Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Socio-Economic Consequences of Mental Distress: Quantifying the Impact of Self-Reported Mental Distress on the Days of Incapacity to Work and Medical Costs in the Following 2 years: A Longitudinal Study in Germany

Background: Mental disorders are related to high individual suffering and significant socio-economic burdens. However, it remains unclear to what extent self-reported mental distress is related to individuals’ days of incapacity to work and their medical costs. This study aims to investigate the impact of self-reported mental distress for specific and non-specific days of incapacity to work and specific and non-specific medical costs over a two-year span.Method: Within a longitudinal research design, 2,287 study participants' mental distress was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Days of incapacity to work and medical costs were retrieved from a German health insurance’s routine data during the following two-year period.Results: Current mental distress was found to be significantly related to the number of specific days absent from work and medical costs. Compared to participants classified as no cases by the HADS (2.6 days), severe case participants showed 27.3-times as many specific days of incapacity to work in the first year (72 days) and 10.3-times as many days in the second year (44 days), and resulted in 11.4-times more medical costs in the first year (2272 EUR) and 6.2-times more in the second year (1319 EUR). The relationship of mental distress to non-specific days of incapacity to work and non-specific medical costs is also significant, but mainly driven from specific absent days and specific medical costs. Our results also indicate that the prevalence of presenteeism is considerably high: 42% of individuals continued to go to work despite severe mental distress. Conclusions: Our results show that self-reported mental distress, assessed by the HADS, is highly related to the days of incapacity to work and medical costs in the two-year period. Reducing mental distress by improving preventive structures for at-risk populations and increasing access to evidence-based treatments for individuals with mental disorders might, therefore, pay for itself and could help to reduce public costs.
Numberless kinds: Evidence from Russian

Tal com es discuteix a la bibliografia descriptiva i formal, les expressions nominals del rus que fan referencia a classes poden apareixer en singular o en plural (Chierchia 1998; Doron 2003; Dayal 2004). La contribucio principal d’aquest article es argumentar que les expressions que fan referencia a classe i que son morfologicament singulars son sintagmes nominals sense nombre gramatical. Dit amb altres paraules, argumentem que la millor manera d’analitzar aquestes expressions, a les quals ens referim amb el terme de classes definides, seguint la proposta terminologica de Borik i Espinal (2012, 2015), es postulant unes estructures nominals que no tenen Nombre ni sintactic ni semantic. Basem la nostra analisi en el postulat teoric que, semanticament, el Nombre es un operador que realitza propietats de classes en propietats d’objectes i que les classes definides no activen aquest operador. Mostrem de quina manera l’analisi que proposem per a les classes definides tambe permet d’explicar les peculiaritats en l’ordre de mots que trobem en rus en les expressions que fan referencia a classes modificades.
Accidental wetlands - A southern African case study from the Kgaswane Mountain Reserve, Rustenburg

ABSTRACT Wetlands form part of a diverse range of habitats and play an important role in the ecology and hydrological cycle but are amongst the most threatened ecological systems. It is therefore critical to understand the hydrology of wetlands, and their contributing water sources in particular, to ensure appropriate management of these systems. Land use activities not only alter the runoff characteristics of catchments, but also often result in modified flow regimes in watercourses. Wetlands often develop accidentally in anthropogenic landscapes and are not uncommon. However, these wetlands are poorly documented and researched. An accidental wetland formed in the Kgaswane Mountain Reserve, Rustenburg, due to leaking water infrastructure. The aim of this project was to categorise the wetland and confirm its origin, focussing on the role of the leakage. Methods included hydrogeomorphic classification, water ion composition analysis, as well as infield temperature and electrical conductivity measurements. Historical satellite imagery was used to study the evolution of the wetland over time. The electrical conductivity and ionic composition results suggest an unnatural water source, providing support that a leaking pipe caused the wetland to form. Management of accidental wetlands is discussed and the potential for future, related research is contemplated.
Effectiveness of Semont maneuver in the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: an institutional study

