Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment and comparison of culturally based explanations for mental disorder among Singaporean Chinese youth.

BACKGROUND Culture is important to how populations understand the cause of mental disorder, a variable that has implications for treatment-seeking behaviour. Asian populations underutilize professional mental health treatment partly because of their endorsement of supernatural causation models to explain mental disorders, beliefs that stem from their religious backgrounds. AIMS This study sought to understand the dimensions of explanatory models used by three groups of Singaporean Chinese youth (n = 842)--Christian, Chinese religionist, no religion--and examined their responses to an instrument that combined explanations from psychological and organic perspectives on mental disorder with approaches from Asian and Western religious traditions. RESULTS Factor analysis revealed five factors. Two were psychological corresponding to the humanistic and cognitive-behavioural perspectives respectively. Another two, which were supernatural in nature, dealt with karmaic beliefs popular among Asian religionists and more classical religious explanations common in monotheistic religions. The remaining factor was deemed a physiological model although it incorporated an item that made it consistent with an Asian organic model. CONCLUSION While groups differed in their endorsement of supernatural explanations, psychological perspectives had the strongest endorsement among this population. Regression analysis showed that individuals who endorsed supernatural explanations more strongly tended to have no exposure to psychology courses and heightened religiosity.
Evaluation of an undergraduate occupational health program in Iran based on alumni perceptions: a structural equation model

Purpose Evaluating educational programs can improve the quality of education. The present study evaluated the undergraduate occupational health program at the Semnan University of Medical Sciences in Semnan, Iran, with a focus on the associations between alumni perceptions of the learning environment and the outcomes of the occupational health program. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among alumni of the undergraduate occupational health program. We asked alumni to rate their perceptions of the items using a 4-point Likert scale. The associations between alumni perceptions of the educational program and curriculum, faculty, institutional resources, and learning outcomes were modeled and described using structural equation modeling procedures. Results A descriptive analysis of alumni perceptions indicated low evaluations for the administrative system, practical and research-based courses, and the number of faculty members. We found that a structural model of the evaluation variables of curriculum, faculty qualifications, and institutional resources significantly predicted undergraduate educational outcomes. The curriculum had direct and indirect effects on learning outcomes, mediated by faculty. Conclusion The findings of our study highlight the usefulness of the structural equation modeling approach for examining links between variables related to the learning process and learning outcomes. Surveys of alumni can provide data for reassessing the learning environment in the light of the professional competencies needed for occupational health graduates.
Analytical solution for solute transport resulting from instantaneous injection in streams with transient storage

An analytical solution is presented for solute transport in rivers including the effects of transient storage. The traditional advection–dispersion equation for transport in the main channel is linked to a first order mass exchange term between the main channel and the transient storage zones. This system of equations is solved analytically for the case of an instantaneous injection of a tracer mass in a river with constant and uniform flow. The solution enables to estimate the temporal and spatial evolution of the tracer concentration downstream of the injection point. The correctness of the solution is verified by comparison with the numerical model OTIS (USGS). The solution is programmed in MATLAB and linked to a non-linear least squares optimisation algorithm to obtain an effective and reliable method to estimate solute transport parameters from observed breakthrough curves. The procedure is successfully applied to the Chillán River, Chile, where five tracer experiments were conducted. The observed concentration profiles vs. time at the different measuring locations are well reproduced by the model. In all cases the exchange of solute between the main flow channel and transient storage zones is markedly present. q 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Neuro-Coagulopathy: Blood Coagulation Factors in Central Nervous System Diseases

Blood coagulation factors and other proteins, with modulatory effects or modulated by the coagulation cascade have been reported to affect the pathophysiology of the central nervous system (CNS). The protease-activated receptors (PARs) pathway can be considered the central hub of this regulatory network, mainly through thrombin or activated protein C (aPC). These proteins, in fact, showed peculiar properties, being able to interfere with synaptic homeostasis other than coagulation itself. These specific functions modulate neuronal networks, acting both on resident (neurons, astrocytes, and microglia) as well as circulating immune system cells and the extracellular matrix. The pleiotropy of these effects is produced through different receptors, expressed in various cell types, in a dose- and time-dependent pattern. We reviewed how these pathways may be involved in neurodegenerative diseases (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases), multiple sclerosis, ischemic stroke and post-ischemic epilepsy, CNS cancer, addiction, and mental health. These data open up a new path for the potential therapeutic use of the agonist/antagonist of these proteins in the management of several central nervous system diseases.
Effectiveness and Safety of a Treatment Regimen Based on Isoniazid Plus Vaccination with Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells’ Fragments: Field‐Study with Naturally Mycobacterium caprae‐Infected Goats

