Systematic review of the predictors of carer burden in caregivers of children with chronic conditions; and, The relationship between carer burden, self-compassion, psychological flexibility and wellbeing in caregivers of children with chronic conditions

Background: Caregivers of children with chronic conditions have been shown to experience higher levels of carer burden, which has been linked to increased mental health difficulties (such as anxiety and depression) and lower wellbeing. Evidence suggests that there are a number of factors which may act as predictors of carer burden in this population, however further research is needed to update the evidence base. A number of studies suggest a role for self-compassion and psychological flexibility as potential predictors of the relationship between carer burden and caregiver wellbeing. Research Article 1 synthesised findings regarding predictors of carer burden in caregivers of children with chronic conditions as an update from a review completed in 2012. Research Article 2 examined whether carer burden, self-compassion, psychological flexibility predict wellbeing in caregivers of children with chronic conditions. Design: In Research Article 1 the authors conducted a systematic search using the electronic databases PsychINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature as well as examining grey literature and reference lists of included studies. Findings were summarised using a narrative synthesis approach. In Research Article 2 a cross sectional design was used. Participants (N = 205) were recruited via social media, and completed an online survey encompassing demographic information and measures of burden (ZBI), self-compassion (SCS), psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9) and quality of life (QoLS). Results Preliminary results suggest that caregiver mental health difficulties, marital conflict and other stressors, high hours of caregiving, condition severity and family income/loss of work predict increased carer burden. Probable protective factors included good family functioning, social support, caregiver coping, family centred care and quality of life. Results from Research Article 2 showed that in combination carer burden, self-compassion and psychological inflexibility all significantly predicted anxiety, depression and quality of life with large effect sizes. Carer burden was found to be a predictor of higher anxiety and lower quality of life but did not predict depression. Psychological inflexibility predicted higher anxiety and depression scores and lower quality of life. Self-compassion predicted lower anxiety and depression scores and higher quality of life. Conclusion: Overall the two studies highlight the important of supporting caregivers of children with chronic conditions, and the need for further high quality research in this population. Preliminary findings regarding potential predictor variables need to be further examined in a larger sample using standardised measures of carer burden. Carer burden, psychological inflexibility and self-compassion appear to be important targets for intervention to improve wellbeing in caregivers of children with chronic conditions. Future research is needed to examine how these predictors could be targeted by interventions to support caregiver wellbeing

A role for hippocampal PSA-NCAM and NMDA-NR2B receptor function in flavonoid-induced spatial memory improvements in young rats

The increase in incidence and prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases highlights the need for a more comprehensive understanding of how food components may affect neural systems. In particular, flavonoids have been recognized as promising agents capable of influencing different aspects of synaptic plasticity resulting in improvements in memory and learning in both animals and humans. Our previous studies highlight the efficacy of flavonoids in reversing memory impairments in aged rats, yet little is known about the effects of these compounds in healthy animals, particularly with respect to the molecular mechanisms by which flavonoids might alter the underlying synaptic modifications responsible for behavioral changes. We demonstrate that a 3-week intervention with two dietary doses of flavonoids (Dose I: 8.7 mg/day and Dose II: 17.4 mg/day) facilitates spatial memory acquisition and consolidation (24 recall) (

Detailed analysis of X chromosome inactivation in a 49,XXXXX pentasomy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pentasomy X (49,XXXXX) has been associated with a severe clinical condition, presumably resulting from failure or disruption of X chromosome inactivation. Here we report that some human X chromosomes from a patient with 49,XXXXX pentasomy were functionally active following isolation in inter-specific (human-rodent) cell hybrids. A comparison with cytogenetic and molecular findings provided evidence that more than one active X chromosome was likely to be present in the cells of this patient, accounting for her abnormal phenotype.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-pulsed cultures showed different patterns among late replicating X chromosomes suggesting that their replication was asynchronic and likely to result in irregular inactivation. Genotyping of the proband and her mother identified four maternal and one paternal X chromosomes in the proband. It also identified the paternal X chromosome haplotype (P), indicating that origin of this X pentasomy resulted from two maternal, meiotic non-disjunctions. Analysis of the <it>HUMANDREC </it>region of the androgen receptor (<it>AR</it>) gene in the patient's mother showed a skewed inactivation pattern, while a similar analysis in the proband showed an active paternal X chromosome and preferentially inactivated X chromosomes carrying the 173 <it>AR </it>allele. Analyses of 33 cell hybrid cell lines selected in medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterin and thymidine (HAT) allowed for the identification of three maternal X haplotypes (M1, M2 and MR) and showed that X chromosomes with the M1, M2 and P haplotypes were functionally active. In 27 cell hybrids in which more than one X haplotype were detected, analysis of X inactivation patterns provided evidence of preferential inactivation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings indicated that 12% of X chromosomes with the M1 haplotype, 43.5% of X chromosomes with the M2 haplotype, and 100% of the paternal X chromosome (with the P haplotype) were likely to be functionally active in the proband's cells, a finding indicating that disruption of X inactivation was associated to her severe phenotype.</p

