Tauopathies encompass a collection of chronic,progressive neurodegenerative diseases,including Alzheimer's disease(AD),chronic traumatic encephalopathy,and corticobasal degeneration,characterized by the accumulati...Tauopathies encompass a collection of chronic,progressive neurodegenerative diseases,including Alzheimer's disease(AD),chronic traumatic encephalopathy,and corticobasal degeneration,characterized by the accumulation of pathogenic aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein tau in neurons and/or glia(Reid et al.,2020).展开更多
Importance/Objective: Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are unavoidable, but recognizing and addressing ADRs early can improve wellness and prevent permanent injury. We suggest that available medical information and digit...Importance/Objective: Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are unavoidable, but recognizing and addressing ADRs early can improve wellness and prevent permanent injury. We suggest that available medical information and digital/electronic methods could be used to manage this major healthcare problem for individual patients in real time. Methods: We searched the available digital applications and three literature databases using the medical subject heading terms, adverse drug reaction reporting systems or management, filtered by clinical trial or systemic reviews, to detect publications with data about ADR identification and management approaches. We reviewed the reports that had abstract or summary data or proposed or implemented methods or systems with potential to identify or manage ADRs in clinical settings. Results: The vast majority of the 481 reports used retrospectively collected data for groups of patients or were limited to surveying one population group or class of medication. The reports showed potential and definite associations of ADRs for specific drugs and problems, mostly, but not exclusively, for patients in hospitals and nursing homes. No reports described complete methods to collect comprehensive data on ADRs for individual patients in a healthcare system. The digital applications have ADR information, but all are too cumbersome or incomplete for use in active clinical settings. Several studies suggested that providing information about potential ADRs to clinicians can reduce these problems. Conclusion and Relevance: Although investigators and government agencies agree with the need, there is no comprehensive ADR management program in current use. Informing the patient’s healthcare practitioners of potential ADRs at the point of service has the potential for reduction of these complications, which should improve healthcare and reduce unneeded costs.展开更多
Objective: Photobiomodulation (also known as Low Level Laser. LLLT or Cold Laser;Photo Medicine (PM)) has been a vital adjunct therapy in our clinical practice over 5 years, observations of improvement in cognition an...Objective: Photobiomodulation (also known as Low Level Laser. LLLT or Cold Laser;Photo Medicine (PM)) has been a vital adjunct therapy in our clinical practice over 5 years, observations of improvement in cognition and personality were noted in several patients. As a result, selected patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, vascular dementia, post-traumatic brain injury and other neuro-degenerative diseases were treated at clinical practices in Buffalo, New York;Sarasota, Florida;Lafayette, Indiana;Phoenix, Az., and Baton Rouge, La. Over 60 patients were treated with an average of 4 times over an 8-day period all reported/exhibited improvement in their condition, except that two men who were in their seventies were in robust health but had no short-term memory and no improvement was observed. However, Theralase has developed a more efficacious system which will be more efficacious, due to increased power for ATP activation. Method: Over 150 patients with the above conditions were treated in various areas (depending on diagnosis) including the prefrontal cortex, temporal lobe, Hippocampus, and Circle of Willis for duration of two and one-half minutes every 48 hours for 5 - 6 treatments. We utilized the Theralase multi-probe (905 nm/660 nm) at 60 miliwatts. It utilizes 5 - 905 nm near infra-red diodes and 4 infra-red 660 laser diodes with a peak power of 50,000 milliwatts at peak and pulse duration of 200 nanoseconds [1]. The PTSD patients were evaluated utilizing the co-occurring disorders program screening and assessment form. Conclusion: Dementia patients exhibited varying degrees of improvement in cognitive function and personality, leading to improved quality of life and decreased caregiver burden. PTSD patients’ improvement was objectively measured by formal neuropsychological testing utilizing the form. All PTSD patients scored no emotional problems after 3 - 5 treatments and all experienced overall sense of well-being. One experienced return of ability to smell he had not had for 5 years. Similar results were reported in a Japanese study where 15 patients were followed for a year. This non-invasive and non-systemic modality of therapy could play a key role in treating progressive neurodegenerative conditions, improving quality of life, and reducing health care costs.展开更多
Clinical observation shows that men and women are different in prevalence, symptoms, and responses to treatment of several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. While the etiology of gender differences in sc...Clinical observation shows that men and women are different in prevalence, symptoms, and responses to treatment of several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. While the etiology of gender differences in schizophrenia is only partially understood, recent genetic studies suggest significant sex-specific pathways in the schizophrenia between men and women. More research is needed to understand the causal roles of sex differences in schizophrenia in order to ultimately develop sex-specific treatment of this serious mental illness. In the present review, we will out-line the current evidence on the sex-related factors interaction with disease onset, symptoms and treatment of schizophrenia, and discuss the potential molecular mechanisms that may mediate their cooperative actions in schizophrenia pathogenesis.展开更多
A graph G is said to have a perfect dominating set S if S is a set of vertices of G and for each vertex v of G, either v is in S and v is adjacent to no other vertex in S, or v is not in S but is adjacent to precisely...A graph G is said to have a perfect dominating set S if S is a set of vertices of G and for each vertex v of G, either v is in S and v is adjacent to no other vertex in S, or v is not in S but is adjacent to precisely one vertex of S. A graph G may have none, one or more than one perfect dominating sets. The problem of determining if a graph has a perfect dominating set is NP-complete. The problem of calculating the probability of an arbitrary graph having a perfect dominating set seems also difficult. In 1994 Yue [1] conjectured that almost all graphs do not have a perfect dominating set. In this paper, by introducing multiple interrelated generating functions and using combinatorial computation techniques we calculated the number of perfect dominating sets among all trees (rooted and unrooted) of order n for each n up to 500. Then we calculated the average number of perfect dominating sets per tree (rooted and unrooted) of order n for each n up to 500. Our computational results show that this average number is approaching zero as n goes to infinity thus suggesting that Yue’s conjecture is true for trees (rooted and unrooted).展开更多
Spatial body patterning is widely observed throughout the phylogenetic tree and is used for a variety of functions. Body colours in general and camouflaging patterns in particular have been extensively studied for the...Spatial body patterning is widely observed throughout the phylogenetic tree and is used for a variety of functions. Body colours in general and camouflaging patterns in particular have been extensively studied for their role in stealth and crypsis. Particular interest has focused on the diverse skin patterns surrounding animals’ eyes (Peri-Ocular Eye Patterning-POEP). These patterns have been suggested to aid in high brightness conditions, help camouflage an organism’s eyes or ornament and emphasize bright head colorations. In this work I demonstrate the apparent widespread use of POEP among various marine and terrestrial organisms (both vertebrates and invertebrates) and discuss the trait’s abundance, variations, and possible roles.展开更多
The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness to the general public that certain conditions that occur at a buoy in the Atlantic Basin, such as wind located at the buoy, pressure located at a buoy, water temperature...The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness to the general public that certain conditions that occur at a buoy in the Atlantic Basin, such as wind located at the buoy, pressure located at a buoy, water temperature located at a buoy, atmospheric pressure located at a buoy, may be useful in helping predict when a hurricane could possibly hit the state of Florida in the future. One of the goals of this paper is to bring new statistical methods to investigate and analyze data, which will create better predicable measures in determining when a hurricane will possibly hit the state of Florida. In this paper, the topics of binary logistic regression and multinomial regression modeling are discussed in reference to their outcomes of both the odds ratio and relative risk ratio respectively. The coefficients from these models will show which prospective buoy conditions are possibly more responsible for indication of a storm being present in the Atlantic Basin. In this paper, the data that was used and compiled into a larger data set came from two different sources. First, the hurricane data for the years 1992-2013 came from Unisys Weather site (Atlantic Basin Hurricanes data) and the buoy data has been available from the National Buoy Center. In this paper, the variables of interest are: storm present, buoy wind speed, buoy pressure, buoy atmospheric temperature, buoy water temperature and buoy wind direction. The buoy conditions are the buoy wind, the buoy wind direction, the buoy pressure, buoy atmospheric temperature and the buoy water temperature.展开更多
The most intense and catastrophic hurricanes on record to hit the Florida Keys during 1900 to 1950 were in 1919, and 1935. From 1950 to 2000, the most intense hurricanes to hit or affect the Florida Keys were in 1960,...The most intense and catastrophic hurricanes on record to hit the Florida Keys during 1900 to 1950 were in 1919, and 1935. From 1950 to 2000, the most intense hurricanes to hit or affect the Florida Keys were in 1960, 1965, and 1992. In this paper, we will present a brief parametric analysis of the hurricanes that have hit the Florida Keys in the last 100 years. This analysis will include the descriptive statistics, best fit probability distribution of the latitude of the catastrophic hurricanes and a confidence interval that detects the average latitude of hurricanes (category 3 or higher) which have hit the Florida Keys in the last 100 years.展开更多
This research was aimed at studying the general environmental status of the marina at Royal Yacht Club (RYC), which is located in the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba. The physical properties (temperature, salinity and density...This research was aimed at studying the general environmental status of the marina at Royal Yacht Club (RYC), which is located in the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba. The physical properties (temperature, salinity and density) were measured at surface and bottom water at 19 sites (T1 - T19). Total hydrocarbon was measured at surface at 12 sites (HC1-HC12). The water exchange and residence time were calculated using data of current speed and direction at 16 sites (C1 - C16). The mean values of temperature, salinity and density at surface and bottom waters in the RYC’s marina were 27.13°C ± 0.03°C, 40.51 ± 0.02 psu and 26.83 ± 0.02 kg·m-3, respectively. The results of physical parameters revealed no significant differences among sites, which are all comparable with open waters. The measurements range of total hydrocarbon in the marina was 1.404 mg/l (at site HC11) to 98.56 mg/l (at HC9). In general, all the high values of total hydrocarbon were found at the corners of the marina and at areas with relatively intense boats’ movements. There was no correlation between distribution of total hydrocarbon and temperature (R2 = 0.048;p = 0.49) in the marina. Therefore, the major factors that influence the distribution of total hydrocarbon within the marina are the current system and boats’ movements as well as the location reference to the gate. The residence time of waters inside the marina was 1.32 days. This flushing time is acceptable to secure good environmental conditions inside the marine to avoid stagnant seawater. The mean value of current speed at the RYC’s marina gate with open water was 5.33 ± 2.63 cm/s, which is relatively comparable with current speed in vicinity of study area. In conclusions, the environmental condition of the RYC’s marina is acceptable in term of the residence time and exchange system with open water. Slightly high values of total hydrocarbon were detected, which can be solved by regular cleaning.展开更多
