Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychological debriefing for acute trauma - a welcome demise?

Psychological debriefing (PD) has until recently been widely regarded by the public and by health professionals as a necessary and effective prophylactic treatment strategy for trauma victims. This view may have its origins in Rachmann's 'emotional processing' hypothesis' that the earlier intervention occurs, the less opportunity there is for maladaptive cognitive and behavioural patterns to develop. Over the years the theory has gained support from different quarters. Contemporary belief in the need for counselling post trauma, media attention to disasters and fear of litigation from victims are amongst the many influences that may have contributed towards the longevity of PD following trauma. Debriefing has been seen as a mandatory prescription and quick fix for all persons experiencing traumatic events. However, in this age of evidence based practice it is important to note that little empirical evidence exists to support this view: that debriefing may have damaging effects now appears more likely. Debriefing was initially developed by Mitchell in 1983 as an intervention strategy for emergency personnel with the aim of lessening the impact of trauma (critical incidents) and helping them return to routine functioning (Critical Incident Stress Debriefing). The process provides opportunity for group discussion about an incident with focus on how personnel have managed and currently are coping. It was hoped that the procedure would lessen the impact of trauma by encouraging processing of the traumatic experience in a supportive and confidential environment. The technique has been modified by others and 'psychological debriefing' describes a similar therapy in disaster situations. Apart from use with emergency workers and military personnel, proponents of debriefing have advocated the procedure for civilians involved in trauma: hence the birth of what some have called a 'disaster industry' led by different professional groups including counsellors, psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists, not to mention lawyers who advertise for clients. The basis for this practice appears to have derived from anecdotal and single case reports of good outcome, and from positive comments by individuals who received debriefing. The 1990s saw a steady increase in scepticism amongst therapists disappointed by the poor outcome of many cases. Following repeated calls for properly conducted research
Land-use/cover conversion affects soil organic-carbon stocks: A case study along the main channel of the Tarim River, China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) constitutes a large pool within the global carbon cycle. Changes in land-use/cover strongly drive variation of SOC stocks. We analyzed the changes in four types of land use/cover and their influence on SOC content, density, and regional stocks along the main channel of the Tarim River in China for 2000–2010 obtained from remotely sensed images and field surveys. The areas and structures of the land uses/covers changed greatly during this period. Specifically, the areas of cultivated, industrial and residential, and shrub land increased, particularly cultivated and shrub land. The areas of forestland, grassland, water bodies, and unused land decreased. SOC stocks in forestland, grassland and unused land decreased between 2000 and 2010. The total SOC stock for the forestland shrub land grassland and unused land was lower in 2010 than 2000. Land-use/cover conversion thus affected SOC stocks. Specifically, conversions from forestland to shrub land, forestland to grassland, forestland to unused land, grassland to shrub land, grassland to unused land, and shrub land to unused land decreased the SOC stocks. This study provides a scientific basis for eco-environmental protection in arid areas.
Global Nonfragile Synchronization in Finite Time for Fractional-Order Discontinuous Neural Networks With Nonlinear Growth Activations

This paper is concerned with the global nonfragile Mittag–Leffler synchronization and the global synchronization in finite time for fractional-order discontinuous neural networks, where activation functions are discontinuous at 0, or modeled as a local Hölder functions with the nonlinear growth property in a neighborhood of 0. First, two lemmas concerned with the convergence with respect to an absolutely continuous function are developed. Second, a new property, which introduces an inequality of the fractional derivative for the variable upper limit integral with respect to the nonsmooth integrable function, is presented and applied in the synchronization results’ analysis. In addition, under the fractional Filippov differential inclusion framework, by utilizing the Lur’e Postnikov-type Lyapunov functional, nonsmooth analysis method, and the convergence properties developed in this paper, the synchronization conditions are derived in the form of linear matrix inequalities. Moreover, the upper bound of the setting time for the global nonfragile synchronization in finite time is calculated accurately. Finally, two illustrations are presented to verify the correctness of the theoretical results.
The Geriatric Depression Scale: feasibility of cardbased-administration

