19 infection and its preventive measures, and attitudes towards mask use in particular.

Results:

Participants had a positive attitude towards mask use. However, there were certain reasons for not using masks some of which were gender specific.

Conclusion:

People had good awareness and attitude towards mask use. However, some gender differences in perception of masks used in various settings should be addressed for future awareness and education of the community about mask use.
The Chikungunya anxiety scale (CHIKAS): Development, validation, and relationship between its items and illness-related factors
Authors: Torales Julio , Barrios Iván , Estigarribia Gladys , Sequera Guillermo , Almirón-Santacruz José , O'Higgins Marcelo , Navarro Rodrigo , Melgarejo Osvaldo , González-Urbieta Israel , Caycho-Rodríguez Tomás , Castaldelli-Maia João Mauricio , Ventriglio Antonio , Bhugra Dinesh
Published: November 2023

Background:

Paraguay has recently experienced an exponential increase in chikungunya cases, leading to psychological distress, particularly anxiety.

Aim:

To develop and validate the Chikungunya Anxiety Scale (CHIKAS).

Materials and Methods:

An initial scale of 18 items was used, which was subjected to validation by expert judgment to obtain 14 items. To determine construct validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) have been employed, and internal and convergent validity were determined. Demographic, socioeconomic, and health status data were also collected.

Results:

The study included 974 participants. The final scale consisted of 12 items with evidence of a two-factor model (psychological and physical). The internal validity was good (McDonald's omega = 0.882). The CFA showed good adjustment indices. Regarding participant characteristics, a relationship was found between anxiety due to chikungunya and gender, employment, mental diagnosis, medication use, and chikungunya infection.

Conclusion:

The final 12-item CHIKAS had strong psychometric properties and was a two-factor model.
Impact of clinical rotational posting on attitude toward psychiatry of undergraduate medical students in Malaysia
Authors: Chakraborty Prashanta K. , Chaudhury Suprakash , Chaudhari Bhushan , Hussain Mohd , How Sharon Lilian
Published: November 2023

Background:

Almost all over the world, psychiatry training of undergraduate medical students has been criticized to be deficient in imparting required knowledge and improving the perception of students towards psychiatry and psychiatric treatment. Considering the large mental health need gap in the community, it is essential to improve undergraduate students' attitude toward psychiatry.

Aim:

Hence, this study was planned to study the impact of psychiatry clinical posting on attitude toward psychiatry of undergraduate medical students.

Materials and Methods:

Undergraduate medical students undergoing psychiatry posting were assessed on the first and last day of clinical posting with the help of semi-structured proforma consisting of sociodemographic information, favored future career choice, the relevance of psychiatry to their future careers, the usefulness of particular knowledge and skills, the value of knowledge of psychiatric specialties and the utility of different settings for learning psychiatry.

Results:

After their clinical posting, students had a more positive attitude towards the usefulness of psychiatry knowledge in future general practice and the usefulness of psychiatry knowledge from undergraduate training in the future. Knowledge of alcohol withdrawal management, detection and management of delirium, and Mental Health Acts were perceived more essential in the future. Also, specialties such as deaddiction and child and adolescent psychiatry were felt more useful in future practice. After posting, students perceived that psychiatry can also be learned at medical and surgical wards as well as during home visits. However, despite some positive changes in attitude toward psychiatry, there was no significant change in choosing psychiatry as a career by the students after posting.

Conclusion:

Undergraduate psychiatry training during clinical posting was able to make some positive changes in the knowledge and attitude of students. However, still, there were lacunae in some areas of concern. Preference of psychiatry as a branch of specialization was not increased after posting. This indicates the need for better reforms in psychiatry education at the undergraduate level to improve the perception of undergraduate students about psychiatry.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of general population: A comparison study between rural and urban population
Authors: Nallapu Sandeep , Ghonge Swati , Johnson Subhash , Vajjala Sai Mahesh , Palal Deepu
Published: November 2023

Background:

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the mental health of the population globally with the increase in cases of depression, suicide, and self-harm. According to the World Health Organization, there has been an increase of 28% and 26% in major depressive disorders and anxiety, respectively, during 1 year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only a few studies had been conducted in India assessing mental health, especially the post hoc effect of a pandemic. Therefore, the current study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in rural against urban populations as well as the contributing factors viz age, gender, socioeconomic class, change in occupation, and income.

Materials and Methods:

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2021 to February 2022 among participants residing in the area covered by the Urban Health Training Centre (Ajmera, Pimpri, Pune) and Rural Health Training Centre (Alandi, Pune) of a medical college in Pune. One hundred fifty-four participants (total of 308) above 18 years of age who were not diagnosed or under treatment for psychiatric illness were interviewed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale - 21 (DASS-21) to screen for anxiety, depression, and stress in each setting.