Introductory Statistics is a course taught in various community colleges, state colleges, and universities. Implementation of projects in this course has been shown to enhance students’ learning;in addition to increa...Introductory Statistics is a course taught in various community colleges, state colleges, and universities. Implementation of projects in this course has been shown to enhance students’ learning;in addition to increasing the ability of educators to assess students’ learning outcomes in detail. These projects are often inquiry-based and require a balance between flexibility and efficiency. Maintaining balance has provided the students’ opportunities through exploration and learner autonomy. In exploration, a student seeks new methods and options through experimenting. In this paper, we will discuss the benefits of exploration required by projects given in an introductory statistics course. The details of five different projects discussed in this paper—illustrate the practical influence that they could have on higher statistics courses.展开更多
Zooplankton and zooneuston observations were made at seven stations(four from the Gulf of Aqaba and three from the northern Red Sea), during September and October 2016. The main objective of this study was to assess t...Zooplankton and zooneuston observations were made at seven stations(four from the Gulf of Aqaba and three from the northern Red Sea), during September and October 2016. The main objective of this study was to assess the variability of nycthemeral fauna in relation to the sampling methods using two different types of nets namely,WP2 net and Neuston net along the two study sites, i.e., the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea. Zooplankton was sampled vertically using a standard WP2 net from a depth of 200 m to the surface, whereas zooneuston was made using a standard Neuston net from a depth of 0–10 cm of the water surface. Total zooplankton density was maximum during night time((617.83 ± 201.84) ind./m^3) at the Gulf of Aqaba and total zooneuston was maximum during night at the northern Red Sea((60.94±29.48) ind./m^3), respectively. The most abundant taxa were Copepoda, Gastropoda, Bivalva, Chaetognatha, Tunicata and Ostracoda. The abundance was almost 50% higher at night time at both the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea. Overall, 30 taxa covering 10 phyla and 27 taxa covering 8 phyla were recorded in the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea.展开更多
Introduction: This study assesses rural providers’ perceptions of their ability to deliver high quality care via telehealth compared to usual care, and whether attending providers perceive that emergency department (...Introduction: This study assesses rural providers’ perceptions of their ability to deliver high quality care via telehealth compared to usual care, and whether attending providers perceive that emergency department (ED) telehealth visits influence clinical reasoning in regard to patient disposition, specifically in tele-behavioral and tele-neurological cases. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 134 ED providers (nurses [n = 126] and physicians [n = 8]) who were working in five Midwestern critical access hospitals (response rate 83%). Descriptive, correlational and stepwise regression analyses were employed to evaluate provider perceptions of 1) competency level in telehealth delivery, 2) patient health outcomes, 3) access to continuing education in telehealth, and 4) clinical influence of telehealth visit. Evaluation of preliminary set of N = 100 telehealth cases were assessed for influence of telehealth on clinical reasoning of attending physicians regarding patient disposition. Results: The majority (67%;n = 90) of participants had at least minimal experience with telehealth care delivery, with an average of 1 - 2 visits in teleneurology, and 3 - 4 visits in telebehavioral cases. Providers rated their overall mean competency level in telehealth care delivery as 3.01/5.00 based on a 5 point “novice (1) to expert” (5) scale. Mean scores for providers perceived competency level in 7 evidence-based sub-categories for telehealth care delivery were self-reported as relatively low to mid-range values, ranging from 2.64 - 3.57/5.00. Stepwise linear regression analysis of whether all providers “would recommend telehealth to their family and friends” revealed two predictors for model of best fit (n = 81;p 2 = 0.598): 1) their perceptions of telehealth experience compared to usual care;and 2) perceptions of patient health outcomes with telehealth compared to usual care. Providers rated “neutral” to “very unlikely” that they “would recommend telehealth to family and friends” (2.75/5.00;n = 122;91%). Attending physicians reported that for a majority of cases, telehealth visits influenced patient disposition and transfer decision-making (58.4%), and the influence of telehealth visits on patient disposition was statistically significantly higher for behavioral health cases (p Discussion: This study will be followed on to inform administrators/policy makers about 1) perceived level of competency of providers who implement tele-emergency care, 2) potential importance of telehealth equipment used and teamwork between rural providers and distant specialist, and 3) how use of telehealth may enhance ability of rural ED providers to improve quality of care. Perceived influence of telehealth on patient disposition is reported to be highest for telebehavioral patients. Healthcare educators need to place a priority on addressing provider competencies in telehealth through health professions degree programs and continuing education. Further research is needed to promote application and testing of evidence-based provider competencies in telehealth, and potentially relevant health communication models, to increase providers’ perceived efficacy and competency in telehealth care delivery, thus supporting high quality patient health outcomes.展开更多
