Do Children and Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa Display an Inefficient Cognitive Processing Style?

Objective: This study aimed to examine neuropsychological processing in children and adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The relationship of clinical and demographic variables to neuropsychological functioning within the AN group was also explored.  Method: The performance of 41 children and adolescents with a diagnosis of AN were compared to 43 healthy control (HC) participants on a number of neuropsychological measures.  Results: There were no differences in IQ between AN and HC groups. However, children and adolescents with AN displayed significantly more perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and lower Style and Central Coherence scores on the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test relative to HCs.  Conclusion: Inefficient cognitive processing in the AN group was independent of clinical and demographic variables, suggesting it might represent an underlying trait for AN. The implications of these findings are discussed

A randomised trial of the effect of postal reminders on attendance for breast screening

This study was supported financially by National Cancer Screening Programmes. Stephen Duffy contributed to this study as part of the programme of the Policy Reminders and breast screening attendance BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER www.bjcancer.com | DOI:10.1038/bjc.2015.451 175 Research Unit in Cancer Awareness, Screening and Early Diagnosis, which receives funding for a research programme from the Department of Health Policy Research Programme, grant number 106/0001. It is a collaboration between researchers from seven institutions (Queen Mary University of London, UCL, King’s College London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Hull York Medical School, Durham University and Peninsula Medical School

The attitudes of trained and untrained staff in coping with challenging behaviour in secure and community settings

A postal questionnaire was sent to trained and untrained nursing staff working in both locked and community units catering for people with intellectual disabilities who showed challenging behaviour. It was found that there was no difference in the attitude of staff working in locked as compared to community units; however, trained staff had a more positive attitude to their word than untrained staff. The aim of this study was to investigate the variance in attitudes of care staff who work with people with a learning disability and display challenging behaviour in community-based homes and those in secure settings. This study also examines restraints used, its effectiveness and how staffs feel using them, as well as investigates how staff feel when dealing with challenging behaviour and the type and prevalence of injuries among staff working in these environments. A total of 71 participants completed a questionnaire investigating their attitudes towards challenging behaviour. The participants were made up of qualified nurses and nursing assistants working with people with intellectual disabilities who displayed challenging behaviour in both community and secure settings. The questionnaire was quantitative in nature and was made up of a range of questions and a Likert scale which measured staff attitudes. The data show that the qualified staff had a significantly more positive attitude towards people with a learning disability who displayed challenging behaviour than nursing assistants. There was no difference in attitude between staff working in community based placements and those in secure environments. This study also found that nursing assistants were more likely to receive injuries as part of their job role with over 70% of the staff having received such injuries. Just over 31% of the total staff had been injured during the past month between 1 and 4 times. A positive attitude towards to the use of restraints was revealed, with 69% feeling that they were useful and 70% saying that they were important for the safety of others. In conclusion, the study highlights the differences between the qualified and nursing assistants, which suggests that a better package of training made available for nursing assistants would be encouraged so that they have a better understanding of this area. Previous research has highlighted that training in this area improves understanding, and it is these staff who are the main caregivers for this population; thus, it is important that they receive the best care available. Challenging behaviour has been shown to be a large part of their job role, so it is paramount that staff are educated to deal with it appropriately

Follow-up Schedule for Patients With Sentinel Node-negative Cutaneous Melanoma (The MELFO Study) An International Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives and Design: The MELFO (MELanoma FOllow-up) study is an international phase III randomized controlled trial comparing an experimental low-intensity schedule against current national guidelines. Background: Evidence-based guidelines for the follow-up of sentinel node-negative melanoma patients are lacking. Methods: Overall, 388 adult patients diagnosed with sentinel node-negative primary melanoma patients were randomized in cancer centers in the Netherlands and United Kingdom between 2006 and 2016. The conventional schedule group (control: n=196) was reviewed as per current national guidelines. The experimental schedule group (n=192) was reviewed in a reduced-frequency schedule. Quality of life was the primary outcome measurement. Detection rates and survival outcomes were recorded. Patient satisfaction rates and compliance with allocated schedules were compared. Results: At 5 years, both arms expressed high satisfaction with their regimens (>97%). This study found no significant group effect on any patient-reported outcome measure scores between the follow-up protocols. In total, 75/388 (19.4%) patients recurred, with no difference in incidence found between the 2 arms (hazard ratio=0.87, 95% confidence interval: 0.54-1.39, P=0.57). Self-examination was the method of detection for 25 experimental patients and 32 control patients (75.8% vs. 76.2%; P=0.41). This study found no difference in any survival outcomes between the 2 study arms (disease-free survival: hazard ratio=1.00, 95% confidence interval: 0.49-2.07, P=0.99). Conclusions: A reduced-intensity, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage-adjusted follow-up schedule for sentinel node-negative melanoma patients is a safe strategy, and patient self-examination is effective for recurrence detection with no evidence of diagnostic delay. Patients' acceptance is very high

Dissecting an Active Volcanic Arc : International Experiential Learning in Nicaragua

Color poster with maps, photographs, charts, and graphs.Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and has a rich geologic history related to gold exploration and mining dating back to the 16th century. More recent geologic interest in Nicaragua stems from its plate tectonic setting that consists of active subduction of the Cocos plate beneath the Caribbean plate along its western margin. Active volcanoes of the Central American Volcanic arc are a result of this subduction. The purpose of this study was to complete a transect across an active volcanic arc and investigate geologic aspects of the arc in concert with the cultural, societal and economic impacts of living in a tectonically active region.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs