Accuracy and clinical relevance of an automated, algorithm-based analysis of facial signs from selfie images of women in the United States of various ages, ancestries and phototypes: A cross-sectional observational study.

BACKGROUND: Real-life validation is necessary to ensure our artificial intelligence (AI) skin diagnostic tool is inclusive across a diverse and representative US population of various ages, ancestries and skin phototypes. OBJECTIVES: To explore the relevance and accuracy of an automated, algorithm-based analysis of facial signs in representative women of different ancestries, ages and phototypes, living in the same country. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of selfie images of 1041 US women, algorithm-based analyses of seven facial signs were automatically graded by an AI-based algorithm and by 50 US dermatologists of various profiles (age, gender, ancestry, geographical location). For automated analysis and dermatologist assessment, the same referential skin atlas was used to standardize the grading scales. The average values and their variability were compared with respect to age, ancestry and phototype. RESULTS: For five signs, the grading obtained by the automated system were strongly correlated with dermatologists' assessments (r ≥ 0.75); cheek skin pores were moderately correlated (r = 0.63) and pigmentation signs, especially for the darkest skin tones, were weakly correlated (r = 0.40) to the dermatologist assessments. Age and ancestry had no effect on the correlations. In many cases, the automated system performed better than the dermatologist-assessed clinical grading due to 0.3-0.5 grading unit differences among the dermatologist panel that were not related to any individual characteristic (e.g. gender, age, ancestry, location). The use of phototypes, as discontinuous categorical variables, is likely a limiting factor in the assessments of grading, whether obtained by automated analysis or clinical assessment of the images. CONCLUSIONS: The AI-based automatic procedure is accurate and clinically relevant for analysing facial signs in a diverse and inclusive population of US women, as confirmed by a diverse panel of dermatologists, although skin tone requires further improvement.

Psychosocial factors and ageing in older lesbian, gay and bisexual people: a systematic review of the literature.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To synthesise and evaluate the extant literature investigating the psychosocial influences on ageing as a lesbian, gay or bisexual person, to develop understanding about these influences and guide future research in the area. BACKGROUND: Research suggests there may be specific psychological and social factors relevant to ageing for individuals with a nonheterosexual identity. DESIGN: A systematic review was conducted on empirical research involving lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals aged 60 or above. METHODS: The Cochrane Database, PsychINFO, MEDLINE, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched and 41 studies met inclusion criteria. The majority had not been reviewed in earlier review articles. RESULTS: Findings were within two domains: psychological, consisting of sub-themes relating to identity, mental health and body image; and social, consisting of relationships, social support, discrimination, caregiving and receiving, community, accessing services and housing. The results suggest lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals mostly adjust well to ageing identities, with mediating influences including self-acceptance and connection with peers. Challenges experienced included ageism and heteronormative health and social care services; intimate friendships, social support and respectful professionals mitigated such threats and facilitated successful ageing. Methodological issues related to sampling procedures, such as purposive sampling through the gay community and limited generalisability due to the homogeneity of participants. Additionally, there was a widespread lack of heterosexual control groups. However, most studies used appropriate measures and acknowledged inherent limitations. CONCLUSION: Psychosocial influences included the challenge of societal stigma, but also resilience individuals demonstrate through a positive attitude. These factors must continue to be investigated for services to best meet the needs of this population. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clinicians are well placed to assist individuals draw on resilience when facing ageing challenges. Also, clinicians should be aware older people may have prior negative experiences of accessing services and try to involve 'families of choice' in care planning.

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the psychosexual identity development in adolescent and young adult survivors of testicular cancer.

BACKGROUND: Qualitative research has explored how some testicular cancer survivors (TCS) experience the psychological impacts of diagnosis and treatment. More research into the impacts of testicular cancer (TC) on adolescent and young adults (AYA) is needed due to the critical period of identity development. The present study aimed to explore how AYA with TC appraise and make sense of their experience and to develop a greater understanding of psychosexual identity development in AYA TCS. METHOD: Eight AYA TCS were interviewed. The results were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The questions explored the experiences relating to diagnosis and treatment, how it affected their psychosexual identity development (e.g., sexual relationships and self-image) and the meanings attached to the experiences. ANALYSIS: Four Group Experiential Themes were developed from the data; 'Dealing with the shock', 'Fear and weight of responsibility', 'those closest to me' and 'sense of change'. DISCUSSION: The AYA TCS experiences may result in adoption of traditional masculine traits (e.g., stoicism) or abandonment of traditionally masculine traits (E.g. violence and aggression). AYA TCS also described feelings of insecurity when compared to other men. Psychology input could help manage stoicism and feelings of inferiority when compared to men with two testicles.