In this paper, we discuss the art of estimating the greatest level of understanding obtained by a student based on five assessment types ranked based on their correlation between the set maximum levels of understandin...In this paper, we discuss the art of estimating the greatest level of understanding obtained by a student based on five assessment types ranked based on their correlation between the set maximum levels of understanding. The results show a weighting system yields a point estimate that has a stronger correlation between the preset levels of understanding than a simple point system.展开更多
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)is a key enzyme for the critical process of one-carbon circulation,which convert5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to5-methyltetrahydrofolate and participate in folate and homocys...Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)is a key enzyme for the critical process of one-carbon circulation,which convert5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to5-methyltetrahydrofolate and participate in folate and homocysteine conversion correlated to methyl group supply.The enzyme activity decline depends on the gene polymorphism.MTHFR impacts on the methylation process which is related to psychiatric diseases.Studies have shown association between MTHFR gene polymorphisms and mental disorders,some of which stratified by folate and cobalamin levels.In this review,we will summarize the testimony on the relationship between methylation and MTHFR polymorphism as well as the implication on psychiatric diseases by MTHFR mutation.展开更多
More women than men have Alzheimer's disease(AD)or other dementias.There are a number of potential biological and social reasons for the sex difference in the risk of AD,such as women live longer than men on avera...More women than men have Alzheimer's disease(AD)or other dementias.There are a number of potential biological and social reasons for the sex difference in the risk of AD,such as women live longer than men on average,and estrogen depletion after menopause in women,biological or genetic variations,and education,occupation or rates of heart disease.Recent studies showed a link between reproductive history and dementia risk in women.Women with fertility history showed lower risk of dementia compared to women with no child.Other studies also suggested that women's pregnancy history may influence AD's risk.In this review,we will focus on the relationship between women fertility and cognition and discuss the potential role of sex hormones in the brain and cognition,especially on AD pathogenesis.展开更多
This research measured ambient levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) surrounding a petrochemical complex on the island of Curacao using passive air sampling. In addition, source elucidation of PAHs was con...This research measured ambient levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) surrounding a petrochemical complex on the island of Curacao using passive air sampling. In addition, source elucidation of PAHs was conducted using concentration profiles, distribution profiles, binary diagnostic ratios and factor analysis. Passive air samplers with polyurethane foam collection disks (PAS-PUFs) were deployed in 2011 (n = 43) and in 2014 (n = 30) to evaluate the extent of the emission plume as well as spatial and temporal differences in ambient PAH concentrations. In general, ambient PAH concentrations in Curacao were consistent with other urban and industrialized regions of the world;however, the levels measured downwind of Isla Refineriá petrochemical complex were among some of the highest reported ambient PAHs globally. Ambient PAH concentrations ranged from 1.2 to 790 ng/m3 in 2011 and 27 to 660 ng/m3 in 2014, demonstrating no temporal differences. However, significant spatial differences were detected between samples collected upwind and downwind of the petrochemical complex. Significantly higher ambient PAH concentrations were found in the samples collected downwind of the petrochemical complex compared to those upwind in 2014展开更多
Primary sources of atmospheric sulfur dioxide are anthropogenic activities associated with the burning of fossil fuels and industrial processes that may have associations with various morbidities and mortalities. As s...Primary sources of atmospheric sulfur dioxide are anthropogenic activities associated with the burning of fossil fuels and industrial processes that may have associations with various morbidities and mortalities. As such, several regional and global regulatory agencies have recommended ambient air limits to reduce environmental exposures. The objectives of this study were to evaluate ambient levels of sulfur dioxide surrounding an oil refinery on the island of Cura?ao. Levels which were then compared to literature values and recommended public health guidelines to determine potential public health risks. Concentrations of sulfur dioxide in Curacao were found to be among the highest globally with an increasing trend over time. While the epidemiological evidence does not conclusively suggest there is a health risk from these levels of exposure, SO2 concentrations greatly exceed regulatory and guidance levels and suggest that further emissions control is warranted. Future recommendations include a more rigorous epidemiological study in Cura?ao and expand the air monitoring efforts to include areas upwind of the refinery as well as additional petrochemical emissions.展开更多
Inhalation and atmospheric pollution studies have focused on particulate matter due to correlations and associations with various morbidities and mortalities. This research analyzed ambient concentrations of inhalable...Inhalation and atmospheric pollution studies have focused on particulate matter due to correlations and associations with various morbidities and mortalities. This research analyzed ambient concentrations of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) on the island of Curaçao in order to evaluate through comparative literature analysis and recommended public health guidelines the potential health risks. Available hourly, daily and monthly PM10 measurements were accessed from June 2010 through December 2014 from a local air monitoring station in Willemstad. Mean annual concentrations of PM10 (31 - 122 μg/m3) in Curaçao are among the highest reported globally, demonstrating an increasing trend over time and exceed current public health guidelines recommended by local and international agencies. While the epidemiological evidence is inadequate to infer a causal association between health effects and long-term exposures of the measured PM10 concentrations, the results indicate that emissions controls are not adequate for compliance with international exposure standards.展开更多
