Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using e‐health applications to deliver new mental health services

Traditional clinic‐based service delivery systems remain inaccessible to many Australians with mental health problems. If we are to substantially reduce the burden of mental illness, we need to develop more accessible, empowering and sustainable models of mental health care. E‐health technologies have specific efficiencies and advantages in the domains of health promotion, prevention, early intervention and prolonged treatment. It is timely to use the best features of these technologies to start to build a more responsive and efficient mental health care system.
Baldcypress and Black Willow Growth Response to Contrasting Flood Regimes, Climate, and Competition, in the Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana

vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 BACKGROUND . 1 1.2 REFERENCES . 1 CHAPTER 2: BALDCYPRESS AND BLACK WILLOW GROWTH RESPONSE TO HYDROLOGIC CONNECTIVITY AND CLIMATE . 4 2.
Omega-3 fatty acids and risk of dementia : the Canadian Study of Health and Aging 1 – 4

Background: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n23 PUFAs) may protect against dementia, although epidemiologic studies have yielded inconclusive results. Fish is the main dietary source of n23 PUFAs and is sometimes contaminated with mercury. This neurotoxicant may modify the association with dementia. Objective: We evaluated the association of erythrocyte membrane total n23 PUFAs, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and blood mercury with the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD) in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) with adjustment for confounders including apolipoprotein E e4 (APOE e4) status. Design: The CSHA is a cohort study of a representative sample of persons aged 65 y, conducted from 1991 to 2002. A subsample of 663 nondemented CSHA subjects with a complete clinical examination, blood samples, and follow-up information was eligible for prospective analyses on laboratory measurements. Of these, 149 were incident cases of dementia, including 105 with AD. Results: In adjusted Cox regression models with age as the time scale, there were no associations between total n23 PUFAs, DHA, or EPA and dementia or AD. In contrast, a mercury concentration in the highest quartile was associated with a reduced risk of dementia (hazard ratio: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.88). However, significant risk reductions were limited to subjects with concentrations of both n23 PUFAs and mercury that were above the median. There was no modification of risk by APOE e4 status. Conclusions: No associations between n23 PUFAs and dementia or AD were found. The results regarding mercury may indicate a spurious association. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;90:184–92.
Physical activity and all-cause mortality among older Brazilian adults: 11-year follow-up of the Bambuí Health and Aging Study

Objective To investigate the association between physical activity (eg, energy expenditure) and survival over 11 years of follow-up in a large representative community sample of older Brazilian adults with a low level of education. Furthermore, we assessed sex as a potential effect modifier of this association. Materials and methods A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted on all the ≥60-year-old residents in Bambuí city (Brazil). A total of 1,606 subjects (92.2% of the population) enrolled, and 1,378 (85.8%) were included in this study. Type, frequency, and duration of physical activity were assessed in the baseline survey questionnaire, and the metabolic equivalent task tertiles were estimated. The follow-up time was 11 years (1997–2007), and the end point was mortality. Deaths were reported by next of kin during the annual follow-up interview and ascertained through the Brazilian System of Information on Mortality, Brazilian Ministry of Health. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were estimated by Cox proportional-hazard models, and potential confounders were considered. Results A statistically significant interaction (P<0.03) was found between sex and energy expenditure. Among older men, increases in levels of physical activity were associated with reduced mortality risk. The hazard ratios were 0.59 (95% CI 0.43–0.81) and 0.47 (95% CI 0.34–0.66) for the second and third tertiles, respectively. Among older women, there was no significant association between physical activity and mortality. Conclusion It was possible to observe the effect of physical activity in reducing mortality risk, and there was a significant interaction between sex and energy expenditure, which should be considered in the analysis of this association in different populations.
stimating crop yield potential at regional to national scales ustin

World population will increase 35% by 2050, which may require doubling crop yields on existing farm land to minimize expansion of agriculture into remaining rainforests, wetlands, and grasslands. Whether this is possible depends on closing the gap between yield potential (Yp, yield without pest, disease, nutrient or water stresses, or Yw under water-limited rainfed conditions) and current average farm yields in both developed and developing countries. Quantifying the yield gap is therefore essential to inform policies and prioritize research to achieve food security without environmental degradation. Previous attempts to estimate Yp and Yw at a global level have been too coarse, general, and opaque. Our purpose was to develop a protocol to overcome these limitations based on examples for irrigated rice in China, irrigated and rainfed maize in the USA, and rainfed wheat in Germany. Sensitivity analysis of simulated Yp or Yw found that robust estimates required specific information on crop management, +15 years of observed daily climate data from weather stations in major crop production zones, and coverage of 40–50% of total national production area. National Yp estimates were weighted by potential production within 100-km of reference weather stations. This protocol is appropriate for countries in which crops are mostly grown in landscapes with relatively homogenous topography, such as prairies, plains, large valleys, deltas and lowlands, which account for a majority of global food crop production. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that average farm yields plateau when they reach 75–85% of estimated national Yp, which appears to occur for rice in China and wheat in Germany. Prediction of when average crop yields will plateau in other countries is now possible based on the estimated Yp or Yw ceiling using this protocol.
Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among dentists in Shiraz, Southern Iran.

