SELECTIVE SEROTONINE REUPTAKE INHIBITORS (SSRI) USAGE DURING PREGNANCY

Depressive disorders in pregnancy are common and generate concerns regarding their treatment. The effects of untreated maternal depressive symptoms on preterm birth, low birthweight, fetal growth restriction and postnatal complications are well known. When left untreated, depressive disorders continue postpartum and have a big impact on the patients\u27 functioning. Selective serotonine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first choice of treatment of depressive disorders. However, there are some concerns which should be adressed. The aim of this systematic review is to explore the SSRI usage in pregnancy. We studied the latest literature in the PubMed databases and recommendations from the guidelines. Decision to treat depression in pregnancy should be taken with careful consideration of many factors. Clinicians should weigh the use of SSRIs during pregnancy against the risk of untreated depressive disorder

Combating Mass Incarceration Through Communication

The United States has the largest prison population in the world, with over two million incarcerated prisoners. One of the contributing factors to these skyrocketing rates was the War on Drugs which began in the early 1970s in the U.S. The issue of mass incarceration is complicated due to its deep-seated roots that have been embedded in society for centuries. The process of actively changing or reforming the broken social justice and mass incarceration systems begins with educating citizens about these issues, which will, in turn, garner the support needed to enact change. Since technology has become the staple of modern society, it is essential to use technology as a resource to connect and educate the masses. Presently, many people prefer to listen to podcasts or audible books instead of reading a physical copy of a book. Podcasts are a great educational and compatible resource for all generations and age groups. Art can take on many different mediums, including the media arts which is an art form that utilizes audio to address a specific audience or purpose. Especially as the media becomes more prominent in modern society, podcasting has and will continue to serve as an educational tool and artistic discipline. One that can communicate pressing issues such as mass incarceration to a variety of platforms and audiences. A podcast can convey the same level of emotion and power that a typical painting or sculpture can, rather in a technological form. According to Ethan Cramer-Flood, author of the article, ‘Global Podcast Listener Forecast 2021-2025’, it is explained that, “The US leads the world in podcast listenership across every category. In 2021, 117.8 million people in the country will be monthly podcast listeners, representing 40.0% of all internet users. Nigel Poor is one of the first individuals to host podcasts that cover topics such as mass incarceration and the prison system, paving the way for more podcasts of this kind. These statistics and individuals have played significant roles in the creation of our podcast, which is centered around mass incarceration and the prison and social justice systems. Thus, the ‘Behind Bars’ podcast was born. This conversational-style podcast addresses serious issues such as mass incarceration, inequality, racism, and the death penalty, among other topics. These issues, which have long been swept under the rug, will reach new generations, in a modern way. Each episode will include an interview with an individual that is knowledgeable or experienced in the areas of criminal justice, incarceration, and art. The first episode of this podcast series showcases an interview with Lucian E. Dervan, a certified criminal justice attorney that currently serves as a law professor at Belmont University. These interviews support the topics of the podcast and contribute to the overall conversation of bringing change and awareness to mass incarceration. Our future episodes will focus on issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline and how we can prevent students from being subjected to arrest. Therefore, our goal is to educate the greater Belmont and Nashville communities about the adverse effects of mass incarceration through communication and education via an accessible and efficient podcasting platform

