Compassion focused intervention for highly self-critical individuals:Pilot study

Self-criticism is a transdiagnostic process associated with a range of psychological problems. This uncontrolled pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a six-session intervention using methods from compassion-focused therapy to reduce self-criticism, as well as investigating changes in a range of outcome measures. Twenty-three university student participants with significant impaired functioning associated with high levels of self-criticism received six individual weekly treatment sessions and a 2-month follow-up appointment. Acceptability was assessed through participant feedback. The intervention appeared to be feasible in terms of recruitment and retention of participants, and participant feedback indicated that overall the intervention seemed acceptable. There were statistically significant improvements between pre- and post-intervention for self-criticism, functional impairment, mood, self-esteem and maladaptive perfectionism with medium to large effect sizes at both post-intervention and follow-up. Gains were maintained or increased between post-treatment and 2-month follow-up. The study showed preliminary evidence of effectiveness of a compassion-focused intervention for self-critical students which appeared to be a feasible and acceptable treatment approach. This intervention now requires investigation in a randomized controlled trial

The changing landscape of conservation science funding in the United States

To understand the changing role of funding sources in shaping conservation science in the United States, we analyzed acknowledgments from published studies, trends in research funding, and survey responses from conservation scientists. Although the U.S. federal government was the most frequently acknowledged source of support overall, U.S. foundations and NGOs were the predominant sources for tropical and socioeconomic research. Acknowledgments of foundation support for conservation research increased over the last two decades, while recognition of federal funds declined. Concordant trends in funding and acknowledgments indicated a changing landscape for conservation science, in which federal support has not kept pace with the growth in conservation research efforts or needs. Survey responses from conservation scientists about their funding sources were consistent with acknowledgment data, and most (64%) indicated that shifts in funding sources and amounts affected the type of research they conduct. Ongoing changes in the funding landscape shape the direction of conservation research and may make conservation science more vulnerable to economic recessions

Exploration of Grit and Emotional Intelligence and Success in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Background: Higher education programs that admit students to sequential curricula incur a substantial financial loss when an enrolled student fails to continue in the program for whatever reason. In many instances, the seat cannot be filled, and valuable tuition dollars often over $90,000 per student is lost to the institution. In addition to financial loss, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs are required to report and explain rates to the Commission for Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Admission committees at Doctor of Physical Therapy programs seek candidates that will be successful in the program and pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore relationships of non-cognitive characteristics (grit and emotional intelligence) and Grade Point Average (GPA) in the first year of a DPT program with the intent to potentially identify students who might benefit from remediation/intervention to prevent attrition. Methods: Forty-two students in the first year of a Doctor of Physical Therapy program completed the Grit scale and the Mayers-Salovey Emotional Intelligence test early in the fall semester of year one. Results: There were no significant relationships between grit or emotional intelligence and academic success in the first year of a DPT program. Conclusions: The current study provides preliminary information related to non-cognitive factors of grit and emotional intelligence and success in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program

National study of adverse reactions after vaccination with bacille Calmette-Guerin

Few large prospective studies of adverse reactions after bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination are available. In a prospective national study of such adverse reactions among 918 subjects (aged 1 day to 54 years) over a 14-month period, 45 vaccinees (5%) reported 53 adverse reactions (23 injection-site abscesses, 14 severe local reactions, 10 cases of lymphadenitis, and 6 other reactions). Only 1% of vaccinees required medical attention. Reactions, particularly lymphadenitis, were significantly less common in infants <6 months old (but not in subjects aged 6 months) vaccinated by trained (vs. untrained) providers (relative risk [RR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.090.68). Injection-site abscesses (RR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.117.90) and severe local reactions (RR, 4.93; 95% CI, 1.1121.90) were significantly more common in older vaccinees. Local reactions were more frequently reported by adult females than by adult males (RR, 7.18; 95% CI, 1.5932.45). Adverse reactions were not significantly associated with any currently available vaccine batch, previous receipt of BCG vaccine, or concomitant administration of other vaccines.F. M. Turnbull, P. B. McIntyre, H. M. Achat, H. Wang, R. Stapledon, M. Gold, and M. A. Burges

Detecting Emerging Diseases in Farm Animals through Clinical Observations

Clinical observations will allow early detection of emerging diseases in animal to enhance response time and capabilities

Ethnic density and first episode psychosis in the British Pakistani population: findings from the East Lancashire Early Intervention Service

