The distinction of 'Psychosomatogenic family types' Based on parents' self reported questionnaire information: a cluster analysis

The theory of 'psychosomatogenic family types' is often used in treatment of somatizing adolescents. This study investigated the validity of distinguishing 'psychosomatogenic family types' based on parents' self-reported family features. The study included a Flemish general population sample of 12-year olds (n = 1428). We performed cluster analysis on 3 variables concerning parents' self-reported problems in family functioning. The distinguished clusters were examined for differences in marital problems, parental emotional problems, professional help for family members, demographics, and adolescents' somatization. Results showed the existence of 5 family types: 'chaotic family functioning,' 'average amount of family functioning problems,' 'few family functioning problems,' 'high amount of support and communication problems,' and ' high amount of sense of security problems' clusters. Membership of the 'chaotic family functioning' and 'average amount of family functioning problems' cluster was significantly associated with higher levels of somatization, compared with 'few family functioning problems' cluster membership. Among additional variables, only marital and parental emotional problems distinguished somatization relevant from non relevant clusters: parents in 'average amount of family functioning problems' and 'chaotic family functioning' clusters reported higher problems. The data showed that 'apparently perfect' or 'enmeshed' patterns of family functioning may not be assessed by means of parent report as adopted in this study. In addition, not only adolescents from 'extreme' types of family functioning may suffer from somatization. Further, professionals should be careful assuming that families in which parents report average to high amounts of family functioning problems also show different demographic characteristics

Foliar and wood traits covary along a vertical gradient within the crown of long-lived light-demanding species of the Congo Basin semi-deciduous forest

Plant functional traits have shown to be relevant predictors of forest functional responses to climate change. However, the trait-based approach to study plant performances and ecological strategies has mostly been focused on trait comparisons at the interspecific and intraspecific levels. In this study, we analyzed traits variation and association at the individual level. We measured wood and leaf traits at different height locations within the crown of five individuals of Pericopsis data (Harms) Meeuwen (Fabaceae) from the northern tropical forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All traits varied between and within individuals. The between-individual variation was more important for leaf traits (23%-48%) than for wood traits (similar to 10%) where the within-individual variation showed to be more important (33%-39%). The sample location height within the crown was found to be the driving factor of this within-individual variation. In a gradient from the base to the top of the crown, theoretical specific hydraulic conductivity and specific leaf area decreased while the stomatal density increased. We found significant relationships among traits and between wood and leaf traits. However, these relationships varied with the position within the crown. The relationship between vessel size and vessel density was negative at the bottom part of the crown but positive upward. Also, the negative relationship between stomatal density and stomatal size became stronger with increasing height within the crown. Finally, the positive relationship between specific leaf area and theoretical specific hydraulic conductivity became stronger in higher parts of the crown, suggesting that P. data constantly adapts its water use with respect to its water supply, more strongly at the top of the crown where the environment is more extreme and less buffered against environmental fluctuations

