Influence of gender and education on cocaine users in an outpatient cohort in Spain

AbstractGender significantly influences sociodemographic, medical, psychiatric and addiction variables in cocaine outpatients. Educational level may be a protective factor showing less severe addictive disorders, longer abstinence periods, and better cognitive performance. The aim was to estimate gender-based differences and the influence of educational level on the clinical variables associated with cocaine use disorder (CUD). A total of 300 cocaine-consuming patients undergoing treatments were recruited and assessed using the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental Diseases according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Women developed CUD later but exhibited more consumption of anxiolytics, prevalence of anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and major depressive disorders. Alcohol and cannabis use disorders were more frequent in men. A predictive model was created and identified three psychiatric variables with good prognosis for distinguishing between women and men. Principal component analysis helped to describe the different profile types of men and women who had sought treatment. Low educational levels seemed to be a risk factor for the onset, development, and duration of CUD in both genders. Women and men exhibited different clinical characteristics that should be taken into account when designing therapeutic policies. The educational level plays a protective/risk role in the onset, development and progression of CUD, thus prolonging the years of compulsory education and implementing cognitive rehabilitation programmes could be useful.

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Combined Dexamethasone Suppression-Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Stimulation Test in Studies of Depression, Alcoholism, and Suicidal Behavior

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2006.251 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 1398-1404 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Leo Sher

Keyword(s):

Suicidal Behavior ◽

Depressive Disorders ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Suppressive Effect ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Psychiatric Research ◽

Corticotropin Releasing Hormone ◽

Releasing Hormone ◽

Hormone Stimulation ◽

Dexamethasone Suppression

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis controls the secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone, ACTH), and cortisol. The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) is the most frequently used test to assess HPA system function in psychiatric disorders. Patients who have failed to suppress plasma cortisol secretion, i.e., who escape from the suppressive effect of dexamethasone, have a blunted glucocorticoid receptor response. After CRH became available for clinical studies, the DST was combined with CRH administration. The resulting combined dexamethasone suppression-corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation (DST–CRH) test proved to be more sensitive in detecting HPA system changes than the DST. There is a growing interest in the use of the DEX-CRH test for psychiatric research. The DEX-CRH test has been used to study different psychiatric conditions. Major depression, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior are public health problems around the world. Considerable evidence suggests that HPA dysregulation is involved in the pathogenesis of depressive disorders, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior. Over the past 2 decades, there has been a shift from viewing excessive HPA activity in depression as an epiphenomenon to its having specific effects on symptom formation and cognition. The study of HPA function in depression, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior may yield new understanding of the pathophysiolgy of these conditions, and suggest new approaches for therapeutic interventions. The combined DEX-CRH test may become a useful neuroendocrinological tool for evaluating psychiatric patients.

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Research on the Correlation of Serum PCT and Plasma GSN Levels with the Prognosis of Urosepsis Patients

Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.12669/pjms.36.5.2143 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Na Cui ◽

Zhanbiao Yu ◽

Zhi Chen ◽

Ning Chen

Keyword(s):

Poor Prognosis ◽

Original Work ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Good Prognosis ◽