BACKGROUND Occupational diseases are worldwide. Some dentists believe that they are at a higher risk for development of some musculoskeletal disorders for the postures they should have during work. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and their associated occupational factors among dentists from Shiraz, southern Iran. METHODS In a cross-sectional study, 90 dentists of 375 members of Fars Dental Association were selected at random and asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The questions were about personal characteristics, job history, some work characteristics mostly pertaining to dentistry including physical risk factors at work plus any report about the occurrence of low back pain (LBP) and neck pain. RESULTS Of the 90 questionnaires distributed, 82 (91%) were completed and returned for analyses. Of 82 studied dentists, 42 (51%) were female (mean±SD age of 36±6.6 yrs) and 40 (49%) were male (mean±SD age of 39.4±8.7 yrs). 27 (33%; 95% CI: 23%-43%) dentists had LBP; 23 (28%; 95% CI: 18%-38%) had neck pain; and 10 (12%; 95% CI: 5%-19%) had both. Of these 60 dentists who had pain, 27 (45%; 95% CI: 32%-58%) had radicular pain and 28 (47%; 95% CI: 34%-59%) felt numbness and/or paresthesia in their limbs. 33 (55%; 95% CI: 42%-68%) of 60 dentists with musculoskeletal complaint could not identify any factors for their pain. The prevalence of neither LBP nor neck pain were significantly different between men and women. The place of work and the prevalence of complaint of musculoskeletal pain were also not significantly correlated. None of the studied work-related risk factors had a significant association with the complaint of musculoskeletal pain. CONCLUSION Although the prevalence of LBP and neck pain is high among dentists, we could not find any correlation between the studied work-related risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders. We concluded that dentistry, per se, is probably not an initial factor for development of neither LBP nor neck pain, but it could accentuate the symptoms.
Characteristic Tectonic Tremor Activity Observed Over Multiple Slow Slip Cycles in the Mexican Subduction Zone

We develop a single‐station tremor spectrum template detection method that we applied to continuous seismic data recorded by the Mexican National Seismological Service broadband stations. This allows for an unprecedented long‐term analysis of tectonic tremor in Mexico over multiple slow slip events (SSEs). We only detect tremor that are within previously discovered tremor regions, thereby extending the catalog in time but not space. The resulting catalog demonstrates the strong correlation of bursts of tremor activity and aseismic slip over multiple slow slip cycles. The M ~ 7 long‐term SSEs in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca are associated with the longest sequences of tremor bursts. Each of these tremor bursts are made up of a series of smaller bursts. In between the large M7 SSEs, there are shorter‐duration, isolated tremor bursts. In Guerrero, these shorter bursts were found to accompany M ~ 6 short‐term SSEs. The occurrence of these short‐duration tremor bursts in Oaxaca demonstrates that small short‐term SSEs occur in both major slow slip regions in Mexico. The discrete range of tremor burst sizes and rates suggests that slow slip events in the Mexican subduction zone are organized into characteristic moment and moment rates. The catalog also reveals other aseismic transients, such as postseismic slip in Oaxaca after the 16 February 2018 Mw 7.2 Pinotepa Nacional earthquake. We highlight that such long‐term catalogs are a useful tool together with geodetic observations to monitor slow slip activity that potentially plays a role in the subduction megathrust cycle.
Progesterone binding and inhibition of growth in Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Specific binding of [3H]progesterone to cytosol of Trichophyton mentagrophytes was demonstrated. Scatchard analysis of [3H]progesterone binding showed a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant of 9.5 X 10(-8) [corrected] +/- 2.4 X 10(-8) M (standard deviation) and a maximal binding capacity of 4,979 +/- 3,489 fmol/mg of cytosol protein. Deoxycorticosterone and dihydrotestosterone competitively inhibited binding by 50% at molar ratios of 10:1 and 20:1, respectively. Other steroid hormones that were tested had minimal activity, indicating binding specificity. Steroid hormone actions in T. mentagrophytes were examined in growth studies. Growth was assessed by determination of cellular ATP content. Progesterone inhibited growth in a dose-responsive manner, with a 50% inhibition concentration of 5.5 X 10(-6) M. Partial recovery from inhibition occurred after 24 to 48 h; inhibition could be enhanced by dividing the amount of added progesterone every 24 h. In the same rank order as was their relationship to each other and progesterone in binding studies, deoxycorticosterone and dihydrotestosterone were less effective inhibitors; other steroid hormones that were tested showed no consistent effect. We hypothesize that the binder described, acting as a hormone receptor, is the molecular site of action for the functional effect of the hormone. The functional effect may be related to the observed resistance of females to dermatophytosis.
Chlorhexidine varnish implemented treatment strategy for chronic periodontitis: A clinical and microbial study

