The impact of a self-development coaching programme on medical and dental students’ psychological health and academic performance: A randomised controlled trial

Background Psychological distress is well-documented worldwide among medical and dental students. Few studies have assessed the impact of self-development coaching programs on the students’ psychological health. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a self-development coaching programme on the psychological health and academic performance of preclinical medical and dental students at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. Methods Four-hundred and twenty-two participants (n = 422, 20–22 years) fulfilled the study requirements and were invited into a parallel-randomised controlled trial that was partially blinded. Participants were stratified by faculty, gender, and academic year, and then randomised. A total of 156 students participated in the intervention group (IG) and 163 students participated in the control group (CG). The IG received the selfdevelopment programme, involving skills and strategies aimed to improve students’ psychological health and academic performance, through a two-day workshop. Meanwhile, the CG attended an active placebo programme focussing on theoretical information that was delivered through a five-hour workshop. Both programmes were conducted by the same presenter during Week 1 of the second semester of the 2012–2013 academic year. Data were gathered immediately before (T1), one week after (T2) and five weeks (T3) after the intervention. Psychological health was measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the General Self-Efficacy (GSE), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Academic performance was measured using students’ academic weighted grades (WG). Student cognitive and emotional perceptions of the intervention were measured using the Credibility/Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ). Results Data from 317 students, who completed the follow ups, were analysed across the three time periods (IG, n = 155; CG, n = 162). The baseline variables and demographic data of the IG and CG were not significantly different. The IG showed short-term significant reductions in depression and anxiety in compared to CG from T1 to T2. The short-term changes in stress, GSE and SWLS of the IG were not significantly different from those of the CG. While both groups showed a significant change on most of the psychological variables from T1 to T3, no significant differences were found between the groups in this period. In addition, no significant difference was found in WG between the IG and CG after the intervention. No harms relevant to the intervention were reported. Conclusion The investigated self-development coaching programme showed only a short-term improvement on depression and anxiety compared with an active control. There was no effect of the intervention on academic performance.

Enhanced electron lifetime of CdSe/CdS quantum dot (QD) sensitized solar cells using ZnSe core–shell structure with efficient regeneration of quantum Ddots

Research on development of efficient passivation materials for high performance and stable quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) is highly important. While ZnS is one of the most widely used passivation material in QDSCs, an alternative material based on ZnSe which was deposited on CdS/CdSe/TiO2 photoanode to form a semi-core/shell structure has been found to be more efficient in terms of reducing electron recombination in QDSCs in this work. It has been found that the solar cell efficiency was improved from 1.86% for ZnSe0 (without coating) to 3.99% using 2 layers of ZnSe coating (ZnSe2) deposited by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The short circuit current density (Jsc) increased nearly 1-fold (from 7.25 mA/cm2 to13.4 mA/cm2), and the open circuit voltage (Voc) was enhanced by 100 mV using ZnSe2 passivation layer compared to ZnSe0. Studies on the light harvesting efficiency (ηLHE) and the absorbed photon-to-current conversion efficiency (APCE) have revealed that the ZnSe coating layer caused the enhanced ηLHE at wavelength beyond 500 nm and a significant increase of the APCE over the spectrum 400−550 nm. A nearly 100% APCE was obtained with ZnSe2, indicating the excellent charge injection and collection process in the device. The investigation on charge transport and recombination of the device has indicated that the enhanced electron collection efficiency and reduced electron recombination should be responsible for the improved Jsc and Voc of the QDSCs. The effective electron lifetime of the device with ZnSe2 was nearly 6 times higher than ZnSe0 while the electron diffusion coefficient was largely unaffected by the coating. Study on the regeneration of QDs after photoinduced excitation has indicated that the hole transport from QDs to the reduced species (S2−) in electrolyte was very efficient even when the QDs were coated with a thick ZnSe shell (three layers). For comparison, ZnS coated CdS/CdSe sensitized solar cell with optimum shell thickness was also fabricated, which generated a lower energy conversion efficiency (η = 3.43%) than the ZnSe based QDSC counterpart due to a lower Voc and FF. This study suggests that ZnSe may be a more efficient passivation layer than ZnS, which is attributed to the type II energy band alignment of the core (CdS/CdSe quantum dots) and passivation shell (ZnSe) structure, leading to more efficient electron−hole separation and slower electron recombination.

