scholarly journals Subjektívne vnímané riziká užívania psychedelík

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 608-627
Author(s):  
Marek Lukačovič ◽  
◽  
Radomír Masaryk ◽  
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Research Focus ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Phenomenological Experience ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
International Discourse ◽  
Multiple Choice Items

Introduction. With growing interest in hallucinogens, majority of psychedelic research focus mostly on the therapeutic potential and benefits. The objective of this paper is to explore how users of psychedelics verbalize their experience and perceived risks of using such substances. Methods. The authors used a questionnaire with open-ended and multiple-choice items. The sample included persons with at least one phenomenological experience with psychedelics (N = 422, age M=27.78; SD=7.84; SE=0.38; 35.1% women). Qualitative data were analyzed using concepts of The Grounded Theory using the Atlas.ti suite. Results. The target group uses terms taken from the English language (“bad trip”, “set and setting”, “sitter”, or the grammatically localized version of the word „psychedelic“), with shared and well-understood semantic meaning within the community. The central domain “inappropriate set and setting” and its inadequate preparation is linked to the negative experience of “bad trip” which can lead to difficult “integration of experience” or even “psychotic disorders”. Users of psychedelics report various harm reduction strategies which are consistent with relevant literature. Conclusion. This study illustrates that Slovak users of psychedelics seem to understand and use the established terminology of international discourse related to these substances. At the same time, the authors suggest that users seem to use various relevant strategies to lower risks associated with the use of psychedelics.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its Sulphate (DHEAS) in Alzheimer’s Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dubravka S. Strac ◽  
Marcela Konjevod ◽  
Matea N. Perkovic ◽  
Lucija Tudor ◽  
Gordana N. Erjavec ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
And Behavior

Background: Neurosteroids Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate (DHEAS) are involved in many important brain functions, including neuronal plasticity and survival, cognition and behavior, demonstrating preventive and therapeutic potential in different neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Objective: The aim of the article was to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on the involvement of DHEA and DHEAS in Alzheimer’s disease. Method: PubMed and MEDLINE databases were searched for relevant literature. The articles were selected considering their titles and abstracts. In the selected full texts, lists of references were searched manually for additional articles. Results: We performed a systematic review of the studies investigating the role of DHEA and DHEAS in various in vitro and animal models, as well as in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, and provided a comprehensive discussion on their potential preventive and therapeutic applications. Conclusion: Despite mixed results, the findings of various preclinical studies are generally supportive of the involvement of DHEA and DHEAS in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, showing some promise for potential benefits of these neurosteroids in the prevention and treatment. However, so far small clinical trials brought little evidence to support their therapy in AD. Therefore, large-scale human studies are needed to elucidate the specific effects of DHEA and DHEAS and their mechanisms of action, prior to their applications in clinical practice.

Developing a new behavioral framework for dementia care partner resilience (CP-R): A mixed research synthesis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanjin Zhou ◽  
Avery O’Hara ◽  
Emily Ishado ◽  
Soo Borson ◽  
Tatiana Sadak
Keyword(s):  
Help Seeking ◽  
English Language ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Research Synthesis ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Domain Identification ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Learning From Others ◽  
Design And Methods ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background and Objectives Caring for a person living with dementia requires resilience, the capacity to recover and grow from challenging situations. Despite the increasing interest in assessing and promoting resilience for dementia care partners, behaviors that indicate this attribute are not well known. The goal of this study is to synthesize the literature to identify resilience-related behaviors and develop a new framework for future validation and intervention research. Research Design and Methods We searched English-language peer-reviewed articles (January 1991 – June 2019) reporting qualitative or quantitative descriptions of resilience-related behaviors among dementia care partners. Thematic analysis was used to categorize behaviors into domains, identify the relationships among them, and generate a thematic map. Results Sixteen articles were identified according to predefined inclusion criteria. Four domains emerged: (1) problem-response behaviors (problem-solving, problem-distancing); (2) self-growth behaviors (self-care activities, spiritual-related activities, and developing and maintaining meaningful social relationships); (3) help-related behaviors (help-seeking and help-receiving), and (4) learning-related behaviors (learning from others and reflection). Definitions of each domain, identification of corresponding behaviors, and formulation of Care Partner Resilience (CP-R) behavioral framework were informed by this mixed research synthesis and other relevant literature. Discussion and Implications The CP-R framework emerged as a result of a new focus on identifying and cultivating strengths instead of evaluating strain and burden. It serves as a useful foundation for understanding the impact of specific behaviors on dementia care partner resilience. Once validated, this framework will inform the development of future measures, research, interventions, and policies for dementia care partners.

