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Associations between health-related self-efficacy and suicidality
Get PDF© The Author(s). 2018 This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Abstract
Background
Few studies have focused on exploring the association of self-efficacy and suicidal behaviour. In this study, we aim to investigate the association between health-related self-efficacy and suicidality outcomes, including lifetime/recent suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts and future intent of suicide.
Methods
A computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) system was used to draw potential respondents aged over 15 in Taiwan via telephone numbers, which were selected by a stratified proportional randomization method according to the distribution of population size in different geographic areas of Taiwan. We obtained available information on suicide behaviours for the analysis of 2110 participants. Logistic regression was applied to investigate the independent effect of health-related self-efficacy on life-time suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Results
Suicidality measured as suicide ideation and attempted suicide was reported as 12.6 and 2.7% respectively in the sample. Among those with suicide ideation, 9.8% had thoughts of future suicide intent. Female gender, low education, people living alone or separated, history of psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, poor self-rated mental health and physical health were associated with suicidality factors. Low health-related self-efficacy was associated with lifetime suicide ideation, prior suicide attempt and future suicidal intent. Among those with recent suicidal ideation, low health self-efficacy was independently associated with future suicide intent after adjustment of gender, age, education, marital status, substance abuse, psychological distress, poor mental and physical health.
Conclusion
Health-related self-efficacy was associated with suicide risks across different time points from prior ideation to future intention. Evaluation of the progress of self-efficacy in health may be long-term targets of intervention in suicide prevention strategies
GIS-based evaluation of diagnostic areas in landslide susceptibility analysis of Bahluieț River Basin (Moldavian Plateau, NE Romania). Are Neolithic sites in danger?
Get PDF© 2018 Elsevier BV. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 24 month embargo from date of publication (April 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policy.The aim of this study is to compare the predictive strenghtness of different diagnostic areas in determining landslide susceptibility using frequency ratio (FR), statistical index (SI), and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) models in a catchment from the northeastern part of Romania. Scarps (point), landslide areas (polygon), and middle of the landslide (point) have been tested and checked in regards to their performance. The three statistical models have been employed to assess the landslide susceptibility using eleven conditioning factors (slope angle, elevation, curvature, lithology, precipitations, land use, topographic wetness index (TWI), landforms, aspect, plan curvature and distance to river). The three models were validated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the seed cell area index (SCAI) methods. The predictive capability of each model was established from the area under the curve (AUC), for FR, SI and AHP; the values are 0.75, 0.81 and 0.78 (using polygon as diagnostic area), respectively. Among the three methods used, SI had a better predictability. When it comes to the predictability values regarding the diagnostic areas, the landslide area (polygon) proves to have the highest values. This results from the entire surface of the landslide being taken into account when validating the data. Approximately 70% of the Neolithic sites are located in areas with high and very high susceptibility to landslides, meaning that they are in danger of being destroyed in the future. The final susceptibility maps are useful in hazard mitigation, risk reduction, a sustainable land use planning, evaluation of cultural heritage integrity, and to highlight the most endangered sites that are likely to be destroyed in the future
Health-Related Quality of Life among Women Breast Cancer Patients in Eastern China
Get PDFCopyright © 2018 Qing Chen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Objectives. Breast cancer is one of the major cancers in Chinese women. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23) are now the most common and well developed instruments assessing the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of breast cancer patients internationally, whereas there are relatively few Chinese studies. This study has two aims: to investigate the HRQOL and explore which dimensions of HRQOL play more important roles in breast cancer patients’ overall quality of life in China and to explore the latent factor structure and the potential complementary relationship between these two EORTC questionnaires. Methods. This cross-sectional and descriptive study was performed from October 2014 to February 2015 in Qingdao Municipal Hospital, China. A total of 621 women breast cancer patients were enrolled. EOTRC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 were used to evaluate the HRQOL of the participants. The nonparametric test, multiple linear regression, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were the main statistical methods we used. Results. 608 participants completed the questionnaires with a response rate of 97.9%. The mean age of the participants was 48.0 years (SD=9.6). About 33% were illiterate or only finished primary school education. Almost half participants (47.4%) only adopted chemotherapy. HRQOL was significantly different with regard to patients’ social-demographic and clinical characteristics. Age, residence, educational level, employment status, and TNM stage were five significant predictors for global health status. Pain, dyspnea, sexual enjoyment, and systemic therapy side-effect were main subscales which had a significant impact on the global health status for patients in different TNM stage. The EFA result suggested that QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 were complementary questionnaires. Conclusions. The EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires provide complementary information regarding breast cancer patients’ HRQOL, and depending on the different cancer staging functional/symptom scales which significantly contributed to the overall HRQOL differed