Crystal structure of poly[[di-mu2-aqua-aquasodium] 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropyridine-2-carboxylate trihydrate], the sodium salt of the herbicide picloram

In the structure of the title complex [[Na(H2O)3]+ (C6H2Cl3N2O2)-^ . 3(H2O)]n, the Na salt of the herbicide picloram, the cation is a polymeric chain structure, based on doubly water-bridged NaO5 trigonal bipyramidal complex units which have in addition, a singly-bonded monodentate water molecule. Each of the bridges within the chain which lies along the a cell direction is centrosymmetric with Na...Na separations of 3.4807(16) and 3.5109(16)Ang. In the crystal, there are three water molecules of solvation and these, as well as the coordinated water molecules and the amino group of the 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinate anion are involved in extensive inter-species hydrogen-bonding interactions with carboxyl and water O-atoms as well as the pyridine N-atom. Among these association is a centrosymmetric cyclic tetra-water R4/4(8) ring , resulting in an overall three-dimensional structure.

Investigating the population structure of Queensland invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in children: Using a modified multi-locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis and a novel minimum SNPs capsular typing method

This research investigated the use of DNA fingerprinting to characterise the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus, and hence gain insight into the development of new vaccines or antibiotics. Different bacterial DNA fingerprinting methods were studied, and a novel method was developed and validated, which characterises different cell coatings that pneumococci produce. This method was used to study the epidemiology of pneumococci in Queensland before and after the introduction of the current pneumococcal vaccine. This study demonstrated that pneumococcal disease is highly prevalent in children under four years, that the bacteria can `switch' its cell coating to evade the vaccine, and that some DNA fingerprinting methods are more discriminatory than others. This has an impact on understanding which strains are more prone to cause invasive disease. Evidence of the excellent research findings have been published in high impact internationally refereed journals.

Genetic structure of the Korean black scraper Thamnaconus modestus inferred from microsatellite marker analysis

The Korean black scraper, Thamnaconus modestus, is one of the most economically important maricultural fish species in Korea. However, the annual catch of this fish has been continuously declining over the past several decades. In this study, the genetic diversity and relationships among four wild populations and two hatchery stocks of Korean black scraper were assessed based on 16 microsatellite (MS) markers. A total of 319 different alleles were detected over all loci with an average of 19.94 alleles per locus. The hatchery stocks [mean number of alleles (N A) = 12, allelic richness (A R) = 12, expected heterozygosity (He) = 0.834] showed a slight reduction (P > 0.05) in genetic variability in comparison with wild populations (mean N A = 13.86, A R = 12.35, He = 0.844), suggesting a sufficient level of genetic variation in the hatchery populations. Similarly low levels of inbreeding and significant Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium deviations were detected in both wild and hatchery populations. The genetic subdivision among all six populations was low but significant (overall F ST = 0.008, P < 0.01). Pairwise F ST, a phylogenetic tree, and multidimensional scaling analysis suggested the existence of three geographically structured populations based on different sea basin origins, although the isolation-by-distance model was rejected. This result was corroborated by an analysis of molecular variance. This genetic differentiation may result from the co-effects of various factors, such as historical dispersal, local environment and ocean currents. These three geographical groups can be considered as independent management units. Our results show that MS markers may be suitable not only for the genetic monitoring of hatchery stocks but also for revealing the population structure of Korean black scraper populations. These results will provide critical information for breeding programs, the management of cultured stocks and the conservation of this species.

Conserved gene structure and function of interleukin-10 in teleost fish

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important immunoregulatory cytokine produced by various types of cells. Researchers describe here the isolation and characterization of olive flounder IL-10 (ofIL-10) cDNA and genomic organization. The ofIL-10 gene encodes a 187 amino acid protein and is composed of a five exon/four intron structure, similar to other known IL-10 genes. The ofIL-10 promoter sequence analysis shows a high level of homology in putative binding sites for transcription factors which are sufficient for transcriptional regulation ofIL-10. Important structural residues are maintained in the ofIL-10 protein including the four cysteines responsible for the two intra-chain disulfide bridges reported for human IL-10 and two extra cysteine residues that exist only in fish species. The phylogenetic analysis clustered ofIL-10 with other fish IL-10s and apart from mammalian IL-10 molecules. Quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis demonstrated ubiquitous ofIL-10 gene expression in the 13 tissues examined. Additionally, the induction of ofIL-10 gene expression was observed in the kidney tissue from olive flounder infected with bacteria (Edawardsiella tarda) or virus (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus; VHSV). These data indicate that IL-10 is an important immune regulator that is conserved strictly genomic organization and function during the evolution of vertebrate immunity.

Adding paths to resilience and daily accounts to an already rich field of inquiry: A brief commentary on James Jackson's "Social structure and health disparities"

In absolute terms, there have been improvements in social resources for all racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The rise in education levels among blacks and Hispanics, for instance, suggests a lessening of the gap between classes, beginning in the later part of the 1960’s (Kao & Thompson, 2003). Yet the divide in income and to a lesser extent education between peoples who differ in gender, skin color and ethnic origin continues and in many ways is greater now than ever (Danziger & Gottschalk, 1997); (Gottschalk, 1997). The psychological distance between those high and those low in social-economic status continues unabated and threatens to undermine the capacity of communities to foster the positive architecture of hope, optimism and equal opportunity that holds us together as a nation...