Auditory processing in adults who stutter

Slušno procesiranje podrazumijeva mehanizme i procese koji omogućavaju aktivno i pasivno zamjećivanje, praćenje, identificiranje i diskriminiranje zvučnih signala te vještine uspješnog lociranja zvuka, diskriminaciju zvukova, slušnu pažnju i pamćenje, usvajanje fonološke svjesnosti, stapanje auditivnih signala te auditivno razumijevanje i interpretaciju slušnih podražaja. Navedene vještine uvelike omogućuju usvajanje komunikacije, jezika i govora u ljudskoj populaciji. S obzirom na navedeno, poteškoće u slušnom procesiranju povezuju se s određenim jezično-govornim teškoćama, a jedna od njih je mucanje. Teorijska osnova tomu je da su potrebni putevi koji dovode do slušnog prepoznavanja i mapiranja glasova, a te se informacije koriste za oblikovanje artikulacijskih pokreta za govornu produkciju. Nadalje, postoje saznanja kako određene tehnike koje se koriste manipulacijom slušne povratne sprege dovode do smanjenja mucanja ili njegovog potpunog uklanjanja, što ide u prilog teorijama da teškoće slušnog procesiranja mogu biti povezane s tim poremećajem. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi postoje li statistički značajne razlike na Testu za ispitivanje poremećaja slušnog procesiranja (PSP – 1 testu) između 9 odraslih osoba koje mucaju i kontrolne skupine. Nadalje, postoji li razlika u slušnoj obradi s obzirom na lijevo i desno uho kod osoba koje mucaju, te postoji li povezanost između jakosti mucanja i uspješnosti na PSP-1 testu. Rezultati su pokazali kako ispitna skupina ima statistički značajno slabije rezultate na Testu filtriranih riječi, Testu govora u buci i Dihotičkom testu rečenica te da ne postoji statistički značajna povezanost između jakosti mucanja i uspješnosti na PSP-1 testu. Pokazala se statistički značajna razlika u slušnoj obradi između lijevog i desnog uha, no samo na jednom od četiri subtesta (Testu filtriranih riječi) stoga ova različitost nije razmatrana.Auditory processing implies mechanisms and processes that enable active and passive observation, tracking, identification and discrimination of acoustic signals, so as the ability to successfully locate and discriminate sounds, listening attention and memory, acquiring phonological awareness, alligation of auditory signals, auditory comprehension and interpretation of acoustic stimuli. These skills greatly enable the development of communication, language and speech in human population. In view of the above, auditory processing related difficulties are associated with certain linguistic-language impairments, one of which is stuttering. Theoretical basis of that assumption is that there are pathways which lead to auditory recognition and voice mapping, and all that leads to gathering information which are used to form articulation movements for speech production. Furthermore, there are certain evidence that techniques which are based on manipulation of auditory feedback lead to a reduction of stuttering behavior, or its complete elimination. That finding supports the theories that lack in auditory processing may be associated with stuttering. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference between 9 adults and control groups on the PSP-1 test that examines auditory processing. Second aim was to define whether there is a difference in auditory processing with regard to the left and right ear in adults that stutter. Finally, third aim was to discuss whether there is a link between stuttering severity and performance on the PSP-1 test. The results showed that the test group had significantly lower performance on Filtered-words test, Speech-in-noise-test, and Dihotic-sentence-listening-test and that there isn't statistically significant association between stuttering severity and performance on PSP-1 test. Finally, there was a significant difference in auditory processing between the left and right ear in adults who stutter, but only on one of the four subtests (Test of filtered words), so this difference was not considered

Obrazovanje faze AlFeSi u slitini AlSi12 s dodatkom cera

The influence of cerium addition on the solidification sequence and microstructure constituents of the Al-Si alloys with 12,6 mass % Si was examined. The solidification was analyzed by a simple thermal analysis. The microstructures were examined with conventional light and scanning electron microscopy. Ternary AlSiCe phase was formed in the Al-Si alloys with added cerium during the solidification process. AlSiCe and β-AlFeSi phases solidified together in the region that solidified the last. Cerium addition influenced on the morphology of the α-AlFeSi phase solidification.Ispitan je utjecaj dodatka cera na tijek skrućivanja i oblikovanje mikrostrukture u Al-Si slitini s 12,6 mas. % Si. Skrućivanje je praćeno s jednostavnom toplinskom analizom. Mikrostrukture su kvantificirane pomoću svjetlosnog i elektronskog mikroskopa. Pri skrućivanju Al-Si slitine s dodatkom Ce, obrazuju se faze Al-SiCe, AlSiCe te β-AlFeSi, koje se skrućivaju zajedno u završnom području skrućivanja. Dodatak Ce utječe na morfologiju skrućivanja faze α-AlFeSi