This article explores the of certain elite women during late little-known public philanthropic activities Qing China. By examining contemporary newspapers, it traces the new development of women's philanthropic engag...This article explores the of certain elite women during late little-known public philanthropic activities Qing China. By examining contemporary newspapers, it traces the new development of women's philanthropic engagement and further analyzes two cases, one on disaster relief and the other on women's education, to illustrate the issues, controversies and achievements that went along with women's philanthropy. It demonstrates how philanthropy, a traditionally-sanctioned field for women's activism, legitimatized women to move out of domestic seclusion and reposition themselves in the public sphere in a crucial transitional era when for "good women" to appear in public was something hotly debated, and how through philanthropic opportunities some were able to engage with political affairs. The broad social impact of their initiatives suggests the continued importance of traditional elite women during China's transition to the modern era; it challenges some of our previous notions, which often unthinkingly accepted the verdict of "New Women" that those who did not embrace their path to modernity were parasitic, unproductive, and backward. By looking carefully at philanthropy, the article reveals fascinating issues and rich details of women's public activities that previous historical narratives have often overlooked. It helps to understand how reconfigured traditions became essential components of modernity in the development of modern Chinese gender roles. It also adds a gender perspective to the burgeoning historiography on Chinese philanthropy.展开更多
基金supported by the Department of Defense under award number W81XWH1910344-PRARP-CSRA (to CB)。
文摘Tauopathies encompass a collection of chronic,progressive neurodegenerative diseases,including Alzheimer's disease(AD),chronic traumatic encephalopathy,and corticobasal degeneration,characterized by the accumulation of pathogenic aggregates of the microtubule-associated protein tau in neurons and/or glia(Reid et al.,2020).
文摘Importance/Objective: Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are unavoidable, but recognizing and addressing ADRs early can improve wellness and prevent permanent injury. We suggest that available medical information and digital/electronic methods could be used to manage this major healthcare problem for individual patients in real time. Methods: We searched the available digital applications and three literature databases using the medical subject heading terms, adverse drug reaction reporting systems or management, filtered by clinical trial or systemic reviews, to detect publications with data about ADR identification and management approaches. We reviewed the reports that had abstract or summary data or proposed or implemented methods or systems with potential to identify or manage ADRs in clinical settings. Results: The vast majority of the 481 reports used retrospectively collected data for groups of patients or were limited to surveying one population group or class of medication. The reports showed potential and definite associations of ADRs for specific drugs and problems, mostly, but not exclusively, for patients in hospitals and nursing homes. No reports described complete methods to collect comprehensive data on ADRs for individual patients in a healthcare system. The digital applications have ADR information, but all are too cumbersome or incomplete for use in active clinical settings. Several studies suggested that providing information about potential ADRs to clinicians can reduce these problems. Conclusion and Relevance: Although investigators and government agencies agree with the need, there is no comprehensive ADR management program in current use. Informing the patient’s healthcare practitioners of potential ADRs at the point of service has the potential for reduction of these complications, which should improve healthcare and reduce unneeded costs.
文摘Objective: Photobiomodulation (also known as Low Level Laser. LLLT or Cold Laser;Photo Medicine (PM)) has been a vital adjunct therapy in our clinical practice over 5 years, observations of improvement in cognition and personality were noted in several patients. As a result, selected patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, vascular dementia, post-traumatic brain injury and other neuro-degenerative diseases were treated at clinical practices in Buffalo, New York;Sarasota, Florida;Lafayette, Indiana;Phoenix, Az., and Baton Rouge, La. Over 60 patients were treated with an average of 4 times over an 8-day period all reported/exhibited improvement in their condition, except that two men who were in their seventies were in robust health but had no short-term memory and no improvement was observed. However, Theralase has developed a more efficacious system which will be more efficacious, due to increased power for ATP activation. Method: Over 150 patients with the above conditions were treated in various areas (depending on diagnosis) including the prefrontal cortex, temporal lobe, Hippocampus, and Circle of Willis for duration of two and one-half minutes every 48 hours for 5 - 6 treatments. We utilized the Theralase multi-probe (905 nm/660 nm) at 60 miliwatts. It utilizes 5 - 905 nm near infra-red diodes and 4 infra-red 660 laser diodes with a peak power of 50,000 milliwatts at peak and pulse duration of 200 nanoseconds [1]. The PTSD patients were evaluated utilizing the co-occurring disorders program screening and assessment form. Conclusion: Dementia patients exhibited varying degrees of improvement in cognitive function and personality, leading to improved quality of life and decreased caregiver burden. PTSD patients’ improvement was objectively measured by formal neuropsychological testing utilizing the form. All PTSD patients scored no emotional problems after 3 - 5 treatments and all experienced overall sense of well-being. One experienced return of ability to smell he had not had for 5 years. Similar results were reported in a Japanese study where 15 patients were followed for a year. This non-invasive and non-systemic modality of therapy could play a key role in treating progressive neurodegenerative conditions, improving quality of life, and reducing health care costs.
