Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
More smoke and mirrors: Fifteen further reasons to doubt the effectiveness of headspace

Objective Commentary on the debate concerning the effectiveness of headspace, including the most recent independent evaluation of its services. Conclusions The available evaluations indicate that headspace does not deliver therapy of adequate duration that results in clinically significant improvement. Most evaluations have used either short-term process measures or uncontrolled satisfaction surveys, and where there have been data on outcomes using standardised instruments, findings have been disappointing. Costs are poorly quantified and probably underestimated. Even so, headspace as a primary care intervention costs twice as much as a mental health consultation by a general practitioner and, depending on the assumptions, may not be cost effective.
Giant cell arteritis

ABSTRACT Giant cell arteritis (GCA, also known as temporal arteritis) is classified as a vasculitis of large and medium sized vessels and can involve the cranial vessels as well as the aorta and great vessels. It is a systemic rheumatic disease that virtually never occurs in adults younger than 50 years of age. GCA is the most common idiopathic systemic vasculitis. Systemic symptoms are common and involvement of the muscular, extracranial branches off of the carotid arteries are what result in the classic manifestations of cranial GCA. The disease can also be generalized involving the aorta and its branches leading to aneurysms and stenosis of involved vessels. Glucocorticoids have been the longstanding treatment option for GCA but relatively recent studies have proven additional agents like Tocilizumab are effective steroid sparing agents. GCA is a disease that is of variable duration and length of treatment differs from patient to patient. This article will review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, work up and treatment options for GCA.
Sleep, Activity, and Nutrition Among an Army Sample: Strengths, Deficits, and Demographic Differences

Sleep, activity, and nutrition (SAN) are key components in overall health, and an individual’s knowledge about and self-confidence to engage in healthy SAN behaviors can have an impact on their actions. This evaluation examined SAN knowledge, self-confidence, and behaviors among U.S. Army Soldiers prior to participating in a health promotion program. Baseline surveys from participating Soldiers provide evidence in this evaluation. U.S. Army Soldiers (N = 11,485) participating in a health promotion program completed surveys. Participants completed an online survey assessing SAN knowledge, self-confidence, and behaviors (among other constructs). We examined the common patterns of SAN behaviors, the associations between them, and the differences based on gender and rank. Knowledge, self-confidence, and behaviors were correlated within each of the three SAN domains. Men reported more aerobic exercise (d = .48) and more resistance training (d = .34) per week than women. Officers reported greater self-confidence in their ability to consume a post-exercise snack (i.e., refuel; d = .38), greater refueling behaviors (d = .43), greater activity knowledge (d = .33), and greater self-confidence in their ability to achieve activity goals (d ranging from .33 to .39), compared to enlisted Soldiers. Finally, greater confidence in one’s ability to achieve healthy sleep correlated with getting more sleep, both during workweek (r = .56, p < .001) and weekend (r = .25, p < .001). These baseline data support the need for health promotion of SAN behaviors among these Soldiers.
Older adults’ perceptions of ageism before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Objectives Studies assessing the effects of ageism on older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that perceiving ageism is associated with lower self-reported mental and physical health. Yet, it remains unknown whether these pandemic associations are distinct from pre-pandemic associations. The present study addressed this issue by controlling for pre-pandemic levels of ageism and mental and physical health in order to assess which pandemic-era experiences of ageism predict well-being in older people. Method Both prior to and during the pandemic, 117 older adults completed measures of perceived ageism, self-perceptions of aging, subjective age, subjective health, and life satisfaction. Results During the pandemic, perceived ageism predicted lower subjective health and life satisfaction. However, when controlling for pre-pandemic measures, perceived ageism during the pandemic predicted only subjective health but not life satisfaction. Perceptions of continued growth positively predicted both measures across most analyses. Conclusion The present findings suggest caution when interpreting the effects of ageism on well-being during the pandemic, as those associations may already have existed pre-pandemic. The finding that perceptions of continued growth positively predicted subjective health and life satisfaction suggests that promoting more positive self-perceptions of aging, along with combatting ageism in society, may represent important policy objectives.
Achalasia: The Current Clinical Dilemma and Possible Pathogenesis