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the short-term clinical and microbiological effect of chlorhexidine varnish when used as an adjuvant to scaling and root planing in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: A split-mouth design was conducted in 11 patients suffering from chronic periodontitis. The control site underwent scaling and root planing, and the experimental site was additionally treated with chlorhexidine varnish application. Clinical parameters, namely, gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BoP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level were recorded at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Furthermore, microbial examination of the plaque samples was done at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. Results: Both treatment strategies showed significant improvement in GI, PI, BoP, PPD, and clinical attachment level, at both follow-up visits by comparison with baseline levels. At study termination, chlorhexidine varnish implemented treatment strategy resulted in additional improvement in the clinical parameters, and more reduction in the total anaerobic count at 1 month and 3 months. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a chlorhexidine varnish implemented treatment strategy along with scaling and root planing may improve the clinical outcome for the treatment of chronic periodontitis in comparison to scaling and root planing alone.
The function of the Periaxin gene during nerve repair in a model of CMT4F *

Mutations in the Periaxin (PRX) gene are known to cause autosomal recessive demyelinating Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT4F) and Dejerine‐Sottas disease. The pathogenesis of these diseases is not fully understood. However, progress is being made by studying both the periaxin‐null mouse, a mouse model of the disease, and the protein–protein interactions of periaxin. L‐periaxin is a constituent of the dystroglycan–dystrophin‐related protein‐2 complex linking the Schwann cell cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. Although periaxin‐null mice myelinate normally, they develop a demyelinating peripheral neuropathy later in life. This suggests that periaxin is required for the stable maintenance of a normal myelin sheath. We carried out sciatic nerve crushes in 6‐week‐old periaxin‐null mice, and, 6 weeks later, found that although the number of myelinated axons had returned to normal, the axon diameters remained smaller than in the contralateral uncrushed nerve. Not only do periaxin‐null mice have more hypermyelinated axons than their wild‐type counterparts but they also recapitulate this hypermyelination during regeneration. Therefore, periaxin‐null mice can undergo peripheral nerve remyelination, but the regulation of peripheral myelin thickness is disrupted.
On MMSE and MAP Denoising Under Sparse Representation Modeling Over a Unitary Dictionary

Among the many ways to model signals, a recent approach that draws considerable attention is sparse representation modeling. In this model, the signal is assumed to be generated as a random linear combination of a few atoms from a prespecified dictionary. In this work, two Bayesian denoising algorithms are analyzed for this model-the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) and the minimum-mean-squared-error (MMSE) estimators, both under the assumption that the dictionary is unitary. It is well known that both these estimators lead to a scalar shrinkage on the transformed coefficients, albeit with a different response curve. We derive explicit expressions for the estimation-error for these two estimators. Upper bounds on these errors are developed and tied to the expected error of the so-called oracle estimator, for which the support is assumed to be known. This analysis establishes a worst-case gain-factor between the MAP/MMSE estimation errors and that of the oracle.
Social Networks in Post-Soviet Russia. Continuity and Change in the Everyday Life of St. Petersburg Teachers

Tiivistelmä-Referat-Abstract The articles of this dissertation examine the everyday life in post-Soviet Russia through the analysis of personal networks. The focus is laid on the socialist legacies in post-Soviet Russia: the mixtures and tensions between the patterns of thought and behaviour inherited from the socialist era and the requirements posed by the emerging new social order. The comparative data on personal networks of secondary school teachers was gathered in spring 1993 in St. Petersburg and during the springs of 1993 and 1994 in Helsinki. Forty teachers in St. Petersburg and thirty-eight in Helsinki kept a diary of their important social relations for fifteen days. In addition, a theme interview was carried out and a who-knows-whom matrix of the personal network members was constructed for each respondent. In 1996 the same study was carried out in St. Petersburg with twenty teachers, six of whom had also participated in the 1993 study, and five psychologists. The substantial results of this study show first, the continuing and distinct importance of personal networks in general and of informal exchange networks of goods, services and information in particular in post-Soviet teachers' daily life. Compared to Finns, the study reveals differences in the nature and functioning of the Russian teachers' networks and show the relative weakness of the Russian teacher's professional identity. The observed combination of their work-related networks and weakly crystallized professional identity are in line with the 'community orientation' of their organized activities. Russian teachers' solidarity seems to be rather directed towards actual members of one's own school community pupils included than in an abstract manner towards all practitioners of the same profession as is the case in Finland. This community orientation implies potential for a different kind of collective action and suggests that the Russian civil society may differ from Western ideals. Methodologically, this study shows the potential and advantages of a comparative micro-approach. It argues for the use of an empirically defined notion of personal network in studies on post-socialism and suggests more emphasis to be placed on network formation.
On the relevance of personal responsibility in priority setting: a cross-sectional survey among Norwegian medical doctors