文摘Clinical observation shows that men and women are different in prevalence, symptoms, and responses to treatment of several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. While the etiology of gender differences in schizophrenia is only partially understood, recent genetic studies suggest significant sex-specific pathways in the schizophrenia between men and women. More research is needed to understand the causal roles of sex differences in schizophrenia in order to ultimately develop sex-specific treatment of this serious mental illness. In the present review, we will out-line the current evidence on the sex-related factors interaction with disease onset, symptoms and treatment of schizophrenia, and discuss the potential molecular mechanisms that may mediate their cooperative actions in schizophrenia pathogenesis.
文摘A graph G is said to have a perfect dominating set S if S is a set of vertices of G and for each vertex v of G, either v is in S and v is adjacent to no other vertex in S, or v is not in S but is adjacent to precisely one vertex of S. A graph G may have none, one or more than one perfect dominating sets. The problem of determining if a graph has a perfect dominating set is NP-complete. The problem of calculating the probability of an arbitrary graph having a perfect dominating set seems also difficult. In 1994 Yue [1] conjectured that almost all graphs do not have a perfect dominating set. In this paper, by introducing multiple interrelated generating functions and using combinatorial computation techniques we calculated the number of perfect dominating sets among all trees (rooted and unrooted) of order n for each n up to 500. Then we calculated the average number of perfect dominating sets per tree (rooted and unrooted) of order n for each n up to 500. Our computational results show that this average number is approaching zero as n goes to infinity thus suggesting that Yue’s conjecture is true for trees (rooted and unrooted).
文摘Spatial body patterning is widely observed throughout the phylogenetic tree and is used for a variety of functions. Body colours in general and camouflaging patterns in particular have been extensively studied for their role in stealth and crypsis. Particular interest has focused on the diverse skin patterns surrounding animals’ eyes (Peri-Ocular Eye Patterning-POEP). These patterns have been suggested to aid in high brightness conditions, help camouflage an organism’s eyes or ornament and emphasize bright head colorations. In this work I demonstrate the apparent widespread use of POEP among various marine and terrestrial organisms (both vertebrates and invertebrates) and discuss the trait’s abundance, variations, and possible roles.
文摘The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness to the general public that certain conditions that occur at a buoy in the Atlantic Basin, such as wind located at the buoy, pressure located at a buoy, water temperature located at a buoy, atmospheric pressure located at a buoy, may be useful in helping predict when a hurricane could possibly hit the state of Florida in the future. One of the goals of this paper is to bring new statistical methods to investigate and analyze data, which will create better predicable measures in determining when a hurricane will possibly hit the state of Florida. In this paper, the topics of binary logistic regression and multinomial regression modeling are discussed in reference to their outcomes of both the odds ratio and relative risk ratio respectively. The coefficients from these models will show which prospective buoy conditions are possibly more responsible for indication of a storm being present in the Atlantic Basin. In this paper, the data that was used and compiled into a larger data set came from two different sources. First, the hurricane data for the years 1992-2013 came from Unisys Weather site (Atlantic Basin Hurricanes data) and the buoy data has been available from the National Buoy Center. In this paper, the variables of interest are: storm present, buoy wind speed, buoy pressure, buoy atmospheric temperature, buoy water temperature and buoy wind direction. The buoy conditions are the buoy wind, the buoy wind direction, the buoy pressure, buoy atmospheric temperature and the buoy water temperature.
文摘The most intense and catastrophic hurricanes on record to hit the Florida Keys during 1900 to 1950 were in 1919, and 1935. From 1950 to 2000, the most intense hurricanes to hit or affect the Florida Keys were in 1960, 1965, and 1992. In this paper, we will present a brief parametric analysis of the hurricanes that have hit the Florida Keys in the last 100 years. This analysis will include the descriptive statistics, best fit probability distribution of the latitude of the catastrophic hurricanes and a confidence interval that detects the average latitude of hurricanes (category 3 or higher) which have hit the Florida Keys in the last 100 years.
文摘This research was aimed at studying the general environmental status of the marina at Royal Yacht Club (RYC), which is located in the Jordanian Gulf of Aqaba. The physical properties (temperature, salinity and density) were measured at surface and bottom water at 19 sites (T1 - T19). Total hydrocarbon was measured at surface at 12 sites (HC1-HC12). The water exchange and residence time were calculated using data of current speed and direction at 16 sites (C1 - C16). The mean values of temperature, salinity and density at surface and bottom waters in the RYC’s marina were 27.13°C ± 0.03°C, 40.51 ± 0.02 psu and 26.83 ± 0.02 kg·m-3, respectively. The results of physical parameters revealed no significant differences among sites, which are all comparable with open waters. The measurements range of total hydrocarbon in the marina was 1.404 mg/l (at site HC11) to 98.56 mg/l (at HC9). In general, all the high values of total hydrocarbon were found at the corners of the marina and at areas with relatively intense boats’ movements. There was no correlation between distribution of total hydrocarbon and temperature (R2 = 0.048;p = 0.49) in the marina. Therefore, the major factors that influence the distribution of total hydrocarbon within the marina are the current system and boats’ movements as well as the location reference to the gate. The residence time of waters inside the marina was 1.32 days. This flushing time is acceptable to secure good environmental conditions inside the marine to avoid stagnant seawater. The mean value of current speed at the RYC’s marina gate with open water was 5.33 ± 2.63 cm/s, which is relatively comparable with current speed in vicinity of study area. In conclusions, the environmental condition of the RYC’s marina is acceptable in term of the residence time and exchange system with open water. Slightly high values of total hydrocarbon were detected, which can be solved by regular cleaning.
