University of Haifa

About: University of Haifa is a education organization based out in Haifa, Israel. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 7558 authors who have published 27141 publications receiving 711629 citations. The organization is also known as: Haifa University & Universiṭat Ḥefah.

Melatonin Fails to Improve Sleep or Agitation in Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Institutionalized Patients With Alzheimer Disease

Abstract: Objectives: Patients with Alzheimer dementia often display both agitated behavior and poor sleep. Given that the disease is often associated with low endogenous levels of melatonin, exogenous melatonin administration may lead to improvements in sleep and agitation. Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled study. Setting: Nursing homes in San Diego, CA, metropolitan area. Participants: Subjects were patients with probable Alzheimer disease. Intervention: Melatonin (8.5 mg immediate release and 1.5 mg sustained release) (N = 24) or placebo (N = 17) administered at 10:00 P.M. for 10 consecutive nights. The protocol consisted of baseline (3 days), treatment (10 days), and posttreatment (5 days) phases. Measurements: Sleep was measured continuously using actigraphy. Agitation was rated using both the Agitated Behavior Rating Scale and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory. Treatment effects were examined both across the 24-hr day and separately by nursing shift. Results: There were no significant effects of melatonin, compared with placebo, on sleep, circadian rhythms, or agitation. Conclusion: This study failed to find a beneficial effect of exogenous melatonin, consistent with a number of other studies. The lack of efficacy may be related to the absence of a true treatment effect or to the superphysiologic dose of melatonin used.

Media Health Literacy (MHL): development and measurement of the concept among adolescents

Abstract: Increasing media use among adolescents and its significant influence on health behavior warrants in-depth understanding of their response to media content. This study developed the concept and tested a model of Media Health Literacy (MHL), examined its association with personal/socio-demographic determinants and reported sources of health information, while analyzing its role in promoting empowerment and health behavior (cigarette/water-pipe smoking, nutritional/dieting habits, physical/sedentary activity, safety/injury behaviors and sexual behavior). The school-based study included a representative sample of 1316 Israeli adolescents, grades 7, 9 and 11, using qualitative and quantitative instruments to develop the new measure. The results showed that the MHL measure is highly scalable (0.80) includes four sequenced categories: identification/recognition, critical evaluation of health content in media, perceived influence on adolescents and intended action/reaction. Multivariate analysis showed that MHL was significantly higher among girls (β = 1.25, P < 0.001), adolescents whose mothers had higher education (β = 0.16, P = 0.04), who report more adult/interpersonal sources of health information (β = 0.23, P < 0.01) and was positively associated with health empowerment (β = 0.36, P < 0.0005) and health behavior (β = 0.03, P = 0.05). The findings suggest that as a determinant of adolescent health behavior, MHL identifies groups at risk and may provide a basis for health promotion among youth.

Circulation and extreme rainfall conditions in the eastern mediterranean during the last century

Abstract: Dry and wet years, seasons, and sequences at four eastern Mediterranean stations, Thessaloniki, Athens, Nicosia, and Jerusalem, were identified and compared for circulation types. The definition of dry/wet year or season was done by means of z scores. A year or a season was defined as dry when z≤− 0ċ5 and as extremely dry when z≤−1ċ5, similarly as wet when z≥ 0ċ5 and as extremely wet when z\≥1ċ5. Dry/wet sequences at each station were identified and their timings were compared. Circulation types were defined by means of zonal and meridional indices calculated independently in two regions. Region 1: ϕ=35° N and 55°N; λ=10°E and 30°E for Thessaloniki and Athens. Region 2: =30°N and 50°N; λ=20 deg;E and 40°E for Nicosia and Jerusalem. Time series of both indices in both regions were calculated and are discussed. Correlations between the z scores of the precipitation with both indices were calculated. Prevailing flows for dry and wet conditions for each of the stations were defined and are discussed.