Background: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common cause of vertigo. In this condition, the vertigo is precipitated by certain head movements. BPPV is diagnosed by Dix-Hallpike positional test. Various repositioning maneuvers and treatment modalities exist for the management of this condition. Semont maneuver is a simple procedure for the treatment of posterior semicircular canal BPPV. Methods: This non randomized controlled study was conducted in the ENT Department of a tertiary care hospital at Thiruvananthapuram over a period of one year. Hundred patients with posterior semicircular canal BPPV were included in the study. Fifty patients treated with Semont maneuver were compared with 50 patients who were treated with betahistine 16 mg three times daily. Outcomes were measured by relief of vertigo and negative Dix- Hallpike positional test during follow up examination. Results: The most common age group affected by BPPV was 50-60 years. Right side was more affected than the left. There was a female preponderance. 84% patients treated with Semont maneuver were cured at the end of the first week and 90% at the end of the second week. The percentage of patients cured with betahistine were 48% at the end of first week and 56% at the end of second week. Conclusions: The Semont maneuver was very effective in the treatment of BPPV. It helps to reduce the long-term use of medicines in our population.
The long-range internal stress field in the dislocation wall structure of persistent slip bands†

A detailed model of the long-range internal stress field in the channels of the wall structure of persistent slip bands (PSBs) is developed. It is proposed that the long-range internal stress field consists of a (constant) back stress and an internal forward stress which varies in space and increases from the centre of the channels to the walls. The physical origin of the internal stress field is seen in the constrained configuration of the moving glide dislocations in the channels. The (athermal) cyclic flow stress of PSBs is then expressed easily in terms of the so-called composite model. The proposed model is shown to be in good accord with the available experimental data. A critical assessment of the model in relation to the observed scatter of the local stress data leads to the conclusion that the scatter is due partly to the error of the measurements and to the other part due to real fluctuations. Es wird ein detailliertes Modell des weitreichenden inneren Spannungsfeldes in den Kanalen der Wandstruktur persistenter Gleitbander (PGB) entwickelt. Dabei wird vorgeschlagen, das das weitreichende innere Spannungsfeld sich aus einer (konstanten) Ruckspannung zusammensetzt und aus einer inneren Vorwartsspannung, die raumlich variiert und von der Mitte der Kanale zu den Wanden hin zanimmt. Die Zwangsform der bewegten Gleitversetzungen in den Kanalen wird dabei als physikalische Ursache des inneren Spannungsfeldes betrachtet. Die (athermische) zyklische Fliesspannung der PGB last sich leicht im Rahmen des sogenannten Verbundmodells darstellen. Es wird gezeigt, das das vorgeschlagene Modell in guter Ubereinstimmung mit den vorliegenden experimentellen Daten ist. Aus einer kritischen Betrachtung des Modells bezuglich der beobachteten Streuung der Daten der lokalen Spannung wird geschlossen, das diese Streuung zu einem Teil auf Mesfehler und zum anderen Teil auf tatsachliche Schwankungen zuruckzufuhren ist.
Relationship of Cardiac Function with Pulmonary Function and Lung Volume using Whole-body MR Imaging: A Population-based Study

Background To evaluate the relationship of cardiac function, including time-volume-curves, with lung volumes derived from pulmonary function tests (PFT) and MRI in subjects without cardiovascular diseases. Methods 216 subjects underwent whole-body MRI and spirometry as part of the KORA-FF4 cohort study. Lung volumes derived semi-automatically using an in-house algorithm. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and residual volume were measured. Cardiac parameters derived from Cine-SSFP-sequence using cvi42, while left ventricle (LV) time-volume-curves were evaluated using pyHeart. Linear regression analyses assessed the relationships of cardiac parameters with PFT and MRI-based lung volumes. Results Mean age was 56.3 ± 9.2 years (57% males). LV and right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic-, end-systolic-, stroke volume, LV peak ejection- and early/late diastolic filling rate were associated with FEV1, FVC, and residual volume (excluding late diastolic filling rate with FEV1, LV end-systolic/stroke volume and RV end-diastolic/end-systolic volumes with residual volume). In contrast, LV end-diastolic volume (ß=–0.14, p = 0.01), early diastolic filling rate (ß=–0.11, p = 0.04), and LV/RV stroke volume (ß=–0.14, p = 0.01; ß=–0.11, p = 0.01) were inversely associated with MRI-based lung volume. Conclusion Subclinical cardiac impairment was associated with reduced FEV1, FVC, and residual volume. Cardiac parameters decreased with increasing MRI-based lung volume contrasting the results of PFT.
Design Analysis of Polymer Filtration using a Multi‐Objective Genetic Algorithm

