A pragmatic randomized waitlist-controlled effectiveness and cost-effectiveness trial of digital interventions for depression and anxiety

Utilization of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) for treating depression and anxiety disorders in stepped-care models, such as the UK’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), is a potential solution for addressing the treatment gap in mental health. We investigated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of iCBT when fully integrated within IAPT stepped-care settings. We conducted an 8-week pragmatic randomized controlled trial with a 2:1 (iCBT intervention: waiting-list) allocation, for participants referred to an IAPT Step 2 service with depression and anxiety symptoms (Trial registration: ISRCTN91967124). The primary outcomes measures were PHQ-9 (depressive symptoms) and GAD-7 (anxiety symptoms) and WSAS (functional impairment) as a secondary outcome. The cost-effectiveness analysis was based on EQ-5D-5L (preference-based health status) to elicit the quality-adjust life year (QALY) and a modified-Client Service Receipt Inventory (care resource-use). Diagnostic interviews were administered at baseline and 3 months. Three-hundred and sixty-one participants were randomized (iCBT, 241; waiting-list, 120). Intention-to-treat analyses showed significant interaction effects for the PHQ-9 (b = −2.75, 95% CI −4.00, −1.50) and GAD-7 (b = −2.79, 95% CI −4.00, −1.58) in favour of iCBT at 8-week and further improvements observed up to 12-months. Over 8-weeks the probability of cost-effectiveness was 46.6% if decision makers are willing to pay £30,000 per QALY, increasing to 91.2% when the control-arm’s outcomes and costs were extrapolated over 12-months. Results indicate that iCBT for depression and anxiety is effective and potentially cost-effective in the long-term within IAPT. Upscaling the use of iCBT as part of stepped care could help to enhance IAPT outcomes. The pragmatic trial design supports the ecological validity of the findings

Quantum Cognitive Modeling: New Applications and Systems Research Directions

Expanding the benefits of quantum computing to new domains remains a challenging task. Quantum applications are concentrated in only a few domains, and driven by these few, the quantum stack is limited in supporting the development or execution demands of new applications. In this work, we address this problem by identifying both a new application domain, and new directions to shape the quantum stack. We introduce computational cognitive models as a new class of quantum applications. Such models have been crucial in understanding and replicating human intelligence, and our work connects them with quantum computing for the first time. Next, we analyze these applications to make the case for redesigning the quantum stack for programmability and better performance. Among the research opportunities we uncover, we study two simple ideas of quantum cloud scheduling using data from gate-based and annealing-based quantum computers. On the respective systems, these ideas can enable parallel execution, and improve throughput. Our work is a contribution towards realizing versatile quantum systems that can broaden the impact of quantum computing on science and society

A Novel Approach of Using Electrostatic Field to Reduce Thawing Time and Improve Frozen Beef Quality

Objective:The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of applying an electrostatic field (EF) on thawing characteristics, such as thawing speed and purge loss, as well as its impact on quality attributes during subsequent aging and retail display of beef. Study Description:Striploins from both sides of USDA Choice carcasses (n = 12) were collected and portioned into four equal parts (n = 48). Portions were vacuum packaged and frozen at -40°F for 14 days and randomly assigned to one of four EF thawing treatments: 0 kV (control), 2.5 kV (EF-2.5), 5 kV (EF-5), and 10 kV (EF-10). Within each EF treatment, half of the striploin portions were thawed in an inside cooler (32°F) and half in an outside cooler (36°F). The thawing process was considered complete when all striploin portions reached 30.2°F. After thawing, striploin portions were weighed and purge was collected for analysis, and portions were fabricated into steaks. One steak was used for histological analysis to assess muscle fiber damage and remaining steaks were vacuum packaged and subjected to either 0 or 14 days of aging. After the aging, steaks were placed on Styrofoam trays, overwrapped with polyvinyl chloride, and retail displayed for either 0 or 7 days. Steaks were evaluated daily for objective color as well as subjective evaluation of discoloration. After completion of the designated aging and display period, steaks were utilized for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), sarcomere length, lipid oxidation, pH, and myofibrillar protein degradation analysis. Results: There was an increase in purge loss for all EF samples compared to the control in the outside cooler location (P\u3c0.05). Application of EF did not reduce thawing times (P\u3e0.05), with EF-10 taking longer to reach the targeted 30.2°F (P\u3c0.05). All EF treatments reduced purge aerobic plate count (P\u3c0.01) in the outside cooler location. The EF-10 had lower WBSF (P\u3c0.05), and EF-10 samples from the outside cooler location tended to have greater muscle fiber spacing (P= 0.09). For the 0-day aged samples, EF-5 on day 7 resulted in more discoloration than the rest of the treatments (P\u3c0.05). In samples aged for 14 days, the EF-5 and EF-2.5 had less discoloration than the control and EF-10 (P\u3c0.05). When looking at the impact of EF on a* (redness), EF-5 had higher a* values (more redness) than the control and EF-2.5 on days 4 and 5 of retail display (P\u3c0.05). The EF applications did not alter myofibrillar protein degradation, sarcomere length, lipid oxidation, and purge protein concentrations (P\u3e0.05). The Bottom Line:The application of EF during thawing did not reduce purge loss and thawing times but showed potential as an antimicrobial intervention and color stabilizer