HOW THE COMMON BEAN FOOD CHAIN AFFECTS MINERAL QUALITY

In order to prevent and overcome mineral deficiencies, healthy diets with a balanced nutritional profile are key. Common beans and other pulses contain significant amounts of minerals and are increasingly being suggested as important components of healthy diets. However, the mineral quality of a food product is not only determined by its mineral content but also by the bioaccessibility of the minerals. While the total mineral content comprises all minerals present in the food product, the bioaccessible mineral fraction is the amount of minerals that is readily available for absorption in the human body. In this PhD work, magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) were chosen as representatives of major minerals (>100 mg/day), while iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) were chosen to represent trace minerals (<100 mg/day). Moreover, all of the aforementioned minerals are reported to be linked to widespread mineral deficiencies. Within the common bean food matrix, nutrients, including minerals, are encapsulated by a cell wall that is indigestible for humans. In addition, common beans contain indigestible compounds which can chelate minerals, i.e. mineral antinutrients. Since minerals can only be absorbed in the human body when they are able to diffuse to the absorption site and are in a free, non-chelated state (in this work denoted as soluble minerals), we hypothesized that those physical (i.e. encapsulation by a cell wall) and/or chemical (i.e. chelation by indigestible molecules such as phytic acid and pectin) barriers reduce the amount of minerals available for absorption. To investigate to which extent these barriers impede the accessibility of minerals, the soluble mineral content was determined in cooked bean cotyledons before and after cell wall disruption as well as before and after selective phytic acid and pectin degradation. It could be concluded that the cell wall does not form a natural barrier for mineral diffusion in cooked common bean cotyledons, whereas the presence of antinutrients does decrease the soluble mineral content and as a result, potentially reduces the mineral bioaccessibility. Consequently, although beans are a valuable source of minerals, estimating their mineral quality purely based on mineral content may lead to a considerable overestimation. Along the common bean food chain, several stages are hypothesized to influence the mineral concentration as well as the level of mineral chelation and therefore the mineral quality. In this research, the chain from postharvest storage and cooking up to digestion was taken into consideration during evaluation of the mineral quality of common beans. Postharvest storage at increased temperature and R.H. (35°C and 80% R.H.) already induced development of the hard-to-cook defect after 8 weeks of storage. A known consequence of this effect is the need for prolonged cooking times in order to obtain a palatable solid food product. Moreover, the interaction between minerals and antinutrients is hypothesized to play an important role in the occurrence of this defect. The effect of postharvest storage on mineral bioaccessibility in common beans, however, had not yet been investigated. Upon prolonged storage, associated with development of the hard-to-cook defect, we observed the cell wall-chelated mineral fraction to increase and consequently the mineral bioaccessibility to reduce. Additionally, mineral bioaccessibility was found to decrease with cooking time, which was hypothesized to be caused by the chelation of free minerals by compounds which gain accessibility as a result of the cooking process (e.g. more extensive pectin solubilisation). Since the composition of seed coat and cotyledons in common beans is different, the effect of dehulling on mineral bioaccessibility was evaluated as well, taking into account different storage and cooking times. Overall, in contrast to Mg and Ca, the bioaccessible amount of Fe and Zn increased when beans were dehulled. From these results, we can conclude that, if a maximal mineral bioaccessibility in cooked common beans is desired, it is advised to select fresh beans (avoiding storage at increased temperature and R.H.), keep the cooking time as short as possible and dehull the beans in case of specific need for Fe and/or Zn. Despite these recommendations, a certain mineral fraction seems to remain chelated by mineral antinutrients. A possible strategy to maximally exploit the total mineral delivery potential of common beans was explored in this research as well. This strategy consisted of degrading mineral antinutrients before or during digestion in order to reduce their mineral binding capacity and in turn release more minerals. For example, when a healthy man (18-65 years) would consume 100 g of cooked common bean cotyledons, this would contribute to approximately 20% of his required daily Fe intake. When he would consume 100 g of cooked common bean cotyledons along with antinutrient degrading enzymes (e.g. using a stomach resistant capsule), this contribution would increase to approximately 30%. Through a more fundamental approach, i.e. using pectin-mineral model systems, mineral competition between Zn and Ca for binding pectin was observed. This effect results in increasing Zn bioaccessibility when the Ca concentration exceeds the Zn concentration, which plateaus at a fourfold excess of Ca over Zn. In common beans for example, the Ca concentration is already over 10 times the Zn concentration. Therefore, in meals that mainly consist of common beans, applying this strategy (i.e. addition of Ca) is not believed to further increase Zn bioaccessibility. Overall, it can be concluded that common beans contain interesting levels of minerals, but the presence of mineral antinutrients hampers their bioaccessibility. To increase the mineral delivery potential, the solution lays within reducing the mineral binding capacity of mineral antinutrients. Unfortunately, this cannot be achieved by conventional thermal processing (cooking) but dehulling before cooking and selecting appropriate cooking times can avoid a further reduction of the mineral bioaccessibility. Moreover, enzymatic degradation of these antinutrients (before or during digestion) proved to have significant potential in increasing the mineral bioaccessibility of common beans.status: publishe