Abstract Filtration of particle debris is an important component of the polymer fiber melt‐spinning process. The filter lifespan is determined by the pressure drop across the filter, which increases as debris accumulates inside the filtration medium. The cost of filter replacement is high, as is the cost of a loss of the finished fiber product due to debris inclusion in the spun fiber. We use a multiobjective genetic algorithm to examine the trade‐off curve that evolves from these competing goals. A “blackbox” simulator models the debris deposition, and we choose filter porosity and pore diameter as the design variables. We provide numerical results and analysis for two sets of competing objectives.
Aerosols: are anaesthetists at risk of COVID‐19 or not?

In his excellent narrative review of the health risks from COVID-19 for anaesthetists and intensivists, Cook supports the general assumption that “tracheal intubation is an aerosol-generating procedure and. there is robust evidence of an association between tracheal intubation and transmission of infection. ” [1]. Crucially, his research group goes on to conduct research, the results of which refute the designation of tracheal intubation/extubation/ facemask ventilation as aerosol-generating procedures [2]. His group’s results and conclusions are supported by SpernaWeiland et al. [3] in vitro, but contradicted byDhillon et al. in vivo [3, 4]. Resolving this dilemma has important implications for preventing nosocomial transmission and for facilitating patient throughput [4–6]. Brown et al.’s UK [2] and Dhillon et al.’s Australian [4] quantitative studies used similar methodology to assess aerosol generation within different theatre ventilation systems during airway manoeuvres performed on COVID-19-negative patients undergoing elective surgery. We have compared and contrasted theirmethods andmain findings in Table 1. Sperna Weiland et al. (The Netherlands) used in-vitro nebulisation in six types of single-patient hospital rooms with varying air exchange rates, to simulate aerosolgenerating procedures. They found considerable variation in the 99% aerosol removal time, between 7 min (standard and negative pressure operating theatres) and 307 min (hospital ward single room), inversely correlated with the air exchange rate (i.e. the greater the air exchange rate, the quicker the aerosol removal). Placing aerosol purification units in the (ward) room with the lowest air exchange rate reduced the 99% aerosol removal time from 307 to 47 min. How should practising anaesthetists interpret data from these three studies? Firstly, there are methodological shortcomings. Secondly, both tracheal intubation and extubation produce (potentially infective) aerosolised particles to a greater/lesser degree, particularly if the patient coughs. Thirdly, therefore, airway procedures involving COVID-19-positive patients should be undertaken by the most experienced anaesthetists available, (ideally) wearing full PPE, including respirators, in the best ventilated environment available, (ideally) a laminar flow ventilation theatre with > 200 room volume air changes per hour, that is, current protocols remain apposite, but could be improved by reinforcing the importance of room ventilation [7]. Fourthly, because the studies confirm that coughing is an aerosol-generating procedure, healthcare workers
Assessing the impact of sedimentation on fault spacing at the Andaman Sea spreading center