Editor Depression is common in the elderly, and is an important cause of morbidity. Routine screening in healthcare settings may aid in detection. It can affect cognitive status, well being, recovery from illness and compliance with medications. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is an effective questionnaire, which was originally designed to be selfadministered. This, however, can be difficult in the elderly. " Previously the use of laminated cards to administer another depression scale, the BASDEC, was shown to be reliable. The aim of our study was to determine if card-based administration of this scale correlated with verbal administration. We asked 42 patients attending the Age Related Healthcare Day Hospital to take part in our study. The inclusion criteria were aged over 65 years, MMSE of 16/30 or more, and English speaking. We excluded those who had dysphasia, dyslexia, illiteracy or visual impairment such that they could not read large print. A history of depression did not affect selection. The patients were randomised, using a standard random sequence, as to whether they underwent verbal or cardbased administration of the GDS first. An MMSE was performed. The GDS was then administered to each patient, by two interviewers in succession, both verbally and using cards. All those with a score of >11 were followed up in relation to treatment of depression. Three people were excluded from the study. Two could not read the large print and one patient could not complete the interview due to fatigue. Using a paired t test (p = 0.13), there was no significant difference between card-based and verbal administration of the GDS. Both methods of administration correlated well (r = 0.84). We found that a card-based GDS correlates well with a verbally administered GDS, and could be used in a similar manner to the BASDEC scale. The use of a card based depression scale allows for administration in a general hospital ward without the questions and answers being overheard. It may allow for a degree of standardisation and can also be conveniently carried in a white coat pocket. However, the assessors in this study all reported feeling constrained by use of the card based technique. It was felt that older people were unable to express their exact feelings about each of the questions, leading to frustration on their part. Perhaps rather than muting the questions, we should more seriously consider that when sensitive questions are being asked, both cognitive and affective, that an interview should not take place at the bedside, but rather in a separate interview room. Future studies might explore older peoples' preference for the mode of administration of screening questionnaires. Desmond O'Neill, Consultant Physician, Department of Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Cooperative Fault Diagnosis for Uncertain Nonlinear Multiagent Systems Based on Adaptive Distributed Fuzzy Estimators

This paper presents a cooperative fault diagnosis scheme for a class of uncertain nonlinear multiagent systems component and sensor faults in individual agents. Since the faulty system affects the healthy systems through interconnections, for each agent an estimator is designed to collect neighboring output estimations errors to consider its faulty effects on others, when computing its estimations for local state and faulty parameters. A new structure of distributed estimators is proposed by filtering regressor signals and sharing them among agents. Then, the sharings of signals are planned by properly constructing auxiliary graphs for undirected and directed networks. Two conditions are given to preselect estimators parameters for the convergences of the estimation errors. Unlike the existing results dealing with one common parameter with full state measurement and only for undirected graphs, this paper presents an output measurement-based approach for multiple parameters in undirected/directed networks. It shows that for the faults not providing persistent excitation in a signal agent, it is possible to estimate the faults exactly if the they excite all agents persistently. A simulation example of a group of single-link flexible-joint robots is given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
T1-Hyperintense Plaques on Intracranial-versus-Extracranial Vessel Wall MRI

We read with great interest the recent article by Zhu et al[1][1] regarding the association between T1-hyperintensity of basilar artery stenosis as detected by intracranial vessel wall MR imaging, presumably intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), and cerebral infarction in the basilar artery territory. T1-
Intensity expectation modifies gustatory evoked potentials to sweet taste: Evidence of bidirectional assimilation in early perceptual processing

Abstract Expectations can affect subjective sensory and hedonic ratings of tastes, but it is unclear whether they also shape sensory experience at a perceptual level. The neural correlates of the taste‐expectancy relationship were explored through EEG analysis. Using a trial‐by‐trial cueing paradigm, lingual delivery of 0.05 M or 0.3 M sucrose solutions was preceded by congruent or incongruent visual cues designed to promote anticipation of either a low‐sweet or high‐sweet solution. When participants were cued to expect low‐sweet, but received high‐sweet (incongruent cue), intensity ratings for high‐sweet decreased. Likewise, expectation of high‐sweet increased intensity ratings of low‐sweet solutions. Taste‐dependent, right central‐parietal gustatory ERPs were detected, with greater P1 (associated with greater right insula activation) and P2 peak amplitudes for high‐sweet tastes. Valid cue‐taste pairings led to specific reduced right‐lateralized N400 responses (associated with an attenuation in right insula activation) compared with invalid cue‐taste pairings. Finally, P1 amplitudes following invalidly cued low‐sweet tastes closely matched those generated by expected high‐sweet tastes, and P1 amplitudes for invalidly cued high‐sweet tastes resembled those generated by low‐sweet tastes. We conclude that, as well as modifying subjective ratings toward the anticipated intensity level, expectations affect cortical activity in a top‐down manner to induce bidirectional assimilation in the early perceptual processing of sweet taste and modulate N400 ERP components not previously associated with gustatory stimulation.
Prevalence of asthma symptoms and association with obesity, sedentary lifestyle and sociodemographic factors: data from the Hellenic National Action Plan for the assessment, prevention and treatment of childhood obesity (MIS301205)

