Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Family-to-Family Psychoeducation Among Relatives of Patients With Severe Mental Disorders in Mexico City.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the effects of a three-month Family-to-Family (FTF) Education Program on expressed emotion and subjective knowledge about mental illness among relatives of Mexican patients with severe mental disorders. METHODS A total of 230 relatives of patients with severe mental disorders completed self-reported questionnaires before (pretest) and after (posttest) the FTF program. RESULTS FTF led to reductions in negative emotional attitudes and improved the understanding of the disorder, regardless of sex or age of the relative. CONCLUSIONS This study supported the evidence-based practice of FTF in a Mexican population and confirmed the importance of providing routine family psychoeducation as an additional component of health care service provision for relatives of people with severe mental illness in the community.
Analyses and techniques for phase noise reduction in CMOS Colpitts oscillator topology

This paper reports the analyses of three techniques for phase noise reduction in the complementary metal‐oxide semiconductor (CMOS) Colpitts oscillator circuit topology. Namely, the three techniques are inductive degeneration, noise filter, and optimum current density. The design of the circuit topology is carried out in 28‐nm bulk CMOS technology. The analytical expression of the oscillation frequency is derived and validated through circuit simulations. Moreover, the theoretical analyses of the three techniques are carried out and verified by means of circuit simulations within a commercial design environment. The results obtained for the inductive degeneration and noise filter show the existence of an optimum inductance for minimum phase noise. The results obtained for the optimum bias current density technique applied to a Colpitts oscillator circuit topology incorporating either inductive degeneration or noise filter show the existence of an optimum bias current density for minimum phase noise. Overall, the analyses show that the adoption of these techniques may lead to a potential phase noise reduction up to 19 dB at a 1‐MHz frequency offset for an oscillation frequency of 10 GHz. © 2015 The Authors International Journal of Circuit Theory and Applications Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Exposure Limits: The underestimation of absorbed cell phone radiation, especially in children

The existing cell phone certification process uses a plastic model of the head called the Specific Anthropomorphic Mannequin (SAM), representing the top 10% of U.S. military recruits in 1989 and greatly underestimating the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for typical mobile phone users, especially children. A superior computer simulation certification process has been approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) but is not employed to certify cell phones. In the United States, the FCC determines maximum allowed exposures. Many countries, especially European Union members, use the “guidelines” of International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), a non governmental agency. Radiofrequency (RF) exposure to a head smaller than SAM will absorb a relatively higher SAR. Also, SAM uses a fluid having the average electrical properties of the head that cannot indicate differential absorption of specific brain tissue, nor absorption in children or smaller adults. The SAR for a 10-year old is up to 153% higher than the SAR for the SAM model. When electrical properties are considered, a child's head's absorption can be over two times greater, and absorption of the skull's bone marrow can be ten times greater than adults. Therefore, a new certification process is needed that incorporates different modes of use, head sizes, and tissue properties. Anatomically based models should be employed in revising safety standards for these ubiquitous modern devices and standards should be set by accountable, independent groups.
Climate Change Impact on the Marine Lakes and their Crustaceans: The Case of Marine Hypersaline Lake Bakalskoye (Ukraine)

All over the world hypersaline lake/lagoons are threatened by climate change. The marine Bakalskoye Lake (Ukraine) was studied in 2000-2012. The paper considers changing crustaceans within the context of the lagoon changes. A sharp drop of salinity occurred in 2004 due to a changed wind rose because the strong winds of Western direction began to dominate, and as a result, washing away of the spit began to be more intensive; and marine water inflow into the lake increased. The structure of primary productivity has changed completely; the total primary production decreased. A list of crustacean species found in the lake includes 19 species. In 2004 there was a change of the composition of crustaceans due to three factors - a change of salinity, an increase of erosion, and massive transport of marine organisms into the lake. Integral characteristics of zooplankton also significantly changed. Impact of climate change on crustaceans is not only direct, but through an extensive network of intermediate effects which are discussed. The study results are of more than local relevance; it has a general ecological importance because can help to better understand that the realizations of general climate change impacts on local level are diverse.
Genetic variation in PCAF, a key mediator in epigenetics, is associated with reduced vascular morbidity and mortality: evidence for a new concept from three independent prospective studies

