The Heroes’ Journey: Traces of Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949) in Brandon Sanderson’s The Final Empire (2006)

English: The fantasy genre frequently uses the model of the Hero’s Journey described in Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949). The protagonist of these stories must embark on a dangerous journey accompanied by his/her mentor figure, face numerous trials, defeat evil and restore the peace of the world. Some novels, however, modify that structure to enhance their narrative techniques and draw for inspiration at the same time. This is the case of Brandon Sanderson’s The Final Empire (2006). This project analyses the use of the Hero’s Journey and the stereotypes studied by Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces in Sanderson’s The Final Empire, shows how those patterns are depicted in the novel and in which way the author tries to detach himself from them. The project studies the four main heroic or potentially heroic figures of the book presented in the narrative (Alendi, Lord Ruler, Kelsier, and Vin), then it compares their development to the stages portrayed in the Monomyth of The Hero with a Thousand Faces and concludes with an analysis of its effects in the narrative of the novel. Español: El género fantástico utiliza con frecuencia el modelo del viaje del héroe descrito por Joseph Campbell en El héroe de las mil caras (1949): el o la protagonista de estas historias debe embarcarse en un peligroso viaje acompañado de una figura mentora, superar numerosas pruebas, enfrentarse al mal y devolver la paz al mundo. Algunos libros, sin embargo, manipulan esta estructura para potenciar su narrativa a la vez que beben de ella como inspiración: es el caso de El imperio final (2006) de Brandon Sanderson. Este trabajo analiza el uso del viaje del héroe y de los estereotipos del libro de Joseph Campbell en El imperio final, estudiando cómo este utiliza dichos patrones y en qué maneras trata el autor de alejarse de ellos. El estudio hace un recorrido por las cuatro figuras heroicas o potencialmente heroicas presentadas en la narrativa (Alendi,Lord Legislador, Kelsier y Vin) y compara sus desarrollos con las etapas presentadas en el monomito de El héroe de las mil caras, concluyendo con un análisis de su efecto en la narrativa de la obra

Learning Literary Content in the EFL Classroom: Implementation Proposal for 3rd ESO BRIT

El presente ensayo examina el rol de la literatura y el análisis literario dentro de un enfoque comunicativo de la enseñanza de la lengua, proponiendo una unidad didacta como ejemplificación de los argumentos demostrados en su contenido, a saber: que la riqueza de la literatura, una fuente de input auténtico con facilidad para ser utilizada como recurso didáctico en la clase, ayuda a la adquisición de habilidades comunicativas, competencias claves y todas las destrezas necesarias para los alumnos en una forma motivadora y atractiva. Con esa finalidad, se discute en este ensayo, el uso histórico de la literatura en el aula, así como los puntos de vista actuales de este medio como herramienta de enseñanza, utilizando literatura académica del aprendizaje de Inglés como lengua extranjera para establecer los criterios de selección de texto y diseño de las tareas. La unidad didáctica propuesta sigue para ello un enfoque basado en tareas, así como un enfoque cronológico y de respuesta lectora, en una mezcla de currículums basado en contenidos y en estas primeras. Está dirigida a estudiantes de 3º ESO BRIT, y cubre el tema de la literatura gótica. Al fin de esta unidad, los estudiantes cubrirán tanto conocimientos sobre el lenguage (condionales, futuros, argumentar opiniones…) como temáticos (elementos del gótico, estilo literario de Poe, el rol del monstruo…), todo bajo el alcance del curriculum de secundaria español (ECD/489/2016). Los estudiantes serán evaluados mediante la producción y defensa de un análisis literario en parejas del libro de su elección dentro de una lista preseleccionada, con gradación en base a su dificultad y extensión. Esto se hará mediante rúbricas, preguntas sobre las presentaciones de sus compañeros y actividades graduadas en ciertas tareas. Finalmente, la eficacia de la unidad didáctica se comprobará mediante una evaluación diagnóstica y de resultados al principio y al final de la unidad, respectivamente, que preguntará sobre hábitos de lectura y conocimiento de los contenidos de la unidad.<br /

Data regarding the effect of cannabis consumption on liver function in the prospective PAFIP cohort of first episode psychosis

