Compulsive sexual behavior: A review of the literature

Background and aims Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a common disorder featuring repetitive, intrusive and distressing sexual thoughts, urges and behaviors that negatively affect many aspects of an individual’s life. This article reviews the clinical characteristics of CSB, cognitive aspects of the behaviors, and treatment options. Methods We reviewed the literature regarding the clinical aspects of CSB and treatment approaches. Results The literature review of the clinical aspects of CSB demonstrates that there is likely a substantial heterogeneity within the disorder. In addition, the treatment literature lacks sufficient evidence-based approaches to develop a clear treatment algorithm. Conclusions Although discussed in the psychological literature for years, CSB continues to defy easy categorization within mental health. Further research needs to be completed to understand where CSB falls within the psychiatric nosology

Neurocognitive findings in compulsive sexual behavior: A preliminary study

Background and aims Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a common behavior affecting 3–6% of the population, characterized by repetitive and intrusive sexual urges or behaviors that typically cause negative social and emotional consequences. Methods For this small pilot study on neurological data, we compared 13 individuals with CSB and gender- matched healthy controls on diagnostic assessments and computerized neurocognitive testing. Results No significant differences were found between the groups. Conclusions These data contradict a common hypothesis that CSB is cognitively different from those without psychiatric comorbidities as well as previous research on impulse control disorders and alcohol dependence. Further research is needed to better understand and classify CSB based on these findings

Employability Blog Series: The Big College Challenge – A Case Study Presenting Interdisciplinary Development of Employability Skills

This forms part of a regular series of Employability Blogs for the Higher Education Policy Institute. During January 2020, students of the College of Life and Natural Sciences (CLANS) at the University of Derby took part in an interdisciplinary challenge, termed “The Big Challenge”, alongside academics in their subject specialities and several leading industry professionals. This challenge aimed to support the development of key employability skills and was staged as part of a knowledge exchange activity to encourage mutual learning for both the academics and the employers involved (Reed, 2018). Since staging the Challenge, a research project has been in progress assessing the impact and the value of the Challenge on students, employers and the academics and professional services staff involved in delivering it. This piece presents early findings

Mentoring during surgical training: Consensus recommendations for mentoring programmes from the Association of Surgeons in Training

AbstractMentoring has been present within surgical training for many years, albeit in different forms. There is evidence that formal mentoring can improve patient outcomes and facilitate learning and personal growth in the mentee. The Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) is an independent educational charity working to promote excellence in surgical training. This document recommends the introduction of a structured mentoring programme, which is readily accessible to all surgical trainees.A review of the available evidence – including an ASiT-led survey of its membership – highlights the desire of surgical trainees to have a mentor, whilst the majority do not have access to one. There is also limited training for those in mentoring roles. In response, ASiT have implemented a pilot mentoring scheme, with surgical trainees acting both as mentors and mentees. Based on the existing literature, survey data and pilot experience, ASiT formalises in this document consensus recommendations for mentoring in surgical training

Knowledge and perceptions of nursing staff on the new Road to Health Booklet growth charts in primary healthcare clinics in the Tygerberg subdistrict of the Cape Town metropole district

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the perceptions of nursing staff on the Road to Health Booklet (RTHB), to assess their knowledge of the RTHB growth charts, and to determine whether the level of knowledge was acceptable for successful utilisation of the RTHB growth charts.Design: A cross-sectional descriptive survey.Setting: Twelve primary healthcare clinics in the Tygerberg subdistrict.Subjects: Nursing staff who were going to work with the RTHB on a daily basis.Outcomes measures: The knowledge and perceptions of the nursing staff on the new RTHB were measured using a self-administered questionnaire.Results: The study highlighted that the majority of the nursing staff did not possess sufficient knowledge to successfully utilise the RTHB. The mean score percentage for the total 12 knowledge questions was 55%. Less than a third (n = 13) of participants could correctly interpret the cut-off value for mid-upper-arm circumference. Only 38% and 52% correctly knew that -2 standard deviation for weight-for-age and weight-for-length represents underweight and wasting, respectively. Fifty-five per cent could correctly interpret the growth faltering graph. Forty-three per cent of participants felt the change to the RTHB was unnecessary, and 55% thought that mothers or caregivers would not easily understand the RTHB. More than half (n = 22) of the participants said that they had adequate knowledge to work with the RTHB, while the rest reported that they did not.Conclusion: The RTHB has the potential to decrease the prevalence of malnutrition in children. However, to achieve this, effective usage and understanding of the RTHB is critical.Keywords: Road to Health booklet, growth monitoring, primary healthcare clinics, knowledg

Nonclassical Degrees of Freedom in the Riemann Hamiltonian

The Hilbert-Polya conjecture states that the imaginary parts of the zeros of the Riemann zeta function are eigenvalues of a quantum hamiltonian. If so, conjectures by Katz and Sarnak put this hamiltonian in Altland and Zirnbauer's universality class C. This implies that the system must have a nonclassical two-valued degree of freedom. In such a system, the dominant primitive periodic orbits contribute to the density of states with a phase factor of -1. This resolves a previously mysterious sign problem with the oscillatory contributions to the density of the Riemann zeros.Comment: 4 pages, no figures; v3-6 have minor corrections to v2, v2 has a more complete solution of the sign problem than v

Obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality, and young people are increasingly affected. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults. METHODS: A group of young adults (511) was recruited from city areas in the United States using media advertisements. These young adults were administered careful and extensive clinical and neurocognitive assessment in order to quantify different aspects of impulsivity (behavioral/phenomenological-, cognitive-, and personality-related measures). Associations between obesity and impulsivity were explored using multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis. RESULTS: 10.8% of the sample was obese, and 21.5% was overweight. Compared to controls, subjects with obesity showed significantly elevated rates of maladaptive gambling behaviors, monetary amounts lost to gambling, nicotine consumption, impulsive action (prolonged stop-signal reaction times in the Stop-Signal Test), and impulsive decision-making (reduced modulation of behavior as a function of risk in the Cambridge Gamble Test). Even accounting for potential confounding variables, obesity was significantly predicted by female gender, older age, more maladaptive gambling behaviors, and worse inhibitory control (stop-signal reaction times). CONCLUSION: Obesity is associated with several dissociable forms of impulsivity in young people, especially gambling and impulse dyscontrol. Family doctors should screen for gambling problems in obese young adults. Successful treatment of nicotine dependence in young obese people is likely to require intensive weight management support. Neuropsychological deficits relating to impulsivity occur in obese people in early adulthood, and may represent vulnerability markers rather than being due to chronic untoward metabolic effects on brain function.This research was supported by a Center for Excellence in Gambling Research grant to Dr. Grant from the National Center for Responsible Gaming (USA) and by the Academy of Medical Sciences (UK; grant to Dr. Chamberlain).This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from CUP at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S109285291400062