Oxidative Stress in Schizophrenia

Increasing evidence indicates that oxidative damage exists in schizophrenia. Available literature about possible mechanisms of oxidative stress induction was reviewed. Furthermore, possibilities of measuring biomarkers of schizophrenia outside the central nervous system compartment, their specificity for different types of schizophrenia and potential therapeutic strategies to prevent oxidative injuries in schizophrenia were discussed. Data were extracted from published literature found in Medline, Embase, Biosis, Cochrane and Web of Science, together with hand search of references. Search terms were: schizophrenia, oxidative stress, antipsychotics, antioxidants and fatty acids. Finding a sensitive, specific and non invasive biomarker of schizophrenia, which could be measured in peripheral tissue, still stays an important task. Antioxidant enzymes, markers of lipid peroxidation, oxidatively modified proteins and DNA are most commonly used. As it considers the supplemental therapy, according to our meta-analysis vitamin E could potentially improve tardive dyskinesia, while for the effect of therapy with polyunsaturated fatty acids there is no clear evidence. Oxidative stress is a part of the pathology in schizophrenia and appears as a promising field to develop new therapeutic strategies. There is a need for well designed, placebo controlled trials with supplementation therapy in schizophrenia

The use of deep friction massage with olive oil as a means of prevention and treatment of sports injuries in ancient times

The aim of this research was to analyse the use of olive oil as a means of prevention and treatment of sports injuries in the ancient world. The method adopted was based on a thorough study of Greek and world literature. Writings of major ancient philosophers and physicians such as Hippocrates, Aristotle, Philostratus, and Lucian have been analysed in depth. According to the results, the use of massage, together with olive oil rub, helped to reduce muscle fatigue, to remove lactic acid, and to prevent the occurrence of sports injuries through flexibility provided to the skin of athletes. The therapeutic use of oil in the ancient world was fully recognized; and as a result Athenian athlothetes (sponsors of sporting events) provided free oil to all sport facilities where athletes could make free use of it [1]

GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS IN DOPAMINERGIC SYSTEM AND TREATMENT-RESISTANT SCHIZOPHRENIA

Background: Dopaminergic system plays an important role in antipsychotic response. Functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can change dopamine receptor expression or dopamine disposition and thus influence response to antipsychotic treatment. Subjects and methods: 138 schizophrenia patients were stratified in the treatment-resistant and treatment-responsive group. Control group consisted of 94 healthy blood donors. All subjects were genotyped for the following SNPs: DRD1 (rs4532, rs5326), DRD2 (rs1801028, rs1799732), DRD3 (rs6280) and COMT (rs165815, rs4680). Association between the genotypes and clinical symptoms were tested using ANCOVA with current antipsychotic dose as a confounder. Differences in allele frequencies between treatment-responsive and treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients were assessed using χ2 tests. Results: No statistically significant associations were observed between any of the investigated genotypes and clinical scores and occurrence of the treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Conclusions: Genetic variability in dopaminergic system does not have a major role in clinical symptoms and occurrence of treatment-resistant schizophrenia among Slovenian patients

SUICIDE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPT DESCRIPTORS BY MULTIMETHOD APPROACH

Background: Suicide is a complex action of suicidal methods and peripheral factors with seemingly threatening components representing actual cause for the suicidal actions. It is especially those, apparently unimportant factors that represent a crucial milestone in the network of all the other, personal, cultural, genetic and biochemical factors, forming the method of action consequently deciding between life and death. Subjects and methods: Based on the Register of Suicides in the Republic of Slovenia kept by the University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, we used a combination of attributes varying within a variable and between variables. Due to limited application of standard statistical methods and analyses in such cases, we used the Machine learning method, Multimethod hybrid approach, which allows combining of different approaches to machine learning (decision trees, genetic algorithms and supplementary vectors). The research included 56712 persons attempting suicide and 21913 persons committing suicide. We chose a form of a suicide action with both possible results: attempted suicide and suicide. Results: Based on the analysis of machine learning, we defined attributes of the action regarding their lethal effect: attempted suicide and suicide commitment. The suicide register kept for the last 40 years shows hanging as the most commonly used suicidal method, used by men with the purpose of causing suicidal death rather than a suicidal attempt. On the other hand, use of medicaments is linked to the suicidal attempt and mostly used by females. Conclusions: All methods of suicidal actions cannot predict suicidal death, thus we examined different methods of suicide to most accurately predict the link between the method and its effect in terms of suicide attempt or suicide. The Machine learning method confirmed the attributes of suicide methods in connection with their different outcomes. This analytical method is useful in processing large databases since it enables one variable’s intensity to affect other variables in terms of result and meaning. The identification of the most decisive risk factors for suicidal behaviour can serve as basis for planning an effective prevention strategies, timely identification and adequate proffessional help to the high risk persons