Somatisation in adolescents: associations with family characteristics

Normal 0 21 false false false NL-BE X-NONE HE About 15 to 25% of all adolescentsreport recurrent or continuous physical complaints, such as dizziness,headaches, or fatigue. The majority of these complaints can be classified asphysical functional complaints (PFC), or complaints for which nostraightforward medical cause is found. The tendency to experience and reportmultiple PFC is named somatisation. Somatisation has a substantial impact, bothfor the adolescent (e.g., physical discomfort, restricted school attendance)and the adolescent s family (e.g., family stress). Insight in associated factorsis needed to serve assessment and treatment. One of the domains that remainunderstudied is the connection with family factors. More specific, threeoverall gaps can be distinguished. These gaps were addressed in the presentdoctoral research by means of five studies, including data of a populationsample of adolescents (born in 1996) and their parents (N = 1499). Data were gathered by means of questionnaires at threetime points (time 1, 2009 = T1, time 2, 2010 = T2, en time 3, 2011 = T3) andobservation at one time point (between T2 and T3). First, there is a lack of knowledgeconcerning independent connections(i.e., main effects) between somatisation and certain family aspects. Thisfirst gap was addressed by investigating the associations between somatisationand dimensions of general parenting behaviour (at age 12-13, T1; at age 13-14,T2; at age 14-15, T3; study 1), dimensionsof specific parenting behaviour (T1, and T2; study 2), family functioning (T1; study 3), and parenting stress (T1, T2, and T3; study 1). Concerning general parenting,significant associations were observed between higher levels of somatisationand less adaptive general parenting (less warmth, more harsh punishment, and morepsychological control) on T1. For T2 only the connection between higher levelsof somatisation and higher levels of psychological control was significant,while for T3 no significant connections were seen. Further, the specificparenting behaviour dimensions encouraging/monitoring and protection were notrelated to adolescents somatisation. The more frequent use of the specificparenting behaviour dimension minimisation was connected to higher levels of somatisationat age 12-13 but not at age 13-14. In addition, it was shown that adolescentsfrom parents reporting average to high amounts of problems in familyfunctioning reported higher levels of somatisation, compared to adolescentsfrom parents reporting low amounts of problems in family functioning. Finally,higher levels of parenting stress were significantly related to higher levelsof somatisation in all three data-waves. Second, previous research too oftenignored possible dependency of included main effects. In this study, some ofthe above mentioned independent links were further explored, assessing mediation/moderation by other familyfeatures and child characteristics. It was revealed that the relationbetween general parenting behaviour dimensions and somatisation wassignificantly mediated by parenting stress (at T1, T2, and T3; study 1) and moderated by adolescents skin conductance (at T3; study 4).Other hypotheses were not supported (i.e., that general parenting behaviour dimensionswould mediate the relation between parenting stress and somatisation, study 1; that general parentingbehaviour dimensions would moderate the relation between specific parentingbehaviour dimensions and somatisation, study2; that adolescents gender and emotional distress would moderate therelation between specific parenting behaviour dimensions and somatisation, study 2).Third, previous studies mainlyfocused on cross-sectional associations. Although cross-sectional research hasits merits, it has to be complemented by longitudinalanalyses in order to provide aetiological insights. This study revealedthat the significant indirect relation between general parenting behaviour dimensionsand somatisation, intervened by parenting stress, can be longitudinallyinterpreted as parenting stress predicting both parenting behaviour andsomatisation (study 1). In addition,longitudinal analyses showed that parenting stress predicts different levels ofsomatisation, depending on the adolescents trajectory of somatisationdevelopment (study 5). For thoseadolescents in long-term high and decreased somatisation trajectories,higher levels of parenting stress predicted lower levels of somatisation, whilefor those adolescents in long-term low and increased trajectories, higher levelsof parenting stress predicted higher levels of somatisation. Other longitudinalhypotheses were not supported (i.e., the existence of backward longitudinalrelationships, study 1, study 2, study 5;the existence of a longitudinal relation between specific parenting behaviourdimensions and somatisation, study 2).In sum, the results support theimportance of including following family topics in clinical practice concerningadolescents somatisation: general parenting behaviour dimensions (warmth,psychological control, and harsh punishment), parents minimising responses tophysical complaints, family functioning, and parenting stress. In addition, therelevance of adolescents processing of family features was disclosed. Overall,the results of this study suggest the value of including a pedagogical focus inassessment and treatment of adolescents who somatise. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}status: publishe

In vitro starch hydrolysis of common bean process-induced structures

Common beans have natural structural barriers playing a fundamental role in the fate of starch upon consumption. In this study, the influence of process-induced modifications of natural barriers on the in vitro starch hydrolysis of common bean cotyledons was investigated. Initially, water-soaked common beans were subjected to three different processes, each as a function of time: a thermal treatment (HT, 95⁰C, 0.1MPa), a high-pressure treatment (HP, 20⁰C, 600MPa), and a combined high-temperature high-pressure treatment (HTHP, 95⁰C, 600MPa). After processing, cotyledons were isolated and the time-dependent evolution of hardness (whole cotyledons) and microstructural properties (after mechanical degradation) was determined. Subsequently, for a number of mechanically disrupted samples with specific microstructural characteristics, the time-dependent evolution of in vitro small intestinal starch hydrolysis (expressed as percentage of digested starch) was determined. It was detected that HP samples were mostly characterized by free, non-swollen starch granules, whilst in samples obtained by HT and HTHP there was major presence of cell clusters at early processing times and free cells at longer times. However, HTHP samples had higher microstructural heterogeneity than HT samples. A fractional conversion model properly described the time-dependent evolution of in vitro starch hydrolysis. From the joint confidence regions of the estimated kinetic parameters, the presence of statistically significant differences among the samples became clear. In general, rate constants of all samples were similar, whilst the final values of digested starch exhibited major differences. The predicted final digested starch decreased with an increase in the level of starch bio-encapsulation (from free gelatinized starch to cell clusters) and a decrease in the degree of starch gelatinization. In samples with the same level of starch bio-encapsulation (free cells), the observed differences might be attributed either to a different degree of starch gelatinization or to a distinct cell wall porosity induced by a longer processing time.status: publishe

JOnG!0: Longitudinale ontwikkeling van opvoeding, kindgedrag en zorg. Rapport 42

status: publishe

'I look at you and see you looking at me' : role boundaries in a dynamic research relationship in qualitative health research with refugees

In institutional ethical and deontological guidelines, there is a prevailing, static understanding of the research partnership, with a clear boundary between researcher and participant. In this article, we argue that such a static understanding may run the risk of impeding the development of an enhanced contextual and dynamic intersubjective understanding of the research partnership and its impact on the growing importance of role boundaries in qualitative research. Drawing from a refugee health study on trauma and forced migration, we explore the different ways in which participants and the researcher engaged with the researcher’s multiple positions and role boundaries. In doing so, we aim to contribute to a reflective research practice by providing tools to recognize signs of potential harm and offer potential vehicles of reconstruction and agency within the intersubjective space of a dynamic research relationship, within a continuous, shared renegotiation process of role boundaries

A qualitative analysis of coping with trauma and exile in applied theatre with Syrian refugees : the role of within-group interactions

Around the world, armed conflicts force people to leave their homes, families, and communities in search of protection from collective violence, and seek to regain a meaningful perspective on their lives within the borders of their Western host societies. As the dynamics of organized violence and forced displacement continue to impact and disrupt relationships in refugee communities, scholars in the field of refugee trauma care have increasingly argued for the need to understand spaces that are able to restore safety, meaning, and connectedness in the process of post-trauma reconstruction within those disrupted communities. This is reflected in the growing interest in community-based psychosocial interventions. In this article, we focus on applied theatre interventions with refugee communities. In doing so, we aim to understand the restorative role of within-group interactions in applied theatre. We performed a case study of a community-based applied theatre project with Syrian refugees who were recently resettled in Belgium. The qualitative analysis that was the result of this case study allows us to develop an understanding of the various processes of coping with trauma and exile that are at play in within-group interactions between Syrian community members in applied theatre, against a background of authoritarian rule, collective violence, and forced displacement