Aims This study was designed to investigate the counterbalancing influence of genetic variation in the promoter of the gene encoding P300/CBP associated factor (PCAF), a lysine acetyltransferase (KAT), on coronary heart disease (CHD) and mortality. Methods and results The association of genetic variation in the PCAF-gene with CHD, restenosis and mortality was investigated in three large cohorts. The results were combined to examine overall effects on CHD mortality and on restenosis risk. Compared with the homozygous −2481G allele in the PCAF promoter, a significant reduction in CHD mortality risk with the homozygous −2481C PCAF promoter allele was observed. A combined risk reduction for CHD death for the three studies was 21% (15–26%; p=8.1×10–4). In elderly patients (>58 years) the effects were stronger. Furthermore, this PCAF allele was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (p=0.001). Functional analysis showed that nuclear factors interact in vitro with the oligonucleotides encompassing the −2481G/C polymorphism and that this interaction might be influenced by this polymorphism in the PCAF promoter. Moreover, modulation of PCAF gene expression was detectable upon cuff-placement in an animal model of reactive stenosis. Conclusion We showed in three large prospective studies that the −2481C allele in the PCAF promoter is associated with a significant survival advantage in elderly patients. Our observations promote the concept that epigenetic processes are under genetic control and that, other than environment, variation in genes encoding KATs may also determine susceptibility to CHD outcomes and mortality.
CXCR2 is a negative regulator of p21 in p53-dependent and independent manner via Akt-mediated Mdm2 in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest rate of mortality among gynecological malignancy. Chemokine receptor CXCR2 in OC is associated with poor outcomes. However, the mechanisms by which CXCR2 regulates OC proliferation remain poorly understood. We generated CXCR2-positive cells from parental p53 wild-type (WT), mutant and null OC cells, and assessed the roles of CXCR2 on proliferation of OC cells in p53-dependent and independent manner. CXCR2 promoted cell growth rate: p53WT > mutant = null cells. Nutlin-3, a p53 stabilizer, inhibited cell proliferation in p53WT cells, but had little effect in p53-mutant or null cells, indicating p53-dependence of CXCR2-mediated proliferation. CXCR2 decreased p53 protein, a regulator of p21, and downregulated p21 promoter activity only in p53WT cells. The p53 responsive element (RE) of p21 promoter played a critical role in this CXCR2-mediated p21 downregulation. Moreover, CXCR2-positive cells activated more Akt than CXCR2-negative cells followed by enhanced murine double minute (Mdm2). Silencing Mdm2 or Akt1 upregulated p21 expression, whereas Akt1 overexpression downregulated p21 at the promoter and protein levels in p53WT cells. Cell cycle analysis revealed that CXCR2 decreased p21 gene in p53-null cells. Interestingly, romidepsin (histone deacetylase inhibitor)-induced p21 upregulation did not involve the p53 RE in the p21 promoter in p53-null cells. Romidepsin decreased the protein levels of Akt1 and Mdm2, leading to induction of p21 in p53-null cells. CXCR2 reduced romidepsin-induced p21 upregulation by activating Akt-induced Mdm2. Taken together, CXCR2 enhances cell proliferation by suppressing p21 through Akt-Mdm2 signaling in p53-dependent and independent manner.
Sobriety and alcohol use among rural Alaska Native elders

Background Although notable health disparities related to alcohol use persist among Alaska Native people living in rural communities, there is a paucity of research examining drinking behaviour in particular segments of this population, including elders. One explanation for this is the distrust of behavioural health research in general and alcohol research in particular following the legacy of the Barrow Alcohol Study, still regarded as a notable example of ethics violations in cross-cultural research. Objective The present study reports findings from one of the first research studies asking directly about alcohol abuse among rural Alaska Natives (AN) since the study in Barrow took place in 1979. Design We report findings regarding self-reported alcohol use included in an elder needs assessment conducted with 134 Alaska Native elders from 5 rural villages off the road system in Alaska. Data were collected in partnership between academic researchers and community members in accordance with the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research. Results Findings showed very high rates of sobriety and low rates of alcohol use, contradicting stereotypes of widespread alcohol abuse among AN. Possible explanations and future research directions are discussed. Conclusions This research represents one step forward in mending academic–community relationships in rural Alaska to further research on alcohol use and related health disparities.
Effectiveness of an Instructional Program on Knowledge for Patients with Lumbar Disk Prolapse at Baghdad Teaching Hospitals

