Canine-Assisted therapy and quality of life in people with Alzheimer-type dementia: pilot study

6 páginasAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), dementia affects approximately 47.5 million people in the world, and 7.7 million new cases are diagnosed every year (World Health Organization, 2018). In the period 1990–2008, around 600,000 people in Spain were diagnosed with dementia, of whom 400,000 were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (De Pedro-Cuesta et al., 2009), exerting a significant impact on families, costs, and health and welfare services. As indicated by the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the prevalence of dementia is an alarming problem throughout the world, and as a result, “we must pay more attention to this growing challenge and ensure that all people living with dementia, wherever they live, receive the care they need.” The goal of the Global Action Plan on the public health response to dementia 2017–2025 (World Health Organization, 2018) is to improve the lives of people with dementia, their careers, and families, while decreasing the impact of dementia on communities and countries, which represents a major challenge due to worldwide population aging. Alzheimer’s disease is defined clinically by causing dementia and corresponds to 50–60% of all dementias, being the most prevalent (Alameda et al., 2012; Claassen, 2015). No curative treatment is currently available and the disease generates high healthcare, social, and family costs (Leon-Salas and Martínez- Martín, 2010). Correct diagnosis permits identification of the treatable causes of dementia, where these exist, or the possibility of slowing the process in other cases (American Psichiatric Association, 2002; Costa and Castiñeira, 2016). It is essential to establish a suitable therapeutic plan (pharmacological and nonpharmacological) in order to maintain independent functioning for as long as possible and safeguard the quality of life of patients, their family members, and caregivers through participation and engagement in stimulation, help, and support activities (Flynn and Roach, 2014; Hu et al., 2018). Non-pharmacological approaches include therapy for patients and their families, associations for patients’ relatives, day care centers, and various economic subsidies, all aimed at providing comprehensive care for patients while mitigating the physical and psychological fatigue associated with caring for a person with dementia (Patel et al., 2014; Casey et al., 2017). Tom Kitwood (Kitwood, 1997) developed the concept of “personcentered care for people with dementia” based on the idea that besides neurological damage, dementia treatment should also target aspects such as the personality, history, health, and social environment of each person. Studies conducted using this model in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD) have found that it helps maintain quality of life for a longer period of time (Sjögren et al., 2012; Yakimicki et al., 2018). This approach includes animal-assisted therapy, defined as “an intervention in which an animal is incorporated as an integral part of the treatment process, in order to promote an improvement in physical, psychosocial, and/or cognitive functioning of the person treated” (Delta Society, 1992). Other studies have used technological elements such as robots with an animal appearance, since some patients and workers may be scared of, allergic to, or averse to animals, which would hinder implementation of such therapies (Valenti Soler et al., 2015; Moyle et al., 2016). The few studies that have used dogs with subjects with dementia have obtained positive results as regards quality of life, finding an improvement in physical, behavioral, and psychological symptoms (Sellers, 2005; Moretti et al., 2011; Nordgren and Engström, 2012, 2014; Olsen et al., 2016; Tournier et al., 2017). However, most studies in the literature reviewed were conducted with patients with mild to moderate dementia, and there is little information available on patients with severe dementia. In line with the person-centered care model, which values all people as individuals with a unique history, is committed to promoting their independence, and recognizes the influence of their social environment and the importance of support available to them (McCormack, 2004; Nolan et al., 2004), the aim of the present study was to determine whether canine-assisted therapy maintained or changed the quality of life of people with severe ATD over time. And the hypothesis “The intervention program in Dogs Assisted Therapy (TAP), increases the quality of life of people with dementia.”S

Differential branching fraction and angular analysis of the decay B0→K∗0μ+μ−

The angular distribution and differential branching fraction of the decay B 0→ K ∗0 μ + μ − are studied using a data sample, collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1. Several angular observables are measured in bins of the dimuon invariant mass squared, q 2. A first measurement of the zero-crossing point of the forward-backward asymmetry of the dimuon system is also presented. The zero-crossing point is measured to be q20=4.9±0.9GeV2/c4 , where the uncertainty is the sum of statistical and systematic uncertainties. The results are consistent with the Standard Model predictions

Opposite-side flavour tagging of B mesons at the LHCb experiment

The calibration and performance of the oppositeside flavour tagging algorithms used for the measurements of time-dependent asymmetries at the LHCb experiment are described. The algorithms have been developed using simulated events and optimized and calibrated with B + →J/ψK +, B0 →J/ψK ∗0 and B0 →D ∗− μ + νμ decay modes with 0.37 fb−1 of data collected in pp collisions at √ s = 7 TeV during the 2011 physics run. The oppositeside tagging power is determined in the B + → J/ψK + channel to be (2.10 ± 0.08 ± 0.24) %, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic

Search for CP violation in D+→ϕπ+ and D+s→K0Sπ+ decays

A search for CP violation in D + → ϕπ + decays is performed using data collected in 2011 by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 at a centre of mass energy of 7 TeV. The CP -violating asymmetry is measured to be (−0.04 ± 0.14 ± 0.14)% for candidates with K − K + mass within 20 MeV/c 2 of the ϕ meson mass. A search for a CP -violating asymmetry that varies across the ϕ mass region of the D + → K − K + π + Dalitz plot is also performed, and no evidence for CP violation is found. In addition, the CP asymmetry in the D+s→K0Sπ+ decay is measured to be (0.61 ± 0.83 ± 0.14)%

Measurement of the Bs0→J/ψKS0B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0 branching fraction

The $B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ branching fraction is measured in a data sample corresponding to 0.41$fb^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. This channel is sensitive to the penguin contributions affecting the sin2$\beta$ measurement from $B^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ The time-integrated branching fraction is measured to be $BF(B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0)=(1.83\pm0.28)\times10^{-5}$. This is the most precise measurement to date

Model-independent search for CP violation in D0→K−K+π−π+ and D0→π−π+π+π− decays

A search for CP violation in the phase-space structures of D0 and View the MathML source decays to the final states K−K+π−π+ and π−π+π+π− is presented. The search is carried out with a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 collected in 2011 by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. For the K−K+π−π+ final state, the four-body phase space is divided into 32 bins, each bin with approximately 1800 decays. The p-value under the hypothesis of no CP violation is 9.1%, and in no bin is a CP asymmetry greater than 6.5% observed. The phase space of the π−π+π+π− final state is partitioned into 128 bins, each bin with approximately 2500 decays. The p-value under the hypothesis of no CP violation is 41%, and in no bin is a CP asymmetry greater than 5.5% observed. All results are consistent with the hypothesis of no CP violation at the current sensitivity

Measurement of the CP-violating phase \phi s in Bs->J/\psi\pi+\pi- decays

Measurement of the mixing-induced CP-violating phase phi_s in Bs decays is of prime importance in probing new physics. Here 7421 +/- 105 signal events from the dominantly CP-odd final state J/\psi pi+ pi- are selected in 1/fb of pp collision data collected at sqrt{s} = 7 TeV with the LHCb detector. A time-dependent fit to the data yields a value of phi_s=-0.019^{+0.173+0.004}_{-0.174-0.003} rad, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. No evidence of direct CP violation is found.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures; minor revisions on May 23, 201

Observation of two new Ξb−\Xi_b^- baryon resonances

Two structures are observed close to the kinematic threshold in the $\Xi_b^0 \pi^-$ mass spectrum in a sample of proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the LHCb experiment. In the quark model, two baryonic resonances with quark content $bds$ are expected in this mass region: the spin-parity $J^P = \frac{1}{2}^+$ and $J^P=\frac{3}{2}^+$ states, denoted $\Xi_b^{\prime -}$ and $\Xi_b^{*-}$. Interpreting the structures as these resonances, we measure the mass differences and the width of the heavier state to be $m(\Xi_b^{\prime -}) - m(\Xi_b^0) - m(\pi^{-}) = 3.653 \pm 0.018 \pm 0.006$ MeV$/c^2$, $m(\Xi_b^{*-}) - m(\Xi_b^0) - m(\pi^{-}) = 23.96 \pm 0.12 \pm 0.06$ MeV$/c^2$, $\Gamma(\Xi_b^{*-}) = 1.65 \pm 0.31 \pm 0.10$ MeV, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The width of the lighter state is consistent with zero, and we place an upper limit of $\Gamma(\Xi_b^{\prime -}) < 0.08$ MeV at 95% confidence level. Relative production rates of these states are also reported.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure

Measurement of the CP-violating phase phi_s in the decay Bs->J/psi phi

We present a measurement of the time-dependent CP-violating asymmetry in B_s -> J/psi phi decays, using data collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The decay time distribution of B_s -> J/psi phi is characterized by the decay widths Gamma_H and Gamma_L of the heavy and light mass eigenstates of the B_s-B_s-bar system and by a CP-violating phase phi_s. In a sample of about 8500 B_s -> J/psi phi events isolated from 0.37 fb^-1 of pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV we measure phi_s = 0.15 +/- 0.18 (stat) +/- 0.06 (syst) rad. We also find an average B_s decay width Gamma_s == (Gamma_L + Gamma_H)/2 = 0.657 +/- 0.009 (stat) +/- 0.008 (syst) ps^-1 and a decay width difference Delta Gamma_s == Gamma_L - Gamma_H} = 0.123 +/- 0.029 (stat) +/- 0.011 (syst) ps^-1. Our measurement is insensitive to the transformation (phi_s,DeltaGamma_s --> pi - phi_s, - Delta Gamma_s.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Search for CP violation in D+→K−K+π+D^{+} \to K^{-}K^{+}\pi^{+} decays

A model-independent search for direct CP violation in the Cabibbo suppressed decay $D^+ \to K^- K^+\pi^+$ in a sample of approximately 370,000 decays is carried out. The data were collected by the LHCb experiment in 2010 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb$^{-1}$. The normalized Dalitz plot distributions for $D^+$ and $D^-$ are compared using four different binning schemes that are sensitive to different manifestations of CP violation. No evidence for CP asymmetry is found.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.