Achalasia is a primary esophageal motility disorder manifested by dysphagia and chest pain that impair patients’ quality of life, and it also leads to chronic esophageal inflammation by food retention and increases the risk of esophageal cancer. Although achalasia has long been reported, the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of achalasia are not fully understood. The current clinical dilemma of achalasia is mainly due to its unclear pathogenesis. In this paper, epidemiology, diagnosis treatment, as well as possible pathogenesis of achalasia will be reviewed and summarized. The proposed hypothesis on the pathogenesis of achalasia is that genetically susceptible populations potentially have a higher risk of infection with viruses, triggering autoimmune and inflammation responses to inhibitory neurons in lower esophageal sphincter.
Corynebacteria of the diphtheriae Species Complex in Companion Animals: Clinical and Microbiological Characterization of 64 Cases from France

We report on the occurrence and clinical and microbiological characteristics of infections caused by members of the CdSC in companion animals. This is the first study based on the systematic analysis of a very large animal cohort (18,308 samples), which provides data on the frequency of CdSC isolates in various types of clinical samples from animals. ABSTRACT Corynebacteria of the diphtheriae species complex (CdSC) can cause diphtheria in humans and have been reported from companion animals. We aimed to describe animal infection cases caused by CdSC isolates. A total of 18,308 animals (dogs, cats, horses, and small mammals) with rhinitis, dermatitis, nonhealing wounds, and otitis were sampled in metropolitan France (August 2019 to August 2021). Data on symptoms, age, breed, and the administrative region of origin were collected. Cultured bacteria were analyzed for tox gene presence, production of the diphtheria toxin, and antimicrobial susceptibility and were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing. Corynebacterium ulcerans was identified in 51 cases, 24 of which were toxigenic. Rhinitis was the most frequent presentation (18/51). Eleven cases (6 cats, 4 dogs, and 1 rat) were monoinfections. Large-breed dogs, especially German shepherds (9 of 28 dogs; P < 0.00001), were overrepresented. C. ulcerans isolates were susceptible to all tested antibiotics. tox-positive C. diphtheriae was identified in 2 horses. Last, 11 infections cases (9 dogs and 2 cats; mostly chronic otitis and 2 sores) had tox-negative C. rouxii, a recently defined species. C. rouxii and C. diphtheriae isolates were susceptible to most antibiotics tested, and almost all of these infections were polymicrobial. Monoinfections with C. ulcerans point toward a primary pathogenic potential to animals. C. ulcerans represents an important zoonotic risk, and C. rouxii may represent a novel zoonotic agent. This case series provides novel clinical and microbiological data on CdSC infections and underlines the need for management of animals and their human contacts. IMPORTANCE We report on the occurrence and clinical and microbiological characteristics of infections caused by members of the CdSC in companion animals. This is the first study based on the systematic analysis of a very large animal cohort (18,308 samples), which provides data on the frequency of CdSC isolates in various types of clinical samples from animals. Awareness of this zoonotic bacterial group remains low among veterinarians and veterinary laboratories, among which it is often considered commensal in animals. We suggest that in the case of CdSC detection in animals, the veterinary laboratories should be encouraged to send the samples to a reference laboratory for analysis of the presence of the tox gene. This work is relevant to the development of guidelines in the case of CdSC infections in animals and underlines their public health relevance given the zoonotic transmission risk.
The impact of long-term conditions on the progression of frailty