Lumbar disk prolapse (LDP) is a major public health problem and highly percent of the adult population suffers from this disease at some time in their lives. Around 10% of sufferers become chronically disabled patients and may also present with sciatic symptoms. The quality of life hence productivity is reduced due this disease. The Lumbar disk is weakened therefore; causing instability of the spine, which may result in changes and disk displacement, nerve root compression and canal stenosis. This disorder is common among middle-aged individuals, who are at large the working population so an enormous economic burden may be created in the society. Objective: The study aims to determine the effect of the instructional program on knowledge of patients with LDP and to find out the relationship between patients' socio-demographic characteristics of gender, age, educational level, marital status, occupation, monthly income, type of residence and residential area and their knowledge related to LDP. Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted on non-probability (purposive sample) of (60) patients; (30) patients for the study group and (30) for the control group, who had a lumbar disk prolapse in Baghdad teaching hospitals from October 15 th , 2015 to July 20 th , 2016.The same questionnaire form wasused for the study and control groups in the pretest period as a tool of data collection, which these data are introduced through the application of an instructional program.Then after three weeks; the post-test was given to both groups, after the program has been finished with the study group, and with same questionnaires that used in the pretest. Descriptive and inferentialstatistical analyses were used to analyze the data. Results: The results of the LDP study group patients showed there are differences between their knowledge about LDP in pretest and their knowledge in post-test periods. Also, it reveals that there was a statistically no significant association at (P ≤ 0.05) between the study group of LDP patients' knowledge related to (age, gender, marital status, occupation and residential area), but there was a significant association related to the educational level. Conclusion: the results showed that the study group of LDP patients benefited from the implementation of the instructional program, and their knowledge was effectively enhanced and established. Recommendations: The study recommended the importance of increasing awareness among patients about the lumbar disk prolapse distributed through handbooks, explanatory posters, and performing an educational health programs through modern technological means (audio-visual) to follow a healthy back and spine safety during daily life activities at home and at work. Finally, the researchers suggest performing furtherlongitudinal studies that include a larger sample which assists in a more precise investigation of the quality of life of LDP clients.
Bootstrap Prediction Intervals in Non-Parametric Regression with Applications to Anomaly Detection

Prediction intervals provide a measure of the probable interval in which the outputs of a regression model can be expected to occur. Subsequently, these prediction intervals can be used to determine if the observed output is anomalous or not, conditioned on the input. In this paper, a procedure for determining prediction intervals for outputs of nonparametric regression models using bootstrap methods is proposed. Bootstrap methods allow for a non-parametric approach to computing prediction intervals with no specific assumptions about the sampling distribution of the noise or the data. The asymptotic fidelity of the proposed prediction intervals is theoretically proved. Subsequently, the validity of the bootstrap based prediction intervals is illustrated via simulations. Finally, the bootstrap prediction intervals are applied to the problem of anomaly detection on aviation data.
Impact of High Temperature on Residual Properties of Concrete with Steel Slag Aggregate

AbstractThis study evaluates how elevated temperatures can affect the properties of concrete prepared with steel slag as a coarse aggregate. Four slag-based concrete mixtures were studied, using different types of cement pastes prepared with portland cement, fly ash as a 20% replacement of portland cement, and polypropylene fibers at 0.1% by volume, respectively; an additional dolomite-based reference mixture with portland cement served as a reference mixture. The test samples, which were prepared and aged for 56 days, were subjected to temperatures from 100 to 800°C. The residual mechanical properties of the cooled samples (i.e., their compressive strength and static modulus of elasticity), as well as their weight loss and residual ultrasonic pulse velocity, were determined and compared with those of the reference concrete. Additionally, scanning electron microscope analysis of the concretes and dilatometrical analysis of the cement pastes and aggregates were performed. The obtained results showed that t.
Allelopathic Activity and Chemical Composition of Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. Essential Oil from Egypt

Aromatic plants attract the attention of many researchers worldwide due to their worthy applications in agriculture, human prosperity, and the environment. Essential oil (EO) could be exploited as effective alternatives to synthetic compounds as it has several biological activities including allelopathy. The EO from the aerial parts of Rhynchosia minima was extracted by hydrodistillation and investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Different concentrations (50, 100, 150 and 200 μL L−1) of the EO were prepared for investigation of their allelopathic potential on two weeds; Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Rumex dentatus. Twenty‐eight compounds, mainly sesquiterpenes (69.13%) were determined. The major compounds are α‐eudesmol, 2‐allyl‐5‐tert‐butylhydroquinone, caryophyllene oxide, trans‐caryophyllene, and τ‐cadinol. The EO from the R. minima showed a significant inhibition of D. aegyptium and R. dentatus germination, while the seedling growth was stimulated. Therefore, it is not recommended to treat these noxious weeds with the EO of R. minima before the germination. In contrast, the apparent stimulatory effect on the seedling growth offers further studies to use the EO of R. minima to enhance the fitness of different economic crops. However, characterization of green bio‐herbicides such as EO (allelochemicals) from wild plants raises a new opportunity for the incorporation of new technology of bio‐control against the noxious weeds.
Impact of the National Essential Public Health Services Policy on Hypertension Control in China

