366 research outputs found
The increasing importance of a continence nurse specialist to improve outcomes and save costs of urinary incontinence care
__Background:__ In an ageing population, it is inevitable to improve the management of care for community-dwellingelderly with incontinence. A previous study showed that implementation of the Optimum Continence ServiceSpecification (OCSS) for urinary incontinence in community-dwelling elderly with four or more chronic diseasesresults in a reduction of urinary incontinence, an improved quality of life, and lower healt
A transdiagnostic dimensional approach towards a neuropsychological assessment for addiction: an international Delphi consensus study
Background The US National Institutes of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) seek to stimulate
research into biologically validated neuropsychological dimensions across mental illness symptoms and diagnoses.
The RDoC framework comprises 39 functional constructs designed to be revised and refined, with the overall goal
of improving diagnostic validity and treatments. This study aimed to reach a consensus among experts in the
addiction field on the ‘primary’ RDoC constructs most relevant to substance and behavioural addictions.
Methods Forty-four addiction experts were recruited from Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The Delphi
technique was used to determine a consensus as to the degree of importance of each construct in understanding
the essential dimensions underpinning addictive behaviours. Expert opinions were canvassed online over three rounds
(97% completion rate), with each consecutive round offering feedback for experts to review their opinions.
Results Seven constructs were endorsed by ≥ 80% of experts as ‘primary’ to the understanding of addictive
behaviour: five from the Positive Valence System (reward valuation, expectancy, action selection, reward learning,
habit); one from the Cognitive Control System (response selection/inhibition); and one expert-initiated construct
(compulsivity). These constructs were rated to be related differentially to stages of the addiction cycle, with some
linked more closely to addiction onset and others more to chronicity. Experts agreed that these neuropsychological
dimensions apply across a range of addictions. Conclusions The study offers a novel and neuropsychologically
informed theoretical framework, as well as a cogent step forward to test transdiagnostic concepts in addiction
research, with direct implications for assessment, diagnosis, staging of disorder, and treatment
Assessing Islamic religious education curriculum in Flemish public secondary schools
Islamic tradition promotes a holistic approach of personality development in which, we argue, three educational concepts take the centre stage: tarbiyah, ta’leem and ta’deeb. Looking through the lens of these concepts, we analyse two Islamic religious education (IRE) curricula: the 2001 and 2012 curricula for Flemish public secondary education provided by the Representative Body for IRE. We conduct a systematic thematic document analysis of the 2001 and 2012 curricula to map curricula elements that potentially contribute to Islamic personality development through IRE classes. Crucially, this article seeks to investigate whether the 2001 and 2012 curricula for Flemish public secondary education are in line with these central IRE concepts. We observe that the 2012 curriculum does contain relevant anchor points to work on tarbiyah, ta’leem and ta’deeb and to strengthen an Islamic personality in Muslim pupils. Hence, we argue that there is an urgent need for a new, adequate and sufficiently comprehensive IRE curriculum for Flemish public secondary education, developed by an expert committee—which should include Belgian-educated educational experts—in order to meet the expectations of all the stakeholders. Since in our view, this is the first step for a qualitative update of Flemish IRE. Further reflections on both curricula and recommendations for a new IRE curriculum are outlined in the discussion and conclusion sections
Effects of alcohol preload on attentional bias towards cocaine-related cues
Background
Drug and alcohol users have an ‘attentional bias’ for substance-related cues, which is likely to reflect the incentive-motivational properties of those cues. Furthermore, administration of an alcohol preload increases attentional bias for alcohol and tobacco-related cues in heavy drinkers and tobacco smokers, respectively. The present study investigated attentional bias for cocaine cues in cocaine users and non-users following administration of either alcohol or placebo.
Method
Thirty-two regular cocaine users and 40 non-users took part. Participants were administered alcohol or placebo, and administration was double blind. After drink administration, a Visual Probe task and Modified Stroop task were used to assess attentional bias. Subjective craving and alcohol outcome expectancies were also measured.
Results
There was a significant interaction between group and drink type on the visual probe task indicating that cocaine users who had received alcohol had increased attentional bias for cocaine pictures compared to non-users and cocaine users who received placebo. The cocaine Stroop revealed no differences between cocaine users and non-users, and no effects of alcohol in either group.
