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This study examines the potential of urban landscape transformation to generate and develop new heritage and the role of heritage urbanism in an industrial city. It explores whether the changeover of urban heritage districts in Pittsburgh (PA, USA) can give rise to a novel type of urban heritage. Pittsburgh experienced urban development primarily driven by the presence and accessibility of natural resources, rather than favorable geographical conditions: topography characterized by rugged hills, rock formations, rivers, and stream valleys. The integration of the American-style grid within this unique natural environment resulted in intriguing juxtapositions. Consequently, elements such as bridges, viaducts, stairs, tunnels, and historical inclines gained paramount importance in shaping the urban fabric. The city's remaining preserved or transformed urban heritage is protected through historic districts designated by the Department of City Planning, which enforces specific planning and design guidelines. The study employs a multi-faceted approach combining the concepts of historic stratification (urban palimpsest), integrated urban morphology, space syntax (integration analysis), and heritage urbanism. During the personally conducted long-term fieldwork, the selected case studies described herein (historic districts, university campus, and traditional neighborhood) proved to be the most suitable for demonstrating urban heritage formation through urban landscape transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a city central to the rise and fall of manufacturing, carbon extraction, energy, and labor struggles in North America, Pittsburgh provides an exemplary case for exploring architecture’s role in advancing energy transitions. This essay uses the work of a graduate design studio at Carnegie Mellon University to demonstrate how design-studio pedagogy might be framed through emerging discourse on a just transition and transition design. It speculates on how architecture can stage transformative practices that are at once social, local, and decarbonized, through three themes as design vignettes—transitioning means of production, transitioning infrastructures, and transitioning everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Centre Avenue YMCA was a "colored" YMCA formed under the separate but equal doctrine, but its separate status did more than maintain segregation. Pittsburgh's Centre Avenue YMCA was chief among the businesses, schools, and institutions established and led by African Americans, for African Americans, in the first half of the twentieth century. It shielded its members from the racism of White-controlled spaces, provided facilities and programs previously unavailable to Pittsburgh's African American community, and nurtured leadership and activism toward greater equality and civil rights. Its upper floors provided hotel-like rooms to African American visitors, workers, and students denied entrance to mainstream accommodations. Its significance is embodied in its 1923 building, the only one still standing in Pennsylvania to have been partially funded by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald in an initiative to construct African American YMCAs nationwide; Pittsburgh's African American community raised the required matching funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The publication of Mindy Fullilove’s Root Shock in 2004 turned the oft-cited narrative of top-down progress on its head. For the first time, the words of ordinary neighbourhood folk emerged as counter points to urban renewal and rapid community change. Now, twenty years later, the process Fullilove established still resonates among the people with whom she interacted. One city she profiled, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, suffered through several rounds of emotional and physical trauma in the form of African American displacement from urban renewal in the 1950s and 1960s, then the demolition of public housing units in the 1990s and early-2000s. This article synthesizes the responses of Terri Baltimore, a neighbourhood activist from Pittsburgh’s Hill District; Phil Hallen, the former President of the Maurice Falk Medical Fund which funded Mindy’s research in Pittsburgh; and Duquesne University history professor Dan Holland as they recount their reactions to Root Shock in 1994 and the inspiration Mindy Fullilove continues to provide today. But as a new round of root shock unfolds – the exodus of African Americans from traditional inner-city neighbourhoods as a result of gentrification – Fullilove’s lessons provide a cautionary tale for how cities respond to the latest housing crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the potential of urban landscape transformation to generate and develop new heritage and the role of heritage urbanism in an industrial city. It explores whether the changeover of urban heritage districts in Pittsburgh (PA, USA) can give rise to a novel type of urban heritage. Pittsburgh experienced urban development primarily driven by the presence and accessibility of natural resources, rather than favorable geographical conditions: topography characterized by rugged hills, rock formations, rivers, and stream valleys. The integration of the American-style grid within this unique natural environment resulted in intriguing juxtapositions. Consequently, elements such as bridges, viaducts, stairs, tunnels, and historical inclines gained paramount importance in shaping the urban fabric. The city’s remaining preserved or transformed urban heritage is protected through historic districts designated by the Department of City Planning, which enforces specific planning and design guidelines. The study employs a multi-faceted approach combining the concepts of historic stratification (urban palimpsest), integrated urban morphology, space syntax (integration analysis), and heritage urbanism. During the personally conducted long-term fieldwork, the selected case studies described herein (historic districts, university campus, and traditional neighborhood) proved to be the most suitable for demonstrating urban heritage formation through urban landscape transformation.

