Background
Peer‐delivered interventions are a best practice in mental health, yet no such intervention exists for young adults (YA) with intellectual/developmental disabilities with co‐occurring ...mental health conditions. We evaluated YA with intellectual/developmental disabilities' ability to deliver a novel peer mentoring intervention with fidelity and the supports received.
Methods
We coded audio‐recorded mentoring sessions to evaluate if 4 mentors adhered to ‘content’ (e.g., psychoeducation) and ‘quality’ (e.g., validation) fidelity criteria (codes: yes/no). We conducted content analysis of mentor support logs and interviews with mentors', mentors' parents and teachers to describe the supports mentors received.
Results
Average fidelity for content criteria (M = 73.3%) was higher than quality criteria (M = 60.0%). Weekly support addressed logistics, delivering content, interpersonal interactions, emotional support, professionalism, and organisation. Family members and teachers rarely provided additional support.
Conclusions
With support, YA can deliver a peer mentoring intervention addressing mental health. Additional training activities will be developed to improve fidelity.
Increased motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells are associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Snai1 and Slug are zinc-finger transcription factors that trigger this ...process by repressing E-cadherin and enhancing vimentin and N-cadherin protein expression. However, the mechanisms that regulate this activation in pancreatic tumors remain elusive. MUC1, a transmembrane mucin glycoprotein, is associated with the most invasive forms of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDA). In this study, we show that over expression of MUC1 in pancreatic cancer cells triggers the molecular process of EMT, which translates to increased invasiveness and metastasis. EMT was significantly reduced when MUC1 was genetically deleted in a mouse model of PDA or when all seven tyrosines in the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 were mutated to phenylalanine (mutated MUC1 CT). Using proteomics, RT-PCR and western blotting, we revealed a significant increase in vimentin, Slug and Snail expression with repression of E-Cadherin in MUC1-expressing cells compared with cells expressing the mutated MUC1 CT. In the cells that carried the mutated MUC1 CT, MUC1 failed to co-immunoprecipitate with β-catenin and translocate to the nucleus, thereby blocking transcription of the genes associated with EMT and metastasis. Thus, functional tyrosines are critical in stimulating the interactions between MUC1 and β-catenin and their nuclear translocation to initiate the process of EMT. This study signifies the oncogenic role of MUC1 CT and is the first to identify a direct role of the MUC1 in initiating EMT during pancreatic cancer. The data may have implications in future design of MUC1-targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the polymerization behavior and depth of cure (DOC) of recently introduced resin composites for posterior use: highly filled flowable composite and composites ...for bulk fill. A highly filled flowable (G-aenial Universal Flo GUF), two bulk-fill flowables (Surefil SDR Flow SDR and Venus Bulk fill VBF), and a bulk-fill nonflowable composite (Tetric N-Ceram Bulk fill TBF) were compared with two conventional composites (Tetric Flow TF, Filtek Supreme Ultra FS). Linear polymerization shrinkage and polymerization shrinkage stress were each measured with custom-made devices. To evaluate DOC, the composite specimen was prepared using a mold with a hole of 4 mm depth and 4 mm internal diameter. The hole was bulk filled with each of the six composites and light cured for 20 seconds, followed by 24 hours of water storage. The surface hardness was measured on the top and the bottom using a Vickers microhardness (HV) indenter. The linear polymerization shrinkage of the composite specimens after photo-initiation decreased in the following order: TF and GUF > VBF > SDR > FS and TBF (p<0.05). The polymerization shrinkage stress of the six composite groups decreased in the following order: GUF > TF and VBF > SDR > FS and TBF (p<0.05). The mean bottom surface HV of SDR and VBF exceeded 80% of the top surface HV (HV-80%). However, the bottom of GUF and TBF failed to reach HV-80%. A highly filled flowable (GUF) revealed limitations in polymerization shrinkage and DOC. Bulk-fill flowables (SDR and VBF) were properly cured in 4-mm bulk, but they shrank more than the conventional nonflowable composite. A bulk-fill nonflowable (TBF) showed comparable shrinkage to the conventional nonflowable composite, but it was not sufficiently cured in the 4-mm bulk.
Although depression appears to decrease in late life, this could be due to misattribution of depressive symptom to physical disorders that increase in late life.
We studied age differences in major ...depressive episodes (MDE) in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, a national survey of the US household population. DSM-IV MDE was defined without organic exclusions or diagnostic hierarchy rules to facilitate analysis of co-morbidity. Physical disorders were assessed with a standard chronic conditions checklist and mental disorders with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) version 3.0.