What’s so important about CLIL anyway?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Lazarević
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Grammar School ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Teaching Context ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Or Practice

After doing two 56-hour long seminars in 2018 and 2019 with grammar school teachers in Niš, I realised that there was not much of relevant literature, activity or practice books that science teachers teaching in English could use. While there is some substantial literature for CLIL in English language classes, there is much less support for particular natural science subjects in the local teaching context. Therefore, the material from those workshops is here systematised and organised around several areas that transpired as the most important for teachers. One important point is that this is not a textbook on the English language, or English language practice nor is it an activity book for any specific subject taught in English. The main focus here is on how to activate content knowledge in a subject while using a foreign language, as well as how to organise instruction so that learners benefit from a CLIL class.

scholarly journals Prognostic significance of aberrant CD5 expression in B-cell leukemia

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaveh Jaseb ◽  
Daryush Purrahman ◽  
Saeid Shahrabi ◽  
Majid Ghanavat ◽  
Hadi Rezaeean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
B Cell ◽  
English Language ◽  
Clinical Course ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Cell Leukemia ◽  
B Cell Malignancies ◽  
Aberrant Expression ◽  
B Cell Leukemia ◽  
Prognostic Importance

Aberrant expression of CD5 (as a T-cell marker) is seen in some leukemia and lymphoma of B lineage origin. Given that the signaling resulting from the expression of this marker plays an essential role in the development of leukemia and lymphoma, evaluating the expression of this marker is of paramount importance. Therefore, our goal in this study was to investigate the prognostic importance of CD5 expression in B-cell leukemia and lymphoma. We evaluate CD5 expression in normal and leukemic B-cells by identifying relevant literature through a PubMed search (1998-2018) of English language papers using the terms: ‘CD5,’ ‘B-cell,’ ‘Leukemia,’ and ‘Lymphoma.’ We are doing this thorough comparison of results from CD5 positive and negative cases to make a correct decision about prognostic importance of CD5 expression in these malignancies. In a number of B-cell malignancies, CD5 is expressed in varying degrees. Due to the different origins and characteristics of these malignancies, the results of CD5 expression evaluations are heterogeneous and impossible to generalize. However, CD5 expression is sometimes associated with clinicopathologic findings, more invasive clinical course, and even resistance to treatment (specifically in DLBCL) among CD5- positive patients, which appears to be a function of CD5 signaling and its downstream factors such as STAT3. Depending on the type of malignancy, CD5 expression is associated with good or bad prognosis, which can be used as an auxiliary prognostic factor to assess the clinical course of B-cell malignancies. Moreover, the difference in expression levels of CD5 in a variety of B-cell malignancies allows for differential diagnosis of these malignancies, which can be helpful when diagnosis is difficult.

Nitric Oxide and Immune Responses in Cancer: Searching for New Therapeutic Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeleh Sahebnasagh ◽  
Fatemeh Saghafi ◽  
Sina Negintaji ◽  
Tingyan Hu ◽  
Mojtaba Shabani-Boroujeni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Signaling Molecule ◽  
No Donors ◽  
The Cochrane Library ◽  
Oxide Synthase

: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in understanding the mysterious functions of nitric oxide (NO) and how this pleiotropic signaling molecule contributes to tumorigenesis. This review attempts to expose and discuss the information available on the immunomodulatory role of NO in cancer and recent approaches to the role of NO donors in the area of immunotherapy. To address the goal, the following databases were searched to identify relevant literature concerning empirical evidence: The Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Medline, EMBASE from 1980 through March 2020. Valuable attempts have been made to develop distinctive NO-based cancer therapy. Although the data do not allow generalization, the evidence seems to indicate that low / moderate levels may favor tumorigenesis while higher levels would exert anti-tumor effects. In this sense, the use of NO donors could have an important therapeutic potential within immunotherapy, although there are still no clinical trials. The emerging understanding of NO-regulated immune responses in cancer may help unravel the recent features of this “double-edged sword” in cancer physiological and pathologic processes and its potential use as a therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. In short, in this review, we discuss the complex cellular mechanism in which NO, as a pleiotropic signaling molecule, participates in cancer pathophysiology. We also debate the dual role of NO in cancer and tumor progression, and clinical approaches for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) based therapy against cancer.