Conclusions
Alcohol preload in regular cocaine users increases attentional bias for cocaine cues. However, cocaine users who received placebo did not show attentional bias for cocaine stimuli. Future research should investigate the effects of alcohol preload on attentional bias in cocaine-dependent individuals
Multiphoton Quantum Optics and Quantum State Engineering
We present a review of theoretical and experimental aspects of multiphoton
quantum optics. Multiphoton processes occur and are important for many aspects
of matter-radiation interactions that include the efficient ionization of atoms
and molecules, and, more generally, atomic transition mechanisms;
system-environment couplings and dissipative quantum dynamics; laser physics,
optical parametric processes, and interferometry. A single review cannot
account for all aspects of such an enormously vast subject. Here we choose to
concentrate our attention on parametric processes in nonlinear media, with
special emphasis on the engineering of nonclassical states of photons and
atoms. We present a detailed analysis of the methods and techniques for the
production of genuinely quantum multiphoton processes in nonlinear media, and
the corresponding models of multiphoton effective interactions. We review
existing proposals for the classification, engineering, and manipulation of
nonclassical states, including Fock states, macroscopic superposition states,
and multiphoton generalized coherent states. We introduce and discuss the
structure of canonical multiphoton quantum optics and the associated one- and
two-mode canonical multiphoton squeezed states. This framework provides a
consistent multiphoton generalization of two-photon quantum optics and a
consistent Hamiltonian description of multiphoton processes associated to
higher-order nonlinearities. Finally, we discuss very recent advances that by
combining linear and nonlinear optical devices allow to realize multiphoton
entangled states of the electromnagnetic field, that are relevant for
applications to efficient quantum computation, quantum teleportation, and
related problems in quantum communication and information.Comment: 198 pages, 36 eps figure
Identification of a large rearrangement in CYLD as a cause of familial cylindromatosis
Pathogenic mutations in CYLD can be identified in patients affected with Brooke-Spiegler syndrome, (Familial) Cylindromatosis or multiple familial trichoepithelioma. To date, only technologies which are able to identify small point mutations in CYLD, such as sequence and WAVE analysis, were used. Here we describe the identification of a larger rearrangement identified by Quantitative PCR analysis of CYLD, indicating that a combination of these technologies is necessary when searching for pathogenic mutations in CYLD
The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management and course of chronic urticaria
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically disrupts health care around the globe. The impact of the pandemic on chronic urticaria (CU) and its management are largely unknown. Aim: To understand how CU patients are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; how specialists alter CU patient management; and the course of CU in patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: Our cross-sectional, international, questionnaire-based, multicenter UCARE COVID-CU study assessed the impact of the pandemic on patient consultations, remote treatment, changes in medications, and clinical consequences. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic severely impairs CU patient care, with less than 50% of the weekly numbers of patients treated as compared to before the pandemic. Reduced patient referrals and clinic hours were the major reasons. Almost half of responding UCARE physicians were involved in COVID-19 patient care, which negatively impacted on the care of urticaria patients. The rate of face-to-face consultations decreased by 62%, from 90% to less than half, whereas the rate of remote consultations increased by more than 600%, from one in 10 to more than two thirds. Cyclosporine and systemic corticosteroids, but not antihistamines or omalizumab, are used less during the pandemic. CU does not affect the course of COVID-19, but COVID-19 results in CU exacerbation in one of three patients, with higher rates in patients with severe COVID-19. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic brings major changes and challenges for CU patients and their physicians. The long-term consequences of these changes, especially the increased use of remote consultations, require careful evaluation
A Targeted Constitutive Mutation in the Apc Tumor Suppressor Gene Underlies Mammary But Not Intestinal Tumorigenesis
Germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are responsible for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant hereditary predisposition to the development of multiple colorectal adenomas and of a broad spectrum of extra-intestinal tumors. Moreover, somatic APC mutations play a rate-limiting and initiating role in the majority of sporadic colorectal cancers. Notwithstanding its multifunctional nature, the main tumor suppressing activity of the APC gene resides in its ability to regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Notably, genotype–phenotype correlations have been established at the APC gene between the length and stability of the truncated proteins encoded by different mutant alleles, the corresponding levels of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity they encode for, and the incidence and distribution of intestinal and extra-intestinal tumors. Here, we report a novel mouse model, Apc1572T, obtained by targeting a truncated mutation at codon 1572 in the endogenous Apc gene. This hypomorphic mutant allele results in intermediate levels of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation when compared with other Apc mutations associated with multifocal intestinal tumors. Notwithstanding the constitutive nature of the mutation, Apc+/1572T mice have no predisposition to intestinal cancer but develop multifocal mammary adenocarcinomas and subsequent pulmonary metastases in both genders. The histology of the Apc1572T primary mammary tumours is highly heterogeneous with luminal, myoepithelial, and squamous lineages and is reminiscent of metaplastic carcinoma of the breast in humans. The striking phenotype of Apc+/1572T mice suggests that specific dosages of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity differentially affect tissue homeostasis and initiate tumorigenesis in an organ-specific fashion
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