The presented article describes data from secondary analyses, related to the research article entitled ?Cannabis consumption and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. A three years longitudinal study in first episode non-affective psychosis patients? [1]. We present detailed data regarding the socio-demographic and baseline clinical characteristics of a sample of 390 drug-naïve patients with a first episode of non-affective psychosis, and the differences between cannabis users and non-users in those characteristics. Tables also show the results from cross-sectional and longitudinal statistical analyses exploring the relation between cannabis consumption and liver function, after excluding those patients with hazardous alcohol drinking

Cannabis consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A three years longitudinal study in first episode non-affective psychosis patients

INTRODUCTION: Increased incidence of obesity and excess weight lead to an increased incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Recent evidence indicates a protective effect of cannabis consumption on weight gain and related metabolic alterations in psychosis patients. Overall, patients are at greater risk of presenting fatty diseases, such as NAFLD, partly due to lipid and glycemic metabolic disturbances. However, there are no previous studies on the likely effect of cannabis on liver steatosis. We aimed to explore if cannabis consumption had an effect on hepatic steatosis, in a sample of first-episode (FEP) non-affective psychosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 390 patients were evaluated at baseline and after 3?years of initiating the antipsychotic treatment. Anthropometric measurements and liver, lipid, and glycemic parameters were obtained at both time points. All but 6.7% of patients were drug-naïve at entry, and they self-reported their cannabis use at both time points. Liver steatosis and fibrosis were evaluated through validated clinical scores (Fatty Liver Index [FLI], Fibrosis-4 [FIB-4], and NAFLD). RESULTS: At 3-year follow-up, cannabis users presented significantly lower FLI scores than non-users (F?=?13.874; p?<?.001). Moreover, cannabis users less frequently met the criteria for liver steatosis than non-users (X2?=?7.97, p?=?.019). Longitudinally, patients maintaining cannabis consumption after 3?years presented the smallest increment in FLI over time, which was significantly smaller than the increment in FLI presented by discontinuers (p?=?.022) and never-users (p?=?.016). No differences were seen in fibrosis scores associated with cannabis. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis consumption may produce a protective effect against liver steatosis in psychosis, probably through the modulation of antipsychotic-induced weight gain.Funding sources: The present study was carried out at the Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain, under the following grant support: Next-Val 2017 (ref.: NVAL17/24) and Inn-Val 2018 (ref.: INNVAL18/30) IDIVAL grants; Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI020499, PI050427, PI060507; Plan Nacional de Drogas Research Grant 2005-Orden sco/3246/2004; SENY Fundació Research Grant CI 2005–0308007; and Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla API07/011

Pattern of long-Term weight and metabolic changes after a first-episode of psychosis: Results from a 10-years prospective follow-up of the PAFIP cohort

Background: People with psychosis are at higher risk of cardiovascular events, partly explained by a higher predisposition to gain weight. This has been observed in studies on individuals with a first-episode psychosis (FEP) at short and long term (mainly up to 1 year) and transversally at longer term in people with chronic schizophrenia. However, there is scarcity of data regarding longer-term (above 3-year follow-up) weight progression in FEP from longitudinal studies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the longer-term (10 years) progression of weight changes and related metabolic disturbances in people with FEP. Methods: Two hundred and nine people with FEP and 57 healthy participants (controls) were evaluated at study entry and prospectively at 10-year follow-up. Anthropometric, clinical, and sociodemographic data were collected. Results: People with FEP presented a significant and rapid increase in mean body weight during the first year of treatment, followed by less pronounced but sustained weight gain over the study period (?15.2 kg; SD 12.3 kg). This early increment in weight predicted longer-term changes, which were significantly greater than in healthy controls (?2.9 kg; SD 7.3 kg). Weight gain correlated with alterations in lipid and glycemic variables, leading to clinical repercussion such as increments in the rates of obesity and metabolic disturbances. Sex differences were observed, with women presenting higher increments in body mass index than men. Conclusions: This study confirms that the first year after initiating antipsychotic treatment is the critical one for weight gain in psychosis. Besides, it provides evidence that weight gain keep progressing even in the longer term (10 years), causing relevant metabolic disturbances