Control Group ◽

Creative Commons ◽

The Poor ◽

Prognosis Group ◽

Good Prognosis Group ◽

Open Access Article

Objective: To explore the correlation of procalcitonin (PCT) and gelsolin (GSN) with the prognosis of urosepsis patients. Method: The data of 71 urosepsis patients from March 2015 to April 2019 who were admitted to and treated in Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University were analyzed and compared with those of 92 healthy persons. Serum PCT and plasma GSN levels at different times after treatment were detected. According to prognosis, patients were classified into the good prognosis group or the poor prognosis group. The serum PCT and plasma GSN levels of both groups were compared. Result: The serum PCT level of the urosepsis group on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days was obviously higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The plasma GSN levels of the urosepsis group on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days were obviously lower than those of the control group (P<0.05).The serum PCT level of the poor prognosis group on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days was obviously higher than that of the good prognosis group (P<0.05). The plasma GSN level of the poor prognosis group on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days was obviously lower than that of the good prognosis group (P<0.05). PCT was an independent risk factor influencing the prognosis of urosepsis patients and that GSN was a protective factor (P<0.05). Conclusion: The serum PCT and plasma GSN levels can accurately predict the severity and prognosis of urosepsis patients and reflect the disease state of early urosepsis patients. High PCT levels and low GSN levels indicate poor prognosis, and clinicians should consider these values. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.5.2143 How to cite this:Cui N, Yu Z, Chen Z, Chen N. Research on the Correlation of Serum PCT and Plasma GSN Levels with the Prognosis of Urosepsis Patients. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.5.2143 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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EL CURRÍCULO DE LA EDUCACIÓN BÁSICA ECUATORIANA: UNA MIRADA DESDE LA ACTUALIDAD

Revista Cognosis. ISSN 2588-0578 ◽

10.33936/cognosis.v3i4.1462 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 47

Author(s):

Jonathan Javier Delgado Cedeño ◽

María Gabriela Vera Vera ◽

Juan Carlos Cruz Mendoza ◽

Jose Grismaldo Pico Mieles

Keyword(s):

Educational System ◽

Educational Level ◽

Basic Education ◽

Compulsory Education ◽

Teaching Experience ◽

Current Approach ◽

Education Curriculum ◽

Daily Work ◽

Curricular Elements ◽

Definition Of

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar el currículo de la educación básica ecuatoriana considerando sus innovaciones, desde el punto de vista actual, con el fin de distinguir sus características, para ello, se examinaron los precedentes que han generado cambios al currículo, se contrastaron documentos curriculares: Actualización y Fortalecimiento Curricular de la Educación General Básica (Currículo 2010) y el Currículo de los Niveles de Educación Obligatoria (Currículo 2016) y se identificaron los puntos esenciales que han sido mejorados en el último currículo de este nivel educativo. La investigación se realizó mediante revisión bibliográfica de documentos informativos, legales y curriculares. Se han abordado temáticas como: la definición del currículo, el porqué de la denominación de Educación Básica, la evaluación y ajustes al currículo y los principales sustentos legales de este nivel educativo. Con base en el Currículo 2016 se determinaron sus principales cambios y características, así también la forma en que ha sido percibido desde la experiencia docente en el quehacer educativo. Se concluye que los cambios y ajustes que se apliquen al currículo en todo tiempo, deben responder a los intereses sociales de la población y el país, de esta forma la educación cumplirá su rol aportando a la solución de problemas y el mejoramiento del sistema educativo ecuatoriano. PALABRAS CLAVE: Currículo; Educación Básica; Sistema educativo; Ajustes curriculares; Elementos curriculares. THE CURRICULUM OF ECUADORIAN BASIC EDUCATION: LOOK FROM THE PRESENT ABSTRACT The present paper is aimed to analyze the curriculum of Ecuadorian Basic Education considering its innovations from a current approach, in order to distinguish their characteristics. For it, precedents that generated changes to curriculum were examined, curricular documents were contrasted: Update and Curricular Strengthening of General Basic Education (Curriculum 2010), and Currículum of Levels of Compulsory Education (Currículum 2016), and the essential aspects that have been improved in the last curriculum of this educational level were identified. The investigation was conducted through bibliographic review of informative, legal and curricular documents. Thematics as: definition of curriculum, the reason of denomination of Basic Education, evaluation and adjustments to the curriculum, and the main legal underpinnings of this educational level. Based on the 2016 Curriculum, its main changes and characteristics were determined, as well the way it has been perceived from the teaching experience in the education daily work. It is concluded that the changes and adjustments that are applied to the curriculum at all times, must respond to the social interests of the population and the country, in this way education will fulfill its role contributing to the solution of problems and the improvement of the Ecuadorian educational system. KEYWORDS: Curriculum; Basic Education; Educational system; Curricular adjustments; Curricular elements.

