Does Mothers’ Self-Reported Mindful Parenting Relate to the Observed Quality of Parenting Behavior and Mother-Child Interaction?

Objectives Growing academic interest in mindful parenting (MP) requires a reliable and valid measure for use in research and clinical setting. Because MP concerns the way parents relate to, and nurture, their children, it is important to evaluate the associations between self-reported MP and observed parenting and parent-child interaction measures. Methods Seventy-three mothers who experience difficulties with their young children aged 0–48 months admitted for a Mindful with your baby/toddler training (63% in a mental health care and 27% in a preventative context) were included. Mothers completed the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IM-P) and video-observations of parent-child interactions were coded for maternal sensitivity, acceptance, mind-mindedness, and emotional communication (EC). Results The IM-P total score was positively associated only with mothers’ gaze to the child (EC). IM-P subscale Listening with Full Attention negatively predicted non-attuned mind-mindedness, Compassion with the Child positively predicted maternal sensitivity and positive facial expression (EC), and Emotional Awareness of Self positively predicted mothers’ gaze to the child (EC) and dyadic synchrony of positive affect (EC). Conclusions The current study provides support for the hypothesis that the IM-P total score is predictive of maternal actual attention for the child during a face-to-face interaction. When the IM-P is administered with the aim to gain understanding of different aspects of parenting behavior and the parent-child interaction, it is important not only to employ the IM-P total score but also to incorporate the individual IM-P subscales, as meaningful associations between IM-P subscales and observed parenting and parent-child interactions were found

THEORETICAL RESEARCH REGARDING THE WORKING PROCESS OF THE FERTILIZERS MANAGING SYSTEMS BY CENTRIFUGATION

Achieving a distribution standards per hectare as uniform and as specified by eachculture is the most important objective when it comes to administering fertilizer machine. In this sense the paper aims to highlight the theoretical and experimental research conducted by specialists from home and abroad on the process of working machines administrator chemical fertilizer granulation, according to parameters that can influence this process: as blades, the angle of their and so on

RESEARCH CONCERNING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SOME APPLES SORTING EQUIPMENTS

According to the present interest of the government to encourage the fruitconsumption by the scholars, especially the apple consumption, two functional model of technical equipment for sorting apples have been designed, manufactured and tested in INMA Bucharest. These equipments can be used for sorting also others fruits with spherical shape such as oranges, peaches, grapefruits etc. The mechanized sorting process conducts to valorisation of the farmer’s production and to increase their turnover, thus is necessary to analyse and improve this process, by optimizing the working parameters

Invasive Candidiasis in the Elderly:Considerations for Drug Therapy

Candida infections in the elderly are an important and expanding clinical problem, with significantly higher mortality in this group than in younger patients. The increasing problem of invasive Candida infections may be related to higher prevalence of immunocompromised older people and the emergence of treatment resistance. Older people, especially the frail and critically ill, are at higher risk of medication-related harmful effects due to changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, which may be further complicated by organ dysfunction, diminished homeostatic control, co-morbidities and polypharmacy. Here, we review the available options for the treatment of Candida infections and provide insights into the challenges surrounding the optimal use of antifungal drugs in the elderly

Exposure of anti-infective drugs and the dynamic changes of the gut microbiota during gastrointestinal mucositis in autologous stem cell transplant patients: a pilot study

Published online: 17 January 2023Gastrointestinal mucositis could potentially compromise drug absorption due to functional loss of mucosa and other pathophysiological changes in the gastrointestinal microenvironment. Little is known about this effect on commonly used anti-infectives. This study aimed to explore the association between different stages of gastrointestinal mucositis, drug exposure, and gut microbiota. A prospective, observational pilot study was performed in HSCT patients aged ≥ 18 years receiving anti-infectives orally. Left-over blood samples and fecal swabs were collected from routine clinical care until 14 days after HSCT to analyze drug and citrulline concentrations and to determine the composition of the gut microbiota. 21 patients with a median age of 58 (interquartile range 54-64) years were included with 252 citrulline, 155 ciprofloxacin, 139 fluconazole, and 76 acyclovir concentrations and 48 fecal swabs obtained. Severe gastrointestinal mucositis was observed in all patients. Due to limited data correlation analysis was not done for valacyclovir and fluconazole, however we did observe a weak correlation between ciprofloxacin and citrulline concentrations. This could suggest that underexposure of ciprofloxacin can occur during severe mucositis. A follow-up study using frequent sampling rather than the use of left-over would be required to investigate the relationship between gastrointestinal mucositis, drug exposure, and gut microbiome.Anne-Grete Märtson, Ana Rita da Silva Ferreira, Anette Veringa, Lei Liu, Hannah R. Wardill, Lenneke A. T. Junier, Tjip S. van der Werf, Hermie J. M. Harmsen, Marieke G. G. Sturkenboom, Lambert F. Span, Wim J. E. Tissing, Jan-Willem C. Alffenaa