Aripiprazole vs Risperidone Head-to-Head Effectiveness in First-Episode Non-Affective-Psychosis: A 3-Month Randomized, Flexible-Dose, Open-Label Clinical Trial

Background: Antipsychotic choice for the acute phase of a first episode of psychosis (FEP) is of the utmost importance since it may influence long-term outcome. However, head-to-head comparisons between second-generation antipsychotics remain scarce. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness in the short term of aripiprazole and risperidone after FEP outbreak. Methods: From February 2011 to October 2018, a prospective, randomized, open-label study was undertaken. Two hundred-sixty-six first-episode drug-naïve patients were randomly assigned to aripiprazole (n = 136) or risperidone (n = 130) and followed-up for 12 weeks. The primary effectiveness measure was all-cause treatment discontinuation. In addition, an analysis based on intention-to-treat principle was conducted to assess clinical efficacy. Results: The overall dropout rate at 12 weeks was small (6.39%). Effectiveness measures were similar between treatment arms as treatment discontinuation rates (? 2 = 0,409; P = .522), and mean time to all-cause discontinuation (log rank ? 2 = -1.009; P = .316) showed no statistically significant differences. Despite no statistically significant differences between groups regarding clinical efficacy, aripiprazole required higher chlorpromazine equivalent dosage (? 2 = 2.160; P = .032) and extended mean time (W = 8183.5; P = .008) to reach clinical response. Sex-related adverse events and rigidity were more frequent in the risperidone group, whereas sialorrhea was on the aripiprazole group. Conclusions: No differences regarding effectiveness were found between aripiprazole and risperidone for the short-phase treatment of FEP. Despite the importance of efficacy during this phase, differences in side effect profiles and patient's preferences are essential factors that may lead clinical decisions for these patients

Understanding sex differences in long-term outcomes after a first episode of psychosis

While sex differences in schizophrenia have long been reported and discussed, long-term sex differences in outcomes among first episode of psychosis (FEP) patients in terms of the efficacy of Early Intervention Services (EIS) has been an under-explored area. A total of 209 FEP patients (95 females and 114 males) were reassessed after a time window ranging from 8 to 16 years after their first contact with an EIS program (PAFIP) that we will call the 10-year PAFIP cohort. Multiple clinical, cognitive, functioning, premorbid, and sociodemographic variables were explored at 1-year, 3-year and 10-year follow-ups. At first contact, females were older at illness onset, had higher premorbid adjustment and IQ, and were more frequently employed, living independently, and accompanied by a partner and/or children. Existence of a schizophrenia diagnosis, and cannabis and alcohol consumption were more probable among men. During the first 3 years, women showed a significantly better response to minimal antipsychotic dosages and higher rates of recovery than men (50% vs. 30.8%). Ten years later, more females continued living independently and had partners, while schizophrenia diagnoses and cannabis consumption continued to be more frequent among men. Females also presented a lower severity of negative symptoms; however, functionality and recovery differences did not show significant differences (46.7% vs. 34.4%). Between the 3- and 10-year follow-up sessions, an increase in dosage of antipsychotics was observed. These results suggest that the better outcomes seen among women during the first 3 years (while they were treated in an EIS) were in the presence of more favourable premorbid and baseline characteristics. After an average period of 10 years, with the only difference being in negative symptoms course, outcomes for women approximated those of men, drawing particular attention to the increase in dosage of antipsychotic medication once FEP patients were discharged from the EIS program towards community-based services. These findings help to pose the question of whether it is advisable to target sexes and lengthen EIS interventions

Treatment discontinuation impact on long-term (10-years) weight gain and lipid metabolism in first-episode psychosis: results from the PAFIP-10 cohort

Background: patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) are at higher risk of gaining weight and presenting metabolic disturbances, partly related to antipsychotic exposure. Previous studies suggest that treatment discontinuation might have a positive impact on weight in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of treatment discontinuation on weight and metabolic changes in a FEP cohort. Methods: a total of 209 FEP patients and 57 healthy controls were evaluated at study entry and prospectively at 10-year follow-up. Anthropometric measures and, clinical, metabolic, and sociodemographic data were collected. Results: patients discontinuing antipsychotic treatment presented a significantly lower increase in weight and better metabolic parameter results than those still on antipsychotic treatment at 10-year follow-up. Conclusions: treatment discontinuation had a positive effect on the weight and metabolic changes observed in FEP patients; however, this effect was not sufficient to reaching a complete reversal to normal levels