The stabilizing effect of surface processes on strain localization, albeit predicted by several decades of geodynamic modeling, remains difficult to document in real tectonic settings. Here we assess whether intense sedimentation can explain the longevity of the normal faults bounding the Andaman Sea spreading center (ASSC). The structure of the ASSC is analogous to a slow-spreading mid-ocean ridge (MOR), with symmetric, evenly spaced axis-facing faults. The average spacing of faults with throws ≥100 m (8.8 km) is however large compared to unsedimented MORs of commensurate spreading rate, suggesting that sedimentation helps focus tectonic strain onto a smaller number of longer-lived faults. We test this idea by simulating a MOR with a specified fraction of magmatic plate separation (M), subjected to a sedimentation rate (s) ranging from 0 to 1 mm/yr. We find that for a given M ≥ 0.7, increasing s increases fault lifespan by ∼50%, and the effect plateaus for s > 0.5 mm/yr. Sedimentation prolongs slip on active faults by leveling seafloor relief and raising the threshold for breaking new faults. The effect is more pronounced for faults with a slower throw rate, which is favored by a greater M. These results suggest that sedimentation-enhanced fault lifespan is a viable explanation for the large spacing of ASSC faults if magmatic input is sufficiently robust. By contrast, longer-lived faults that form under low M are not strongly influenced by sedimentation.
Krapina and the Case for Neandertal Symbolic Behavior

We review four examples of ritual or symbolic behavior from the central European Mousterian site of Krapina in present-day Croatia. These include evidence of ritual cannibalism and secondary burials; a cranium of a Neandertal female with 35 mostly parallel postmortem lines inscribed into the forehead; eight talons and an associated foot bone from three or four different white-tailed eagles, all with signs of manipulation and assembly into a necklace, bracelet, or rattle; and a limestone rock with black inclusions that appears to have been carried onto the site as a curiosity. These occur well before any modern Homo sapiens entered Europe and are evidence that the Krapina Neandertals had ritual and symbolic capacities. Along with Krapina, there is mounting evidence from other earlier and later Neandertal sites of behaviors generally exclusively attributed to modern H. sapiens.
Characterization of silver films deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering

Silver thin films have been deposited on various substrates at floating potentials by radio frequency magnetron sputtering of a silver target in pure argon plasma using load‐locked sputtering equipment. Under the experimental conditions investigated, the deposition rate of silver films was about 70 nm/min so that metal films as thin as 200 nm could be deposited within easily controllable deposition durations. Film surfaces and cross sections were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The morphology was fully dense. The crystallographic structure was investigated by x‐ray diffraction. The grains were preferentially oriented with the (111) lattice planes parallel to the film surface and without preferred azimuthal orientation. The films analyzed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy were free of detectable impurities. The residual stresses were determined to be tensile from the measurements of the curvature radius of silicon substrates. The calculated value of the thermal stress showed that the intr.
Sexist Discrimination and Women’s Use of Intimate Partner Aggression: Results From a Nationally Representative Sample of Women

Women’s use of intimate partner aggression remains a controversial research topic. Studies suggest that experiences of racism and heterosexism are associated with the use of intimate partner aggression among people impacted by these forms of oppression. Women also have unique experiences of discrimination that may be associated with their use of intimate partner aggression. The current study examined the direct association between women’s experiences of sexist discrimination and intimate partner aggression as well as the indirect relationship through mental health symptoms. All measures were gathered during Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), with data provided by 13,928 women. Structural equation modeling identified a significant direct relationship between women’s experiences of sexist discrimination and their use of intimate partner aggression, β = . 04, z = 3.07, p = . 002, and a significant indirect path through mental health symptoms (depression and anxiety; ab = .04, 95% CI [0.03, 0.05]). Women who experienced greater sexist discrimination reported greater mental health symptoms and more intimate partner aggression. The findings support the novel hypothesis that women’s intimate partner aggression may, in part, result from experiences of sexist discrimination and the emotional and mental distress associated with these experiences. These results offer important implications for practitioners, researchers, and policy makers by highlighting the need for gender-responsive interventions for women’s intimate partner aggression that consider how sexist experiences and mental health symptoms are associated with women’s relationship behaviors.
Effect of an adolescent peer-led health curriculum on peer educators and participants