The identification of a herd of goats with tuberculosis let us test a new treatment regimen against latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Using large animal experimental models allows a better approach to understanding human tuberculosis according to immunopathological parameters. Based on an initial study showing a correlation between the ESAT‐6‐specific interferon (IFN)‐γ secretion and the severity of pulmonary lesions, this parameter was used in combination with an X‐ray examination to screen the animals to be included in the efficacy and safety studies. All the animals proved to be infected with Mycobacterium caprae. The efficacy study was run in animals distributed in three experimental groups according to treatment: untreated (CT), treated with isoniazid (INH), and treated with INH + RUTI (a vaccine based on M. tuberculosis cell fragments) inoculated twice. RUTI temporarily increased the IFN‐γ production after stimulating the peripheral blood with ESAT‐6, purified protein derivative and RUTI in vitro. The INH chemotherapy reduced both pulmonary and extra pulmonary affectation, but not disease in pulmonary lymph nodes. The addition of RUTI may have decreased extrapulmonar disease further but had no benefit to lung or lung lymph‐nodes itself. Safety studies showed that inoculation of RUTI caused a temporary increase of rectal temperature (1–2 °C) and local swelling, both adverse effects being well tolerated. Neither systemic toxicity nor mortality was induced by the vaccination. The control of goats’ infection by the therapeutic regimen consisting in INH chemotherapy + RUTI as well as its safety, represented a further step towards testing its effects in human LTBI in a future.
Use of Platelet-Rich Fibrin over Skin Wounds: Modified Secondary Intention Healing

The healing process after any surgical intervention has always posed a challenge for the surgeons. In spite of the advances in wound closure techniques and devices, there is a crucial need for newer methods of enhancing the healing process to achieve optimal outcomes. Fibrin adhesives and platelet concentrates have proven useful in various treatment modalities in the fields of microvascular and plastic surgery. This case report shows its unique use in the field of maxillofacial and cutaneous surgery. It shows an innovative technique of enhancement of skin wound healing by local application of platelet-rich fibrin.
Sec Rule 10b5-1 and Insiders' Strategic Trade

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enacted Rule 10b5-1 to deter insiders from trading with private information, yet also protect insiders' preplanned, non-information-based trades from litigation. Despite its requirement that insiders plan trades when not privately informed, the rule appears to enable strategic trade. Participating insiders' sales systematically follow positive and precede negative firm performance, generating abnormal forward-looking returns larger than those earned by nonparticipating colleagues. The observed association does not appear to be explained by market transaction disclosure response, “predictable” reversion following positive performance, or general periodic price declines. There is evidence, however, that a substantive proportion of randomly drawn plan initiations are associated with pending adverse news disclosures. There is also evidence that early sales plan terminations are associated with pending positive performance shifts, reducing the likelihood that insiders' sales execute at low prices. Collectively, this suggests that, on average, trading within the rule does not solely reflect uninformed diversification.
Actonel ® (risedronate) therapy for the maintenance of alveolar bone in adult chronic periodontitis

Introduction: The primary objective of this study was to determine whether risedronate sodium (Actonel? ) therapy, in conjunction with conventional non-surgical periodontal treatment, reduces the rate of alveolar bone loss. Secondary aims were to compare the incidence of patient dropouts in the risedronate and placebo groups, and to document adverse events. Methods: This double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 125 patients with moderate to severe periodontitis. At baseline, three, and nine months, standardized vertical bite-wing radiographs were taken and used to measure bone loss. Clinical periodontal examinations were taken at three-month intervals to assess whether or not the patient was experiencing rapid periodontal breakdown, in which case suitable treatment could be planned and delivered. Patients received scaling and root planing at baseline and periodontal maintenance at three-month intervals thereafter. At three months, subjects were randomly assigned to risedronate (35 mg/week by mouth) or placebo in blocks based on the severity of periodontitis (moderate, mean bone loss 2 -4 mm; or severe, mean bone loss >4 mm); smoking; and diabetes. Interval bone loss in millimeters was measured from the radiographs, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences in bone loss between test and placebo groups. Results: Over the nine-month study duration, the test group exhibited a significantly greater increase in bone height (0.31 ±0.09 mmgain test, 0.08 ±0.09 mmgain placebo, F = 4.94, p gesting the possibility of a patient-noticeable effect. There was no indication of ONJ.
Smart Device Use and Perceived Physical and Psychosocial Outcomes among Hong Kong Adolescents