BackgroundQualitative research has explored how some testicular cancer survivors (TCS) cope with the psychological impacts of diagnosis and treatment. However, there is a need for more research on the effects of testicular cancer (TC) specifically in adolescent and young adults (AYA), given the critical period of identity development during this stage. The present study aimed to explore how AYA with TC perceive and make sense of their experiences, with a focus on psychosexual identity development.MethodEight AYA TCS were interviewed, and their responses were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The interviews covered topics related to diagnosis, treatment, and how these experiences influenced their psychosexual identity (including sexual relationships and self-image).AnalysisFour main themes emerged from the data: "Dealing with the shock": Participants discussed their initial reactions to the diagnosis. "Fear and weight of responsibility": AYA TCS grappled with fear and the burden of managing their health. "Those closest to me": Relationships with family and friends played a significant role in their experiences. "Sense of change": Participants described how their cancer journey impacted their sense of self.DiscussionAYA TCS may either adopt traditional masculine traits (such as stoicism) or abandon them (e.g., violence and aggression). Additionally, they expressed feelings of insecurity when comparing themselves to other men. Psychology support could help manage stoicism and address feelings of inferiority when compared to men with two testicles.

'Learning and growing': Young people's experiences of being peer trainers within a 'Beads of life' group in an oncology setting.

AIMS: To explore the experiences of young people who take on a peer mentoring role within a psycho-oncology service narrative therapy informed 'Beads of Life' group. METHOD: Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with these 'Peer Trainers' and analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS: Three superordinate themes emerged: identity and self, identity and others, and identity and relationship to cancer. Peer trainers perceived themselves as helpful and mentoring provided an opportunity to develop and grow as a person, while feeling good through helping others. Peer trainers tested out alternative roles, and experienced the benefits of challenging isolation, through connection to others and processing of the emotional burden of cancer. Peer trainers felt grateful for the opportunity, while wanting to make way for the next generation. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest an impact on identity, with young people noticing changes in the self, their relationships with others, and their relationship to cancer. Overall, young people reported positive experiences and a 'levelling up' of identity, suggesting future potential for peer mentoring and community narrative practices within paediatric settings.

Online adaptations of tree of life and beads of life groups alongside sustaining our community of peer trainers.

Collective Narrative practices, such as Tree of life and Beads of life groups, have intentions of bringing people together to share their specialist knowledge and build a sense of community. We wanted to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through making these groups accessible online to young people living with health conditions in order to counter the social isolation and disconnectedness created by the pandemic. This paper discusses our specific online adaptations for both these groups as well as online 'Peer training' events. Young people who have participated in a group are invited to join the project as peer trainers who help facilitate, engage group participants, witness their stories and consult to the project. We have included the voices of two of our peer trainer consultants on their experiences. We also briefly reflect on the recent development of trialling hybrid groups.

Narrative therapy approaches to team away days: Creating communities.

'Away Days' in the National Health Service are a protected time away from usual tasks where a team comes together. They can have different intentions, including connecting team members and establishing team bonds. This paper describes using a Narrative Therapy approach called "The Journey of Life" to run away days. It involves thinking about the journey a team has been on and what has helped them along the way. It invites a team to think about their future directions and how they use skills they have learned when they face obstacles in the road ahead. The importance of preparing for away days, including establishing intentions, creating a feeling of safety and thinking about the role and positioning we adopt as team members ourselves is highlighted. We also outline the benefits we have observed, including a sense of community emerging through the process.

Morning Connections: How do you support hospital staff working remotely during a global pandemic without providing 'staff support'?

When lockdown was announced in the United Kingdom, kitchen tables transformed into offices overnight, as many National Health Service (NHS) workers adapted to new ways of working from home. To respond to the developing situation, we established a programme of weekly 'Connections' meetings where staff could be together, remotely. This article describes the evolution of our Morning Connections and Oncology Connections virtual meetings, including the content of sessions, how they were evaluated and whether they met their intention to support colleagues during a particularly challenging time, both personally and professionally, for NHS staff.

Seeing rainbows through the storms of a health condition: Making space for LGBTQ+ young people to have their identity acknowledged.

