Using a Visually Adapted Repertory Grid Technique (VARGT) with people who stalk

Purpose: This manuscript aims to provide instructions on how to implement an adapted version of the standard Repertory Grid Technique (the VARGT). The purpose of which is to provide practitioners with a tool which enables active engagement by participants in research and clinical practice. This tool has been utilised effectively with people convicted of stalking offences. Approach: Repertory grids, developed from Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory (1955), had never been utilised with those who stalk, either clinically or in a research context. Visual and kinaesthetic adaptations were made to standard RGT procedures (see Grice, 2002; Tan and Hunter, 2002), for use in a mixed methods research study (see Wheatley, 2019, p. 77) due to expected challenges in engaging with this group. This manuscript presents theoretical underpinnings and step-by-step instructions for practical application. Findings: The VARGT is easy to administer and produces rich data, in both qualitative and quantitative formats. This adapted approach encourages active participation and an interpreted therapeutic collaboration (see Wheatley, Winder, and Kuss, in press). Originality/value: This novel technique has engaged men convicted of stalking offences collaboratively in research activities and showed potential for its use as a clinical tool. This instructional technical paper allows the technique to be replicated

Researcher-practitioner reflections: the therapeutic utility of the Visually Adapted Repertory Grid Technique (VARGT) with stalkers

Purpose: This paper outlines researcher-practitioner reflections on the use of a Visually Adapted Repertory Grid Technique (VARGT) with men convicted of stalking. It draws on and assimilates participant experiences of the VARGT as a research engagement tool. Further, it extends discussion to propose its value as a generic engagement tool for when personal insights and collaborative case formulations may otherwise be difficult to access. Approach: The repertory grid technique, developed from Kelly’s Personal Construct Theory (1955), was adapted for use in a mixed methods research study undertaken with those who commit stalking offences (see Wheatley, 2019, p. 77). Analytical and reflexivity processes within this original study highlighted rich and recurrent data across the sample pertaining to the positive participant experience of the VARGT, unrelated to its core research question. Findings: This paper presents reflections and psychological discussion for experiences of using the VARGT. Key features clustered around therapeutic alliance and engagement, enlightenment, and a motivation for positive change. Practice implications: This paper suggests the VARGT has value in participant-client engagement, particularly where sensitive topics are investigated and participants have difficulty directly articulating their psychosocial functioning. Originality/value: This novel technique offers potential as an engagement tool for use in research and clinical settings

What are the features of psychopathology for men who commit stalking offences? A systematic review

Background: A systematic review of the bespoke psychopathology features of men who stalk was necessary for informing clinical practice. The absence of such served to perpetuate conjectured links between psychopathology and stalking. Aim: To systematically review and narratively synthesise published empirical work exploring the psychopathology of men who stalk. Method: The PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator and Outcome) model was utilised to determine the scope of the review. Key inclusion criteria were studies with men who had committed stalking offences, drawn from forensic or clinical settings, employing a non-stalking comparator group that explored psychopathology features. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) process guided this systematic review, followed by a narrative synthesis of study findings. Results; The systematic review resulted in seven studies, all containing mixed gender samples (typically comprising 90% male) of individuals who had stalked. There were no published men-only comparative studies investigating psychopathology amongst those who stalk. The narrative synthesis highlighted prominent features amongst those who stalk, which were having an insecure (preoccupied) attachment style, and a Personality Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified. Previous assumptions about stalkers having higher intelligence levels than other offenders, and higher prevalence of mental disorders, were challenged. Tentative conclusions were made regarding other psychopathology features. Conclusions: The links between psychopathology and stalking remain empirically inconclusive. There were few confidently distinct and common psychopathology features amongst stalker samples, unsurprising given study and stalker sample heterogeneity. This systematic review recommended that with the heterogeneity of stalkers as a client group, a case formulation approach to understanding their behaviours is crucial in clinical practice. This is to avoid reliance on limited empirical findings and conjecture surrounding the psychopathology of stalkers as a group. Typology specific, evidence-based literature should underpin clinical and forensic decision-making. Further reviews may benefit from synthesising empirical evidence based on separate typologies, and differentiate between the psychopathology features of males and females who stalk

Prevascularization of 3D printed bone scaffolds by bioactive hydrogels and cell co-culture

Vascularization is a fundamental prerequisite for large bone construct development and remains one of the main challenges of bone tissue engineering. Our current study presents the combination of 3D printing technique with a hydrogel-based prevascularization strategy to generate prevascularized bone constructs. Human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were encapsulated within our bioactive hydrogels, and the effects of culture conditions on in vitro vascularization were determined. We further generated composite constructs by forming 3D printed polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite scaffolds coated with cell-laden hydrogels and determined how the co-culture affected vascularization and osteogenesis. It was demonstrated that 3D co-cultured ADMSC-HUVEC generated capillary-like networks within the porous 3D printed scaffold. The co-culture systems promoted in vitro vascularization, but had no significant effects on osteogenesis. The prevascularized constructs were subcutaneously implanted into nude mice to evaluate the in vivo vascularization capacity and the functionality of engineered vessels. The hydrogel systems facilitated microvessel and lumen formation and promoted anastomosis of vascular networks of human origin with host murine vasculature. These findings demonstrate the potential of prevascularized 3D printed scaffolds with anatomical shape for the healing of larger bone defects