Abstract Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of asthma symptoms in a representative sample of Greek schoolchildren and to evaluate its association with overweight/obesity as well as other socioeconomic, demographic, and lifestyle factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted from 10/2012 to 12/2013 on a pre-selected, representative elementary school cohort. Parents completed standardized questionnaires evaluating among others socioeconomic and sedentary activity habits. Students were measured with high sensitivity methods. Socioeconomic status (SES) index (range: 0–13) was calculated on years of parental education, rented versus owned residence, size of residence evaluated as meters squared per person (m2/person), and number of vehicles. Asthma was defined according to the approved Greek version of the International Study on Allergies and Asthma in Childhood (ISAAC) criteria. Results: The prevalence of any asthma symptoms was documented in 31% of population. The odds of presenting any asthma symptoms decreased with increase in age (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94–0.98) and increased with overweight (odds ratio: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03–1.25), obesity (odds ratio: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.11–1.46) and sedentary lifestyle. Conclusion: This is the first representative survey of prevalence of asthma symptoms in children and adolescents in Greece indicating its continuous increase. A strong association between presence of asthma symptoms and obesity and sedentary activities was documented irrespectively of socioeconomic and regional factors. The findings stress the importance of public health policies toward obesity prevention and enhancement of physical activities in pediatric populations.
Social media is not real life: The effect of attaching disclaimer-type labels to idealized social media images on women’s body image and mood

This online experimental study examined the impact of viewing disclaimer comments attached to idealized social media images on 18- to 25-year-old American women’s (N = 164) body dissatisfaction, mood, and perceptions of the target. Furthermore, this study also tested whether thin ideal internalization or appearance comparison tendency moderated any effect. Viewing idealized images taken from social media had a negative influence on women’s body image, with or without the presence of disclaimers. Disclaimer comments also had no impact on women’s mood. They did, however, impact perceptions of the target, with women forming a less positive impression of the target if she attached disclaimer comments to her social media images. Thus, the results of this study suggest that the use of disclaimer comments or labels on social media may be ineffective at reducing women’s body dissatisfaction.
Competition among Aedes aegypti larvae

Adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are important vectors of human disease. The size of the adult female affects her success, fitness, and ability to transmit diseases. The size of the adults is determined during the aquatic larval stage. Competition among larvae for food influences the size of the pupa and thus the adult. In these experiments, the food level (mg/larva) and the density (larvae/vial) both affect intraspecific competition, which shows up as the interaction of the two factors. Furthermore, the total food per vial affects the nature of competition among the larvae, also apparent in the interaction of food and density. Male larvae are affected by the percent of males in the vial, but females are not. Seven biologically significant dependent variables were examined, and the data analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance to gain insight into the relationships among the variables and the effects of these factors on the larvae as they grew in small containers. Male and female larvae compete differently from one another for the particulate yeast cells in this experiment; female larvae outcompete males through larger size and by retaining cells within their gut at low total food levels. Under conditions of more intense competition, the pupal masses of both males and females are smaller, so the effect of competition is a reduced apparent food level. The age at pupation is also affected by food and density. Across the twenty treatment combinations of food/larva and larvae/vial, female larvae grew as though there were six different ecological environments while male larvae grew as though there were only four different environments. No interference competition was observed. Eradication efforts aimed at adult populations of this mosquito may inadvertently increase the size and robustness of the next generation of larvae, resulting in a subsequent adult population increase in the second generation.
Parental ADHD Symptoms and Inhibitory Control in Relation to Parenting Among Mothers of Children With and Without ADHD

