Exercise intervention and the sleep quality in relation with the procedural learning in psychosis

Congress Theme: Yin and Yang of Mental Health in Asia - Balancing PolaritiesCategory G – Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders: no. G15BACKGROUND: Sleep quality in psychosis has been reported to have abnormalities in terms of sleep efficiency, initiation, and maintenance. Some have even argued that such sleep abnormalities may have caused a few cognitive symptoms in psychosis. In recent years, physical exercise has been reported to have significant effects in reducing cognitive symptoms in patients with psychosis. However, there is no up-to-date study that has investigated the interaction effect derived from physical exercise and sleep on the cognitive ability of patients with psychosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to promote a 12-week physical exercise intervention to the psychotic population, and investigate whether the intervention can improve the sleeping quality as well as a specific few cognitive functions. METHODS: A randomised control trial has been carried out for this study. Patients with psychosis were recruited and randomly assigned to either a 12-week physical exercise intervention or a 12-week Carrom control intervention. Sleep quality, cognitive function, and clinical scale were assessed before and after the 12-week intervention. RESULTS: Statistical tests have been conducted to compare the preliminary baseline differences between patients and healthy control, and a trend of longer sleep latency (t(85) = 2.15, p < 0.05) and poorer sleep efficiency (t(85) = 2.20, p < 0.05) have been shown in the patient’s sample. CONCLUSION: The results may have suggested that the patients have a poor sleep quality that requires a longer sleep latency to compensate the deficits. This study may become an evidence that supports the beneficial effect of exercise towards sleep quality and certain types of cognitive function in psychosis.link_to_OA_fulltex

Effect of Different Media in Plastic Pipe on the Yield and Quality of Long Tuber Yam.

山藥為新興根莖類作物，民國七十九年起本場致力於長形山藥品種改良及栽培技術改進，由於塊莖薯形呈長棍棒形，深入土中約l公尺，採收困難，乃採用塑膠管誘導栽培法，此法有容易採收並可保持薯體完整之優點，目前栽培模式略具規模。為探討塑膠栽培管內填充不同栽培介質對長形山藥產量及品質的影響，以基隆山藥（Diocorea Pseudojamnica Hayata）為材料，塑膠栽培管內填充六種不同栽培介質，於桃園縣新屋鄉進行試驗，結果公頃塊莖產量以鋸木屑：稻草＝1:1之處理較高，塊莖寬厚比值方面，以蛭石：珍珠石：泥碳土二2:1:2之處理及鋸木屑：稻草＝1:1之處理最近1，可有效防止薯體扁平化，改進長形山藥薯形，提高商品價質。 Yam become one of the important root crops now.The improvement of variety and cultural technigue of long tuber yam has been studied by the Taoyuan District Agricultural Improvement station since 1980, As the tubers of long tuber yam usually penetrate about I m in depth into the soil, how to reduce the harvest cost and maintain tuber quality are the major problem encountered. To solve these problems, the plastic pipe method for long tuber yam cultivation has been used. In order to understand the effect of cultured with different media in plastic pipe on the yield and quality of long tuber yam, the experiment was performed to determine the optimum medium for planting of long tuber yam (Dioscorea pseudojaponica Hayata) at Hsin-wu. A random complete block design with 6 number of medium treatment in four replication was adopted, The results are summarized as followed: Treatment l.(sawdust:rice straw 1:1) gave the highest yield and tuber quality better than the other treatments

Comparative epidemiology of pandemic and seasonal influenza A in households

Background: There are few data on the comparative epidemiology and virology of the pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus and cocirculating seasonal influenza A viruses in community settings. Methods: We recruited 348 index patients with acute respiratory illness from 14 outpatient clinics in Hong Kong in July and August 2009. We then prospectively followed household members of 99 patients who tested positive for influenza A virus on rapid diagnostic testing. We collected nasal and throat swabs from all household members at three home visits within 7 days for testing by means of quantitative reverse-transcriptase- polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay and viral culture. Using hemagglutination-inhibition and viral-neutralization assays, we tested baseline and convalescent serum samples from a subgroup of patients for antibody responses to the pandemic and seasonal influenza A viruses. Results: Secondary attack rates (as confirmed on RT-PCR assay) among household contacts of index patients were similar for the pandemic influenza virus (8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3 to 14) and seasonal influenza viruses (9%; 95% CI, 5 to 15). The patterns of viral shedding and the course of illness among index patients were also similar for the pandemic and seasonal influenza viruses. In a subgroup of patients for whom baseline and convalescent serum samples were available, 36% of household contacts who had serologic evidence of pandemic influenza virus infection did not shed detectable virus or report illness. Conclusions: Pandemic 2009 H1N1 virus has characteristics that are broadly similar to those of seasonal influenza A viruses in terms of rates of viral shedding, clinical illness, and transmissibility in the household setting. Copyright © 2010 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine pericardium followed by glutamic acid treatment

Major problems with valve bioprostheses are associated with progressive structural deterioration and calcification, directly associated with the use of glutaraldehyde (GA). This work describes the effects of GA processing and borate/glutamic acid buffer treatment on the mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of 0.5% GA crosslinked bovine pericardium (BP). The results showed that while the treatment of 0.5% GA crosslinked BP with borate/glutamic acid significantly improves the mechanical properties, it had no visible effect on surface morphology. Better surface preservation was only achieved for BP pre-treated with a lower GA concentration followed by the conventional treatment (0.5% GA). Improvements in mechanical properties probably arises from structural changes probably involving the depolymerization of polymeric GA crosslinks and an increase electrostatic interaction due to covalent binding of glutamic acid to free carbonyl groups (Schiff base).The results indicate that the treatment GA crosslinked BP with borate/glutamic acid buffer may be an attractive procedure for the manufacture of heart valve bioprostheses

Household transmission of respiratory viruses - assessment of viral, individual and household characteristics in a population study of healthy Australian adults

Background: Household transmission of influenza-like illness (ILI) may vary with viral and demographic characteristics. We examined the effect of these factors in a population-based sample of adults with ILI