Elevated risk of psychosis for ethnic minority groups has generally been shown to be mitigated by high ethnic density. However, past survey studies examining UK Pakistani populations have shown an absence of protective ethnic density effects, which is not observed in other South Asian groups. To assess the ethnic density effect at a local neighbourhood level, in the UK Pakistani population in East Lancashire. Data was collected by the East Lancashire Early Intervention Service, identifying all cases of first episode psychosis (FEP) within their catchment area between 2012 and 2020. Multilevel Poisson regression analyses were used to compare incidence rates between Pakistani and White majority groups, while controlling for age, gender and area-level deprivation. The ethnic density effect was also examined by comparing incidence rates across high and low density areas. A total of 455 cases of FEP (364 White, 91 Pakistani) were identified. The Pakistani group had a higher incidence of FEP compared to the White majority population. A clear effect of ethnic density on rates of FEP was shown, with those in low density areas having higher incidence rates compared to the White majority, whereas incidence rates in high density areas did not significantly differ. Within the Pakistani group, a dose-response effect was also observed, with risk of FEP increasing incrementally as ethnic density decreased. Higher ethnic density related to lower risk of FEP within the Pakistani population in East Lancashire, highlighting the impact of local social context on psychosis incidence

Characterization of the Viral Microbiome in Patients with Severe Lower Respiratory Tract Infections, Using Metagenomic Sequencing

The human respiratory tract is heavily exposed to microorganisms. Viral respiratory tract pathogens, like RSV, influenza and rhinoviruses cause major morbidity and mortality from respiratory tract disease. Furthermore, as viruses have limited means of transmission, viruses that cause pathogenicity in other tissues may be transmitted through the respiratory tract. It is therefore important to chart the human virome in this compartment. We have studied nasopharyngeal aspirate samples submitted to the Karolinska University Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden from March 2004 to May 2005 for diagnosis of respiratory tract infections. We have used a metagenomic sequencing strategy to characterize viruses, as this provides the most unbiased view of the samples. Virus enrichment followed by 454 sequencing resulted in totally 703,790 reads and 110,931 of these were found to be of viral origin by using an automated classification pipeline. The snapshot of the respiratory tract virome of these 210 patients revealed 39 species and many more strains of viruses. Most of the viral sequences were classified into one of three major families; Paramyxoviridae, Picornaviridae or Orthomyxoviridae. The study also identified one novel type of Rhinovirus C, and identified a number of previously undescribed viral genetic fragments of unknown origin

Biogenic nano-magnetite and nano-zero valent iron treatment of alkaline Cr(VI) leachate and chromite ore processing residue

Highly reactive nano-scale biogenic magnetite (BnM), synthesized by the Fe(III)-reducing bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens, was tested for the potential to remediate alkaline Cr(VI) contaminated waters associated with chromite ore processing residue (COPR). The performance of this biomaterial, targeting aqueous Cr(VI) removal, was compared to a synthetic alternative, nano-scale zero valent iron (nZVI). Samples of highly contaminated alkaline groundwater and COPR solid waste were obtained from a contaminated site in Glasgow, UK. During batch reactivity tests, Cr(VI) removal from groundwater was inhibited by ~25% (BnM) and ~50% (nZVI) when compared to the treatment of less chemically complex model pH 12 Cr(VI) solutions. In both the model Cr(VI) solutions and contaminated groundwater experiments the surface of the nanoparticles became passivated, preventing complete coupling of their available electrons to Cr(VI) reduction. To investigate this process, the surfaces of the reacted samples were analyzed by TEM-EDX, XAS and XPS, confirming Cr(VI) reduction to the less soluble Cr(III) on the nanoparticle surface. In groundwater reacted samples the presence of Ca, Si and S was also noted on the surface of the nanoparticles, and is likely responsible for earlier onset of passivation. Treatment of the solid COPR material in contact with water, by addition of increasing weight % of the nanoparticles, resulted in a decrease in aqueous Cr(VI) concentrations to below detection limits, via the addition of ≥5% w/w BnM or ≥1% w/w nZVI. XANES analysis of the Cr K edge, showed that the % Cr(VI) in the COPR dropped from 26% to a minimum of 4-7% by the addition of 5% w/w BnM or 2% w/w nZVI, with higher additions unable to reduce the remaining Cr(VI). The treated materials exhibited minimal re-mobilization of soluble Cr(VI) by re-equilibration with atmospheric oxygen, with the bulk of the Cr remaining in the solid fraction. Both nanoparticles exhibited a considerable capacity for the remediation of COPR related Cr(VI) contamination, with the synthetic nZVI demonstrating greater reactivity than the BnM. However, the biosynthesized BnM was also capable of significant Cr(VI) reduction and demonstrated a greater efficiency for the coupling of its electrons towards Cr(VI) reduction than the nZVI