97 research outputs found
Gold nanoparticles - the theranostic challenge for PPPM: nanocardiology application
The article overviews the potential biomedical applications of nanoscale gold particles for predictive, preventive and personalised nanomedicine in cardiology. The review demonstrates the wide opportunities for gold nanoparticles due to their unique biological properties. The use of gold nanoparticles in cardiology is promising to develop fundamentally new methods of diagnosis and treatment. The nanotheranostics in cardiovascular diseases allows the non-invasive imaging associated with simultaneous therapeutic intervention and predicting treatment outcomes. Imaging may reflect the effectiveness of treatment and has become a fundamental optimisation setting for therapeutic protocol. Combining the application of biomolecular and cellular therapies with nanotechnologies foresees the development of complex integrated nanodevices. Nanocardiology may challenge existing healthcare system and economic benefits as cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality at present
Psychotherapy Dropout: Using the Adolescent Psychotherapy Q-Set to Explore the Early In-Session Process of Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Research suggests that short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) is an effective treatment for depression in adolescence, yet treatment dropout is a major concern and what leads to dropout is poorly understood. Whilst studies have begun to explore the role of patient and therapist variables, there is a dearth of research on the actual therapy process and investigation of the interaction between patient and therapist. This study aims to address this paucity through the utilisation of the Adolescent Psychotherapy Q-set (APQ) to examine the early treatment period. The sample includes 69 adolescents aged 16â18 years with major depressive disorder receiving STPP as part of the First Experimental Study of Transference Workâin Teenagers (FEST-IT) trial. Of these, 21 were identified as dropouts and were compared to completers on pre-treatment patient characteristics, symptomatology, functioning, and working alliance. APQ ratings available for an early session from 16 of these drop out cases were analysed to explore the patient-therapist interaction structure. Results from the Q-factor analysis revealed three distinct interaction structures that explained 54.3% of the total variance. The first described a process of mutual trust and collaboration, the second was characterised by patient resistance and emotional detachment, the third by a mismatch and incongruence between therapist and adolescent. Comparison between the three revealed interesting differences which taken together provide further evidence that the reasons why adolescents drop out of therapy vary and are multidimensional in nature
Young People Who Meaningfully Improve Are More Likely to Mutually Agree to End Treatment
Objective: Symptom improvement is often examined as an indicator of a good outcome of accessing mental health services. However, there is little evidence of whether symptom improvement is associated with other indicators of a good outcome, such as a mutual agreement to end treatment. The aim of this study was to examine whether young people accessing mental health services who meaningfully improved were more likely to mutually agree to end treatment. /
Methods: Multilevel multinomial regression analysis controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and referral source was conducted on N = 8,995 episodes of care [Female = 5,469, 61%; meanAge = 13.66 (SD = 2.87) years] using anonymised administrative data from young people's mental health services. /
Results: Compared to young people with no change in mental health difficulties, those showing positive meaningful changes in mental health difficulties were less likely to have case closure due to non-mutual agreement (Odds Ratio or OR = 0.58, 95% Confidence Interval or CI = 0.50â0.61). Similarly, they were less likely to transfer (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.49â0.74) or end treatment for other reasons (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.50â0.70) than by case closure due to mutual agreement. /
Conclusion: The findings suggest that young people accessing mental health services whose symptoms meaningfully improve are more likely to mutually agree to end treatment, adding to the evidence that symptom improvement may be appropriate to examine as an indicator of a good outcome of accessing mental health services
Evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for young people with mood disorders: a systematic review
INTRODUCTION: Mood disorders are amongst the most common
groups of mental disorders in young people (YP). Depression
may affect 8-20% of all YP and may result in a cascade of negative
developmental outcomes predicting long-term morbidity and poor
functioning. In view of this, the COST action âEuropean Network of
Individualized Psychotherapy Treatment of Young People with
Mental Disordersâ (TREATme) was set up to help improve mental
health services in YP.OBJECTIVES: One of the overarching aims of TREATme is to carry
out a systematic review to assess for the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions in YP. In this study, we present results
from the systematic review of treatment effectiveness of youth
interventions for mood disorders.[excerpt]peer-reviewe
Predictors and moderators of outcome of psychotherapeutic interventions for mental disorders in adolescents and young adults : protocol for systematic reviews
Background: Adolescence and young adulthood is a risk period for the emergence of mental disorders. There is strong evidence that psychotherapeutic interventions are effective for most mental disorders. However, very little is known about which of the different psychotherapeutic treatment modalities are effective for whom. This large systematic review aims to address this critical gap within the literature on non-specific predictors and moderators of the outcomes of psychotherapeutic interventions among adolescents and young adults with mental disorders. Methods: The protocol is being reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) Statement. PubMed and PsycINFO databases will be searched for randomized controlled and quasi-experimental/naturalistic clinical trials. Risk of bias of all included studies will be assessed by the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The quality of predictor and moderator variables will be also assessed. A narrative synthesis will be conducted for all included studies. Discussion: This systematic review will strengthen the evidence base on effective mental health interventions for young people, being the first to explore predictors and moderators of outcome of psychotherapeutic interventions for a wide range of mental disorders in young people.Peer reviewe