Shedding Light on Shedders
Get PDF© 2018 Elsevier. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/All previous examinations of the shedder status of individuals have been based on conclusions inferred from the amount of DNA deposited by donors after they have held an object for a fixed period of time. In all interpretations of shedder status experiments have involved a range uncertainties, especially in regards to results arising from studies carried out in different laboratories. These apply to the efficiency of the swab collecting DNA from the item touched, the amount of DNA left on the swab after attempts to recover it, and the percentage loss of DNA during the lysis and extraction processes. No previous study has attempted to mitigate these uncertainties or verify how much of the DNA deposited was collected through swabbing, how much DNA present on the swab was recovered or how much DNA is lost during the extraction process.
We present a study that accurately measures the deposition, collection and amplification of DNA deposited by a range of donors allowing for an accurate determination of the shedder status of individuals. Eleven donors were asked to wash their hands and then deposit a thumbprint onto glass slides by making pressure for 15 seconds 0, 15, 60 and 180 minutes after handwashing. Both left and right thumbs were used and all testing was performed in triplicate. Measurement of the quantity of cellular material deposited on the slides was carried out using DiamondTM Nucleic Acid Dye and fluorescence microscopy on each of 264 thumbprints. Fluorescence microscopy was then used to demonstrate that all the DNA present on the slides was recovered by the swabbing operations and then direct PCR, using the Identifiler™ Plus kit, was used to ensure that none of the DNA present on swabs was lost during DNA profiling.
The combination of using a DNA binding dye and direct PCR allowed an accurate means of measuring the extent to which individuals exhibit different extents of shedding. This small study, 11 donors, showed that individuals fell into one of three distinct groups: heavy, intermediate, and light shedders, regardless of the hand used
Polymorphisms that affect GABA neurotransmission predict processing of aversive prediction errors in humans
Get PDFThis work was supported by the Australian Research Council [DE140100750 to I.B.].Learning is one of our most adaptive abilities, allowing us to adjust our expectations about future events. Aberrant learning processes may underlie disorders such as anxiety, motivating the search for the neural mechanisms that underpin learning. Animal studies have shown that the neurotransmitter GABA is required for the computation of prediction errors, the mismatches between anticipated and experienced outcomes, which drive new learning. Given that evidence from human studies is lacking, we sought to determine whether these findings extend to humans. Here, in two samples of Caucasian individuals, we investigated whether genetically determined individual differences in GABA neurotransmission predict the P3 event-related potential, an EEG component known to reflect prediction error processing. Consistent with the results of animal studies, we show that a weighted genetic risk score computed from the number of GABRB2 rs1816072 A alleles (associated with increased expression of the GABAA receptor β2 subunit gene) and the number of ErbB4 rs7598440 T alleles (associated with increased GABA concentration) predicts optimal prediction error processing during aversive classical conditioning with both visual (Experiment 1, N = 90; p = .010) and auditory (Experiment 2; N = 92; p = .031) unconditioned stimuli. Our finding that optimal processing of aversive prediction errors is reduced in individuals genetically predisposed towards decreased GABA neurotransmission suggests a potential mechanism linking GABA and anxiety. Specifically, reduced GABA signalling via GABAA receptors could result in aberrant learning from aversive experiences and vulnerability to anxiety disorders
Potential and application of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to estimate iron and zinc concentration in potato tubers
Get PDFBreeding efforts to develop high iron and zinc potatoes require a fast and inexpensive technique to evaluate mineral concentrations in large numbers of samples. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of applying X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to estimate iron and zinc in freeze-dried and milled potato tuber samples. The calibration, and the external and independent validations showed high coefficients of determination, 0.93–0.96 for iron and 0.92–0.97 for zinc, and low standard errors, 1.10–1.44 mg/kg DW for iron and 0.91–1.06 mg/kg DW for zinc concentrations, indicating that iron and zinc can be estimated by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with high precision. The developed calibrations were applied to estimate iron and zinc concentrations of hundreds of biofortified potato clones from the International Potato Center’s breeding program, grown in 3 distinct locations of Peru. Twenty clones showing high iron concentration (above 32 mg/kg DW) and 13 clones with high concentration of zinc (above 25 mg/kg DW) were identified. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry provides a rapid, low cost and suitable tool for potato breeders, compared to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for screening iron and zinc concentrations, especially when a high number of potato clones must be evaluated in a short time frame.This study was mainly funded by CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (CRP-A4NH). We thank the HarvestPlus Program and CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (CRP-RTB) for their contribution to CIP’s potato biofortification breeding program and we also thank Walter Amoros for producing and providing most of the potato samples used in our study
