3,506 research outputs found
Growing spaces : an evaluation of the mental health recovery programme using mixed methods
Background: Therapeutic horticulture is a nature-based method which includes a range of green activities such as gardening to promote wellbeing. It is believed that therapeutic horticulture provides a person-centred approach that can reduce social isolation for people with mental health problems.
Aims: The aim of the project was to evaluate the impact of a mental health recovery programme that used therapeutic horticulture as an intervention to reduce social inclusion and improve engagement for people with mental health problems.
Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used and data from four semi-structured focus group interviews, 11 exit interviews and 20 recovery star datasets were collected from September 2015 to October 2017. Qualitative data from the interviews were thematically analysed and quantitative data based on a recovery star outcomes tool were analysed using descriptive statistics to demonstrate trends and progression. The findings were then triangulated to provide a rich picture of the impact of the mental health recovery programme.
Results: The recovery star data indicated that participants were working towards self-reliance. Qualitative data from the exit interview and semi-structured focus groups found similar results. The triangulated findings highlight that the mental health recovery programme enabled participant
integration into the community through providing a space to grow and build self-confidence while re-engaging with society. The results suggest that using therapeutic horticulture as an intervention within the mental health recovery programme can support people with mental health problems to re-engage socially. Nature-based activities could be used within the ‘social prescribing’ movement to encourage partnership working between the NHS and voluntary sector organisations which
can complement existing mental health services
Bio-molecular architects: a scaffold provided by the C-terminal domain of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II
In eukaryotic cells, the transcription of genes is accurately orchestrated both spatially and temporally by the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (CTD). The CTD provides a dynamic platform to recruit different regulators of the transcription apparatus. Different posttranslational modifications are precisely applied to specific sites of the CTD to coordinate transcription process. Regulators of the RNA polymerase II must identify specific sites in the CTD for cellular survival, metabolism, and development. Even though the CTD is disordered in the eukaryotic RNA polymerase II crystal structures due to its intrinsic flexibility, recent advances in the complex structural analysis of the CTD with its binding partners provide essential clues for understanding how selectivity is achieved for individual site recognition. The recent discoveries of the interactions between the CTD and histone modification enzymes disclose an important role of the CTD in epigenetic control of the eukaryotic gene expression. The intersection of the CTD code with the histone code discloses an intriguing yet complicated network for eukaryotic transcriptional regulation
Building an Argument for the Use of Science Fiction in HCI Education
Science fiction literature, comics, cartoons and, in particular, audio-visual
materials, such as science fiction movies and shows, can be a valuable addition
in Human-computer interaction (HCI) Education. In this paper, we present an
overview of research relative to future directions in HCI Education, distinct
crossings of science fiction in HCI and Computer Science teaching and the
Framework for 21st Century Learning. Next, we provide examples where science
fiction can add to the future of HCI Education. In particular, we argue herein
first that science fiction, as tangible and intangible cultural artifact, can
serve as a trigger for creativity and innovation and thus, support us in
exploring the design space. Second, science fiction, as a means to analyze
yet-to-come HCI technologies, can assist us in developing an open-minded and
reflective dialogue about technological futures, thus creating a singular base
for critical thinking and problem solving. Provided that one is cognizant of
its potential and limitations, we reason that science fiction can be a
meaningful extension of selected aspects of HCI curricula and research.Comment: 6 pages, 1 table, IHSI 2019 accepted submissio
Floating-Point Calculations on a Quantum Annealer: Division and Matrix Inversion
Systems of linear equations are employed almost universally across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and engineering to biology, chemistry, and statistics. Traditional solution methods such as Gaussian elimination are very time consuming for large matrices, and more efficient computational methods are desired. In the twilight of Moore's Law, quantum computing is perhaps the most direct path out of the darkness. There are two complementary paradigms for quantum computing, namely, circuit-based systems and quantum annealers. In this paper, we express floating point operations, such as division and matrix inversion, in terms of a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problem, a formulation that is ideal for a quantum annealer. We first address floating point division, and then move on to matrix inversion. We provide a general algorithm for any number of dimensions, and, as a proof-of-principle, we demonstrates results from the D-Wave quantum annealer for 2 × 2 and 3 × 3 general matrices. In principle, our algorithm scales to very large numbers of linear equations; however, in practice the number is limited by the connectivity and dynamic range of the machine
Exceptional biodiversity of the cryptofaunal decapods in the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean
The Chagos Archipelago is geographically remote and isolated from most direct anthropogenic pressures. Here, we quantify the abundance and diversity of decapod crustaceans inhabiting dead coral colonies, representing a standardised microhabitat, across the Archipelago. Using morphological and molecular techniques we recorded 1868 decapods from 164 nominal species within 54 dead coral colonies, but total species estimates (Chao1 estimator) calculate at least 217 species. Galatheids were the most dominant taxa, though alpheids and hippolytids were also very abundant. 32% of species were rare, and 46% of species were found at only one atoll. This prevalence of rarer species has been reported in other cryptofauna studies, suggesting these assemblages maybe comprised of low-abundance species. This study provides the first estimate of diversity for reef cryptofauna in Chagos, which will serve as a useful baseline for global comparisons of coral reef biodiversity
A Self-Reference False Memory Effect in the DRM Paradigm: Evidence from Eastern and Western Samples
It is well established that processing information in relation to oneself (i.e., selfreferencing) leads to better memory for that information than processing that same information in relation to others (i.e., other-referencing). However, it is unknown whether self-referencing also leads to more false memories than other-referencing. In the current two experiments with European and East Asian samples, we presented participants the Deese-Roediger/McDermott (DRM) lists together with their own name or other people’s name (i.e., “Trump” in Experiment 1 and “Li Ming” in Experiment 2). We found consistent results across the two experiments; that is, in the self-reference condition, participants had higher true and false memory rates compared to those in the other-reference condition. Moreover, we found that selfreferencing did not exhibit superior mnemonic advantage in terms of net accuracy compared to other-referencing and neutral conditions. These findings are discussed in terms of theoretical frameworks such as spreading activation theories and the fuzzytrace theory. We propose that our results reflect the adaptive nature of memory in the sense that cognitive processes that increase mnemonic efficiency may also increase susceptibility to associative false memories
Post-mortem culture of Balamuthia mandrillaris from the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of a case of granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis, using human brain microvascular endothelial cells.
