Dementia: A Very Short Introduction

Author(s):  
Kathleen Taylor

Dementia: A Very Short Introduction explains how dementia is diagnosed, its different types and symptoms, and its effects on sufferers and their families. Why is dementia resistant to treatment? Why has the most successful scientific hypothesis not led to a cure? Are there variations between different countries, and given the rise in the ageing population, are there more or fewer cases than we think? This VSI looks at the history of dementia research and examines the genetic, physiological, and environmental risk factors and how individuals might reduce them. It also investigates developments in diagnosis and symptom management, and the economic and political context of dementia care.

Author(s):  
Stephen J. Davis

Monasticism is a social and religious phenomenon that originated in antiquity, which remains relevant in the 21st century. Monasticism: A Very Short Introduction discusses the history of monasticism from the earliest evidence for it, and the different types that have developed. It considers where monasteries are located around the world, and how their settings impact the everyday life and worldview of the monks and nuns who dwell in them. Exploring how monastic communities are organized, this VSI also looks at how all aspects of life are regimented. Finally, it discusses what the stories about saints communicate about monastic identity and ethics, and considers what place there is for monasticism in the modern world.


Author(s):  
Koen Van Daele ◽  
Leen Meganck ◽  
Sophie Mortier

Purpose – Over the past 20 years, heritage inventories in Flanders (Belgium) have evolved from printed books to digital inventories. The purpose of this paper is to look at this evolution and highlight the interaction between the system and its users. Design/methodology/approach – After a short introduction about the history of inventories in Flanders, this paper mainly concerns itself with the last decade. Discrete topics will be highlighted to show the effects of the interaction that has taken place. Findings – It is obvious that a system that publishes a digital inventory needs to adapt to the user requirements. But, after years of working with a digital inventory system, it has become apparent that not only has the system been developed to the users’ needs, but also that user practice and the resulting data have been shaped by the system. Seeing data projected on a common basemap has led researchers to realise how intertwined and interdependent different types of heritage can be and how much their respective methodologies can benefit from more interaction. It has become apparent that data quality is of the utmost importance, something that can only be guaranteed by data entry standards, validation tools, and a strict editing workflow. The systems that are being developed are not expected to live on forever, but the data in them is. Originality/value – This paper presents real-life use cases and practical applications of building and maintaining a large digital inventory system over the years and through changes in organisational structure and focus. It provides insights that are hard to ascertain from smaller projects due to the volumes of data that are handled.


2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 1913-1925 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. S. Kendler ◽  
S. Larsson Lönn ◽  
N. A. Morris ◽  
J. Sundquist ◽  
N. Långström ◽  
...  

BackgroundTo clarify the role of genetic and environmental factors in criminal behavior (CB), we examined all CB and violent and non-violent subtypes (VCB and NVCB, respectively) in a Swedish national sample of adoptees and their relatives.MethodCB was defined by a conviction in the Swedish Crime Register with standard definitions for VCB and NVCB subtypes. We examined adoptees born 1950–1991 (n = 18 070) and their biological (n = 79 206) and adoptive (n = 47 311) relatives.ResultsThe risk for all CB was significantly elevated in the adopted-away offspring of biological parents of which at least one had CB [odds ratio (OR) 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–1.6] and in the biological full and half-siblings of CB adoptees (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2–1.6 and OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.2–1.3, respectively). A genetic risk index (including biological parental/sibling history of CB and alcohol abuse) and an environmental risk index (including adoptive parental and sibling CB and a history of adoptive parental divorce, death, and medical illness) both strongly predicted probability of CB. These genetic and environmental risk indices acted additively on adoptee risk for CB. Moderate specificity was seen in the transmission of genetic risk for VCB and NVCB between biological parents and siblings and adoptees.ConclusionsCB is etiologically complex and influenced by a range of genetic risk factors including a specific liability to CB and a vulnerability to broader externalizing behaviors, and by features of the adoptive environment including parental CB, divorce and death. Genetic risk factors for VCB and NVCB may be at least partially distinct.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Annisa Rahim ◽  
Ririh Yudhastuti

Abstract: One  of the  zoonosis in Indonesia is leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is caused due  to infection  of bacteria Leptospira. There  were  107 cases and  9 deaths due  to leptospirosis in Sampang. The  incidence of leptospirosis in Sampang was an outbreak. The purpose of this study  was to map the distribution  of leptospirosis cases in Sampang in 2013 and to analyze environmental risk factors of leptospirosis cases (rainfall, altitude, and the presence of flood). This study  was an observational-descriptive study  and used cross-sectional study  design. The unit of analysis  of the study was administrative  regions  based on the districts.  There was patients  of leptospirosis in 4 districts in Sampang regency, there are Sampang district, Camplong district Robatal district and Omben district. The highest incidence of leptospirosis in Sampang regency was occured in Sampang district with rainfall more than 177.6 mm,  altitude less  than 47mdpl, and had experienced flooding.  Mapping  the incidence of leptospirosis showed the distribution  of leptospirosis cases tend to be  concentrated in Sampang district which  had a history of flooding  status.  The conclusion is rainfall, altitude, and presence of flood are risk factors  of leptospirosis. The advice is to improve  surveillance of patients  with leptospirosis particularly during floods,  to do outreach to the community, to perform cross-sector cooperation, to avoid or to reduce the frequency of direct contact with the flood to minimize  transmission of leptospirosis.Keywords: leptospirosis incidence, risk factors,  mapping