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Exploring of Dietary Patterns, and Possible Association with Educational Level, among Jordanian Pregnant Women

Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal ◽

10.12944/crnfsj.9.1.04 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 31-39

Author(s):

Reema Tayyem ◽

Shatha Hammad ◽

Sabika S. Allehdan ◽

Dana Abdelrahim ◽

Lydia Djellouli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Educational Level ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Principal Component ◽

Fruit And Vegetables ◽

Third Trimester ◽

Dietary Practices ◽

Activity Data ◽

Highly Educated

Evaluating dietary patterns could provide an overall view of food and nutrient which consumed regularly. Better understanding of dietary patterns in pregnant women may be considered an acceptable mean to identify unhealthy dietary practices and the associations with undesirable pregnancy outcomes, which necessitates urgent intervention. This study aimed to determine the dietary pattern followed by Jordanian women during pregnancy in the second and third trimesters and to detect possible association between the dietary patterns and educational level. A total of 286 healthy, pregnant Jordanian women, aged ≥ 18 years with singleton pregnancies, completed the study. Sociodemographic, dietary, and physical activity data were collected using validated questionnaires. Dietary patterns were identified using a Principal Component Analysis. A multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of education level on dietary intake. Three dietary patterns were identified during the entire duration of pregnancy; ‘High-Fat, High-Sugar’, ‘Fruit and Vegetables', and ‘High Protein’ which explained about 32% of the variability of the study sample. Dietary patterns adopted by pregnant women during the second and third trimesters, separately, were able to explain about 40% of the variability during each trimester. Educational level showed associations with dietary patterns, in which ‘Fruit and Vegetables' and ‘Healthy’ patterns were remarkably manifested as the preferred pattern of consumption for the highly educated women during their third trimester. Different dietary patterns have been identified among Jordanian pregnant women throughout their pregnancy trimesters. Higher educational level could influence food choices. Fruit and Vegetables' and ‘Healthy’ patterns were the followed patterns among the highly educated women during their third trimester.

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Association between serum markers of the humoral immune system and inflammation in the Swedish AMORIS study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-27195/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

aida santaolalla ◽

Sam Sollie ◽

Ali Rislan ◽

Debra H. Josephs ◽

Niklas Hammar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Educational Level ◽

Blood Cells ◽

Adaptive Response ◽

White Blood Cells ◽

Principal Component ◽

Serum Markers ◽

Response Component ◽

Humoral Immune ◽

Humoral Immune System

Abstract Background: Although the onset of inflammatory cascades may profoundly influence the nature of antibody responses, the interplay between inflammatory and humoral (antibody) immune markers remains unclear. Thus, we explored the reciprocity between the humoral immune system and inflammation and assessed how external socio-demographic factors may influence these interactions.Methods: From the AMORIS cohort, 5,513 individuals were identified with baseline measurements of serum humoral immune (immunoglobulin G, A & M (IgG, IgA, IgM)) and inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, haptoglobin, white blood cells (WBC), iron and total iron-binding capacity) markers measured on the same day. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering were used to evaluate biomarkers correlation, variation and associations. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to assess associations between biomarkers and educational level, socio-economic status, sex and age.Results: Frequently used serum markers for inflammation, CRP, haptoglobin and white blood cells, correlated together. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis confirmed the interaction between these main biological responses, showing an acute response component (CRP, Haptoglobin, WBC, IgM) and adaptive response component (Albumin, Iron, TIBC, IgA, IgG). A socioeconomic gradient associated with worse health outcomes was observed, specifically low educational level, older age and male sex were associated with serum levels that indicated infection and inflammation.Conclusions: These findings indicate that serum markers of the humoral immune system and inflammation closely interact in response to infection or inflammation. Clustering analysis presented two main immune response components: an acute and an adaptive response, comprising markers of both biological pathways. Future studies should shift from single internal marker assessment to multiple humoral and inflammation serum markers combined, when assessing risk of clinical outcomes such as cancer.