Low Caspofungin Exposure in Patients in Intensive Care Units

In critically ill patients, drug exposure may be influenced by altered drug distribution and clearance. Earlier studies showed that the variability in caspofungin exposure was high in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. The primary objective of this study was to determine if the standard dose of caspofungin resulted in adequate exposure in critically ill patients. A multicenter prospective study in ICU patients with (suspected) invasive candidiasis was conducted in the Netherlands, from November 2013 to October 2015. Patients received standard caspofungin treatment and the exposure was determined on day 3 of treatment. An area under the concentration-time curve over 24 hours (AUC0-24h) of 98 mg*h/L was considered adequate exposure. In case of low exposure (i.e. <79 mg*h/L; ≥20% lower AUC0-24h), the caspofungin dose was increased and the exposure re-evaluated. Twenty patients were included in the study, of which 5 had a positive blood culture. The median caspofungin AUC0-24h at day 3 was 78 mg*h/L (interquartile range (IQR), 69 - 97 mg*h/L). A low AUC0-24h (<79 mg*h/L) was seen in 10 patients. The AUC0-24h was significantly and positively correlated with the caspofungin dose in mg/kg/day (P = 0.011). The median AUC0-24h with a caspofungin dose of 1 mg/kg was estimated using a pharmacokinetic model and was 114.9 mg*h/L (IQR, 103.2 - 143.5 mg*h/L). In conclusion, the caspofungin exposure in ICU patients in this study was low compared with healthy volunteers and other (non-)critically ill patients, most likely due to a larger volume of distribution. A weight-based dose regimen is probably more suitable for patients with substantially altered drug distribution

Brainstem blood brain barrier disruption using focused ultrasound: A demonstration of feasibility and enhanced doxorubicin delivery

Magnetic Resonance Image-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) has been used to achieve transient blood brain barrier (BBB) opening without tissue injury. Delivery of a targeted ultrasonic wave causes an interaction between administered microbubbles and the capillary bed resulting in enhanced vessel permeability. The use of MRgFUS in the brainstem has not previously been shown but could provide value in the treatment of tumours such as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) where the intact BBB has contributed to the limited success of chemotherapy. Our primary objective was to determine whether the use of MRgFUS in this eloquent brain region could be performed without histological injury and functional deficits. Our secondary objective was to select an effective chemotherapeutic against patient derived DIPG cell lines and demonstrate enhanced brainstem delivery when combined with MRgFUS in vivo. Female Sprague Dawley rats were randomised to one of four groups: 1) Microbubble administration but no MRgFUS treatment; 2) MRgFUS only; 3) MRgFUS + microbubbles; and 4) MRgFUS + microbubbles + cisplatin. Physiological assessment was performed by monitoring of heart and respiratory rates. Motor function and co-ordination were evaluated by Rotarod and grip strength testing. Histological analysis for haemorrhage (H & E), neuronal nuclei (NeuN) and apoptosis (cleaved Caspase-3) was also performed. A drug screen of eight chemotherapy agents was conducted in three patient-derived DIPG cell lines (SU-DIPG IV, SU-DIPG XIII and SU-DIPG XVII). Doxorubicin was identified as an effective agent. NOD/SCID/GAMMA (NSG) mice were subsequently administered with 5 mg/kg of intravenous doxorubicin at the time of one of the following: 1) Microbubbles but no MRgFUS; 2) MRgFUS only; 3) MRgFUS + microbubbles and 4) no intervention. Brain specimens were extracted at 2 h and doxorubicin quantification was conducted using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS). BBB opening was confirmed by contrast enhancement on T1-weighted MR imaging and positive Evans blue staining of the brainstem. Normal cardiorespiratory parameters were preserved. Grip strength and Rotarod testing demonstrating no decline in performance across all groups. Histological analysis showed no evidence of haemorrhage, neuronal loss or increased apoptosis. Doxorubicin demonstrated cytotoxicity against all three cell lines and is known to have poor BBB permeability. Quantities measured in the brainstem of NSG mice were highest in the group receiving MRgFUS and microbubbles (431.5 ng/g). This was significantly higher than in mice who received no intervention (7.6 ng/g). Our data demonstrates both the preservation of histological and functional integrity of the brainstem following MRgFUS for BBB opening and the ability to significantly enhance drug delivery to the region, giving promise to the treatment of brainstem-specific conditions

Enhancement of Opsonophagocytosis of Bacteroides Spp. By Clindamycin in Subinhibitory Concentrations

Radioactively labelled bacteria were incubated overnight in the presence or absence of one-half the MIC of clindamycin, then preopsonized with normal human serum or homologous rabbit antiserum and incubated with human polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Clindamycin in subinhibitory concentrations significantly enhanced the phagocytosis of all four Bacteroides strains. Complement-dependent as well as antibody-dependent phagocytosis was enhanced by clindamycin in one Bacteroides strain. In the other three strains, only antibody dependent phagocytosis was enhanced by clindamycin. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed phagocytosis of the bacteroides

Trospectomycin Enhances Surface Phagocytosis of Bacteroides and Staphylococcus by Altering the Bacterial Glycocalyx

The influence of trospectomycin on phagocytosis of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Bacteroides fragilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis was studied in the presence or absence of glycocalyx isolated from these microorganisms. Bacteria were grown with or without 0.25 or 0.5 of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of trospectomycin, a new chemically synthesized analog of spectinomycin. Surface phagocytosis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) was determined using a modified fluorochrome assay. Subinhibitory concentrations of trospectomycin significantly enhanced surface phagocytosis of Bacteroides and Staphylococcus. When homologous or heterologous isolated glycocalyx was added to trospectomycin treated bacteria prior to incubation with PMNL, phagocytosis was reduced to levels observed in the untreated bacteria. Addition of glycocalyx to untreated strains produced no significant reduction of phagocytosis. The glycocalyx preparations were free of lipopolysaccharide and did not affect PMNL viability