Coercive Interventions during Inpatient Psychiatric Care Patient's preference, prevention and effects

Unlike most other medical disciplines, psychiatry is a medical field in which, under certain conditions, patients can be coerced into accepting treatment. Coercion is defined as “any action or threat of actions which compels the patient to behave in a manner inconsistent with his own wishes” (1). This chapter provides a background to contemporary coercive practices by viewing coercion from a number of different perspectives. Current intellectual choices and developments do not exist in a vacuum, but are often the consequence of an age-long process of social, legal and scientific development. A brief exploration of the history of coercive practices is therefore followed by a description of the current legal framework and a short overview of the most recent scientific findings

Структуриране на семантичното поле «време на денонощието» в руския и българския език

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Influencias próximo orientales en la religión y mitología de la Grecia Antigua

El presente trabajo es un compendio de las influencias próximo orientales, y sobre todo mesopotámicas, identificadas en la teología, culto, cosmovisión, creencias de ultratumba y mitología de la Grecia Antigua. En él se comparan los estratos religiosos sustanciales de cada cultura y se relacionan las ideas y motivos hallados, así como el uso dado y el grado de asimilación que alcanzaron.This paperwork is a compendium of Near Eastern influences, and specially Mesopotamian, identified in theology, cult, divine worldview, underworld beliefs and mythology of Ancient Greece. In it, the substantial religious strata of each culture are compared, the ideas and motives found are linked, as well as the use they had and the degree of assimilation they reached.Departamento de Historia Antigua y MedievalGrado en Histori

Evaluation of behavioral changes and subjective distress after exposure to coercive inpatient interventions

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of evidence to underpin decisions on what constitutes the most effective and least restrictive form of coercive intervention when responding to violent behavior. Therefore we compared ratings of effectiveness and subjective distress by 125 inpatients across four types of coercive interventions. METHODS: Effectiveness was assessed through ratings of patient behavior immediately after exposure to a coercive measure and 24 h later. Subjective distress was examined using the Coercion Experience Scale at debriefing. Regression analyses were performed to compare these outcome variables across the four types of coercive interventions. RESULTS: Using univariate statistics, no significant differences in effectiveness and subjective distress were found between the groups, except that patients who were involuntarily medicated experienced significant less isolation during the measure than patients who underwent combined measures. However, when controlling for the effect of demographic and clinical characteristics, significant differences on subjective distress between the groups emerged: involuntary medication was experienced as the least distressing overall and least humiliating, caused less physical adverse effects and less sense of isolation. Combined coercive interventions, regardless of the type, caused significantly more physical adverse effects and feelings of isolation than individual interventions. CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of information on individual patient preferences, involuntary medication may be more justified than seclusion and mechanical restraint as a coercive intervention. Use of multiple interventions requires significant justification given their association with significant distress

Overexpression of the NMig1 gene encoding a NudC domain protein enhances root growth and abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

The family of NudC proteins has representatives in all eukaryotes and plays essential evolutionarily conserved roles in many aspects of organismal development and stress response, including nuclear migration, cell division, folding and stabilization of other proteins. This study investigates an undescribed Arabidopsis homolog of the Aspergillus nidulans NudC gene, named NMig1 (for Nuclear Migration 1), which shares high sequence similarity to other plant and mammalian NudC-like genes. Expression of NMig1 was highly upregulated in response to several abiotic stress factors, such as heat shock, drought and high salinity. Constitutive overexpression of NMig1 led to enhanced root growth and lateral root development under optimal and stress conditions. Exposure to abiotic stress resulted in relatively weaker inhibition of root length and branching in NMig1-overexpressing plants, compared to the wild-type Col-0. The expression level of antioxidant enzyme-encoding genes and other stress-associated genes was considerably induced in the transgenic plants. The increased expression of the major antioxidant enzymes and greater antioxidant potential correlated well with the lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lower lipid peroxidation. In addition, the overexpression of NMig1 was associated with strong upregulation of genes encoding heat shock proteins and abiotic stress-associated genes. Therefore, our data demonstrate that the NudC homolog NMig1 could be considered as a potentially important target gene for further use, including breeding more resilient crops with improved root architecture under abiotic stress

Myths and facts about refugees: reasons for irregular border crossing and the truth about social assistance

In this article, we aim to focus on and deal with two main myths about refugees. The first one is the myth that asylum seekers are allegedly law-breakers or even criminals, due to illegally crossing borders. The second myth that we address in the article is regarding the size of social assistance provided to asylum seekers and refugees. Both myths are found in host societies and are often invoked by xenophobic speakers in public debate.This is the publication of the PROMISE project (Promoting refugee Integration Support through youth Engagement: 1951 Convention and nowadays' refugees, ref. number 576540 - CITIZ - 1 - 2 016 - 1 - LT - CITIZ - REMEM), commemorating the adoption of the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, implemented with the support of the 'Europe for Citizens Programme' of the EU

Prevalence, New Incidence, Course, and Risk Factors of PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, and Panic Disorder during the Covid-19 Pandemic in 11 Countries

We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and panic disorder (PD) among citizens in 11 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored risks and protective factors most associated with the development of these mental health disorders and their course at 68 days follow up. We acquired 9543 unique responses via an online survey that was disseminated in UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, India, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Sweden. The prevalence and new incidence during the pandemic for at least one disorder was 48.6% and 17.6%, with the new incidence of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorder being 11.4%, 8.4%, 9.3% and 3%, respectively. Higher resilience was associated with lower mental health burden for all disorders. Ten to thirteen associated factors explained 79% of the variance in PTSD, 80% in anxiety, 78% in depression, and 89% in PD. To reduce the mental health burden, governments should refrain from implementing many highly restrictive and lasting containment measures. Public health campaigns should focus their effort on alleviating stress and fear, promoting resilience, building public trust in government and medical care, and persuading the population of the measures’ effectiveness. Psychosocial services and resources should be allocated to facilitate individual and community-level recovery from the pandemic

Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea L., Origin from Bulgaria Indicate in Vitro Antitumor Еffect on Human Cervical and Breast Cancer Cells

Cancer is a socially significant disease. Along with efforts to understand the complex genetic/epigenetic factors that trigger a carcinogenesis, it is also necessary to analyze the potential natural active substances that may delay or even stop neoplastic transformation. Promising candidates are Bulgarian cranberries from high mountain plant populations, which are rich in phenolics and anthocyanins and have proven beneficial effects on human body.The present study aims to evaluate in vitro, antitumor activities of total extracts and purified nonanthocyanin and anthocyanins fractions of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., picked in Bulgaria on human cervical (HeLa) and breast (MCF7) cancer cell lines, as well as to examine some of the apoptotic mechanisms underlying them.Materials and methods: Four methanol extracts and respective number of purified B- nonanthocyanin / C- anthocyanins fractions of Bulgarian lingonberry were used. Antitumor effect was established by Trypan Blue method, monitoring of morphological changes and МТТ cell viability assay. Assessment of apoptotic activity was performed using DNA fragmentation method.Results: The results from МТТ analyses showed that B- nonanthocyanin fractions of Bulgarian lingonberry have well expressed inhibitory effect on survival of tested tumor cells. The observed effect dependent of the dose administered and were stronger in relation with the high-mountain populations and HeLa cell line. The integrity of the extracted DNA from treated survival cells indicates possible apoptosis mechanisms under the action of biologically active ingredients from lingonberries.Conclusion: Survey of antitumor activities of Bulgarian lingonberries based on molecular methods, could contribute to establish the natural substances useful for human health in general and practical oncology

Dried Blood Spots as a Clinical Samples for Laboratory Diagnosis and Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Bulgaria

In recent years the dried blood spots (DBS) had new and innovative applications in medicine, neonatology, virology and microbiology. This study aimed to evaluation of the frequency of detection of viral IgM/IgG markers in dried blood spots and introducing an easy-to-implement protocol for serum extraction in measles, mumps and rubella surveillance. The total 204 clinical samples (102 serum samples and 102 dried blood spots) collected from 102 patients were included. All specimens were tested for presence of specific viral markers (IgM and IgG antibodies) by a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Of all tested patients, three (3/102, 2.94%, 95% CI: 0 ÷ 6.22) were confirmed for acute measles infection and two (2/102, 1.96%, 95% CI: 0 ÷ 4.65) for mumps. Double positive ELISA-IgM results were found in their serum samples and DBS. No acute rubella infection and rubella IgM marker were detected in both clinical samples. By immunoassay analysis of all 102 patients, measles, mumps and rubella IgG were found in 83/102 (81%, 95% CI: 73.40 ÷ 88.60), 76/102 (75%, 95% CI: 66.60 ÷ 83.40) and 79/102 (77%, 95% CI: 68.83 ÷ 85.17) serum samples.  Comparative results were obtained in the adequately obtained DBS. Viral IgG seroprevalence in DBS were obtained in 79/102 (77%, 95% CI: 68.83 ÷ 85.17) for measles, 69/102 (68%, 95% CI: 58.67 ÷ 77.33) for mumps and 73/102 (72%, 95% CI: 63 ÷ 81) for rubella, respectively. Double negative results for each screened viral markers were proven in six tested patients.The study shown higher extinction value (Ratio and NovaTec units) in DBS compared to serum samples of same persons were calculated. Our studies show over 90% coincidence in combined ELISA assay of viral markers against measles, mumps, and rubella in serum samples and DBS. DBS clinical approach is non-aggressive and more acceptable to the public (including young children, pregnant women, etc.). It has a variety of new and innovative applications in medicine and in particular in the laboratory diagnosis of acute and past (presence of protective immunity) measles, mumps and rubella infection in the phase of elimination

A Review on Antitumor and Antiviral Potential of Cranberries (Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea) Origin from Bulgaria

A major goal in antitumor and antiviral therapy is to find active ingredients that selectively suppress the proliferation of tumor cells or inhibit viral replication and proliferation. In this connection, the antitumor and antiviral activity of natural products with proven phytochemical properties and pharmacological significance are actively investigated. A promising candidate are Bulgarian cranberries from high mountain plant populations, which are a valuable natural source of food and have proven healing properties in urinary tract infections, eye diseases and cardiovascular disorders, as well as prevention of hypertension and diabetes. The active components of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. are polyphenols and anthocyanins which belong to classes of plant components with high antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antiproliferative activity. Cranberries contain a high percentage and variety of vitamins (A,  E, C,  etc.) and a number of minerals (K, Ca, Mg, P, Na). In the world regions where endemic measles outbreaks occur, for secondary prevention and avoidance of complications including blindness, WHO recommends the use of high doses of vitamin A in children under 5 years of age. Bulgarian cranberries are a valuable source of vitamins A and C.The assessement of biological activity of the individual components and fractions in the composition of the Bulgarian cranberries may help to identify substances with antitumor and/or antiviral activity that could potentially be useful in future development of new therapeutic agents