Computer-Based Videogames in Nursing Education: A Literature Review
No full textThis abstract was prepared for the inaugural 'HDR Student Conference', Flinders University, November 2018. Copyright © the authorToday's university students have a high level of digital awareness and uptake of technological resources for education. However, one aspect of computer-aided learning that has received little attention in research is the use of videogame-based learning in nursing education. Computer-based videogames have the potential to provide an efficient, convenient and safe learning environment that may help nursing students develop vital nursing skills and knowledge. Despite this, educators have been slow to adopt digital game-based learning for nursing students. The aim of this research was to examine videogame-based learning in nursing education. In particular, it aimed to investigate how computer-based videogames are currently used in nursing education and how they relate to skills such as decision-making, motivation and other benefits. To examine the role of computer-based videogames in nursing education, a literature review was conducted involving a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases. This was followed by a thematic analysis of the literature. The literature review identified four games (described in 14 papers) matching the study's inclusion/exclusion criteria. Analysis of the four games identified overall positive results in terms of the effectiveness and usability of the computer-based videogames in nursing education. Evaluation of the benefits of videogames in nursing education found potential positive effects for decision-making, motivation and repeated exposure as well as logistical and financial advantages. The results of the study have been published in a peer-reviewed journal article authored by a team of four researchers. Despite the limited number of videogames available to date and the methodological limitations identified in the papers, the findings of this literature review provide evidence to support the potential usability and effectiveness of computer-based videogames as a learning tool in nursing education
Understanding the impact of antibiotic therapies on the respiratory tract resistome: a novel pooled-template metagenomic sequencing strategy
Get PDFThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Determining the effects of antimicrobial therapies on airway microbiology at a population-level is essential. Such analysis allows, for example, surveillance of antibiotic-induced changes in pathogen prevalence, the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance, and the transmission of multi-resistant organisms. However, current analytical strategies for understanding these processes are limited. Culture- and PCR-based assays for specific microbes require the a priori selection of targets, while antibiotic sensitivity testing typically provides no insight into either the molecular basis of resistance, or the carriage of resistance determinants by the wider commensal microbiota. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing provides an alternative approach that allows the microbial composition of clinical samples to be described in detail, including the prevalence of resistance genes and virulence traits. While highly informative, the application of metagenomics to large patient cohorts can be prohibitively expensive. Using sputum samples from a randomised placebo-controlled trial of erythromycin in adults with bronchiectasis, we describe a novel, cost-effective strategy for screening patient cohorts for changes in resistance gene prevalence. By combining metagenomic screening of pooled DNA extracts with validatory quantitative PCR-based analysis of candidate markers in individual samples, we identify population-level changes in the relative abundance of specific macrolide resistance genes. This approach has the potential to provide an important adjunct to current analytical strategies, particularly within the context of antimicrobial clinical trials.Collection of data was internally funded by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and supported by a project grant (PG1104000) from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Publication costs of this article will be funded by Novamedia and Italian Respiratory Society (IRS)
Safety of the Deferral of Coronary Revascularization on the Basis of Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio and Fractional Flow Reserve Measurements in Stable Coronary Artery Disease and Acute Coronary Syndromes
Get PDF© 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation. This is an open access article under the cc-by-nc-nd license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Objectives
The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of patients deferred from coronary revascularization on the basis of instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) or fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurements in stable angina pectoris (SAP) and acute coronary syndromes (ACS).