Microenvironment Eradication of Hepatitis C: A Novel Treatment Paradigm

OBJECTIVES: Prisons are major reservoirs of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in which a therapeutic approach has been particularly difficult so far. Our aim was to create a permanent program of HCV elimination in a prison based on a "test and treat" strategy. METHODS: This open-label clinical trial was conducted in the Spanish prison "El Dueso" between May 2016 and July 2017. Viremic patients were treated with a ledipasvir-sofosbuvir regimen (8-12 weeks) according to the 2015 Spanish Guidelines. A teleconsultation program was established to follow-up patients from the hospital. Non-responders were submitted for a phylogenetic analysis and offered retreatment. An evaluation of new cases of HCV infection was performed every 6 months and upon release in all inmates. RESULTS: 847 (99.5%) inmates accepted to participate. HCV antibodies were present in 110 (13.0%) and 86 (10.2%) had detectable viremia. Most of them were genotype 1 or 3 (82.6%) and had <F2 fibrosis (52.2%). Treatment was started in the 69 inmates whose stay in prison was longer than 30 days. Sustained virological response was achieved in 64 out of 66 patients (96.9%), three of whom were successfully rescued with a salvage regimen after treatment failure. Two patients were lost to follow-up and three are currently on treatment without viremia. As a result, by July 2017 none of the 409 imprisoned was viremic, and neither reinfections nor de novo infections were detected. CONCLUSIONS: A sustained "test-and-treat" strategy against HCV in prisons is feasible and beneficial. Spreading this strategy should entail a public health impact.Supported by Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013–2016 and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, cofinanced by European Development Regional Fund “A way to achieve Europe”,Operative program Intelligent Growth 2014–2020 and grant PIE15/00079. This study received funding assistance from Gilead Sciences, Spain (IN-ES-337-2089), C/Vía de los Poblados, 3, 28033 Madrid, Spain, http://www.gilead. com/about/worldwide-operations/europe/spain; phone number: +34 913789830), who played no part in study design, data analysis, or in the preparation of the manuscript. All study investigators declare to be independent from funders

Evaluation of Dietary and Alcohol Drinking Patterns in Patients with Excess Body Weight in a Spanish Cohort: Impact on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

Unhealthy dietary habits and sedentarism coexist with a rising incidence of excess weight and associated comorbidities. We aimed to analyze the dietary and drinking patterns of patients with excess weight, their main characteristics, plausible gender differences and impact on cardiometabolic risk factors, with a particular focus on the potential contribution of beer consumption. Data from 200 consecutive volunteers (38 &plusmn; 12 years; 72% females) living with overweight or class I obesity attending the obesity unit to lose weight were studied. Food frequency questionnaires and 24 h recalls were used. Reduced-rank regression (RRR) analysis was applied to identify dietary patterns (DPs). Anthropometry, total and visceral fat, indirect calorimetry, physical activity level, comorbidities and circulating cardiometabolic risk factors were assessed. Study participants showed high waist circumference, adiposity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, pro-inflammatory adipokines and low anti-inflammatory factors like adiponectin and interleukin-4. A low-fiber, high-fat, energy-dense DP was observed. BMI showed a statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05) correlation with energy density (r = 0.80) as well as percentage of energy derived from fat (r = 0.61). Excess weight was associated with a DP low in vegetables, legumes and whole grains at the same time as being high in sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, fat spreads, and processed meats. RRR analysis identified a DP characterized by high energy density and saturated fat exhibiting negative loadings (&gt;&minus;0.30) for green leafy vegetables, legumes, and fruits at the same time as showing positive factor loadings (&gt;0.30) for processed foods, fat spreads, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sweets. Interestingly, for both women and men, wine represented globally the main source of total alcohol intake (p &lt; 0.05) as compared to beer and distillates. Beer consumption cannot be blamed as the main culprit of excess weight. Capturing the DP provides more clinically relevant and useful information. The focus on consumption of single nutrients does not resemble real-world intake behaviors