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Environmental Education to Change the Consumption Model and Curb Climate Change

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12187475 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (18) ◽

pp. 7475

Author(s):

Leticia-Concepción Velasco-Martínez ◽

Juan-Jesús Martín-Jaime ◽

Ligia-Isabel Estrada-Vidal ◽

Juan-Carlos Tójar-Hurtado

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Environmental Education ◽

Compulsory Education ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Principal Component ◽

Education Students ◽

Responsible Consumption ◽

The Subject ◽

Consumption Model ◽

Mitigate Climate Change

Environmental education plays a fundamental role in the fight against climate change and the transformation towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly socio-economic model. This study shows how to evaluate the effectiveness of a program for compulsory education students in Spain. The subject of the program focused on the effects of climate change in relation to our consumption model and the generation of waste. A mixed research methodology is proposed that combines a quantitative (10 items on the Likert scale, n = 714) and qualitative approach (category construction and analysis on open-ended questions). A study of the reliability and validity of the measure was carried out through a categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA). The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) correlates the gender and educational level of the students to the learning acquired in the program. For example, the results show how students are convinced that adopting minimal pro-environmental habits (turning off lights and unplugging electronics, choosing public transport to get around, or using solar and wind power to produce electricity) can help mitigate climate change. The conclusions show the difficulties and challenges of education for responsible consumption, emphasizing the development of environmental education programs for reducing the effects of climate change.

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Diets High in Vegetables, Fruits, Cereals, and Tubers as a Protective Factor for Metabolic Syndrome in Bank Employees (P08-048-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz044.p08-048-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Monica Cattafesta ◽

Luciane Salaroli

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dietary Pattern ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Principal Component ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Metabolic Complications ◽

The Third ◽

Bank Employees

Abstract Objectives Evaluate the association of dietary patterns in bank employees with the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), considering sociodemographic and behavioral factors as well as laboratory tests. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 515 bankers in Brazil. Sociodemographic, occupational, behavioral, and food consumption data were collected. Dietary patterns were determined by principal component analysis with orthogonal varimax rotation. Results The dietary pattern of vegetables, fruits, cereals, and tubers was correlated with the presence of MetS and with waist circumference (WC) measurements and triglyceride (TG) levels. Individuals who adhered less well this pattern had a higher WC (93 ± 17 cm in the first quintile vs 87 ± 19 cm in the fifth quintile, P = 0.001; and 93 ± 17 cm in the first quintile vs 84 ± 18 cm in the third quintile, P = 0.019), as well as a higher level of blood TG (121 ± 71 mg/dL in the first quintile vs 111 ± 72 mg/dL in the fifth quintile, P = 0.003). Individuals in the third and fifth quintiles of the pattern “vegetables, fruits, cereals, and tubers” presented with 3.28 and 2.24 times less chances of MetS when compared to individuals in the first quintile of this dietary pattern (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.13–0.67, and OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21–0.92, respectively). Subjects over 45 years of age were almost twice as likely to develop MetS (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.01–3.77). Conclusions Healthy eating represented by the dietary pattern “vegetables, fruits, cereals, and tubers” was associated with better health among bank employees, especially when evaluating competing metabolic complications such as MetS. Funding Sources Foundation for Support to Research and Innovation of Espírito Santo (FAPES). Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

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Biological mechanism study of meditation and its application in mental disorders

General Psychiatry ◽

10.1136/gpsych-2020-100214 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. e100214

Author(s):

Hui Shen ◽

Meijuan Chen ◽

Donghong Cui

Keyword(s):