BACKGROUND Hypertension remains a severe challenge to population health worldwide. This study assessed the impact of a nationwide program in China-Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) on improvement of hypertension treatment and control. METHODS A cohort of hypertensive patients was identified from the 2011-2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Hypertension was defined based on: (i) an average systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mm Hg, and/or an average diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mm Hg; and/or (ii) currently taking antihypertensive medications. Outcomes assessed included the rate of hypertension control, medication use, and blood pressure monitoring at a doctor's office. The key independent variable was defined as whether one received services from the EPHS-covered physical examination by 2013. Probit regression models with a difference-in-difference approach were performed for each of the 3 outcomes. Data were analyzed in 2017. RESULTS Among the 4,958 hypertensive patients, 404 (8.1%) received the EPHS-covered service by 2013. Coverage by the EPHS program was associated with an increase of 7.9% in hypertension control rate (SE = 2.9%, P = 0.020), an increase of 10.3% in the rate of medication use (SE = 2.5%, P < 0.001), and an increase of 10.5% in the rate of blood pressure monitoring (SE = 2.5%, P < 0.001). Results also showed that the EPHS program helped mitigate the geographic disparities in access to health services such as blood pressure monitoring. CONCLUSIONS The National EPHS program improved the treatment and control among hypertension patients. Expanding its program reach could further benefit the cardiovascular health of the population.
The Evolutionary Theory of Depression

The evolutionary success of Homo sapiens is attributed to the following two factors: the upright body posture (which freed our hands and allowed unconstrained operation of various objects) and intensive development of the frontal lobes, mainly the Broca area of the brain. Underlining the uniqueness of the human brain, we often forget about the fact that the frontal lobes – the most developed part of the brain – are at the same time our greatest weakness, exposed to the action of damaging factors in our evolving environment. Is depression the cost of evolution?
A descriptive study of advising practices during travel health consultations in France

Background Recommendations for improving traveler adherence address both the content of the advice given and the structure of the consultation. The objective of this article is to describe how travel health consultations are structured in France. Methods A questionnaire based on both theoretical foundations and recommendations in the literature was sent to health professionals who practice in travel clinics, all of them members of France's Société de Médecine des Voyages. Results The response rate was 78.5% (176/224). One hundred thirty nine respondents (78.9%) reported that treatment (vaccinations, in particular) and advising were done at separate times in the consultation. The majority of respondents questioned the traveler on his wishes, difficulties, expectations, experiences, and previous knowledge. A third explored the traveler's perceptions regarding the seriousness of diseases, the effectiveness of prevention measures and the latter's adverse effects with a difference when health professionals were practicing >5 years and/or had received specific training ( P < 0.05). At the end of the consultation, 92% of the respondents asked the traveler whether he understood the advice given. One hundred thirty seven respondents (77.8%) gave travelers a booklet with additional advice, and 66.5% gave them a website where they could find health advice on their destination. Travelers were almost never offered group consultations or the opportunity to work on real-life situations. When there were language barriers, the respondents were more likely to seek help from a French-speaking member of the traveler's entourage (48.9%) than from an interpreter (22.7%). Conclusions While the majority of practitioners follow most of the recommendations regarding the structure of travel health consultations, some of the factors that enhance traveler learning are underutilized, reducing the likelihood that travelers will apply the advice given. The study illustrates the need to develop more educational intervention methods and to evaluate their impact on travelers.
Reducing low birth weight: prioritizing action to address modifiable risk factors

Abstract Background Low birth weight (LBW) affects 6.9% of all UK births and has remained largely unchanged for many years. The United Nations and the World Health Assembly have set targets to substantially reduce global incidence. Understanding the contribution of modifiable risk factors to the burden of LBW is required to ensure appropriate interventions are in place to achieve this reduction. Methods Data from published studies on the risks from key modifiable factors were used alongside prevalence data from the Welsh population to calculate the population attributable risk for each factor individually and in combination. Results Fourteen risk factors accounted for nearly half of LBW births, and 60% of those to younger mothers (<25 years). Tobacco smoke exposure was the largest contributor. We estimated that smoking in pregnancy was a factor in one in eight LBW births, increasing to one in five for women aged under 25. Conclusions Risk factors are interrelated and inequitably distributed within the population. Exposure to one factor increases the likelihood of exposure to a constellation of factors further increasing risk. Action to address LBW must consider groups where the risk factors are most prevalent and address these risk factors together using multi-component interventions.
ABS-maleated SEBS blend as a 3D printable material

ABSTRACT A key enabler for the advancement of material extrusion 3D printing is the implementation of new printable materials with a wide variety of physical properties. The focus of this study is the development of 3D printable polymer blends based on compounding acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) with styrene ethylene butylene styrene. Here the mechanical properties of the resulting novel material systems were manipulated through the change of mixture composition. The novel blends were evaluated based on mechanical testing and fracture surface analysis. Additionally, the rheological characteristics were determined based on melt flow index values. Key results were the significant increase in elongation at break values from 8.53% (ABS baseline) to 1506.57% (rubberised ABS) and the drastic difference in fracture surface morphology when comparing the various blends to ABS.