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an adolescent peer-led health curriculum in changing physical activity and fruit and vegetable social-cognitive and behavioural variables among Filipino American adolescents in Hawai’i for participants and peer educators. Design: Quasi-experimental design. Setting: One high school on Oahu, Hawai’i. Method: Filipino American adolescents aged 16–18 years from a grade 12 health class were recruited and trained as peer educators to deliver a health curriculum to grades 9–11 health classes over 8 months. We examined peer educators’ influence on physical activity and fruit and vegetable social-cognitive (knowledge, stage of change, self-efficacy and enjoyment) and behavioural variables (physical activity and consumption). Participants and peer educators completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires. Results: Compared with controls, intervention students showed an increase in physical activity knowledge and self-efficacy. Multiple regression analysis predicted higher physical activity knowledge and moderate-vigorous physical activity follow-up scores for members of the intervention group. A significant effect was found for physical activity stage of change and moderate-vigorous physical activity for peer educators over time. No significant effect was found for any fruit and vegetable variables. Conclusion: A peer-led health curriculum may be a viable method to change physical activity social-cognitive and behavioural variables in Filipino American adolescents and peer educators.
Generalized Linear Factor Score Regression: A Comparison of Four Methods

Factor score regression has recently received growing interest as an alternative for structural equation modeling. However, many applications are left without guidance because of the focus on normally distributed outcomes in the literature. We perform a simulation study to examine how a selection of factor scoring methods compare when estimating regression coefficients in generalized linear factor score regression. The current study evaluates the regression method and the correlation-preserving method as well as two sum score methods in ordinary, logistic, and Poisson factor score regression. Our results show that scoring method performance can differ notably across the considered regression models. In addition, the results indicate that the choice of scoring method can substantially influence research conclusions. The regression method generally performs the best in terms of coefficient and standard error bias, accuracy, and empirical Type I error rates. Moreover, the regression method and the correlation-preserving method mostly outperform the sum score methods.
Hypolipidemic properties of Chlorella pyrenoidosa organic acids via AMPK/HMGCR/SREBP‐1c pathway in vivo

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore the effects and mechanisms of 95% ethanol extract of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (CPE95) on lipid metabolism in hyperlipidemic rats. For the sake of chemical composition analysis of CPE95, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) was used for determination. After treatment with CPE95, serum high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol content of the hyperlipidemic rats was increased, while the contents of cholesterol, triglyceride, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased strikingly. Moreover, the result of histopathology analysis showed that the accumulation and fatty deformation of the livers were relieved. Real‐time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to determine the expression levels of lipid metabolism‐related genes. The gene expression level of adenosine 5’‐monophosphate‐activated protein kinase was descended, and expressions of sterol regulatory element‐binding protein‐1c, acetyl‐CoA carboxylase, and 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase were all downregulated in the CPE95‐treated rats. It suggested that CPE95 may effectively improve the hyperlipidemia in rats and would be potential for functional food component to reduce blood lipid.
A link between the ice nucleation activity and the biogeochemistry of seawater

Abstract. Emissions of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) from sea spray can impact climate and precipitation by changing cloud formation, precipitation, and albedo. However, the relationship between seawater biogeochemistry and the ice nucleation activity of sea spray aerosols remains unclarified. Here, we demonstrate a link between the biological productivity in seawater and the ice nucleation activity of sea spray aerosol under conditions relevant to cirrus and mixed-phase cloud formation. We show for the first time that aerosol particles generated from both subsurface and microlayer seawater from the highly productive eastern tropical North Pacific Ocean are effective INPs in the deposition and immersion freezing modes. Seawater particles of composition similar to subsurface waters of highly productive regions may therefore be an unrealized source of effective INPs. In contrast, the subsurface water from the less productive Florida Straits produced less effective immersion mode INPs and ineffective depositional mode INPs. These results indicate that the regional biogeochemistry of seawater can strongly affect the ice nucleation activity of sea spray aerosol.