Objective To explore longitudinally the impact of multiple long-term conditions (LTCs) on frailty progression separately for males and females. Methods A functional frailty measure (FFM) was used to examine putative determinants of frailty progression among participants aged 65 to 90 in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), across nine waves (18 years) of data collection. A multilevel growth model was fitted to measure the FFM progression over 18 years, grouped by LTC categories (zero, one, two and more). Results There were 2396 male participants at wave 1, of whom 742 (31.0%) had 1 LTC and 1147 (47.9%) had ≥2 LTCs. There were 2965 females at wave 1 of whom 881 (29.7%) had one LTC and 1584 (53.4%) had ≥2 LTCs. The FFM increased 4% each 10 years for the male participants with no LTCs, while it increased 6% per decade in females. The FFM increased with the number of LTCs, for males and females. The acceleration of FMM increases for males with one long-term health condition or more; however in females the acceleration of FMM increases when they have two LTCs or more. Conclusion Frailty progression accelerates in males with one LTCs and females with two LTCs or more. Health providers should be aware of planning a suitable intervention once the elderly have two or more health conditions.
Circadian regulation of hippocampal function is disrupted with corticosteroid treatment

Significance Circadian oscillations of glucocorticoids are a fundamental characteristic of adrenal hormone secretion in all mammals. These rhythms can be disrupted by chronic stress or synthetic glucocorticoid therapy, resulting in side effects including impaired memory, mood, and sleep. Here, we show that 5-d treatment with methylprednisolone induces prolonged activation of glucocorticoid receptors and consequent binding at glucocorticoid regulatory elements in the core clock gene Period 1, in the hippocampus. Furthermore, disruption of circadian hippocampal gene regulation was evident, along with loss of circadian variation in hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and impaired hippocampal memory. Together, these data demonstrate dysregulated hippocampal function during long-acting glucocorticoid treatment and further support the importance of devising improved regimens of glucocorticoid therapy that recapitulate endogenous glucocorticoid rhythmicity.
Head Trauma in Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Background and Objectives Refugees and asylum seekers are at risk of head trauma. They endure blows to the head due to exigent circumstances necessitating resettlement (e.g., torture, war, interpersonal violence) and during their dangerous journeys to refuge. Our objective was to assess the global prevalence of head trauma in refugees and asylum seekers and describe its clinical characteristics in this population. Methods The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42020173534). PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched for relevant studies. We included all studies in English that comprised refugees or asylum seekers of any age and examined the prevalence or characteristics of head trauma. We excluded studies that were not peer-reviewed original research. Information was recorded on the prevalence of head trauma, method of ascertaining head trauma, severity, mechanism of injury, other trauma exposures, and comorbidities. Descriptive analyses and narrative syntheses were performed. Results A total of 22 studies were included, of which 13 with 6,038 refugees and asylum seekers reported head trauma prevalence. Prevalence estimates ranged from 9% to 78%. Heterogeneity among studies precluded meta-analysis. Most studies were US based (n = 9, 41%), followed by the Middle East (n = 5, 23%). Most refugees or asylum seekers were from the Middle East (n = 9, 41%), with those from Latin America least represented (n = 3, 14%). Studies disproportionately involved younger (pooled mean age = 29 years) adult samples composed of men. Recruitment settings were predominantly hospitals/clinics (n = 14, 64%), followed by refugee camps (n = 3, 14%). The most common mechanism of injury was direct impact through a beating or blow to the head. Studies varied greatly in how head trauma was defined and ascertained; no study used a validated traumatic brain injury (TBI)–specific screening tool. Similarly, TBI severity was not uniformly assessed, although hospital-based samples captured more moderate-to-severe head injuries. Mental health comorbidities were more frequently documented rather than physical health ones. Only 2 studies included a comparison with local populations. Discussion Refugees and asylum seekers are vulnerable to head trauma, but studies using systematic approaches to screening are lacking. Increased attention to head trauma in displaced populations will allow for optimizing equitable care for this growing vulnerable population.
Individual Components of Polymyxin B Modeled via Population Pharmacokinetics to Design Humanized Dosage Regimens for a Bloodstream and Lung Infection Model in Immune-Competent Mice