The first isolation in the UK of Balamuthia mandrillaris amoebae from a fatal case of granulomatous amoebic meningoencephalitis is reported. Using primary cultures of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs), amoebae were isolated from the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The cultures showed a cytopathic effect at 20-28 days, but morphologically identifiable B. mandrillaris amoebae were seen in cleared plaques in subcultures at 45 days. The identification of the organism was later confirmed using PCR on Chelex-treated extracts. Serum taken while the patient was still alive reacted strongly with slide antigen prepared from cultures of the post-mortem isolate, and also with those from a baboon B. mandrillaris strain at 1:10,000 in indirect immunofluorescence, but with Acanthamoeba castellanii (Neff) at 1:160, supporting B. mandrillaris to be the causative agent. If the presence of amoebae in the post-mortem CSF reflects the condition in life, PCR studies on CSF and on biopsies of cutaneous lesions may also be a valuable tool. The role of HBMECs in understanding the interactions of B. mandrillaris with the blood-brain barrier is discussed
A re-appraisal of the reliability of the 20 m multi-stage shuttle run test
This is the author's PDF version of an article published in European journal of applied physiology in 2007. The original publication is available at www.springerlink.co
The Habitats and Biodiversity of Watamu Marine National Park: Evaluating Our Knowledge of One of East Africa's Oldest Marine Protected Areas
Watamu Marine National Park (WMNP) is one of the oldest no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the world. Since its establishment in 1968, it has been the subject of a number of scientific studies as well as suffering from a range of modern threats to coastal marine habitats. The current state and conservation value of WMNP is documented in terms of habitat, biodiversity, and available scientific literature. There were 101 published references relating to WMNP found, which mostly focus on coral reef ecology, with less attention to other topics, such as biodiversity, socio-economics, or the ecology of non-coral reef habitats. The habitat map produced of WMNP is the first to show this level of detail and the only habitat map of a Kenyan MPA. Nine habitat categories were mapped; revealing that the most dominant habitat type is seagrass and the least is coral reef. Species lists were collected for fish, echinoderms, molluscs, crustaceans, corals, and seagrass, and species abundances were used to estimate total species richness, species diversity and sampling completeness. There were 18 species across all groups that fall into a category of conservation concern (other than Least Concern or Not Evaluated) on the IUCN Red List and 8 species found which are currently undescribed. The findings of this paper emphasise the importance of non-coral habitats in the WMNP, such as seagrass beds, and the need for more research into the ecology and conservation importance of these habitats. The information provided in this paper provides a comprehensive overview to any scientist or conservationist wanting to carry out further work in WMNP
Evolution of small putative group I introns in the SSU rRNA gene locus of Phialophora species
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Group I introns (specifically subgroup IC1) are common in the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes of fungi. While most range in length from more than 200 to nearly 1800 nucleotides (nt) in length, several small putative (or degenerate) group I introns have been described that are between 56 and 81 nt. Although small, previously we demonstrated that the <it>Pa</it>SSU intron in the rRNA small subunit gene of <it>Phialophora americana </it>isolate Wang 1046 is capable of <it>in vitro </it>splicing using a standard group I intron pathway, thus qualifying it as a functional ribozyme.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Here, we describe eight short putative group I introns, ranging in length from 63 to 75 nt, in the rRNA small subunit genes of <it>Phialophora </it>isolates, a fungal genus that ranges from saprobic to pathogenic on plants and animals. All contain putative pairing regions P1, P7, and P10, as well as a pairing region formed between the middle of the intron and part of the 3' exon. The other pairing regions common in the core of standard group I introns are absent. However, parts of the 3' exon may aid in the stabilization of these small introns. Although the eight putative group I introns were from at least three species of <it>Phialophora</it>, phylogenetic analysis indicated that the eight are monophyletic. They are also monophyletic with the small introns of two lichen-forming fungi, <it>Porpidia crustulata </it>and <it>Arthonia lapidicola</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The small putative group I introns in <it>Phialophora </it>have common features that may represent group I introns at their minima. They appear to have a single origin as indicated by their monophyly in phylogenetic analyses.</p
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