Sleep disorders are frequently encountered non-motor symptoms that significantly impact the lifestyle quality of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Our research endeavors to research the sleep quality of PD patients and define the occurrence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and nocturnal difficulties within this population. We incorporated 140 patients diagnosed with PD and 75 healthy individuals as controls. The modified Hoehn & Yahr Staging Scale (HYS) was employed for the clinical classification of PD stages, while the evaluation of clinical intensity utilized the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The assessment of sleep quality utilized the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), along with the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Additionally, the subjective depression levels of attendees were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory. In contrast to the healthy controls, the patient cohort demonstrated notably higher scores across the PSQI scale, ESS, and Beck Depression Scale (p < 0.05). Within the PD patient group, 66.4% exhibited poor sleep quality, and 17.1% reported excessive daytime sleepiness. A significant positive correlation was between poor sleep quality and factors such as H&Y stage, duration of levodopa exposure, scores on the ESS, and the BDI (p < 0.05). Additionally, EDS was positively correlated with UPDRS-I scores, Levodopa equivalent daily dose, PSQI, and BDI scores (p < 0.05). Addressing the specific etiology of sleep disorders in Parkinson's patients has the potential to result in improved treatment outcomes and enhanced functionality in their daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

and purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of melatonin on sleep quality and cognitive function of individuals undergoing hemodialysis. In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 102 eligible individuals were assigned to two equal intervention and control groups. The intervention group received melatonin 3 mg tablets half an hour before going to bed for six weeks, while the control group was given a placebo with similar conditions. This study had 102 participants who were divided into intervention and control groups. The mean age of the participants was 58.30 (SD = 12.10). Among the participants, 54.90% were female. Moreover, 33.33% of the individuals received dialysis for four years or longer. After the intervention, the mean and standard deviation of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was 12.66 (SD = 3.09) in the intervention group and 18.86 (SD = 3.8) in the control group (P < 0.001). Moreover, the mean sleep quality index in the intervention group showed a statistically significant difference before and after the intervention (P < 0.001); the PSQI score declined from 20.21 to 12.66. Likewise, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups after intervention in the mean Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) index (P = 0.002); it was 24.27 (SD = 3.42) in the intervention group and 22.15 (SD = 2.3) in the control group. The mean MoCA score in the intervention group showed a significant difference before and after the intervention (P < 0.001), increasing from 21.19 to 24.27. According to the study's findings, melatonin can improve individuals undergoing hemodialysis' cognitive function and sleep quality. • After the intervention, the mean and standard deviation of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was 12.66 (SD = 3.09) in the intervention group and 18.86 (SD = 3.8) in the control group (P < 0.001). • The mean sleep quality index in the intervention group showed a statistically significant difference before and after the intervention (P < 0.001); the PSQI score declined from 20.21 to 12.66. • There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups after intervention in the mean Montreal Cognitive Assessment index (P = 0.002); it was 24.27 (SD = 3.42) in the intervention group and 22.15 (SD = 2.3) in the control group. • The mean MoCA score in the intervention group showed a significant difference before and after the intervention (P < 0.001), increasing from 21.19 to 24.27. • Mmelatonin can improve individuals undergoing hemodialysis' cognitive function and sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Therapist-guided internet interventions are often more efficacious than unguided ones. However, the guidance itself requires clinician time, and some research suggests that self-guided interventions could potentially be equally effective. The concept of digital psychological self-care, self-guided internet interventions based on the use of digital tools and provided within a structured clinical process, is presented. Methods: Three new self-care interventions, a sleep diary-based intervention for insomnia, an alcohol diary-based intervention for problematic alcohol use and an intervention with exposure and mindfulness tools for atopic dermatitis (eczema), were developed. Newly developed digital self-care interventions were compared to the earlier therapist-guided interventions they were based on, using published results from three feasibility trials (n's = 30, 36 and 21) and three randomized trials (n's = 148, 166 and 102). The comparison included type of content, duration, length of written material and within-group effect-sizes. Results: In comparison to the guided interventions, clinician time was greatly reduced and the new interventions involved much less reading for participants. The digital self-care tools also showed within-group effect sizes and response rates on par with the more comprehensive guided internet interventions. Discussion: Preliminary results suggest that some guided internet interventions can be transformed into self-guided digital tools. These three examples show that digital psychological self-care, if provided with telephone interviews before and after the intervention, can be viable alternatives to more comprehensive guided internet interventions. Although these examples are promising, further studies, including randomized experiments, are needed to compare treatment efficacies, and to identify which groups of patients may need more comprehensive guided internet interventions.