文摘Introductory Statistics is a course taught in various community colleges, state colleges, and universities. Implementation of projects in this course has been shown to enhance students’ learning;in addition to increasing the ability of educators to assess students’ learning outcomes in detail. These projects are often inquiry-based and require a balance between flexibility and efficiency. Maintaining balance has provided the students’ opportunities through exploration and learner autonomy. In exploration, a student seeks new methods and options through experimenting. In this paper, we will discuss the benefits of exploration required by projects given in an introductory statistics course. The details of five different projects discussed in this paper—illustrate the practical influence that they could have on higher statistics courses.
基金The Deanship of Scientific Research(DSR),at King Abdulaziz University,Jeddah,Saudi Arabia,under contract No.I-002-37
文摘Zooplankton and zooneuston observations were made at seven stations(four from the Gulf of Aqaba and three from the northern Red Sea), during September and October 2016. The main objective of this study was to assess the variability of nycthemeral fauna in relation to the sampling methods using two different types of nets namely,WP2 net and Neuston net along the two study sites, i.e., the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea. Zooplankton was sampled vertically using a standard WP2 net from a depth of 200 m to the surface, whereas zooneuston was made using a standard Neuston net from a depth of 0–10 cm of the water surface. Total zooplankton density was maximum during night time((617.83 ± 201.84) ind./m^3) at the Gulf of Aqaba and total zooneuston was maximum during night at the northern Red Sea((60.94±29.48) ind./m^3), respectively. The most abundant taxa were Copepoda, Gastropoda, Bivalva, Chaetognatha, Tunicata and Ostracoda. The abundance was almost 50% higher at night time at both the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea. Overall, 30 taxa covering 10 phyla and 27 taxa covering 8 phyla were recorded in the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea.
文摘Introduction: This study assesses rural providers’ perceptions of their ability to deliver high quality care via telehealth compared to usual care, and whether attending providers perceive that emergency department (ED) telehealth visits influence clinical reasoning in regard to patient disposition, specifically in tele-behavioral and tele-neurological cases. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 134 ED providers (nurses [n = 126] and physicians [n = 8]) who were working in five Midwestern critical access hospitals (response rate 83%). Descriptive, correlational and stepwise regression analyses were employed to evaluate provider perceptions of 1) competency level in telehealth delivery, 2) patient health outcomes, 3) access to continuing education in telehealth, and 4) clinical influence of telehealth visit. Evaluation of preliminary set of N = 100 telehealth cases were assessed for influence of telehealth on clinical reasoning of attending physicians regarding patient disposition. Results: The majority (67%;n = 90) of participants had at least minimal experience with telehealth care delivery, with an average of 1 - 2 visits in teleneurology, and 3 - 4 visits in telebehavioral cases. Providers rated their overall mean competency level in telehealth care delivery as 3.01/5.00 based on a 5 point “novice (1) to expert” (5) scale. Mean scores for providers perceived competency level in 7 evidence-based sub-categories for telehealth care delivery were self-reported as relatively low to mid-range values, ranging from 2.64 - 3.57/5.00. Stepwise linear regression analysis of whether all providers “would recommend telehealth to their family and friends” revealed two predictors for model of best fit (n = 81;p 2 = 0.598): 1) their perceptions of telehealth experience compared to usual care;and 2) perceptions of patient health outcomes with telehealth compared to usual care. Providers rated “neutral” to “very unlikely” that they “would recommend telehealth to family and friends” (2.75/5.00;n = 122;91%). Attending physicians reported that for a majority of cases, telehealth visits influenced patient disposition and transfer decision-making (58.4%), and the influence of telehealth visits on patient disposition was statistically significantly higher for behavioral health cases (p Discussion: This study will be followed on to inform administrators/policy makers about 1) perceived level of competency of providers who implement tele-emergency care, 2) potential importance of telehealth equipment used and teamwork between rural providers and distant specialist, and 3) how use of telehealth may enhance ability of rural ED providers to improve quality of care. Perceived influence of telehealth on patient disposition is reported to be highest for telebehavioral patients. Healthcare educators need to place a priority on addressing provider competencies in telehealth through health professions degree programs and continuing education. Further research is needed to promote application and testing of evidence-based provider competencies in telehealth, and potentially relevant health communication models, to increase providers’ perceived efficacy and competency in telehealth care delivery, thus supporting high quality patient health outcomes.
文摘In this paper, we discuss the art of estimating the greatest level of understanding obtained by a student based on five assessment types ranked based on their correlation between the set maximum levels of understanding. The results show a weighting system yields a point estimate that has a stronger correlation between the preset levels of understanding than a simple point system.