SRM・CRMの観点から考察する商社営業のコンピテンシー

Stem cells have captured the imagination of the general public by their potential as new therapeutic tools in the fight against degenerative diseases. This potential is based on their capability for self-renewal and at the same time for producing progenitor cells that will eventually provide the building blocks for tissue and organ regeneration. These processes are carefully orchestrated in the organism by means of a series of molecular cues. An emerging molecule which is responsible for some of these physiological responses is adrenomedullin, a 52-amino acid regulatory peptide which increases proliferation and regulates cell fate of stem cells of different origins. Adrenomedullin binds to specific membrane receptors in stem cells and induces several intracellular pathways such as those involving cAMP, Akt, or MAPK. Regulation of adrenomedullin levels may help in directing the growth and differentiation of stem cells for applications (e.g., cell therapy) both in vitro and in vivo. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.Peer Reviewe

The relationship between autonomic nervous system function and interoceptive accuracy in persons with fibromyalgia versus healthy controls

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common chronic primary pain syndrome in which underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. The role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and interoceptive accuracy (IA), the ability to accurately sense internal body signals, in relation to pain sensitivity was examined in persons with FM which were compared to healthy controls. ANS activity was expected to differ in FM compared to controls, both at rest and while performing mental stressful tasks, and IA was expected to be different too. It was further explored whether IA mediates the relationship between ANS activity and pain. In total 108 participants (n=54 healthy controls and n=54 persons with FM) underwent ANS measures during alternating rest and mental stress conditions. These ANS measures consisted of skin conductance levels (SCL), heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV), cardiac output, pre-ejection period and stroke volume (SV). IA was measured using a heartbeat perception task and pain sensitivity was assessed by determining pressure pain thresholds. Several questionnaires were administered which were associated to ANS, IA and pain measures. During mental stress as compared to rest conditions, higher levels were found for SCL (p &lt;.001) and HR (p &lt;.001) in both groups, while SV (p &lt;.004) was higher in rest versus in mental stress. Significant interactions between condition (rest versus mental stress) and groups (FM versus controls) were found for SCL (p =.04) and HR (p =.01), pointing to lower reactivity to stress in FM. Posthoc tests showed no significant group effects for the different conditions (i.e., for the rest or stress conditions). Group main effects were neither found for any of the ANS measures. Lower IA scores were found in FM compared to controls (p =.009). IA did not significantly mediate the relationship between ANS measures and pain thresholds. Since no differences between persons with FM and controls were found for any of the ANS measures, it can be concluded that ANS functions do not seem to be a crucial underlying mechanism in FM, at least in the relatively healthy subgroup included in this study. Importantly however, results showed that IA is diminished in FM. The role of IA in the pathogenesis and treatment of (at least a subgroup of persons with) FM requires further study. Also, studies into interoceptive modalities other than heartbeat perception are needed

High-Dimensional Cytometry Dissects Immunological Fingerprints of Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies

Chronic inflammation of skeletal muscle is the common feature of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). Given the rarity of the disease and potential difficulty of routinely obtaining target tissue, i.e., standardized skeletal muscle, our understanding of immune signatures of the IIM spectrum remains incomplete. Further insight into the immune topography of IIM is needed to determine specific treatment targets according to clinical and immunological phenotypes. Thus, we used high-dimensional flow cytometry to investigate the immune phenotypes of anti-synthetase syndrome (ASyS), dermatomyositis (DM) and inclusion-body myositis (IBM) patients as representative entities of the IIM spectrum and compared them to healthy controls. We studied the CD8, CD4 and B cell compartments in the blood aiming to provide a contemporary overview of the immune topography of the IIM spectrum. ASyS was characterized by altered CD4 composition and expanded T follicular helper cells supporting B cell-mediated autoimmunity. For DM, unsupervised clustering identified expansion of distinct B cell subtypes highly expressing immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) and CD38. Lastly, terminally differentiated, cytotoxic CD8 T cells distinguish IBM from other IIM. Interestingly, these terminally differentiated CD8 T cells highly expressed the integrin CD18 mediating cellular adhesion and infiltration. The distinct immune cell topography of IIM might provide the framework for targeted treatment approaches potentially improving therapeutic outcomes

The Cooperative Business Movement, 1950 to the Present

At a time when greed and mismanagement have caused world financial and economic crises, co-ops offer another type of business for economic activities that is less exposed to aggressive capitalism. This book provides a problem-oriented overview of the development of cooperatives during the last fifty years. This worldwide study addresses the major challenges cooperatives face, such as introducing organizational innovations to acquire necessary risk capital and implementing growthrelated strategies, the wave of demutualization in developed nations, and the ability of cooperative enterprise to construct an original consumer politics. The contributors to this volume discuss the successes and failures of cooperatives and ask whether the co-op is an outdated model of enterprise. They document a wave of foundations of new co-ops, new forms of collaboration between them, and a growing trend toward globalization. Generally speaking, these authors show that this special kind of business will doubtless continue to thrive and to maintain an important position in a rapidly changing world economy