Artists can have a remarkable impact on the rejuvenation of city districts and blocks, both through their own presence and through community artistic engagement. American writer and curator Kathy Battista shows us a number of ways this type of engagement has helped in differing areas of the US, and the creative and social benefits it has brought with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The documentary film Local 1196: A Steelworkers Strike is discussed. Aired on WQED-TV Pittsburgh (available streaming on the WQED app or internet), January 5, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the late nineteenth century, Father Suitbert Mollinger was an internationally famous Catholic priest who pastored in Troy Hill, Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. During his tenure there, his fame ever increased on account of his medical ministry and impressive collection of Catholic relics, the third largest such collection in the world. While pilgrims daily sought physical remedy from Mollinger, the crowds surged in mid-June every year, during the feast week of St. Anthony of Padua. While these stories have been expounded in diocesan and parish histories, recent advances in research technologies have been critical to uncovering a more robust narrative of Mollinger's life, including his methods of healing and his life in Europe. Exploring the digitized Dutch archives revealed a misguided young man inexplicably estranged from his family and serving a prison sentence for a fraud conviction. This article explores the evolving historiography of this important figure in nineteenth-century American Catholicism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundBoth sleep time and quality can be associated with overweight or obesity. In obese people, visceral fat tissue develops, which results in an increment in the production of cytokines. The increased production of inflammatory cytokines can disturb the sleep/wake cycle. Therefore, weight loss by reducing fat tissue can improve sleep disorders. Intermittent fasting diets are popular and effective diets that can decrease body weight and improve anthropometric data and body composition. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Alternate-day Modified Fasting (ADMF) on sleep quality, body weight, and daytime sleepiness.MethodsClassification of 56 obese or overweight women, based on age and body mass index (BMI), was done using stratified randomization. Then individuals were assigned to the ADMF group (intervention) or Daily Calorie Restriction (CR) group (control) using the random numbers table for 8 weeks. We measured the Pittsburgh sleep quality Index (PSQI), weight, BMI, and the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) as primary outcomes and assessed subjective sleep quality (SSQ), sleep latency, sleep disturbances, habitual sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction, and sleep duration as secondary outcomes at baseline and after the study.ResultsFollowing an ADMF diet resulted in a greater decrease in weight (kg) [−5.23 (1.73) vs. −3.15 (0.88); P

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a city transitioning from a sooty manufacturing hub to a center of technology, medicine, and higher education. We find that its food and foodways are changing accordingly. Through a mixed-method analysis-- survey, content analysis, and expert interviews--a picture emerges of a proud city that celebrates the humble foods of its past, while also embracing the more diverse and adventurous cuisine introduced by its newer residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As many post-industrial cities shift to service and information, manufacturing legacies – material and symbolic – persist in diverse ways. The "Steel City" of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania exemplifies both deindustrial transition to "eds and meds" and vibrant small-scale production. Cultural geographers interpret place-based craft production as neolocalism, while economic geographers emphasize ways craft can be embedded in evolving economic regions. To understand how local craft production is situated within economic and urban change, this project asks: How do craft producers work – individually and collaboratively – to produce neolocal economies in formerly industrial Pittsburgh? Semi-structured interviews, workshop tours, and a mapping exercise with twenty craft producers and suppliers explored the nature of small-scale production, its embeddedness in place, and professional and supplier networking. The research reveals ways craft workers, suppliers, and organizations in Pittsburgh self-consciously adapt social and material legacies of manufacturing, cluster in particular neighborhoods, and network to build local supply chains and communities. While producers are unevenly engaged in industrial legacies and economies and bound up in wider processes like gentrification, craft labor and collaboration can help maintain traditions of production in places once defined by them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than a century, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has enjoyed the well-deserved reputation for its leading role in US steel production as well as iron, glass, and coal mining. The names Carnegie, Frick, and Westinghouse still resonate in the public imagination and in popular and academic writing. Less well known are businesses that either did not carry long-term name recognition or eventually moved out of the Pittsburgh area yet were important materially and culturally at particular historical moments. One example is the casket industry. The idea of consolidating large casket-manufacturing firms into a single corporate entity originated in Pittsburgh. This article explores the central role the Steel City played in the modernization of the funeral industry between 1865 and 1910, the formative years of the move toward corporatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]