Polymyxin B is a “last-line-of-defense” antibiotic approved in the 1960s. However, the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of its four main components has not been reported in infected mice. We aimed to determine the PK of polymyxin B1, B1-Ile, B2, and B3 in a murine bloodstream and lung infection model of Acinetobacter baumannii and develop humanized dosage regimens. ABSTRACT Polymyxin B is a “last-line-of-defense” antibiotic approved in the 1960s. However, the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of its four main components has not been reported in infected mice. We aimed to determine the PK of polymyxin B1, B1-Ile, B2, and B3 in a murine bloodstream and lung infection model of Acinetobacter baumannii and develop humanized dosage regimens. A linear 1-compartment model, plus an epithelial lining fluid (ELF) compartment for the lung model, best described the PK. Clearance and volume of distribution were similar among the four components. The bioavailability fractions were 72.6% for polymyxin B1, 12.0% for B1-Ile, 11.5% for B2, and 3.81% for B3 for the lung model and were similar for the bloodstream model. While the volume of distribution was comparable between both models (17.3 mL for the lung and ~27 mL for the bloodstream model), clearance was considerably smaller for the lung (2.85 mL/h) compared to that of the bloodstream model (5.59 mL/h). The total drug exposure (AUC) in ELF was high due to the saturable binding of polymyxin B presumably to bacterial lipopolysaccharides. However, the modeled unbound AUC in ELF was ~16.7% compared to the total drug AUC in plasma. The long elimination half-life (~4 h) of polymyxin B enabled humanized dosage regimens with every 12 h dosing in mice. Daily doses that optimally matched the range of drug concentrations observed in patients were 21 mg/kg for the bloodstream and 13 mg/kg for the lung model. These dosage regimens and population PK models support translational studies for polymyxin B at clinically relevant drug exposures.
Soil organic carbon fraction accumulation and bacterial characteristics in curtilage soil: Effects of land conversion and land use

Conversion of curtilage land into cropland or grassland can have substantial effects on soil nutrition and microbial activities; however, these effects remain ambiguous. This is the first study to compare the soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and bacterial communities in rural curtilage, converted cropland, and grassland compared with cropland and grassland. This study determined the light fraction (LF) and heavy fraction (HF) of organic carbon (OC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and the microbial community structure by conducting a high-throughput analysis. Curtilage soil had significantly lower OC content, the DOC, MBC, LFOC and HFOC of grassland and cropland soils were 104.11%, 55.58%, 264.17%, and 51.04% higher than curtilage soil averagely. Cropland showed notably high bacterial richness and diversity, with Proteobacteria (35.18%), Actinobacteria (31.48%), and Chloroflexi (17.39%) predominating in cropland, grassland, and curtilage soil, respectively. Moreover, DOC and LFOC contents of converted cropland and grassland soils were 47.17% and 148.65% higher than curtilage soil while MBC content was 46.24% lower than curtilage soil averagely. Land conversion showed more significant effects on microbial composition than land-use differences. The abundant Actinobacteria and Micrococcaceae population and the low MBC contents indicated a “hungry” bacterial state in the converted soil, whereas the high MBC content, Acidobacteria proportion, and relative abundance of functional genes in the fatty acid and lipid biosynthesis indicated a “fat” bacterial state in cropland. This study contributes to the improvement of soil fertility and the comprehension and efficient use of curtilage soil.
About SSA : Research Report Literature Review on Bullying and Its Prevention : Implications for the Safe School Ambassadors ® Program

This document serves to assess the literature in relation to the core components of the Safe School Ambassador® (SSA) program. The SSA program is a variant of a student watch program (Ross, 1996) that recruits and trains socially influential youth from the different social groups that exist in schools to note and report instances of bullying and other antisocial behavior (Community Matters, 2003). However, SSA is considered a second generation student watch program because a much greater emphasis is placed on training youth bystanders on methods to intervene as warranted by the situation rather than simply noticing and reporting bullying to school staff. The overall goal of the SSA program is to improve the school climate by empowering students who are neither bullies nor victims of bullies, but have a good probability of being a bystander, to play a clear role in preventing episodes of bullying and related activities.
Higher judgements of learning for emotional words: processing fluency or memory beliefs?