Lifetime and recent DSM-IV/CIDI MDE were significantly less prevalent among respondents aged 65 years than among younger adults. Recent episode severity, but not duration, was also lower among the elderly. Despite prevalence of mental disorders decreasing with age, co-morbidity of hierarchy-free MDE with these disorders was either highest among the elderly or unrelated to age. Co-morbidity of MDE with physical disorders, in comparison, generally decreased with age despite prevalence of co-morbid physical disorders usually increasing. Somewhat more than half of respondents with 12-month MDE received past-year treatment, but the percentage in treatment was lowest and most concentrated in the general medical sector among the elderly.
Given that physical disorders increase with age independent of depression, their lower associations with MDE in old age argue that causal effects of physical disorders on MDE weaken in old age. This result argues against the suggestion that the low estimated prevalence of MDE among the elderly is due to increased confounding with physical disorders.
Background
Periostin is a matricellular protein, and its synthesis in airway epithelial cells and lung fibroblasts is induced by interleukin (IL)‐4 and IL‐13. The significance of periostin as a ...biomarker of TH2‐induced airway inflammation, and (importantly) as a measure of the response to TH2‐targeted therapy, has recently been emphasized. We explored the relationship between periostin and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in asthmatic children.
Methods
The study included 83 children aged 6–15 years in an asthmatic group (n = 54) and healthy controls (n = 29). We measured the periostin levels in serum and performed methacholine and mannitol provocation challenges. The responses to mannitol were expressed as the provocative dose causing a 15% fall in the FEV1 (the PD15 dose).
Results
Of the 54 subjects with asthma, all had positive methacholine bronchial provocation test (BPT) results and 38 had positive mannitol BPT results. Children with asthma had significantly higher periostin levels than controls 76.0 (65.0–91.8) vs 71.0 (57.5–80.0) ng/mL; P = 0.017. Periostin levels were significantly correlated with both the methacholine PC20 and mannitol PD15 values.
Conclusion
Serum levels of periostin, a new biomarker induced by IL‐13, were higher in asthmatic children, and were associated with AHR to methacholine and mannitol.
Aim
To assess the biological effects, including odontoblastic differentiation of a novel light‐curable material (TheraCal), on human dental pulp cells (hDPCs).
Methodology
The hDPCs were isolated ...from freshly extracted, caries‐free third molars. Ten discs of TheraCal and MTA (8 mm in diameter and 3 mm in height) were incubated in α‐minimum essential medium (α‐MEM) and the supernatant collected. Viability of hDPCs in response to TheraCal and MTA was measured using the WST‐1 assay. RT‐PCR and real‐time PCR were used to detect the gene expression of dentine sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and dentine matrix protein‐1 (DMP‐1). ALP staining and Alizarin red S staining were used to evaluate the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and mineralization behaviour. One‐way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were used to determine the statistically significant differences as a result of the variation in test materials (P < 0.05).
Results
The effects of TheraCal and MTA on cell viability were similar except at the highest concentration. The mRNA level of DSPP increased significantly in the MTA group relative to the control at day 1 and 3 (P < 0.05). Also, the mRNA level of DSPP increased significantly in the TheraCal group relative to the control at day 3 (P < 0.05). The increased mRNA level of DMP‐1 was 2.5‐fold and 2.3‐fold each in the MTA and TheraCal groups relative to the control (P < 0.05). Cells exposed to MTA exhibited a 1.4‐fold increase of ALP staining relative to control (P < 0.05). In the mineralization assay, increased calcium nodule formation was twofold and 1.3‐fold each in the MTA and TheraCal groups compared to the control (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
TheraCal and MTA had the ability to induce odontoblastic differentiation and mineralization of hDPCs.
The growing popularity of traditional medicine (TM) is reflected in the increasing trend for its use worldwide. Many people are turning to use TM as a complementary or integrative treatment. The aim ...of this study is to present the first nationwide report describing the use of TM in two countries (South Korea and Taiwan).
To present the TM utilization patterns between South Korea and Taiwan, we analyzed data from the National Health Insurance cohorts in each country, each of which has approximately one million inhabitants.
In total, 261,478 (25.5%) of 1,025,340 people in South Korea and 260,529 (26.8%) of 970,866 people in Taiwan used TM services at least once under the National Health Insurance in 2011. Using multivariable logistic regression, TM users in South Korea were significantly more likely to be female, 61-80 years of age and individuals with a high income, and those in Taiwan were significantly more likely to be female, 21-40 years of age and individuals with a middle income. The two countries showed similar utilization patterns in visit seasons. People visited TM clinics more frequently than TM hospitals in both countries. The most common TM treatment in South Korea was acupuncture, whereas in Taiwan, various powdered Chinese herbal preparations were the most commonly used treatment. The most common diseases for people seeking TM services were musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases in South Korea and Symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions in Taiwan.