Background
Assessment of coronary stenosis severity with pressure guidewires is recommended to determine the need for myocardial revascularization.
Methods
The safety of deferral of coronary revascularization in the pooled per-protocol population (n = 4,486) of the DEFINE-FLAIR (Functional Lesion Assessment of Intermediate Stenosis to Guide Revascularisation) and iFR-SWEDEHEART (Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio Versus Fractional Flow Reserve in Patients With Stable Angina Pectoris or Acute Coronary Syndrome) randomized clinical trials was investigated. Patients were stratified according to revascularization decision making on the basis of iFR or FFR and to clinical presentation (SAP or ACS). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as the composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or unplanned revascularization at 1 year.
Results
Coronary revascularization was deferred in 2,130 patients. Deferral was performed in 1,117 patients (50%) in the iFR group and 1,013 patients (45%) in the FFR group (p < 0.01). At 1 year, the MACE rate in the deferred population was similar between the iFR and FFR groups (4.12% vs. 4.05%; fully adjusted hazard ratio: 1.13; 95% confidence interval: 0.72 to 1.79; p = 0.60). A clinical presentation with ACS was associated with a higher MACE rate compared with SAP in deferred patients (5.91% vs. 3.64% in ACS and SAP, respectively; fully adjusted hazard ratio: 0.61 in favor of SAP; 95% confidence interval: 0.38 to 0.99; p = 0.04).
Conclusions
Overall, deferral of revascularization is equally safe with both iFR and FFR, with a low MACE rate of about 4%. Lesions were more frequently deferred when iFR was used to assess physiological significance. In deferred patients presenting with ACS, the event rate was significantly increased compared with SAP at 1 year
Effects of vitamin supplementation on inflammatory markers and psychological wellbeing among distressed women: a randomized controlled trial
Get PDF© 2018 Shanghai Changhai Hospital. Published by Elsevier
B.V. This manuscript version is made available under the
CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 12 month embargo from date of publication (June 2018) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyBackground
Multivitamins are a popular supplement taken to promote physical and mental health. During periods of stress, they may have a protective role for health and wellbeing, although the current evidence of their efficacy is mixed.
Objective
To determine whether multivitamin supplementation impacts psychological and inflammatory markers of women who are experiencing psychological distress.
Design, setting, participants and interventions
An 8-week randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess changes in both psychological state and pro-inflammatory markers of patients receiving multivitamins or placebo. The sample comprised women who reported elevated psychological distress in the previous 4 weeks.
Main outcome measures
Psychological state was assessed using Spielberger’s State-Trait Personality Inventory to assess anxiety, curiosity, depression and anger. Pro-inflammatory markers comprised interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-5, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and TNF-β.
Results
Improvements across time were observed for all psychological measures and cytokines, except IL-5, but were independent of the active intervention. Only TNF-β demonstrated a significant differential change between groups over the course of the intervention, in favour of multivitamin supplementation (active group mean rank decreased from 11.1 to 7.1; placebo group mean rank decreased from 8.9 to 7.8).
Conclusion
The results suggest that administration of multivitamins was not effective in improving psychological state. However, some evidence supported the positive impact of multivitamin supplementation on pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles of women currently experiencing stress.This work was supported by partial funding from Blackmores®