LGBTQ+ youth accessing healthcare settings manage the 'storms' of health conditions (e.g. pain, fatigue, social isolation, etc.) while navigating emerging identity exploration and understandings in settings which may have historically overlooked or disaffirmed these identities. The launch of National Health Service Rainbow Badges across the paediatric division of an inner-city hospital provided a context for staff to begin thinking about their practice, development needs and dilemmas in working with LGBTQ+ youth. Through a programme of activity that included staff training, surveys, focus groups and youth engagement, we gained insight into current practice in supporting LGBTQ+ youth and families. This paper presents our findings, ideas for responding to challenges, and areas for future development, including implications in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Keeping young people connected during COVID-19: the role of online groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on young people, disrupting education, routines, hobbies and peer interactions and there is concern for longer term effects on physical and mental health outcomes. Young people living with chronic health conditions face additional challenges including reduced or no face-to-face contact with medical teams, shielding and the increased stressors of being in 'at-risk' groups and social isolation. In a climate of social isolation and disconnectedness, online groups could provide a method of delivering healthcare and support that strengthens social connectedness and reduces isolation. Despite the technology being available, uptake and evidence for online groups is limited. This article shares learnings from a paediatric and adolescent psychology service delivering online groups for young people with chronic health conditions and their healthcare teams. Ideas for how to transfer group process to online platforms are considered, with examples and tips. With sufficient staffing, preparation, thought, creativity and innovation, it is possible for face-to-face groups to successfully be offered online. Caution should be exercised trying to run online groups without these provisions in place, as the safety, comfort and experience of young people could be jeopardised. Further research is needed to better understand group processes online and to consider what is lost and what is gained when comparing online to face-to-face groups.

Divalent and Multivalent Activation in Phosphate Triesters: A Versatile Method for the Synthesis of Advanced Polyol Synthons.

The construction of mono- and bicyclic phosphate trimesters possessing divalent and multivalent activation and their subsequent use in the production of advanced polyol synthons is presented. The method highlights efforts to employ phosphate tethers as removable, functionally active tethers capable of multipositional activation and their subsequent role as leaving groups in selective cleavage reactions. The development of phosphate tethers represents an integrated platform for a new and versatile tether for natural product synthesis and sheds light on new approaches to the facile construction of small molecules.

How do lesbian and gay people experience dementia?

Introduction The subjective experience of dementia for lesbian and gay individuals is largely absent from the extant literature. This study aimed to explore what it means to experience dementia in this context given the documented psychosocial influences facing this population. A second aim was to develop understanding of these experiences within dyadic relationships. Method Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with lesbian and gay individuals with dementia and people with whom they had a significant relationship and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results Three superordinate themes, reflecting characteristics of participants' experience, were identified: duality in managing dementia, giving yourself away vs. holding onto yourself and relationships as sheltered harbours. Ten subthemes indicated the processes that were adopted to adjust and make sense of the experience of dementia. These included decisions around concealment, ensuring safety and the promotion of personhood and couplehood. In line with findings for heterosexual couples, partners had an important role in maintaining the identity of the person with dementia. Conclusions Results suggest additional and distinct challenges, including experienced and perceived discrimination and heterosexism. In response to these conditions, interviewees worked to resist a 'double stigma' of dementia and sexuality. Findings indicated areas of improvement for dementia services, including training in inclusive practice.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1 Deficiency in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Hepatocytes Abrogates HDL Biogenesis and Enhances Triglyceride Secretion.

Despite the recognized role of the ATP-binding Cassette Transporter A1 (ABCA1) in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism, our understanding of ABCA1 deficiency in human hepatocytes is limited. To define the functional effects of human hepatocyte ABCA1 deficiency, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) from Tangier disease (TD) and matched control subjects. Control HLCs exhibited robust cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and formed nascent HDL particles. ABCA1-deficient HLCs failed to mediate lipid efflux or nascent HDL formation, but had elevated triglyceride (TG) secretion. Global transcriptome analysis revealed significantly increased ANGPTL3 expression in ABCA1-deficient HLCs. Angiopoietin-related protein 3 (ANGPTL3) was enriched in plasma of TD relative to control subjects. These results highlight the required role of ABCA1 in cholesterol efflux and nascent HDL formation by hepatocytes. Furthermore, our results suggest that hepatic ABCA1 deficiency results in increased hepatic TG and ANGPTL3 secretion, potentially underlying the elevated plasma TG levels in TD patients.

Divalent activation in temporary phosphate tethers: highly selective cuprate displacement reactions.

Desymmetrization of a readily derived pseudo-C(2)-symmetric monocyclic phosphate via highly diastereoselective anti-S(N)2' allylic displacement reactions is reported. This method utilizes of a wide variety of zinc-derived organocuprates to afford E-1,2-syn-configured phosphate acid building blocks. Extension of this protocol to unsymmetric monocyclic phosphates exclusively yields 1,2-anti-configured products. Within this study, stereoelectronic factors, coupled with allylic strain, ultimately govern regio- and diastereoselective cuprate reactions, further substantiating the Corey mechanism for organocuprate additions into allylic esters. [reaction: see text]