A High Density of Human Communication-Associated Genes in Chromosome 7q31-q36: Differential Expression in Human and Non-Human Primate Cortices

The human brain is distinguished by its remarkable size, high energy consumption, and cognitive abilities compared to all other mammals and non-human primates. However, little is known about what has accelerated brain evolution in the human lineage. One possible explanation is that the appearance of advanced communication skills and language has been a driving force of human brain development. The phenotypic adaptations in brain structure and function which occurred on the way to modern humans may be associated with specific molecular signatures in today’s human genome and/or transcriptome. Genes that have been linked to language, reading, and/or autism spectrum disorders are prime candidates when searching for genes for human-specific communication abilities. The database and genome-wide expression analyses we present here revealed a clustering of such communication-associated genes (COAG) on human chromosomes X and 7, in particular chromosome 7q31-q36. Compared to the rest of the genome, we found a high number of COAG to be differentially expressed in the cortices of humans and non-human primates (chimpanzee, baboon, and/or marmoset). The role of X-linked genes for the development of human-specific cognitive abilities is well known. We now propose that chromosome 7q31-q36 also represents a hot spot for the evolution of human-specific communication abilities. Selective pressure on the T cell receptor beta locus on chromosome 7q34, which plays a pivotal role in the immune system, could have led to rapid dissemination of positive gene variants in hitchhiking COAG

Le dosage plasmatique des médicaments psychotropes à des fins thérapeutiques: recommandations du groupe d'experts AGNP-TDM

In psychiatry, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is an established procedure for most psychotropic drugs. However, as its use in everyday clinical practice is far from optimal, the AGNP-TDM group has worked out consensus guidelines to assist psychiatrists and laboratories involved in drug analysis. Based on a thorough analysis of available literature, 5 levels of recommendation were defined with regard to TDM of psychoactive drugs, from 1) (strongly recommended) to 5) (not recommended). A list of indications for TDM, alone or in combination with pharmacogenetic tests is presented. Instructions are given with regard to preparation of TDM, analytical procedures, reporting and interpretation of results and the use of information for patient treatment. Using the consensus guideline will help to ensure optimal clinical benefit of TDM. [References: 75]]]> fre oai:serval.unil.ch:BIB_2D18D21C9C20 2022-05-07T01:13:59Z openaire documents urnserval <oai_dc:dc xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:oai_dc="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc.xsd"> https://serval.unil.ch/notice/serval:BIB_2D18D21C9C20 Effect of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners on hemodynamic responses to acute stress: a randomized crossover trial in healthy women. info:doi:10.1038/s41387-019-0104-y info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1038/s41387-019-0104-y info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pmid/32066654 Cros, J. Bidlingmeyer, L. Rosset, R. Seyssel, K. Crézé, C. Stefanoni, N. Schneiter, P. Tappy, L. info:eu-repo/semantics/article article 2020-01-02 Nutrition &amp; diabetes, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/eissn/2044-4052 urn:issn:2044-4052 <![CDATA[The mechanisms by which chronic stress increases the risk of non-communicable diseases remain poorly understood. On one hand, chronic stress may increase systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and blood pressure, which may lead to blood vessels injury and altered myocardial perfusion. On the other hand, chronic stress may promote the overconsumption of sugar-containing foods and favor obesity. There is indeed evidence that sweet foods are preferentially consumed to alleviate stress responses. The effects of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) on hemodynamic stress responses remain however largely unknown. This study aimed at comparing the effects of sucrose-containing and NNS-containing drinks, as compared to unsweetened water, on hemodynamic responses to acute stress in twelve healthy female subjects. Acute stress responses were elicited by a 30-min mental stress (5-min Stroop's test alternated with 5-min mental arithmetic) and a 3-min cold pressure test (CPT), each preceded by a resting baseline period. Hemodynamic stress responses were investigated by the repeated measurement of mean arterial pressure and the continuous monitoring of cardiac output by thoracic electrical bioimpedance measurement. SVR was selected as a primary outcome because it is a sensitive measure of hemodynamic responses to acute stress procedures. With all three drinks, SVR were not changed with mental stress (P = 0.437), but were increased with CPT (P = 0.045). Both mental stress and CPT increased mean arterial pressure and heart rate (all P &lt; 0.001). Cardiac output increased with mental stress (P &lt; 0.001) and remained unchanged with CPT (P = 0.252). No significant differences in hemodynamic responses were observed between water, sucrose and NNS (stress × condition, all P &gt; 0.05). These results demonstrate that sucrose and NNS do not alter hemodynamic responses to two different standardized acute stress protocols