Results:

Overall prevalence of mental distress was 35.71% (n = 110). In the rural area, it was 29.2% (n = 45) as compared to 42.2% (n = 65). in the urban category. The prevalence of depression was significantly higher in urban areas (33.1%) compared to rural areas (19.4%), with an overall prevalence of 26.3%. The net prevalence of anxiety and stress was 35.7% and 15.6%, respectively, which were also higher in urban areas (Anxiety OR = 1.769, P = 0.018*; Stress OR = 2.262, P = 0.013). The upper middle class had the least psychological problems. Overall, 11% of participants had lost their jobs; 48.75% in rural and 37% of urban participants had a decrease in their income.

Conclusion:

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased burden of mental illness. The prevalence of mental health problems is alarmingly high, especially in urban communities. To combat the global mental health pandemic, the interventions that mediate psychological distress must be quickly implemented. Due importance should be given to mental healthcare in the community.
Sexual dysfunction in men with alcohol dependence
Authors: Singh Ichhpreet , Patkar Prajakta , Dhamija Sana , Chaudhury Suprakash , Javadekar Archana , Saldanha Daniel
Published: November 2023

Background:

Prolonged and excessive use of alcohol can affect the sexual function. The occurrence of sexual dysfunction has adverse psychological and interpersonal consequences.

Aim:

To assess the occurrence and correlates of sexual dysfunction in individuals suffering from alcohol dependence.

Materials and Methods:

Seventy male subjects hospitalized in a tertiary care hospital for treatment of alcohol dependence syndrome with simple withdrawal symptoms were included in the study with their informed consent. Their sexual function was evaluated utilizing a 14-item changes in sexual functioning questionnaire.

Results:

According to the findings of the current study, sexual dysfunction is quite prevalent in alcohol-dependent people (75.7%). Erectile dysfunction was the most common disorder, followed by diminished sexual desire and early ejaculation.

Conclusion:

Alcohol-dependence patients have a high prevalence of sexual dysfunctions. In routine clinical practice, this may be overlooked. Clinicians must be made aware of the frequent occurrence of sexual disorders in alcohol dependence patients.
Academic stress in high school students during the transition from online to offline exams: A retrospective study from post-COVID-19 era
Authors: Rure Daisy , Kaithwas Nisha , Singh Rajesh , Shakya Makhan
Published: November 2023

Background:

Stress is a common phenomenon. Everyone faces stress, albeit of different intensity and due to different reasons. Stress in students can be due to many reasons—non-academic and academic. Academic stress is a major deciding factor in the fluctuation in academic achievements. It has also been implicated in mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and even suicide, and physical illnesses like hypertension, obesity, etc., Additionally, post-COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there have been adverse effects on the education sector due to the offline–online mode of classes.

Aim:

To assess academic stress in high school students, to compare stress between male and female students, and to find the correlation of academic stress with the 10th standard's result, i.e. percentage.

Material and Methods:

A retrospective study was designed by the Department of Psychiatry, of a medical college of Madhya Pradesh in schools of Khandwa and nearby areas from June 2022 to August 2022. A total of 162 high school students were selected as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Perception of Academic Stress (PAS) scale and Scale for Assessing Academic Stress (SAAS) were used to assess academic stress. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 25 using the Student t-test and Pearson correlation tests.

Results:

The mean age of the study participants was 15.82 ± 0.81 years. There was a significant difference in the mean percentage of the 9th and 10th standard. Both genders differed significantly in class percentages, but not the mean SAAS score. Most students had moderate stress. Only the cognitive indicator of SAAS was found to be significantly correlated with 10th standard percentages.

Conclusion:

Academic stress is ubiquitous. External factors like the transition from online to offline exams in addition to anticipation of the exams themselves can add to the stress. Prompt identification of stress can alleviate the emergence of future psychiatric illnesses.
Augmenting mental health literacy of troops in a large military station: A novel approach
Authors: Saini Rajiv , Das R. C. , Chatterjee Kaushik , Srivastava Kalpana , Khera Anurag , Agrawal Sunil
Published: November 2023

Background:

Mental health literacy (MHL) helps in acknowledging the symptoms at an early stage, thus promoting prompt management of negative stress behaviors. Despite the central thrust towards augmentation of MHL of troops, there is a paucity of available literature on the subject matter, especially in the Indian context. Current research explores the efficacy of a standardized Information Education and Communication (IEC) module for the promotion of MHL among troops.

Materials and Methods:

1200 soldiers posted in a large military station underwent a psycho-educational module about stress and related mental health conditions in an open-label experimental study. Data was collected using a simple demographic tool and a specially constructed Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) mental health awareness questionnaire. The same sample was studied before the IEC activity, immediately after the IEC activity, and again after six months.

