Parental bonding and personality characteristics of first episode intention to suicide or deliberate self-harm without a history of mental disorders

BACKGROUND: There is substantial overlap between deliberate self-harm (DSH) and intention to suicide (ITS), although the psychopathologies and motivations behind these behaviors are distinctly different. The purpose of this study was to investigate (i) the pathway relationship among parental bonding, personality characteristics, and alexithymic traits, and (ii) the association of these features with ITS and DSH using structural equation modeling to determine the risks and protective factors for these behaviors. METHODS: Sixty-nine first-time DSH and 36 first-time ITS patients without medical or psychiatric illnesses, and 66 controls were recruited. The Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ) were filled out by the participants. RESULTS: Our structural equation models showed that parental bonding had the greatest influence on the development of DSH behavior in patients. On the other hand, participants who were younger, less extraverted, with a greater extent of the alexithymic trait of difficulty identifying feeling (DIF), and a worse mental health condition, were more likely to develop ITS behavior. Males were more likely than females to develop the alexithymic trait of DIF. CONCLUSIONS: Although there are many covariates that affect both ITS and DSH behaviors, these covariates may have different functions in the development of these behaviors, thus revealing the psychopathological difference between DSH and ITS. Policymakers should consider these differences and build intervention and prevention programs for gender- and age-specific high-risk groups to target the differences, with a focus on family counseling to treat DSH and a focus on attempting to increase emotional awareness to treat ITS

Machine learning ensures rapid and precise selection of gold sea-urchin-like nanoparticles for desired light-to-plasmon resonance

Sustainable energy strategies, particularly solar-to-hydrogen production, are anticipated to overcome the global reliance on fossil fuels. Thereby, materials enabling the production of green hydrogen from water and sunlight are continuously designed,; e.g.; , ZnO nanostructures coated by gold sea-urchin-like nanoparticles, which employ the light-to-plasmon resonance to realize photoelectrochemical water splitting. But such light-to-plasmon resonance is strongly impacted by the size, the species, and the concentration of the metal nanoparticles coating on the ZnO nanoflower surfaces. Therefore, a precise prediction of the surface plasmon resonance is crucial to achieving an optimized nanoparticle fabrication of the desired light-to-plasmon resonance. To this end, we synthesized a substantial amount of metal (gold) nanoparticles of different sizes and species, which are further coated on ZnO nanoflowers. Subsequently, we utilized a genetic algorithm neural network (GANN) to obtain the synergistically trained model by considering the light-to-plasmon conversion efficiencies and fabrication parameters, such as multiple metal species, precursor concentrations, surfactant concentrations, linker concentrations, and coating times. In addition, we integrated into the model's training the data of nanoparticles due to their inherent complexity, which manifests the light-to-plasmon conversion efficiency far from the coupling state. Therefore, the trained model can guide us to obtain a rapid and automatic selection of fabrication parameters of the nanoparticles with the anticipated light-to-plasmon resonance, which is more efficient than an empirical selection. The capability of the method achieved in this work furthermore demonstrates a successful projection of the light-to-plasmon conversion efficiency and contributes to an efficient selection of the fabrication parameters leading to the anticipated properties

LED heat sink and graphite heat sink process technology development with vibration cooling fluid characteristics

This study investigated the heat transfer characteristics of LED heat sink and the development process technology of graphite heat sink with micro-sized metal powders. Employing the reverse engineering technology, the three-dimension LED heat sink entity was rebuilt and the heat transfer characteristics of LED heat sink were analyzed by CFD numerical simulation and experimental measurement. The numerical results were validated with experimental results and it showed a good agreement. The experimental and simulation results showed that the heat dissipation of LED device could be removed by natural convection effectively. The difference between the maximum temperature and minimum temperature of cooling efficiency was 10 oC. For the process technology development of LED graphite heat sink, the graphite powder, metal powder and resin were mixed in specific ratios. The vacuum casting, vacuum pressure casting and rapid die technology were used to manufacture LED graphite heat sink. The experimental results showed that the LED graphite heat sinks developed in this study have advantages of low cost, light weight and attractive appearance as compared with the heat sink of aluminum alloy, and the overall heat transfer capacity is still within acceptable range

Gut immune system and the implications of oral-administered immunoprophylaxis in finfish aquaculture