Crystal structure of ammonium (3,5-dichlorophenoxy)acetate hemihydrate

In the structure of the title hydrated salt, NH4+·C8H5Cl2O3-·0.5H2O, where the anion derives from (3,5-di­chloro­phen­oxy)acetic acid, the ammonium cation is involved in extensive N-H...O hydrogen bonding with both carboxyl­ate and ether O-atom acceptors giving sheet structures lying parallel to (100). The water mol­ecule of solvation lies on a crystallographic twofold rotation axis and is involved in intra-sheet O-H...Ocarboxyl­ate hydrogen-bonding inter­actions. In the anion, the oxoacetate side chain assumes an antiperiplanar conformation with the defining C-O-C-C torsion angle = -171.33 (15)°.

Monoclonal antibody screening of a phage-displayed random peptide library reveals mimotopes of chemokine receptor CCR5: Implications for the tertiary structure of the receptor and for an n-terminal binding site for HIV-1 gp120

The chemokine receptor CCR5 contains seven transmembrane-spanning domains. It binds chemokines and acts as co-receptor for macrophage (m)-tropic (or R5) strains of HIV-1. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to CCR5, 3A9 and 5C7, were used for biopanning a nonapeptide cysteine (C)-constrained phage-displayed random peptide library to ascertain contact residues and define tertiary structures of possible epitopes on CCR5. Reactivity of antibodies with phagotopes was established by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). mAb 3A9 identified a phagotope C-HASIYDFGS-C (3A9/1), and 5C7 most frequently identified C-PHWLRDLRV-C (5C7/1). Corresponding peptides were synthesized. Phagotopes and synthetic peptides reacted in ELISA with corresponding antibodies and synthetic peptides inhibited antibody binding to the phagotopes. Reactivity by immunofluorescence of 3A9 with CCR5 was strongly inhibited by the corresponding peptide. Both mAb 3A9 and 5C7 reacted similarly with phagotopes and the corresponding peptide selected by the alternative mAb. The sequences of peptide inserts of phagotopes could be aligned as mimotopes of the sequence of CCR5. For phage 3A9/1, the motif SIYD aligned to residues at the N terminus and FG to residues on the first extracellular loop; for 5C7/1, residues at the N terminus, first extracellular loop, and possibly the third extracellular loop could be aligned and so would contribute to the mimotope. The synthetic peptides corresponding to the isolated phagotopes showed a CD4-dependent reactivity with gp120 of a primary, m-tropic HIV-1 isolate. Thus reactivity of antibodies raised to CCR5 against phage-displayed peptides defined mimotopes that reflect binding sites for these antibodies and reveal a part of the gp120 binding sites on CCR5.

Analysis of effects of axial shortening of steel columns in frame structure

Steel columns in frame structure always carry heavy upcoming compressive forces. As a consequence, axial shortening becomes a common phenomenon in a multistoried steel structure. A 100 storied steel structure is analyzed in SAP2000 to study the magnitude overall effects of column shortening. It was found from the study that the maximum axial shortening occurs at the columns of top storey of the steel structure and at the columns of bottom storey, the axial deformation is negligible. The increasing rate of axial shortening is significant at the initial levels. However, at the upper levels, the amount of axial shortening in steel columns differs insignificantly. In the selected rigid frame structure, the axial shortening of adjacent steel columns is found to influence significantly the differential shortening of the structure. The consequent effect of differential shortening leads to develop excessive stress in the corner joints which ultimately hamper the normal behavior of the structural systems. The results are discussed elaborately in the paper.

Advanced tissue engineering scaffold design for regeneration of the complex hierarchical periodontal structure

AIM: This study investigated the ability of an osteoconductive biphasic scaffold to simultaneously regenerate alveolar bone, periodontal ligament and cementum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A biphasic scaffold was built by attaching a fused deposition modelled bone compartment to a melt electrospun periodontal compartment. The bone compartment was coated with a calcium phosphate (CaP) layer for increasing osteoconductivity, seeded with osteoblasts and cultured in vitro for 6 weeks. The resulting constructs were then complemented with the placement of PDL cell sheets on the periodontal compartment, attached to a dentin block and subcutaneously implanted into athymic rats for 8 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, alkaline phosphatase and DNA content quantification, confocal laser microscopy, micro computerized tomography and histological analysis were employed to evaluate the scaffold's performance. RESULTS: The in vitro study showed that alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased in the CaP-coated samples and they also displayed enhanced mineralization. In the in vivo study, significantly more bone formation was observed in the coated scaffolds. Histological analysis revealed that the large pore size of the periodontal compartment permitted vascularization of the cell sheets, and periodontal attachment was achieved at the dentin interface. CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates that the combination of cell sheet technology together with an osteoconductive biphasic scaffold could be utilized to address the limitations of current periodontal regeneration techniques.

