Community Adjustment of Chronic Psychiatric Patients: Dropouts vs. Non-Dropouts

This study examined the chronic psychiatric patients who were referred to Fountain House for psychosocial rehabilitation. Differences between the dropouts vs. the non-dropouts were tested. Applying a longitudinal design and using discriminant analysis, it was found that 70% of patients dropout over a period of six months; and that patients' personal characteristics as well as service variables are predictors of dropout and community adjustment. Although issues of collecting follow-up data on the dropouts were inherent, it was possible to identify patterns of adjustment for the non-dropouts. It was found that patients who stay longer in a rehabilitation setting, attend therapy, and comply with medication had better adjustment levels than others. This led to the conclusion that comprehensive long-term treatment is more effective than other single specialized model of treatment. Theories of milieu therapy, ego psychology, and empirical research pertaining to adjustment and dropout provided a rationale for developing this study, its conclusions, and its recommendations. One recommendation to emerge from this study is that deinstitutionalization should be perceived as a step in the rehabilitation process rather than as a goal by itself. This study concludes that it is possible for chronic psychiatric patients to adjust to the community, but only if all elements of the system work as a complementary unit in which inpatient and aftercare facilities are integrated around the goals of rehabilitation and independent living. The application of milieu therapy based upon sound social work philosophy, research, and methods is essential for the promotion of the adjustment process and reduction of the dropout rate in aftercare facilities. Continuation of research and commitment for long-term, comprehensive treatment will meet the scientific and clinical challenges for dealing with those patients who are "difficult to reach." A second recommendation is that in addition to the usual concern with patient adjustment to services, there is a need to be concerned with the adjustment of services to patients

Adaptive Capacity and Social Change. Introduction: A Conceptual Framework. Organizational Learning and Long-term Stability

If there is one kind of certainty for social-change nonprofits such as those participating in the Haifa–Boston Learning Exchange, it is that they will continually be challenged to cope with periods of instability and possible crises. The ability to adapt to changing environments, learn from experience, and perform in conditions of uncertainty are considered critical tools for organizations in order to ensure sustainability. Developing this “adaptive capacity” is a particular challenge for nonprofits at the start-up or growth phase of their organizational development, as are many of the Haifa–Boston Learning Exchange participants. This discussion presents a conceptual framework for adaptive capacity

Five-Year (2000-2005) Assessment Of The Implementation Of The Protocol To The Cartagena Convention Concerning Specially Protected Areas And Wildlife (SPAW), With A Special Focus On Annex II Listed Sea Turtles

The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention) and its Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) provide a unique framework, with pragmatic measures, through which nations are encouraged to work together to protect shared marine resources. In an effort to gauge the efficacy of the SPAW Protocol during the five years (2000-2005) since it entered into force, I conducted the first review of enabling legislation among the Protocol’s 12 Parties. To focus the endeavor, I evaluated the progress Parties have made in developing legislation to implement Articles 10, 1l, 13 and 14, with a specific focus on six species of endangered sea turtles protected under Annex II. As regionally depleted, high-profile, and relatively well-studied species, sea turtles are a useful proxy to assess the degree to which the Parties have met their obligation to ensure the protection and recovery of shared species and critical habitat. After developing a normative list of legal criteria addressed by each of the targeted Articles, reviewing ca. 130 legislative texts and published analyses, and comparing existing laws with my criteria to characterize strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in each Party’s national regulatory framework, I concluded that a majority of Parties have at least partially met the mandates of Articles 10 and 11, while a minority have met the mandates of Article 13. Two States appear to have chosen to invoke exemptions (for subsistence or traditional use) provided by Article 14. In seeking to fulfill the mandates of the SPAW Protocol, Parties have made substantial progress in modernizing and harmonizing their approaches to managing migratory marine species. Significant legislative gaps remain both within and among States; the study highlights the challenges inherent in biodiversity conservation at multilateral scales

Evaluating A proposed Training Program to Improve the Competences of UNRWA\u27s Teachers in the Blended Learning in North West Bank

The aim of the present study is to evaluate a proposed training program to improve the competences of UNRWA\u27s teachers in the blended learning in North West Bank, for this purpose the researchers usedaquasi-experimental design of two groups with pre-test and post-test. The study population consists of all teachers from Nablus educational area at UNRWA schools; the randomsample consisted of (44) male and female teachers, (24) teachers were an experimental group experienced training program, (20) teachers were control group did not expose to the proposed training program.The researchers designed a practical test and classroomvisitform in order to assess the impact of the proposed training program.The researchers used (SPSS) for the statistical analyses. Theresults of the study showed that there were statistically significant differences between the means of evaluating teachers competencies in the blended learning for the control and experimental groups due to the proposed training program, in favor of the experimental group , and there weren’t any statistically differences at (α=0.05) due to school gende

Panobinostat activity in both bexarotene-exposed and -naïve patients with refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Results of a phase II trial

BACKGROUND: Panobinostat is a potent, oral pan-deacetylase inhibitor (pan-DACi) that increases the acetylation of proteins involved in multiple oncogenic pathways. Here, panobinostat is studied in bexarotene-exposed and -naïve patients with refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with CTCL subtypes mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome who received ⩾2 prior systemic therapy regimens received panobinostat (20mg) three times every week. The primary objective was overall response rate (ORR) as determined by a combined evaluation of skin disease and involvement of lymph node and viscera. Disease progression was defined as an unconfirmed, ⩾25% increase in modified Severity Weighted Assessment Tool (mSWAT) compared with nadir. RESULTS: Seventy-nine bexarotene-exposed and 60 bexarotene-naïve patients were enrolled. Reductions in baseline mSWAT scores were observed in 103 patients (74.1%). The ORR was 17.3% in all patients in the primary analysis (15.2% and 20.0% in the bexarotene-exposed and -naïve groups, respectively). The median progression-free survival was 4.2 and 3.7 months in the bexarotene-exposed and -naïve groups, respectively. The median duration of response was 5.6 months in the bexarotene-exposed patients and was not reached at data cutoff in the bexarotene-naïve patients. Additional responses were observed when less-stringent progression criteria were used. The most common adverse events were thrombocytopenia, diarrhoea, fatigue and nausea. Thrombocytopenia and neutropenia were the only grade 3/4 adverse events in >5% of patients and were manageable. CONCLUSION: Despite a very conservative definition of disease progression, panobinostat demonstrated activity with a manageable safety profile in bexarotene-exposed and -naïve CTCL patients. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00425555

SARS-CoV-2 infection and multi-organ system damage: A review

The SARS-CoV-2 infection causes COVID-19, which has affected approximately six hundred million people globally as of 8 2022. Organs and cells harboring angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) surface receptors are the primary targets of the virus. However, once it enters the body through the respiratory system, the virus can spread hematogenously to infect other body organs. Therefore, COVID-19 affects many organs, causing severe and long-term complications, even after the disease has ended, thus worsening the quality of life. Although it is known that the respiratory system is most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection, many organs/systems are affected in the short and long term. Since the COVID-19 disease simultaneously affects many organs, redesigning diagnostic and therapy policies to fit the damaged organs is strongly recommended. Even though the pathophysiology of many problems the infection causes is unknown, the frequency of COVID-19 cases rises with age and the existence of pre-existing symptoms. This study aims to update our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 infection and multi-organ dysfunction interaction based on clinical and theoretical evidence. For this purpose, the study comprehensively elucidates the most recent studies on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on multiple organs and systems, including respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, nervous, endocrine, reproductive, immune, and parts of the integumentary system. Understanding the range of atypical COVID-19 symptoms could improve disease surveillance, limit transmission, and avoid additional multi-organ-system problems