Anti-cyanobacterial activity of Moringa oleifera seeds

Filtrates from crushed Moringa oleifera seeds were tested for their effects on growth and Photosystem II efficiency of the common bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. M. aeruginosa populations exhibited good growth in controls and treatments with 4- and 8-mg crushed Moringa seeds per liter, having similar growth rates of 0.50 (±0.01) per day. In exposures of 20- to 160-mg crushed Moringa seeds L−1, growth rates were negative and on average −0.23 (±0.05) .day−1. Presumably, in the higher doses of 20- to 160-mg crushed seeds per liter, the cyanobacteria died, which was supported by a rapid drop in the Photosystem II efficiency (ΦPSII), while the ΦPSII was high and unaffected in 0, 4, and 8 mg L−1. High-density populations of M. aeruginosa (chlorophyll-a concentrations of ∼270 µg L−1) were reduced to very low levels within 2 weeks of exposure to ≥80-mg crushed seeds per liter. At the highest dosage of 160 mg L−1, the ΦPSII dropped to zero rapidly and remained nil during the course of the experiment (14 days). Hence, under laboratory conditions, a complete wipeout of the bloom could be achieved. This is the first study that yielded evidence for cyanobactericidal activity of filtrate from crushed Moringa seeds, suggesting that Moringa seed extracts might have a potential as an effect-oriented measure lessening cyanobacterial nuisance

Precision and accuracy of single-molecule FRET measurements - a multi-laboratory benchmark study

Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) is increasingly being used to determine distances, structures, and dynamics of biomolecules in vitro and in vivo. However, generalized protocols and FRET standards to ensure the reproducibility and accuracy of measurements of FRET efficiencies are currently lacking. Here we report the results of a comparative blind study in which 20 labs determined the FRET efficiencies (E) of several dye-labeled DNA duplexes. Using a unified, straightforward method, we obtained FRET efficiencies with s.d. between ±0.02 and ±0.05. We suggest experimental and computational procedures for converting FRET efficiencies into accurate distances, and discuss potential uncertainties in the experiment and the modeling. Our quantitative assessment of the reproducibility of intensity-based smFRET measurements and a unified correction procedure represents an important step toward the validation of distance networks, with the ultimate aim of achieving reliable structural models of biomolecular systems by smFRET-based hybrid methods

Adenosine induces growth-cone turning of sensory neurons

The formation of appropriate connections between neurons and their specific targets is an essential step during development and repair of the nervous system. Growth cones are located at the leading edges of the growing neurites and respond to environmental cues in order to be guided to their final targets. Directional information can be coded by concentration gradients of substrate-bound or diffusible-guidance molecules. Here we show that concentration gradients of adenosine stimulate growth cones of sensory neurons (dorsal root ganglia) from chicken embryos to turn towards the adenosine source. This response is mediated by adenosine receptors. The subsequent signal transduction process involves cAMP. It may be speculated that the in vivo function of this response is concerned with the formation or the repair and regeneration of the peripheral nervous system

ФИЗИОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ СТАТУС ЛАКТИРУЮЩИХ ГОЛШТИНСКИХ КОРОВ В УСЛОВИЯХ СИБИРИ

The authors found out the differentiation of animals according to hematological and biochemical indicators in the herd ofHolsteincows in spring and summer. Variability of characteristics varied from 7.6 to 36.9%; it was the lowest one according to the number of erythrocytes, hemoglobulin and blood serum crude protein. All the indicators varied more in autumn whereas quantitative characteristics of hematological status didn’t vary significantly in autumn except the growing number of erythrocytes. The authors observed the following tendency in respect to biochemical indicators of protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. The authors found out that slight reducing of features variability in autumn, the concentration of total protein and glucose in blood serum rose. That was explained by seasonal peculiarities of animal feeding. Population analysis found out the features that mostly have deviations from the norm. About 93% of animals had lower concentration hemoglobin in spring and about 84% of cows had lower number of erythrocytes. The authors observed higher concentration of cholesterol in half herd of cows in spring and autumn. Favourable changes in concentration of total protein occurred in autumn. The most part of animals had less active glutamyl pyruvic transaminase (GPT) in all the seasons of the year. In spring glutamyl pyruvic transaminase, effect and alkaline phosphatase effect was stringer effect was stronger and exceeded the norm in 57 and 20% of animals. The analysis of hematological and biochemical indicators has shown that their level and variation in blood depends on a season at different degrees. This occurs due to feeding factors and overall health. The issue on parameters of physiological status and their confirmation to the standards must be clarified depending upon a breed, productivity and physiological statusВ стаде голштинских коров выявлена дифференциация животных по гематологическим и биохимическим характеристикам крови в весенний и осенний периоды. Изменчивость признаков варьировала от 7,6 до 36,9% и была наименьшей по количеству эритроцитов, гемоглобина, общего белка сыворотки крови. Практически по всем гематологическим показателям коэффициент вариации возрастал в осенний период. В то же время среди количественных характеристик гематологического статуса достоверных сезонных изменений, за исключением роста содержания эритроцитов в осенний период, не выявлено. В отношении биохимических показателей, характеризующих белковый, жировой и углеводный обмен, наблюдалась следующая тенденция. При некотором снижении вариабельности признаков в осенний период отмечен достоверный рост содержания общего белка и глюкозы в сыворотке крови, что, очевидно, связано с сезонными особенностями кормления животных. Популяционный анализ позволил установить признаки, по которым наиболее часто наблюдаются отклонения от границ нормы. Отмечено, что до 93% животных имели содержание гемоглобина в весенний период ниже показателей, приведенных другими авторами. В этот же сезон почти у 84% коров был снижен уровень эритроцитов. Отмечено превышение количества холестерина у половины коров и в осенний, и в весенний период. Благоприятные изменения произошли в осенний период по содержанию общего белка. Большинство животных характеризовались пониженной активностью аланинаминотрансферазы (АЛТ) во все сезоны года. В весенний сезон активность аспартатаминотрансферазы (АСТ) и щелочной фосфатазы (ЩФ) была выше нормы соответственно у 57 и 20% особей. Таким образом, анализ гематологических и биохимических показателей показал, что их уровень и изменчивость в крови лактирующих коров в разной степени подвержены сезонным колебаниям. Очевидной причиной этого могут быть кормовые факторы и общее состояние организма, в связи с чем необходимо обратить внимание на обеспечение стабильности технологии. Вопрос о соответствии параметров физиологического статуса нормам требует уточнения в зависимости от породы, продуктивности и физиологического состояния животных

Aquaporin water channels in the nervous system.

The aquaporins (AQPs) are plasma membrane water-transporting proteins. AQP4 is the principal member of this protein family in the CNS, where it is expressed in astrocytes and is involved in water movement, cell migration and neuroexcitation. AQP1 is expressed in the choroid plexus, where it facilitates cerebrospinal fluid secretion, and in dorsal root ganglion neurons, where it tunes pain perception. The AQPs are potential drug targets for several neurological conditions. Astrocytoma cells strongly express AQP4, which may facilitate their infiltration into the brain, and the neuroinflammatory disease neuromyelitis optica is caused by AQP4-specific autoantibodies that produce complement-mediated astrocytic damage