Expression of high mobility group box 1 in inflamed dental pulp and its chemotactic effect on dental pulp cells

High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) is a chromatin protein which can be released extracellularly, eliciting a pro-inflammatory response and promoting tissue repair process. This study aimed to examine the expression and distribution of HMGB1 and its receptor RAGE in inflamed dental pulp tissues, and to assess its effects on proliferation, migration and cytoskeleton of cultured human dental pulp cells (DPCs). Our data demonstrated that cytoplasmic expression of HMGB1 was observed in inflamed pulp tissues, while HMGB1 expression was confined in the nuclei in healthy dental pulp. The mRNA expression of HMGB1 and RAGE were significantly increased in inflamed pulps. In in vitro cultured DPCs, expression of HMGB1 in both protein and mRNA level was up-regulated after treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Exogenous HMGB1 enhanced DPCs migration in a dose-dependent manner and induced the reorganization of f-actin in DPCs. Our results suggests that HMGB1 are not only involved in the process of dental pulp inflammation, but also play an important role in the recruitment of dental pulp stem cells, promoting pulp repair and regeneration.

Secondary structure element alignment kernel method for prediction of protein structural classes

In this paper, we aim at predicting protein structural classes for low-homology data sets based on predicted secondary structures. We propose a new and simple kernel method, named as SSEAKSVM, to predict protein structural classes. The secondary structures of all protein sequences are obtained by using the tool PSIPRED and then a linear kernel on the basis of secondary structure element alignment scores is constructed for training a support vector machine classifier without parameter adjusting. Our method SSEAKSVM was evaluated on two low-homology datasets 25PDB and 1189 with sequence homology being 25% and 40%, respectively. The jackknife test is used to test and compare our method with other existing methods. The overall accuracies on these two data sets are 86.3% and 84.5%, respectively, which are higher than those obtained by other existing methods. Especially, our method achieves higher accuracies (88.1% and 88.5%) for differentiating the α + β class and the α/β class compared to other methods. This suggests that our method is valuable to predict protein structural classes particularly for low-homology protein sequences. The source code of the method in this paper can be downloaded at http://math.xtu.edu.cn/myphp/math/research/source/SSEAK_source_code.rar.

Structure matters: Adoption of structured classification Approach in the context of cognitive presence classification

Within online learning communities, receiving timely and meaningful insights into the quality of learning activities is an important part of an effective educational experience. Commonly adopted methods – such as the Community of Inquiry framework – rely on manual coding of online discussion transcripts, which is a costly and time consuming process. There are several efforts underway to enable the automated classification of online discussion messages using supervised machine learning, which would enable the real-time analysis of interactions occurring within online learning communities. This paper investigates the importance of incorporating features that utilise the structure of on-line discussions for the classification of "cognitive presence" – the central dimension of the Community of Inquiry framework focusing on the quality of students' critical thinking within online learning communities. We implemented a Conditional Random Field classification solution, which incorporates structural features that may be useful in increasing classification performance over other implementations. Our approach leads to an improvement in classification accuracy of 5.8% over current existing techniques when tested on the same dataset, with a precision and recall of 0.630 and 0.504 respectively.

Structure and vascular tissue expression of duplicated TERMINAL EAR1-like paralogues in poplar

TERMINAL EAR1-like (TEL) genes encode putative RNA-binding proteins only found in land plants. Previous studies suggested that they may regulate tissue and organ initiation in Poaceae. Two TEL genes were identified in both Populus trichocarpa and the hybrid aspen Populus tremula × P. alba, named, respectively, PoptrTEL1-2 and PtaTEL1-2. The analysis of the organisation around the PoptrTEL genes in the P. trichocarpa genome and the estimation of the synonymous substitution rate for PtaTEL1-2 genes indicate that the paralogous link between these two Populus TEL genes probably results from the Salicoid large-scale gene-duplication event. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed their orthology link with the other TEL genes. The expression pattern of both PtaTEL genes appeared to be restricted to the mother cells of the plant body: leaf founder cells, leaf primordia, axillary buds and root differentiating tissues, as well as to mother cells of vascular tissues. Most interestingly, PtaTEL1-2 transcripts were found in differentiating cells of secondary xylem and phloem, but probably not in the cambium itself. Taken together, these results indicate specific expression of the TEL genes in differentiating cells controlling tissue and organ development in Populus (and other Angiosperm species).