ABSTRACT Previous research has shown that emotionally-valenced words are given higher judgements of learning (JOLs) than are neutral words. The current study examined potential explanations for this emotional salience effect on JOLs. Experiment 1 replicated the basic emotionality/JOL effect. In Experiments 2A and 2B, we used pre-study JOLs and assessed memory beliefs qualitatively, finding that, on average, participants believed that positive and negative words were more memorable than neutral words. Experiment 3 utilised a lexical decision task, resulting in lower reaction times (RTs) for positive words than for neutral words, but equivalent RTs for negative and neutral words, suggesting that processing fluency may partially account for higher JOLs for positive words, but not for negative words. Finally, we conducted a series of moderation analyses in Experiment 4 which assessed the relative contributions of fluency and beliefs to JOLs by measuring both factors in the same participants, showing that RTs made no significant contribution to JOLs for either positive or negative words. Our findings suggest that although positive words may be more fluently processed than neutral words, memory beliefs are the primary factor underlying higher JOLs for both positive and negative words.
Characteristics of paediatric pre‐hospital intubation by Intensive Care Paramedics

Emergency intubation in children is an infrequent procedure both in the pre‐hospital and hospital setting. The anatomical, physiological and situational challenges together with limited clinician exposure can make this a difficult procedure with high risk of adverse events. The aim of this collaborative study between a state‐wide ambulance service and a tertiary children's hospital was to describe the characteristics of pre‐hospital paediatric intubations by Intensive Care Paramedics.
Aided Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials in Infants With Frequency-Specific Synthetic Speech Stimuli: Sensitivity, Repeatability, and Feasibility

Objectives: The cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) test is a candidate for supplementing clinical practice for infant hearing aid users and others who are not developmentally ready for behavioral testing. Sensitivity of the test for given sensation levels (SLs) has been reported to some degree, but further data are needed from large numbers of infants within the target age range, including repeat data where CAEPs were not detected initially. This study aims to assess sensitivity, repeatability, acceptability, and feasibility of CAEPs as a clinical measure of aided audibility in infants. Design: One hundred and three infant hearing aid users were recruited from 53 pediatric audiology centers across the UK. Infants underwent aided CAEP testing at age 3 to 7 months to a mid-frequency (MF) and (mid-)high-frequency (HF) synthetic speech stimulus. CAEP testing was repeated within 7 days. When developmentally ready (aged 7-21 months), the infants underwent aided behavioral hearing testing using the same stimuli, to estimate the decibel (dB) SL (i.e., level above threshold) of those stimuli when presented at the CAEP test sessions. Percentage of CAEP detections for different dB SLs are reported using an objective detection method (Hotellings T2). Acceptability was assessed using caregiver interviews and a questionnaire, and feasibility by recording test duration and completion rate. Results: The overall sensitivity for a single CAEP test when the stimuli were ≥0 dB SL (i.e., audible) was 70% for the MF stimulus and 54% for the HF stimulus. After repeat testing, this increased to 84% and 72%, respectively. For SL >10 dB, the respective MF and HF test sensitivities were 80% and 60% for a single test, increasing to 94% and 79% for the two tests combined. Clinical feasibility was demonstrated by an excellent >99% completion rate, and acceptable median test duration of 24 minutes, including preparation time. Caregivers reported overall positive experiences of the test. Conclusions: By addressing the clinical need to provide data in the target age group at different SLs, we have demonstrated that aided CAEP testing can supplement existing clinical practice when infants with hearing loss are not developmentally ready for traditional behavioral assessment. Repeat testing is valuable to increase test sensitivity. For clinical application, it is important to be aware of CAEP response variability in this age group.