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 446
Author(s):  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Onkar Nath Rai

Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The aim of the study was to find out the incidence of different types of strokes and the associated risk factors and to establish the role of different investigations in patients of stroke.Methods: The study dealt with 100 patients of stroke who were admitted to B. R. D. Medical College, Gorakhpur, India. Each patient was analyzed in detail about clinical presentation and the investigations were aimed to establish the pathologic type of stroke and estimation of risk factors.Results: Stroke incidence was more in males (Male: Female= 1.43:1). Maximum incidence of stroke was in 6th decade (32%) followed by 7th decade (30%). Among modifiable risk factors, history of hypertension was the commonest (51%) followed by smoking (36% patients) exclusively, found in males. Hemiparesis was the most common presentation (95%) followed by altered sensorium (55%). Chest X-ray was abnormal in 16% patients, abnormal ECG was found in 27% patients and abnormal lipid values were found in 54 patients.Conclusions: Apart from control of hypertension and diabetes, abnormal lipid profile remains an important modifiable risk factor for stroke.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (05) ◽  
pp. 661-666
Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD ASHRAF CHAUDHRY ◽  
BUSHRA GHULAM ◽  
LAILA KHALID ◽  
Marryam Shaheen Ahmed ◽  
Amnah -

Background: Infections with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) are worldwide public health problem. Thisis related to the continued occurrence of new infections and the presence of a large reservoir of chronically infected persons. Objective:To determine the frequency of risk factors (causes of transmission) for HBV and HCV infections in hospitalized patients of CMH, Lahoreand Sheikh Zayed hospital, Lahore. Design: Descriptive (cross sectional). Setting: The study was carried out in CMH, Lahore and SheikhZayed hospital, Lahore from January, 2012 to July, 2012. Methods: The patients were selected by consecutive (non-probability)sampling technique. The data was collected through questionnaire. Informed written consent was obtained SPSS version 16.0 was usedto calculate the descriptive statistics. Results: Out of total of 100 subjects, 50 were cases and 50 were controls. Out of 50 cases, 26%were HBV positive and 74% were HCV positive with female preponderance. The history of injections was very high in both the groups,making a total of 64% (14% HBV; 16% HCV) the important contributors for different types of hepatitis were blood transfusion (HBV =10%; HCV = 28%; controls = 14%). Surgical procedures (4% HBV, 28% HCV; 8% controls). History of piercing in the last six months(HBV = 6%; HCV = 22% and control = 8%). History of dental procedures in the last six months was higher in HCV patients (18% HCV and4% HBV). History of HBV or HCV positive patients or relatives at home. (HBV 18%; HCV 36%; control 30%). Conclusions: In Pakistan thereis an urgent need to raise the public awareness about importance of properly screened blood transfusion, use of disposable needles andusing new blades for shaving and haircuts especially at barber shops. In our study, the important contributors for different types ofhepatitis were blood transfusion, surgical procedures and history piercing in the last 6months.


1999 ◽  
Vol 175 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth S. Kendler ◽  
Laura M. Karkowski ◽  
Linda A. Corey ◽  
Carol A. Prescott ◽  
Michael C. Neale

BackgroundSubsequent to initial exposure to the use of a psychoactive substance, psychoactive substance use disorder (PSUD) may or may not develop.AimsTo investigate the relationship between the risk factors for initiation and the subsequent misuse of psychoactive substances.MethodThe lifetime history of illicit substance use and misuse was obtained by telephone interview with 1934 members of female–female twin pairs. We apply a novel model, which estimates the role of genetic and environmental risk factors that influence initiation and those specific to misuse, to three classes of illicit psychoactive substances.ResultsThe individual-specific environment and family environment influenced the probability of initiation, but only individual-specific environment had an impact on the probability of subsequent misuse. Genetic factors which influence the risk of initiation and of misuse were identified.ConclusionsAetiological factors that influence drug initiation and subsequent misuse are correlated but not identical. Family environment is an important determinant of risk for drug experimentation. Two classes of genetic risk factors act on the liability to PSUD: those that influence the probability of initiation and those that influence the risk of misuse.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 390-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario Fornaro ◽  
Marco Frascio ◽  
Michela Caratto ◽  
Elisa Caratto ◽  
Rita Bianchi ◽  
...  

Perianal fistula is a very debilitating event and a cause of morbidity in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Its malignant transformation is very rare with an incidence of around 0.004–0.7%. Presence of disease in the colon and rectum is the major risk factor for the development of a perianal fistula. In this report we show a case of adenocarcinoma arising from a perianal fistulizing CD. This type of tumor is highly aggressive, difficult to diagnose, and has a rather poor prognosis. The different neoplastic transformations and the different types of tumors that may appear in patients with CD, especially at the colorectal level or at the level of an eventual anastomosis, are to date well documented and described in the literature, while there is a lack of information and of treated cases concerning the occurrence of cancer at the level of a fistula. Due to the rarity of cases, we tried to identify the most frequent and important risk factors: sex, duration of disease, age at diagnosis, and the history of the fistula.


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