文摘Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)is a key enzyme for the critical process of one-carbon circulation,which convert5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to5-methyltetrahydrofolate and participate in folate and homocysteine conversion correlated to methyl group supply.The enzyme activity decline depends on the gene polymorphism.MTHFR impacts on the methylation process which is related to psychiatric diseases.Studies have shown association between MTHFR gene polymorphisms and mental disorders,some of which stratified by folate and cobalamin levels.In this review,we will summarize the testimony on the relationship between methylation and MTHFR polymorphism as well as the implication on psychiatric diseases by MTHFR mutation.
文摘More women than men have Alzheimer's disease(AD)or other dementias.There are a number of potential biological and social reasons for the sex difference in the risk of AD,such as women live longer than men on average,and estrogen depletion after menopause in women,biological or genetic variations,and education,occupation or rates of heart disease.Recent studies showed a link between reproductive history and dementia risk in women.Women with fertility history showed lower risk of dementia compared to women with no child.Other studies also suggested that women's pregnancy history may influence AD's risk.In this review,we will focus on the relationship between women fertility and cognition and discuss the potential role of sex hormones in the brain and cognition,especially on AD pathogenesis.
基金the Environmental Fund Netherlands Antilles(MINA Fund)and Mote Marine Laboratory for the financial support of this work
文摘This research measured ambient levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) surrounding a petrochemical complex on the island of Curacao using passive air sampling. In addition, source elucidation of PAHs was conducted using concentration profiles, distribution profiles, binary diagnostic ratios and factor analysis. Passive air samplers with polyurethane foam collection disks (PAS-PUFs) were deployed in 2011 (n = 43) and in 2014 (n = 30) to evaluate the extent of the emission plume as well as spatial and temporal differences in ambient PAH concentrations. In general, ambient PAH concentrations in Curacao were consistent with other urban and industrialized regions of the world;however, the levels measured downwind of Isla Refineriá petrochemical complex were among some of the highest reported ambient PAHs globally. Ambient PAH concentrations ranged from 1.2 to 790 ng/m3 in 2011 and 27 to 660 ng/m3 in 2014, demonstrating no temporal differences. However, significant spatial differences were detected between samples collected upwind and downwind of the petrochemical complex. Significantly higher ambient PAH concentrations were found in the samples collected downwind of the petrochemical complex compared to those upwind in 2014
基金the Environmental Fund Netherlands Antilles(MINA Fund)and Mote Marine Laboratory for the financial support of this work
文摘Primary sources of atmospheric sulfur dioxide are anthropogenic activities associated with the burning of fossil fuels and industrial processes that may have associations with various morbidities and mortalities. As such, several regional and global regulatory agencies have recommended ambient air limits to reduce environmental exposures. The objectives of this study were to evaluate ambient levels of sulfur dioxide surrounding an oil refinery on the island of Cura?ao. Levels which were then compared to literature values and recommended public health guidelines to determine potential public health risks. Concentrations of sulfur dioxide in Curacao were found to be among the highest globally with an increasing trend over time. While the epidemiological evidence does not conclusively suggest there is a health risk from these levels of exposure, SO2 concentrations greatly exceed regulatory and guidance levels and suggest that further emissions control is warranted. Future recommendations include a more rigorous epidemiological study in Cura?ao and expand the air monitoring efforts to include areas upwind of the refinery as well as additional petrochemical emissions.
文摘Inhalation and atmospheric pollution studies have focused on particulate matter due to correlations and associations with various morbidities and mortalities. This research analyzed ambient concentrations of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) on the island of Curaçao in order to evaluate through comparative literature analysis and recommended public health guidelines the potential health risks. Available hourly, daily and monthly PM10 measurements were accessed from June 2010 through December 2014 from a local air monitoring station in Willemstad. Mean annual concentrations of PM10 (31 - 122 μg/m3) in Curaçao are among the highest reported globally, demonstrating an increasing trend over time and exceed current public health guidelines recommended by local and international agencies. While the epidemiological evidence is inadequate to infer a causal association between health effects and long-term exposures of the measured PM10 concentrations, the results indicate that emissions controls are not adequate for compliance with international exposure standards.
文摘This article explores the of certain elite women during late little-known public philanthropic activities Qing China. By examining contemporary newspapers, it traces the new development of women's philanthropic engagement and further analyzes two cases, one on disaster relief and the other on women's education, to illustrate the issues, controversies and achievements that went along with women's philanthropy. It demonstrates how philanthropy, a traditionally-sanctioned field for women's activism, legitimatized women to move out of domestic seclusion and reposition themselves in the public sphere in a crucial transitional era when for "good women" to appear in public was something hotly debated, and how through philanthropic opportunities some were able to engage with political affairs. The broad social impact of their initiatives suggests the continued importance of traditional elite women during China's transition to the modern era; it challenges some of our previous notions, which often unthinkingly accepted the verdict of "New Women" that those who did not embrace their path to modernity were parasitic, unproductive, and backward. By looking carefully at philanthropy, the article reveals fascinating issues and rich details of women's public activities that previous historical narratives have often overlooked. It helps to understand how reconfigured traditions became essential components of modernity in the development of modern Chinese gender roles. It also adds a gender perspective to the burgeoning historiography on Chinese philanthropy.