Excessive electronic screen-based activities have been found to be associated with negative outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalences and patterns of smart device activities and the purposes and perceived outcomes related to smart device use, and the differences in patterns of smart device activities between adolescents who did and did not perceive these outcomes. The study was a cross-sectional survey of Hong Kong primary and secondary school students. Demographic characteristics, purpose and pattern of the activities, and frequencies of the outcomes were measured. Data from 960 adolescents aged 10–19 were analyzed. Nearly 86% of the sample use smart device daily. The one-week prevalence of perceived sleep deprivation, eye discomfort, musculoskeletal discomfort, family conflict and cyberbullying victimization related to smart device use were nearly 50%, 45%, 40%, 20% and 5% respectively. More than 25% of the respondents were at risk of negative outcomes related to smart device activities for more than 1 h per day, browsing and gaming on at least 4 days per week and watching TV/movies and posting on more than 2 days per week. Their patterns of smart device activities may put a significant number of them at risk of negative outcomes.
O(h2) Global Pointwise Algorithms for Delay Quadratic Problems in the Calculus of Variations

The main purpose of this paper is to give numerical algorithms and the error analysis for delay quadratic problems in the calculus of variations. These methods are new, efficient, and accurate and have a global a priori error of O(h2), where h is the distance between any two successive node points. We also derive the results for the general, numerical, delay problem, but we focus on proving our results in the simpler quadratic case since the extra technical numerical details have been given previously by the second author. In addition, the authors have previously shown how to reformulate general delay constrained problems in optimal control theory/constrained calculus of variations as unconstrained delay problems. Thus our numerical results and methods will hold for these general constrained problems also. Finally, we note that our algorithm, which solves the stationary condition(s) numerically, avoids the more difficult problems of piecing the solution of second order equations together and requires less smoothness in the solution. Thus we replace difficult second order boundary value problems with the easier task of approximating definite integrals involving first order derivatives.
Smoking—A Trigger for Chronic Inflammation and Cancer Development in the Pancreas

Tobacco smoke, with its complexity of constituents, damages the pancreatic organ in multiple ways. Smoke not only affects pancreatic secretion patterns via its nicotine content but induces inflammatory reactions and exerts carcinogenic effects by several other constituents. Smoke enhances ethanol-induced pancreatic injury and accelerates the development and progression of chronic pancreatitis independent of etiology. Through the process of inflammation, smoking contributes to pancreatic carcinogenesis. The experiment of Wittel and colleagues published in this issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology sheds further light on this topic by reporting in great detail two different kinds of pancreatic damage in rats exposed to high doses of smoke.
Induction of Persistent Sodium Current by Exogenous and Endogenous Nitric Oxide*

Most voltage-gated Na+ channels inactivate almost completely at depolarized membrane potentials, but in some cells a residual Na+ current is seen that is resistant to inactivation. This persistent Na+ current can have a profound impact on the electrical behavior of excitable cells, and the regulation of this property could have important biological consequences. However, the biological signaling mechanisms that regulate the persistence of Na+ channels are not well understood. This study showed that in nerve terminals and ventricular myocytes nitric oxide (NO) reduced the inactivation of Na+current. This effect was independent of cGMP, was blocked byN-ethylmaleimide, and could be elicited in cell-free outside-out patches. Thus, a reactive nitrogen species acts directly on the channel or closely associated protein. Persistent Na+current could also be induced by endogenous NO generated enzymatically by NO synthase (NOS). Application of ionomycin to raise the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in myocytes activated NOS. The NO produced in response to ionomycin was detected with an NO-sensitive fluorescent dye. Persistent Na+ current was enhanced by the same treatment, and NOS inhibitors abolished both the elevation of NO and the induction of persistent Na+current. These experiments show that NO is a potential endogenous regulator of persistent Na+ current under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
Posttraumatic stress disorders in civilian orthopaedics.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a well-characterized anxiety disorder that may occur after exposure to a traumatic event. Research is ongoing to document neuroanatomic, neuroendocrine, and genetic correlates to the behavioral phenotype. PTSD occurs in 20% to 51% of patients with musculoskeletal injury. Orthopaedic outcomes, including return to work, activities of daily living, patient perception of physical recovery, and objective physical parameters, suffer considerably in patients with PTSD. There are several ways by which treating orthopaedic surgeons can recognize at-risk patients and help prevent the development of PTSD. Should prevention prove unsuccessful, effective treatment strategies exist, as well. Research is needed to investigate whether a correlation exists between successful management of the psychiatric manifestations of PTSD and improved physical outcomes. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that may develop after exposure to a traumatic stimulus. This disease entity has identifiable anatomic and physiologic correlates. Much of the research on PTSD has been done by the military because of the prevalence of traumatic stress in combatants, but PTSD also occurs in civilian orthopaedic patients. PTSD is a potential complication of adult and pediatric musculoskeletal trauma, including spinal or neurologic injury, complex fractures, multiligamentous knee injuries, and many other injuries. This disorder is encountered by generalists and subspecialists alike. Current diagnostic criteria established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) require that the onset of symptoms be the result of exposure to an identifiable trauma and include three symptom clusters: reexperiencing (ie, nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive memories); avoidance and emotional numbing; and hyperarousal (ie, irritability, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, increased startle response). The duration of symptoms must be >1 month, and they must affect behavior (eg, avoiding a circumstance reminiscent of the inciting trauma). These specific diagnostic criteria demonstrate PTSD to be a distinct psychiatric entity different from depressive disorder and other anxiety disorders in etiology, phenotype, management, and prognosis. Severity of trauma is not included as a diagnostic criterion, and combat-level trauma is not a prerequisite for the development of PTSD. Orthopaedic injuries in civilians may result in PTSD. Current research is focused on the neurobiology of PTSD. Neuroendocrinology, neuroimaging, memory Daniel L. Aaron, MD
Impact of a Dialectic Behavior Therapy-Corrections Modified (DBT-CM) upon behaviorally challenged incarcerated male adolescents.