Mental Disorders ◽

Depressive Disorders ◽

Clinical Medicine ◽

Alternative Therapy ◽

Mechanism Study ◽

Addictive Disorders ◽

Brain Structure And Function ◽

Major Depressive Disorders ◽

And Function ◽

Telomere Regulation

In recent years, research on meditation as an important alternative therapy has developed rapidly and been widely applied in clinical medicine. Mechanism studies of meditation have also developed progressively, showing that meditation has great impact on brain structure and function, and epigenetic and telomere regulation. In line with this, the application of meditation has gradually been expanded to mental illness, most often applied for major depressive disorders and substance-related and addictive disorders. The focus of this paper is to illustrate the biological mechanisms of meditation and its application in mental disorders.

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The validity and reliability of the fatigue syndrome that follows glandular fever

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291700037405 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 917-924 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

P. D. White ◽

S. A. Grover ◽

H. O. Kangro ◽

J. M. Thomas ◽

J. Amess ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychiatric Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Depressive Disorders ◽

Principal Component ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Glandular Fever ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Primary Care Patients ◽

Upper Respiratory

SYNOPSISThe validity and reliability of an empirically defined fatigue syndrome were tested in a prospective cohort study of 245 primary care patients, with glandular fever or an upper respiratory tract infection. Subjects were interviewed three times in the 6 months after onset. Subjects with the empirically defined fatigue syndrome were compared with those who were well and those who had a psychiatric disorder.The validity of the fatigue syndrome was supported, separate from psychiatric disorders in general and depressive disorders in particular. Only 16% of subjects with the principal component derived fatigue factor also met criteria for a psychiatric disorder (excluding pre-morbid phobias). Compared with subjects with psychiatric disorders, subjects with the operationally defined fatigue syndrome reported more severe physical fatigue, especially after exertion, were just as socially incapacitated, had fewer mental state abnormalities, and showed little overlap on independent questionnaires. A more mild fatigue state also existed. Both the fatigue syndrome and state were more reliable diagnoses over time than depressive disorders. The empirically defined fatigue syndrome probably is a valid and reliable condition in the 6 months following glandular fever.

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Anthropometric Procedures for Protective Equipment Sizing and Design

Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ◽

10.1177/0018720812465640 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 6-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Hongwei Hsiao

Keyword(s):

Product Design ◽

Principal Component ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Test Panel ◽

Design Paradigm ◽

Equipment Sizing ◽

Gender Based ◽

Fall Arrest ◽

Protective Structures ◽

Effective Product

Objectives: This article presented four anthropometric theories (univariate, bivariate/probability distribution, multivariate, and shape-based methods) for protective equipment design decisions. Background: While the significance of anthropometric information for product design is well recognized, designers continue to face challenges in selecting efficient anthropometric data processing methods and translating the acquired information into effective product designs. Methods: For this study, 100 farm tractor operators, 3,718 respirator users, 951 firefighters, and 816 civilian workers participated in four studies on the design of tractor roll-over protective structures (ROPS), respirator test panels, fire truck cabs, and fall-arrest harnesses, respectively. Their anthropometry and participant-equipment interfaces were evaluated. Results: Study 1 showed a need to extend the 90-cm vertical clearance for tractor ROPS in the current industrial standards to 98.3 to 101.3 cm. Study 2 indicated that current respirator test panel would have excluded 10% of the male firefighter population; a systematic adjustment to the boundaries of test panel cells was suggested. Study 3 provided 24 principal component analysis-based firefighter body models to facilitate fire truck cab design. Study 4 developed an improved gender-based fall-arrest harness sizing scheme to supplant the current unisex system. Conclusions: This article presented four anthropometric approaches and a six-step design paradigm for ROPS, respirator test panel, fire truck cab, and fall-arrest harness applications, which demonstrated anthropometric theories and practices for defining protective equipment fit and sizing schemes. Applications: The study provided a basis for equipment designers, standards writers, and industry manufacturers to advance anthropometric applications for product design and improve product efficacy.

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