According to the National Health Insurance database, about one fourth of the NHI beneficiaries of South Korea and Taiwan had TM use in 2011. Different TM utilization patterns existed between South Korea and Taiwan, which might be due to the differences in insurance coverage between the two countries.
Heterogeneity of major depressive disorder (MDD) illness course complicates clinical decision-making. Although efforts to use symptom profiles or biomarkers to develop clinically useful prognostic ...subtypes have had limited success, a recent report showed that machine-learning (ML) models developed from self-reports about incident episode characteristics and comorbidities among respondents with lifetime MDD in the World Health Organization World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys predicted MDD persistence, chronicity and severity with good accuracy. We report results of model validation in an independent prospective national household sample of 1056 respondents with lifetime MDD at baseline. The WMH ML models were applied to these baseline data to generate predicted outcome scores that were compared with observed scores assessed 10-12 years after baseline. ML model prediction accuracy was also compared with that of conventional logistic regression models. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve based on ML (0.63 for high chronicity and 0.71-0.76 for the other prospective outcomes) was consistently higher than for the logistic models (0.62-0.70) despite the latter models including more predictors. A total of 34.6-38.1% of respondents with subsequent high persistence chronicity and 40.8-55.8% with the severity indicators were in the top 20% of the baseline ML-predicted risk distribution, while only 0.9% of respondents with subsequent hospitalizations and 1.5% with suicide attempts were in the lowest 20% of the ML-predicted risk distribution. These results confirm that clinically useful MDD risk-stratification models can be generated from baseline patient self-reports and that ML methods improve on conventional methods in developing such models.
The photoconductive properties of a novel low‐bandgap conjugated polymer, poly2,6‐(4,4‐bis‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐4H‐cyclopenta2,1‐b;3,4‐b′dithiophene)‐alt‐4,7‐(2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole), PCPDTBT, with an ...optical energy gap of Eg ∼ 1.5 eV, have been studied. The results of photoluminescence and photoconductivity measurements indicate efficient electron transfer from PCPDTBT to PCBM (6,6‐phenyl‐C61 butyric acid methyl ester, a fullerene derivative), where PCPDTBT acts as the electron donor and PCBM as the electron acceptor. Electron‐transfer facilitates charge separation and results in prolonged carrier lifetime, as observed by fast (t > 100 ps) transient photoconductivity measurements. The photoresponsivities of PCPDTBT and PCPDTBT:PCBM are comparable to those of poly(3‐hexylthiophene), P3HT, and P3HT:PCBM, respectively. Moreover, the spectral sensitivity of PCPDTBT:PCBM extends significantly deeper into the infrared, to 900 nm, than that of P3HT. The potential of PCPDTBT as a material for high‐efficiency polymer solar cells is discussed.
The photoconductive properties of a low‐bandgap conjugated polymer, PCPDTBT (see figure), are studied. Photoresponsivities of PCPDTBT and PCPDTBT:fullerene‐derivative (PCBM) blends are comparable to those of poly(3‐hexylthiophene), P3HT, and P3HT:PCBM. The spectral sensitivity of PCPDTBT:PCBM extends significantly deeper into the IR than that of P3HT, improving solar‐light harvesting and offering potential for use in solar cells.
► To provide an assessment of social influence factors related to Web 2.0. ► To develop a theoretical foundation for Web 2.0 applications. ► To provide an understanding of different factors to use ...Web 2.0.
New business models and applications have been continuously developed and popularized on the Internet. In recent years, a number of applications including blogs, Facebook, iGoogle, Plurk, Twitter, and YouTube known as Web 2.0 have become very popular. These aforementioned applications all have a strong social flavor. However, what social factors exert an influence onto their use is still unclear and remains as a research issue to be further investigated. This research studies four social factors and they are subjective norm, image, critical mass, and electronic word-of-mouth. A causal model of the satisfaction and continuance intention of Web 2.0 users as a function of these four social factors is proposed. Results indicate that user satisfaction with Web 2.0 applications significantly affects electronic word-of-mouth, which in turn significantly influences their continuance intention. In addition, subjective norm, image and critical mass all have a significant impact onto satisfaction, which in turn has an indirect significant influence on electronic word-of-mouth. Finally, all social factors have a significant direct impact on continuance intention. Finally, implications for service providers and researchers are discussed.
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