Objective: The study examined how the interplay between maternal ADHD symptoms and maternal inhibitory control and child ADHD is related to parenting behaviors. Method: The sample included 141 mothers and their 8- to 12-year-old children, 61 children with ADHD and 80 without. Parenting was measured using self-reports (i.e., overreactive and lax parenting) and observation (i.e., negative and supportive parenting). Maternal inhibitory control was measured using a neurocognitive task. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to predict parenting, controlling for child sex, conduct behaviors, and parenting distress. Results: Interactions between maternal ADHD symptoms and maternal inhibitory control suggested that hyperactive–impulsive symptoms were linked to parenting negativity only when inhibitory control was low, and maternal inattention symptoms were related to lax parenting only when maternal inhibitory control was high or when children did not have ADHD. Conclusion: Results indicate the importance of maternal regulation processes in the mechanisms linking maternal ADHD with parenting.
Optimization of flow splitting and make-up flow conditions in liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE In liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) the LC flow is often split prior to the mass spectrometer, for instance, when collecting fractions of the separated sample for other purposes or when less sensitive parallel detection is applied. The aim of this study is to optimize the actual split ratio and make-up flow composition. METHODS Different types of splitters were evaluated in combination with a make-up flow. A home-made 1/10 T-piece splitter and commercial 1/10, 1/100 and 1/250 splitters were evaluated by continuous and accurate measurements of the actual split ratio throughout the LC gradient. The make-up flow composition was optimized for maximum electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS sensitivity in the positive mode using ESI efficiency measurements. RESULTS Altogether 22 different solvent conditions were tested on 20 pharmaceutical compounds with a wide variety of functional groups and physicochemical properties (molecular weight, logP, and pKa ). Methanol/10 mM formic acid in water (90/10) provided on average the best results. CONCLUSIONS Methanol/10 mM formic acid in water (90/10) proved to be the best make-up flow composition in relation to the average sensitivity obtained. Stronger acidic conditions using oxalic acid or higher formic acid concentrations had a clear positive effect on the sensitivity of compounds with low ionization efficiency. The tested split ratios were relatively stable over the main part of the gradient but showed some variation at very low and very high organic conditions. Differences were larger with methanol compared with acetonitrile containing solvent compositions and when applied without a column or with very long connecting tubing.
Effects of labeling human mesenchymal stem cells with superparamagnetic iron oxides on cellular functions and magnetic resonance contrast in hypoxic environments and long-term monitoring

Ischemia, which involves decreased blood flow to a region and a corresponding deprivation of oxygen and nutrients, can be induced as a consequence of stroke or heart attack. A prevalent disease that affects many individuals worldwide, ischemic stroke results in functional and cognitive impairments, as neural cells in the brain receive inadequate nourishment and encounter inflammation and various other detrimental toxic factors that lead to their death. Given the scarce treatments for this disease in the clinic such as the administration of tissue plasminogen activator, which is only effective in a limited time window after the occurrence of stroke, it will be necessary to develop new strategies to ameliorate or prevent stroke-induced brain damage. Cell-based therapies appear to be a promising solution for treating ischemic stroke and many other ischemia-associated and neurodegenerative maladies. Particularly, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are of interest for cell transplantation in stroke, given their multipotency, accessibility, and reparative abilities. To determine the fate and survival of hMSC, which will be imperative for successful transplantation therapies, these cells may be monitored using magnetic resonance imaging and transfected with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO), a contrast agent that facilitates the detection of these hMSCs. This review encompasses pertinent research and findings to reveal the effects of SPIO on hMSC functions in the context of transplantation in ischemic environments and over extended time periods. This paper is a review article. Referred literature in this paper has been listed in the references section. The data sets supporting the conclusions of this article are available online by searching various databases, including PubMed. Some original points in this article come from the laboratory practice in our research center and the authors' experiences.
Microsecond Protein Dynamics from Combined Bloch-McConnell and Near-Rotary-Resonance R1p Relaxation-Dispersion MAS NMR.

Studying protein dynamics on microsecond-to-millisecond (μs-ms) time scales can provide important insight into protein function. In magic-angle-spinning (MAS) NMR, μs dynamics can be visualized by <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3. org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>R</mml:mi> <mml:mrow><mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi></mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:math> rotating-frame relaxation dispersion experiments in different regimes of radio-frequency field strengths: at low RF field strength, isotropic-chemical-shift fluctuation leads to "Bloch-McConnell-type" relaxation dispersion, while when the RF field approaches rotary resonance conditions bond angle fluctuations manifest as increased <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3. org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>R</mml:mi> <mml:mrow><mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi></mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:math> rate constants ("Near-Rotary-Resonance Relaxation Dispersion", NERRD). Here we explore the joint analysis of both regimes to gain comprehensive insight into motion in terms of geometric amplitudes, chemical-shift changes, populations and exchange kinetics. We use a numerical simulation procedure to illustrate these effects and the potential of extracting exchange parameters, and apply the methodology to the study of a previously described conformational exchange process in microcrystalline ubiquitin.