The debate on responsibility for health takes place within political philosophy and in policy setting. It is increasingly relevant in the context of rationing scarce resources as a substantial, and growing, proportion of diseases in high-income countries is attributable to lifestyle. Until now, empirical studies of medical professionals' attitudes towards personal responsibility for health as a component of prioritisation have been lacking. This paper explores to what extent Norwegian physicians find personal responsibility for health relevant in prioritisation and what type of risk behaviour they consider relevant in such decisions. The proportion who agree that it should count varies from 17.1% (‘Healthcare priority should depend on the patient's responsibility for the disease’) to 26.9% (‘Access to scarce organ transplants should depend on the patient's responsibility for the disease’). Higher age and being male is positively correlated with acceptance. The doctors are more willing to consider substance use in priority setting decisions than choices on food and exercise. The findings reveal that a sizeable proportion have beliefs that conflict with the norms stated in the Norwegian Patient Act. It may be possible that the implementation of legal regulations can be hindered by the opposing attitudes among doctors. A further debate on the role personal responsibility should play in priority setting seems warranted. However, given the deep controversies about the concept of health responsibility and its application, it would be wise to proceed with caution. Design Nationally representative cross-sectional study. Setting Panel-data. Participants 1072 respondents, response rate 65%.
Differential efficacy of GoSlo-SR compounds on BKα and BKαγ1–4 channels

ABSTRACT Large conductance, voltage and Ca2+ activated K+ channels (BK channels) are abundantly expressed throughout the body and are important regulators of smooth muscle tone and neuronal excitability. Their dysfunction is implicated in various diseases including overactive bladder, hypertension and erectile dysfunction. Therefore, BK channel openers bear significant therapeutic potential to treat the above diseases. GoSlo-SR compounds were designed to be potent and efficacious BK channel openers. Although their structural activity relationships, activation in both BKα and BKαβ channels and the hypothetical mode of action of these compounds has been studied in detail in recent years, their effectiveness to open the BKαγ channels still remains unexplored. In this study, we have examined the efficacy of 3 closely related GoSlo-SR openers, GoSlo-SR-5-6 (SR-5-6), GoSlo-SR-5-44 (SR-5-44) and GoSlo-SR-5-130 (SR-5-130) using inside out patches on BKα channels coexpressed with 4 different LRRC (γ1–4) subunits in HEK293 cells. Our data suggests that the activation effects due to SR-5-6 were not significantly affected in the presence of γ1–4 subunits. Interestingly, the effects of more efficacious BK channel opener SR-5-44 were altered by different γ subunits. In cells expressing BKα channels, the shift in V1/2 (ΔV1/2) induced by SR-5-44 (3 μM) was −76 ± 3 mV, whereas it was significantly reduced by ∼70 % in BKαγ1 channels (ΔV1/2= −23 ± 3, p < 0.001, ANOVA). In BKαγ2 channels the ΔV1/2 was −36 ± 1 mV, which was less than that observed in BKαγ3 and BKαγ4 channels where the ΔV1/2 was −47 ± 5 mV, and −82 ± 5 mV, respectively. Additionally, the excitatory effects of a ‘β specific’ BK channel opener, SR-5-130 were only partially restored in the patches containing BKαγ1–4 channels. Together this data highlights that subtle modifications in GoSlo-SR structures alter their effectiveness on BK channels with accessory γ subunits and this study might provide a scaffold for the development of more tissue specific BK channel openers.
Dilution and Storage of Botulinum Toxin

background. There has been an ongoing controversy as to the best dilution for botulinum toxin for use in cosmetic applications. Recommended dilutions have ranged from 1 ml per vial to 10 ml per vial. There has also been much discussion on the diluent, i.e., preserved versus unpreserved saline, to be used and on storage time of the material after dilution. objectives. The objective of this paper is to examine the literature and experience of practitioners in the field to try to resolve some of the questions concerning dilution and storage of botulinum toxin. conclusions. Although there is great variation in the dilutions adopted by various physicians, much of this is a matter of personal preference. It does seem to appear that most clinicians use a dilution near 2.5 to 3.0 ml per vial and three‐quarters of them limit the storage of the diluted product to 1 week or less.