Subjective well-being among psychotherapists during the coronavirus disease pandemic : A cross-cultural survey from 12 european countries
Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the amount of the total variance of the subjective well-being (SWB) of psychotherapists from 12 European countries explained by between-country vs. between-person differences regarding its cognitive (life satisfaction) and affective components (positive affect [PA] and negative affect [NA]). Second, we explored a link between the SWB and their personal (self-efficacy) and social resources (social support) after controlling for sociodemographics, work characteristics, and COVID-19-related distress.Methods: In total, 2915 psychotherapists from 12 countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Great Britain, Serbia, Spain, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland) participated in this study. The participants completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (I-PANAS-SF), the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.Results: Cognitive well-being (CWB; satisfaction with life) was a more country-dependent component of SWB than affective well-being (AWB). Consequently, at the individual level, significant correlates were found only for AWB but not for CWB. Higher AWB was linked to being female, older age, higher weekly workload, and lower COVID-19-related distress. Self-efficacy and social support explained AWB only, including their main effects and the moderating effect of self-efficacy.Conclusions: The results highlight more individual characteristics of AWB compared to CWB, with a more critical role of low self-efficacy for the link between social support and PA rather than NA. This finding suggests the need for greater self-care among psychotherapists regarding their AWB and the more complex conditions underlying their CWB.Peer reviewe
Influence of the Temperature and the Genotype of the HSP90AA1 Gene over Sperm Chromatin Stability in Manchega Rams
The present study addresses the effect of heat stress on males' reproduction ability. For that, we have evaluated the sperm DNA fragmentation (DFI) by SCSA of ejaculates incubated at 37°C during 0, 24 and 48 hours after its collection, as a way to mimic the temperature circumstances to which spermatozoa will be subject to in the ewe uterus. The effects of temperature and temperature-humidity index (THI) from day 60 prior collection to the date of semen collection on DFI were examined. To better understand the causes determining the sensitivity of spermatozoa to heat, this study was conducted in 60 males with alternative genotypes for the SNP G/Câ660 of the HSP90AA1 promoter, which encode for the Hsp90Îą protein. The Hsp90Îą protein predominates in the brain and testis, and its role in spermatogenesis has been described in several species. Ridge regression analyses showed that days 29 to 35 and 7 to 14 before sperm collection (bsc) were the most critical regarding the effect of heat stress over DFI values. Mixed model analyses revealed that DFI increases over a threshold of 30°C for maximum temperature and 22 for THI at days 29 to 35 and 7 to 14 bsc only in animals carrying the GGâ660 genotype. The period 29â35 bsc coincide with the meiosis I process for which the effect of the Hsp90Îą has been described in mice. The period 7â14 bsc may correspond with later stages of the meiosis II and early stages of epididymal maturation in which the replacement of histones by protamines occurs. Because of GGâ660 genotype has been associated to lower levels of HSP90AA1 expression, suboptimal amounts of HSP90AA1 mRNA in GGâ660 animals under heat stress conditions make spermatozoa DNA more susceptible to be fragmented. Thus, selecting against the GGâ660 genotype could decrease the DNA fragmentation and spermatozoa thermal susceptibility in the heat season, and its putative subsequent fertility gainsPublishe
Does telecommuting reduce vehicle-miles traveled? An aggregate time series analysis for the U.S.
Psychological Interventions for Young People With Psychotic Disorders: A Systematic Review
Background: Psychotic disorders are commonly accompanied by intense psychological burden, and psychological interventions are usually needed in order to reduce the symptoms and help in maintaining or improving the level of psychological and social functioning after the onset of psychosis. The evidence-base for treating young people at risk for psychosis and adults with psychotic disorders is accumulating. Yet, pervasive systematic literature reviews that would include patients from the full age range being the most essential period for the risk of developing a psychotic disorder, a wide range of psychological interventions, and various types of clinical trials, have been lacking. The aim of this systematic review is to fill the gap by presenting the current research evidence from clinical trials on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for treating young people (12â30) with psychotic disorders. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and PsycINFO followed by a 3-step screening process based on the PICOS strategy. Risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Extracted data from the included studies is reported using a narrative synthesis. Results: Of the 1,449 publications screened, 40 from 25 studies were included in the review. Of these, 10 studies reported results from cognitive or behavioral therapy, nine from cognitive remediation therapy (CRT), and six from other types of therapies (i.e., integrative interventions combining psychoeducation and family/group interventions). All but one study found the target interventions to be effective, but the results mostly did not differ significantly from the control conditions in reducing symptoms and improving functioning, preventing relapses and hospitalization, or improving psychological or family variables. The most consistent findings were from CRT, showing more improvement in cognitive functioning compared to control conditions while not being superior in reducing symptom severity. Integrative interventions might be effective in treating young people suffering from psychotic disorders. Conclusion: There is some evidence that psychological interventions are effective for young people with psychotic disorders. However, with regard to symptom severity, psychotherapy does not outperform control conditions, and the results do not strongly favor any specific type of treatment. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020166756], identifier [CRD42020166756]. Copyright Š 2022 Gergov, Milic, LĂśffler-Stastka, Ulberg, Vousoura and Poulsen
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