PURPOSE This article reports the findings of a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy-Corrections Modified (DBT-CM) intervention upon difficult-to-manage, impulsive, and/or aggressive incarcerated male adolescents. METHODS A secondary analysis of a subsample of 38 male adolescents who participated in the study was conducted. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used; descriptive statistics and t-tests were conducted. RESULTS Significant changes were found in physical aggression, distancing coping methods, and number of disciplinary tickets for behavior. CONCLUSION The study supports the value of DBT-CM for the management of incarcerated male adolescents with difficult-to-manage aggressive behaviors.
High-Resolution Imaging of Cortical Microtubule Arrays

Plant cortical microtubules (CMTs) form highly organized arrays in the cell cortex adjacent to the plasma membrane. In the early 1960s, it was discovered that glutaraldehyde fixation could preserve the fine structure of microtubules for electron microscopy ([Ledbetter and Porter, 1963][1]; [Hepler
Why cellular automata are better than LFSRs as built-in self-test generators for sequential-type faults

This paper presents a combinatorial method of evaluating the effectiveness of linear hybrid cellular automata (LHCA) and linear feedback shift registers (LFSR) as generators for stimulating faults requiring a pair of vectors. We provide a theoretical analysis and empirical comparisons to see why the LHCAs are better than the LFSRs as generators for sequential-type faults in a built-in self-test (BIST) environment. Based on the concept of a partner set, the method derives the number of distinct k-cell substate vectors which have 2/sup 2k/, 1/spl les/k/spl les/[n/2], transition capability for an n-cell LFSR and an n-cell LFSR with maximum length cycles. Simulation studies of the ISCAS85 benchmark circuits provide evidence of the effectiveness of the theoretical metric. <<ETX>>
Type 2 diabetes: incremental medical care costs during the 8 years preceding diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE To describe and analyze medical care costs for the 8 years preceding a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS From electronic records of a large group-model health maintenance organization (HMO), we ascertained the medical care costs preceding diagnosis for all members with type 2 diabetes who were newly diagnosed between 1988 and 1995. To isolate incremental costs (costs caused by the future diagnosis of diabetes), we subtracted the costs of individually age- and sex-matched HMO members without impending diabetes from the costs of members who were destined to receive this diagnosis. We also compared these prediagnosis costs with the first 3 years of postdiagnosis costs. RESULTS An economic burden from impending diabetes is apparent for at least 8 years before diagnosis, beginning with costs for outpatient and pharmacy services. Diabetes-associated incremental costs (costs of type 2 diabetic patients minus matched costs of nondiabetic patients) averaged $1,205 per type 2 diabetic patient per year during the first eight prediagnostic years, including $1,913 each year for the 3 years preceding diagnosis. In the year immediately preceding diagnosis, incremental costs were equivalent to those observed in the second and third years after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Incremental costs of diabetes begin at least 8 years before diagnosis and grow at an accelerating rate as diagnosis approaches and immediately after diagnosis. These incremental costs span the full range of medical services. Furthermore, the majority of these costs are for conditions not normally associated with diabetes or its complications.
Whole‐Blood Serotonin in Premenstrual Syndrome

Whole-blood serotonin levels in 14 subjects with well documented premenstrual syndrome and 13 age-matched controls were compared. Serotonin levels of premenstrual syndrome subjects were significantly lower during the last ten days of the menstrual cycle. No significant differences were noted in levels of serum estradiol and progesterone. Decreased serotonin is known to be associated with depression in humans, and nonhuman primates have exhibited abnormal behavioral profiles when given serotonin antagonists. The present observation suggests that the physiologic basis of premenstrual syndrome involves an alteration in serotonin metabolism.