The gastrointestinal immune system plays an important role in immune homeostasis regulation. It regulates the symbiotic host-microbiome interactions by training and developing the host’s innate and adaptive immunity. This interaction plays a vital role in host defence mechanisms and at the same time, balancing the endogenous perturbations of the host immune homeostasis. The fish gastrointestinal immune system is armed with intricate diffused gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALTs) that establish tolerance toward the enormous commensal gut microbiome while preserving immune responses against the intrusion of enteric pathogens. A comprehensive understanding of the intestinal immune system is a prerequisite for developing an oral vaccine and immunostimulants in aquaculture, particularly in cultured fish species. In this review, we outline the remarkable features of gut immunity and the essential components of gut-associated lymphoid tissue. The mechanistic principles underlying the antigen absorption and uptake through the intestinal epithelial, and the subsequent immune activation through a series of molecular events are reviewed. The emphasis is on the significance of gut immunity in oral administration of immunoprophylactics, and the different potential adjuvants that circumvent intestinal immune tolerance. Comprehension of the intestinal immune system is pivotal for developing effective fish vaccines that can be delivered orally, which is less labour-intensive and could improve fish health and facilitate disease management in the aquaculture industry

Investigation of T-Wave Propagation in the Offshore Area East of Taiwan from Early Analog Seismic Network Observations

Extant paper records of the early analog seismic network of Taiwan represent a large resource for earthquake studies in several disciplines. In this study, we report on T waves generated from offshore earthquakes, based on analog observations. The T phases were identified from their stable apparent velocity of about 1.5 km s-1 and other observations using data recorded by stations in eastern Taiwan and on two nearby islands. The observed T phases are recorded for the first time from Taiwan, and in particular are observed by the network in the distal range of local earthquakes. Most of the T waves are observed at island stations at epicentral distances greater than 100 km. For earthquakes that occurred a great distance east of Taiwan, the T phases are always the most dominant phases observed at island stations east of Taiwan, and are also seen at some inland stations with smaller amplitudes. No T phases from inland events were observed by stations on Taiwan or on nearby islands. The observations indicate that the amplitude of the T phase is highly attenuated on its land path and that the propagation direction of the T phase is affected by water depth

LED heat sink and graphite heat sink process technology development with vibration cooling fluid characteristics

This study investigated the heat transfer characteristics of LED heat sink and the development process technology of graphite heat sink with micro-sized metal powders. Employing the reverse engineering technology, the three-dimension LED heat sink entity was rebuilt and the heat transfer characteristics of LED heat sink were analyzed by CFD numerical simulation and experimental measurement. The numerical results were validated with experimental results and it showed a good agreement. The experimental and simulation results showed that the heat dissipation of LED device could be removed by natural convection effectively. The difference between the maximum temperature and minimum temperature of cooling efficiency was 10 oC. For the process technology development of LED graphite heat sink, the graphite powder, metal powder and resin were mixed in specific ratios. The vacuum casting, vacuum pressure casting and rapid die technology were used to manufacture LED graphite heat sink. The experimental results showed that the LED graphite heat sinks developed in this study have advantages of low cost, light weight and attractive appearance as compared with the heat sink of aluminum alloy, and the overall heat transfer capacity is still within acceptable range

Ganoderma Lucidum Stimulates Autophagy-Dependent Longevity Pathways in Caenorhabditis Elegans and Human Cells

The medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum is used as a dietary supplement and health tonic, but whether it affects longevity remains unclear. We show here that a water extract of G. lucidum mycelium extends lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The G. lucidum extract reduces the level of fibrillarin (FIB-1), a nucleolar protein that correlates inversely with longevity in various organisms. Furthermore, G. lucidum treatment increases expression of the autophagosomal protein marker LGG-1, and lifespan extension is abrogated in mutant C. elegans strains that lack atg-18, daf-16, or sir-2.1, indicating that autophagy and stress resistance pathways are required to extend lifespan. In cultured human cells, G. lucidum increases concentrations of the LGG-1 ortholog LC3 and reduces levels of phosphorylated mTOR, a known inhibitor of autophagy. Notably, low molecular weight compounds (\u3c10 kDa) isolated from the G. lucidum water extract prolong lifespan of C. elegans and the same compounds induce autophagy in human cells. These results suggest that G. lucidum can increase longevity by inducing autophagy and stress resistance