Unzipping empathy in psychopathy: empathy and facial affect processing in psychopaths

Psychopathy is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has a highly deleterious effect upon both individuals and society at large. Psychopaths grossly neglect and disrespect the interests of others. Their antisocial behavior is thought to originate from a lack of empathy. However, empathy is multidimensional in nature, as evidenced by the considerable heterogeneity in extant theorizing on the subject. Here, we present the "Zipper model of empathy" that reconsiders how both its affective and cognitive components converge in mature empathic behavior. Furthermore, the Zipper model of empathy is expedient for explaining the empathy deficits in psychopathy, insofar as it brings together current theories on the dysfunctional affective components of empathy, violence inhibition, and automatic versus goal-directed attention. According to the literature, the neurobiological underpinnings of these theories are amygdala-centered; however, this article traces this specifically to the basolateral and central amygdala subregions. When viewed together, the cognitive and affective components of empathy are zipped together in a natural fashion in healthy empathic behavior, whereas psychopaths leave the zipper substantially unzipped in pursuit of their purely self-centered goals.Education and Child Studie

Induction of labor with a Foley catheter and the risk of subsequent preterm birth: A follow-up study of two randomized controlled trials (PROBAAT-1 and -2)

OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to evaluate the preterm birth rate in a subsequent pregnancy in women who had undergone term induction with a Foley catheter in comparison to induction with prostaglandins. METHODS:This was a follow-up study of two large randomized controlled trials. In the original trials (PROBAAT-1 and PROBAAT-2), women with a term, singleton pregnancy in cephalic presentation with an indication for labor induction were randomized to either a 30cc Foley catheter or prostaglandins (i.e. vaginal prostaglandin E2 in PROBAAT 1 and oral misoprostol in PROBAAT 2). The main outcome measures were preterm birth <37 weeks gestation and preterm birth <34 weeks gestation. Data were collected from hospital charts on subsequent pregnancies from hospitals participating in this follow-up study. RESULTS:14 hospitals agreed to participate in this follow-up study. Of the 1142 eligible women, 162 women (14%) were lost to follow-up. Of the 572 women randomized to a Foley catheter, 251 women had a subsequent pregnancy beyond 16 weeks gestation, versus 258 women of the 570 women who received prostaglandins. There were no differences in baseline characteristics. The overall preterm birth rate was 9/251 (3.6%) in the Foley catheter group versus 10/258 (3.9%) in the prostaglandin group (RR 0.93; 95%CI 0.38-2.24), with spontaneous preterm birth rates of 5/251 (2.0%) versus 5/258 (1.9%) respectively (RR 1.03, 95%CI 0.30-3.51). CONCLUSIONS:In women with a singleton term pregnancy, induction of labor with a 30cc Foley catheter is not associated with an increased risk of preterm birth in a subsequent pregnancy as compared to induction of labor with prostaglandins. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.M. D. T. de Vaan, D. Blel, K. W. M. Bloemenkamp, M. Jozwiak, M. L. G. ten Eikelder ... B. W. Mol ... et al

Induction of labor with Foley catheter and risk of subsequent preterm birth: follow-up study of two randomized controlled trials (PROBAAT-1 and -2)

Objective: To evaluate the rate of preterm birth (PTB) in a subsequent pregnancy in women who had undergone term induction using a Foley catheter compared with prostaglandins. Methods: This was a follow-up study of two large randomized controlled trials (PROBAAT-1 and PROBAAT-2). In the original trials, women with a term singleton pregnancy with the fetus in cephalic presentation and with an indication for labor induction were randomized to receive either a 30-mL Foley catheter or prostaglandins (vaginal prostaglandin E2 in PROBAAT-1 and oral misoprostol in PROBAAT-2). Data on subsequent ongoing pregnancies > 16 weeks’ gestation were collected from hospital charts from clinics participating in this follow-up study. The main outcome measure was preterm birth 16 weeks' gestation in the Foley catheter and prostaglandin groups, respectively. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the groups. The overall rate of PTB in a subsequent pregnancy was 9/251 (3.6%) in the Foley catheter group vs 10/258 (3.9%) in the prostaglandin group (relative risk (RR), 0.93; 95% CI, 0.38–2.24), and the rate of spontaneous PTB was 5/251 (2.0%) vs 5/258 (1.9%) (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.30–3.51). Conclusion: In women with term singleton pregnancy, induction of labor using a 30-mL Foley catheter is not associated with an increased risk of PTB in a subsequent pregnancy, as compared to induction of labor using prostaglandins

Alfafoetoprotene in vruchtwater voor de detectie van neuralebuisdefecten: beperkte meerwaarde boven de 20-weken-echo; retrospectief onderzoek

Item does not contain fulltex

Alfafoetoproteïnebepaling in vruchtwater voor de detectie van neuralebuisdefecten: beperkte meerwaarde boven de 20-wekenecho; retrospectief onderzoek.

Contains fulltext : 69649.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access

New possibilities for ST analysis - A post-hoc analysis on the Dutch STAN RCT

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic value of ST analysis of the fetal electrocardiogram (fECG) during labor is uncertain. False alarms (ST events) may be explained by physiological variation of the fetal electrical heart axis. Adjusted ST events, based on a relative rather than an absolute rise from baseline, correct for this variation and may improve the diagnostic accuracy of ST analysis. AIMS: Determine the optimal cut-off for relative ST events in fECG to detect fetal metabolic acidosis. STUDY DESIGN: Post-hoc analysis on fECG tracings from the Dutch STAN trial (STAN+CTG branch). SUBJECTS: 1328 term singleton fetuses with scalp ECG tracing during labor, including 10 cases of metabolic acidosis. OUTCOME MEASURES: Cut-off value for relative ST events at the point closest to (0,1) in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with corresponding sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Relative baseline ST events had an optimal cut-off at an increment of 85% from baseline. Relative ST events had a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Adjusting the current definition of ST events may improve ST analysis, making it independent of CTG interpretation

Prediction of progression to a high risk situation in women with gestational hypertension or mild pre-eclampsia at term

Objective: To evaluate whether progression to a high-risk situation is predictable in women with gestational hypertension (GH) or mild pre-eclampsia (PE) at term. Methods: Women with a singleton pregnancy, a fetus in cephalic position, between 36 and 41 weeks of gestation, complicated by GH or mild PE that were managed expectantly, were selected from the HYPITAT trial. We evaluated the predictability of progression to a high-risk situation. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictive value of clinical characteristics or laboratory findings and to generate a prediction model for progression to a high-risk situation. The predictive value of this model was assessed with receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, calibration and internal validation. Results: We included 703 women, of whom 244 (34.7%) had progression to a high-risk situation. After multivariable analysis, nulliparity (OR 1.87), maternal age (OR 1.05 per year), gestational age (OR 0.88 per week), previous abortion (OR 1.26), ethnicity (OR 2.05 for non-Caucasian ethnicity), diastolic (OR 1.04 per mmHg), systolic blood pressure (OR 1.02 per mmHg) and the laboratory parameters proteinuria, haemoglobin, platelets, uric acid and alanine aminotransferase were included in the final model. The area under the ROC curve of this model was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.67-0.74). Even though the goodness of fit was moderate (P = 0.40), internal validation showed the model could hold in the overall population. Conclusion: In the prediction of progression to a high-risk situation, in women with GH or mild PE at term, a distinction can be made between women with a low risk and women with high risk