The Healing Potential of Online, Art-DBT: Developing a Program for Rumination and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Reduction

I developed and tested effectiveness of an online, 6-week art-DBT (combination of Art Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) program aimed at reducing rumination and, if present, non-suicidal self-injury

The Healing Potential of Online, Art-DBT: Developing a Program for Rumination and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Reduction

I developed and tested the effectiveness of an online, 6-week art-DBT (combination of Art Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) program aimed at reducing rumination and, if present, non-suicidal self-injury

Production Equations for Tower Yarding in Coastal British Columbia

Cable yarding is an important means for primary extraction of timber on steep slopes and/or sensitive soils throughout the world. Comprehensive planning for cable yarding requires detailed production and cost estimates which can be made using production equations. Such equations can come from the literature or independent time studies. Both options depend on previously published studies either for direct use or to improve study design. An elemental time study was designed and used in an investigation of tower yarding in coastal British Columbia. A comprehensive statistical analysis was applied to the data including stratification, fitting regression equations, and hypothesis testing. The findings include a library of production equations applicable over a wide range of operating conditions

Complexities of gender assignment in 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 deficiency: is there a role for early orchiectomy?

BACKGROUND: 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type-3 (17βHSD-3) deficiency is a rare cause of 46,XY disorders of sex development. The enzyme converts androstenedione to testosterone, necessary for masculinization of male genitalia in utero. 17βHSD-3 deficiency is frequently diagnosed late, at puberty, following virilization, with consequent female-to-male gender reassignment in 39-64%. The decision for sex of rearing is difficult, especially if diagnosed in early childhood. Consensus guidelines are equivocal or support male gender assignment. Long-term outcomes data to guide decisions are also lacking; however, in the few cases of early diagnosis and orchiectomy, female gender retention appears more likely. We report two patients with 17βHSD-3 deficiency, who presented at unusual ages, in whom female gender was chosen. We performed a focused literature review and summary of gender outcomes in 17βHSD-3 deficiency following early orchiectomy. CASES: Patient A was a phenotypic female who presented at one year of age with bilateral inguinal hernias and external female genitalia. Testes were identified at surgery. The karyotype was 46,XY. She was initially diagnosed with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome; however, androgen receptor mutation analysis was negative. Human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation yielded a low testosterone: androstenedione ratio (0.6, normal >0.8). Genetic testing demonstrated compound heterozygosity for two known mutations of the HSD17B3 gene. She underwent bilateral orchiectomy at two years of age. Patient B was born with female genitalia and virilized at 13 years of age. She did not seek evaluation until 22 years of age. Her karyotype was 46,XY. She had bilateral inguinal testes and low testosterone: androstenedione ratio (0.3). HSD17B3 gene sequencing showed her to be a compound heterozygote for two known mutations. She identified herself as female and underwent bilateral orchiectomy and estrogen replacement therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These two patients highlight the complexities of diagnosis and management in 17βHSD-3 deficiency. Although existing data are limited, early orchiectomy is likely to result in retention of female gender identity, avoiding the complications related to virilization in adolescence. As such, it is important to pursue a definitive diagnosis to guide clinical decisions, and to have the support and long term follow up with an inter-disciplinary disorders of sex development team

Road Mortality Threatens Endemic Species in a National Park in Sulawesi, Indonesia

The emerging economy of Indonesia has triggered rapid infrastructure development that threatens ecological communities, including within protected areas. The national parks of Indonesia are renowned for their high levels of biodiversity and endemism, yet the impacts of road development within these parks remains understudied. We conducted road mortality surveys along a 21.8-km section of paved highway that bisects Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park in Sulawesi, Indonesia from January to April 2018. We documented wildlife carcasses during morning and afternoon surveys and identified hotspots of road mortality for amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. A total of 790 carcasses were observed during 16 surveys, amounting to 2.3 carcasses km−1, one of the highest levels reported for Asia. Wildlife recorded during our surveys represented 40 taxa, of which 15% are endemic to the Wallacea region. We documented two hotspots of road mortality for each major taxonomic group. We propose that mitigation measures be implemented at the largest hotspot for amphibians, one overlapping hotspot for amphibians and reptiles, and one overlapping hotspot for birds and mammals, for a total of three areas targeted for mitigation along this 21.8-km section of highway. We recommend the implementation of mitigation measures including highway undercrossings with fencing, reduced speeds with associated signage, and highway lighting at these three hotspot locations to protect the diverse and unique fauna in this national park

VO: Vaccine Ontology

Vaccine research, as well as the development, testing, clinical trials, and commercial uses of vaccines involve complex processes with various biological data that include gene and protein expression, analysis of molecular and cellular interactions, study of tissue and whole body responses, and extensive epidemiological modeling. Although many data resources are available to meet different aspects of vaccine needs, it remains a challenge how we are to standardize vaccine annotation, integrate data about varied vaccine types and resources, and support advanced vaccine data analysis and inference. To address these problems, the community-based Vaccine Ontology (VO, "http://www.violinet.org/vaccineontology":http://www.violinet.org/vaccineontology) has been developed through collaboration with vaccine researchers and many national and international centers and programs, including the National Center for Biomedical Ontology (NCBO), the Infectious Disease Ontology (IDO) Initiative, and the Ontology for Biomedical Investigations (OBI). VO utilizes the Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) as the top ontology and the Relation Ontology (RO) for definition of term relationships. VO is represented in the Web Ontology Language (OWL) and edited using the Protégé-OWL. Currently VO contains more than 2000 terms and relationships. VO emphasizes on classification of vaccines and vaccine components, vaccine quality and phenotypes, and host immune response to vaccines. These reflect different aspects of vaccine composition and biology and can thus be used to model individual vaccines. More than 200 licensed vaccines and many vaccine candidates in research or clinical trials have been modeled in VO. VO is being used for vaccine literature mining through collaboration with the National Center for Integrative Biomedical Informatics (NCIBI). Multiple VO applications will be presented.
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Participation and co-production for learning and development of identities: wherever I go, I meet myself

Background Contemporary society is characterised by constant change with an ever-increasing feature of interconnection, having clear implications for healthcare professional learning and role identity. It is proposed that active participation and coproduction for learning can provide options to understand contemporary challenges and opportunities in the development of personal and professional identity. Aims This research aimed to explore the value of learning and development of identity through participation in co-produced practical workshop activity involving service users and students across a Year 1 (level 4) undergraduate BSc(Hons) Physiotherapy module. Co-production was also reflected within the research project design and operationalisation. Materials & Methods Following delivery of the workshops, data were collected and analysed from a series of individual semi-structured interviews (n = 11) and a focus group. Results Six emergent themes were identified. A central theme of identity and self-worth was deconstructed within five interdependent sub-themes; real and safe, person-centred, backstage learning, good to talk and staging of curriculum. Conclusion A process of open dialogue within co-produced workshop design and delivery would appear to enhance learning and a contextual appreciation of a broader ‘whole’ for all participants. Future research is aimed at building on this project, to explore co-produced learning opportunities across levels and settings that provide further insight into personal and professional identity development