Results:

Community-based psycho-educational module helped in improvement in MHL and the gains were stable at six months.

Conclusions:

Well-standardized and structured module was found to be an effective strategy for improving MHL. The authors consider this study as seminal for bringing objectivity to mental health promotional programs in the Armed Forces.
Translation and psychometrics of the Bengali adaptation of Coronavirus Anxiety Scale
Authors: Ali Tahoora , Chaudhury Suprakash , Kumar Santosh , Dixit Vidhata , Diwan Chetan , Kelkar Parisha
Published: November 2023

Background:

The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) was developed in April 2020 as an instrument to gauge the symptoms of stress and anxiety occurring secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was constructed using the English language due to which its application to a multi-linguistic country like India became a hindrance.

Aim:

To establish psychometric validity and reliability of the Bengali translation of CAS.

Materials and Methods:

Experts well-versed in the English and Bengali languages translated CAS from English to Bengali. This was followed by further correction by forward and backward translation processes until a version with high accuracy and low redundancy was procured. The original scale was applied to 91 volunteers, and the translated version was applied to the same group after 14 days.

Results:

The mean scores of the original version and the translated version showed a significant correlation. The Bengali version of CAS had high internal consistency, significant concurrent validity, and acceptable split-half reliability. It was hence deemed easily understandable and capable of measuring anxiety due to COVID-19 similar to the original scale.

Conclusion:

The Bengali translation of the CAS can be accurately used to assess symptoms of anxiety and stress with high reliability and validity in those who are able to read the Bengali language.
Guided imagery for anxiety disorder: Therapeutic efficacy and changes in quality of life
Authors: Kumari Dolly , Patil Jaideep
Published: November 2023

Background:

Patients with anxiety disorder were showing severity of anxiety symptoms as well as poor quality of life. Guided imagery (GI) provides immediate relaxation, and improves the severity of anxiety symptoms and the quality of life of patients with anxiety disorder. Anxiety is a basic emotion that is required as a motivation for everyday work of life. Anxiety presents a complex cognitive, affective, physiological, and behavioral response that is related to future harm (real or perceived).

Aim:

To study the efficacy of GI intervention on patients with anxiety disorder and their quality of life.

Materials and Methods:

This longitudinal, interventional study was done in a state institute of mental health, psychiatric unit on 20 patients (outpatients) with anxiety disorder, diagnosed according to diagnostic criteria of research ICD-10 DCR. Patients were assessed using a sociodemographic and clinical data sheet, Hamilton anxiety scale, and World Health Organization QOL instrument, short-form (WHOQOL-BREF), Hindi version.

Results:

Patients with anxiety disorder in the experimental group improved as compared with the control group significantly. The mean QOL-BREF score was also improved after intervention in the intervention group.

Conclusion:

GI intervention helps reduce the severity of anxiety symptoms and improve the quality of life in patients with anxiety disorder.
Internet gaming and related psychotic disorder: An emerging phenomenon
Authors: Raj Rajnish , Singh Prabhdeep , Sharma Namita , Goyal Ekram , Puria Alka
Published: November 2023

Internet addiction has recently been suggested as a possible diagnostic entity in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and incorporated in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) as a gaming disorder, predominantly, online or offline. Mostly, psychotic phenomena have been described by either alcohol or opioid withdrawal, but there is a paucity of literature on Internet-related psychosis. We report two cases from Northern India of sudden onset of psychosis due to Internet addiction. The contents of hallucinations and delusions reflected themes of Internet gaming. Psychosis as a specifier for Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is not defined in DSM-5, whereas it should be considered as one of the presentations of Internet addiction.
The effect of combining humic and fulvic acids poultice on wound healing in male rats
Authors: Gheibi Nematollah , Samiee-Rad Fatemeh , Sofiabadi Mohammad , Mosayebi Ebrahim , Shalbaf Zahra
Published: November 2023

Background:

Finding new compounds to accelerate wound healing is critical today. Humic substances or fulvic acid each have anti-inflammatory properties.

Aims and Objectives:

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of poultice 0.5% containing humic and fulvic acids on wound healing in male rats.

Materials and Methods:

An animal model was arranged by making a full-thickness skin wound was created in each rat. Animals were randomly divided into control, sham, and treatment groups. To investigate the effect of humic and fulvic acids combining poultice, the wound area and histological analyses of the number of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, and angiogenesis were evaluated for 21 days.

Results:

The animals in the treated group showed higher wound healing percentage, angiogenesis, and fibroblast distribution compared with the control (P < 0.001). Moreover, the topical administration of humic and fulvic acids 0.5% poultice decreased the mean number of inflammatory cells significantly than the other groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The topical administration of a poultice containing humic and fulvic acid accelerated wound healing by increasing angiogenesis and fibroblast and reducing inflammatory cell distribution in a rat model.