The Anatomy, Movement and Functions of Human Sperm Tail: An Evolving Mystery

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naina Kumar ◽  
Amit Kant Singh
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
English Language ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Small Subunit ◽  
Sperm Tail ◽  
Complex Anatomy ◽  
Tail Movement

Abstract Sperms have attracted the attention of many researchers since it was discovered by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1677. Though a small cell, its every part has complex structure and a different function to play in carrying life further. Sperm tail is the most complicated structure with more than 1000 proteins involved in its functioning. With advent of advanced three-dimensional microscopes, many studies are still undergoing to understand the exact mechanism of sperm tail movement. Most recent studies have shown that sperms move by spinning rather than swimming. Furthermore, each small subunit of tail including axonemal and peri-axonemal structures play essential roles in sperm motility, capacitation, hyperactivation, fertilization. Methodology: Relevant literature (from 1982 till 2020) on sperm tail anatomy, movement and functions were searched from various English language full length and review articles using PUBMED, SCOPUS or Google database. Conclusion: There is still a lot needed to be discovered about human sperm tail movement and its role in male fertility. Sperm tail has a complex anatomy with surrounding axoneme having 9+2 microtubules (9 outer doublet and one central doublet) arrangement along its entire length and additional peri-axonemal structures that all contribute in sperm motility and fertilization. In future various sperm tail proteins and its subunits can be used as markers of male fertility.

A Critical Evaluation of Newer β-Lactam Antibiotics for Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections

2020 ◽  
pp. 106002802097400
Author(s):  
Kathleen C. Blomquist ◽  
David E. Nix
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Study Selection

Objective: This article critically evaluates common Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance mechanisms and the properties newer β-lactam antimicrobials possess to evade these mechanisms. Data Sources: An extensive PubMed, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov search was conducted (January 1995 to July 2020) to identify relevant literature on epidemiology, resistance mechanisms, antipseudomonal agents, newer β-lactam agents, and clinical data available pertaining to P aeruginosa. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Relevant published articles and package inserts were reviewed for inclusion. Data Synthesis: Therapeutic options to treat P aeruginosa infections are limited because of its intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms. The goal was to identify advances with newer β-lactams and characterize improvements in therapeutic potential for P aeruginosa infections. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) P aeruginosa isolates are increasingly encountered from a variety of infections. This review highlights potential activity gains of newer β-lactam antibacterial drugs and the current clinical data to support their use. Pharmacists will be asked to recommend or evaluate the use of these agents and need to be aware of information specific to P aeruginosa, which differs from experience derived from Enterobacterales infections. Conclusions: Newer agents, including ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, imipenem-relebactam, and cefiderocol, are useful for the treatment of MDR P aeruginosa infections. These agents offer improved efficacy and less toxicity compared with aminoglycosides and polymyxins and can be used for pathogens that are resistant to first-line antipseudomonal β-lactams. Selection of one agent over another should consider availability, turnaround of susceptibility testing, and product cost. Efficacy data specific for pseudomonal infections are limited, and there are no direct comparisons between the newer agents.

scholarly journals Test-takers’ perspectives on a global test of English: questions of fairness, justice and validity

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Obaidul Hamid ◽  
Ian Hardy ◽  
Vicente Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
English Language ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Language Testing ◽  
Global Test ◽  
Test Taking ◽  
Global Tests ◽  
Test Taking Strategies

Abstract Although language test-takers have been the focus of much theoretical and empirical work in recent years, this work has been mainly concerned with their attitudes to test preparation and test-taking strategies, giving insufficient attention to their views on broader socio-political and ethical issues. This article examines test-takers’ perceptions and evaluations of the fairness, justice and validity of global tests of English, with a particular focus upon the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Based on relevant literature and theorizing into such tests, and on self-reported test experience data gathered from test-takers (N = 430) from 49 countries, we demonstrate how test-takers experienced fairness and justice in complex ways that problematized the purported technical excellence and validity of IELTS. Even as there was some evidence of support for the test as a fair measure of students’ English capacity, the extent to which it actually reflected their language capabilities was open to question. At the same time, the participants expressed concerns about whether IELTS was a vehicle for raising revenue and for justifying immigration policies, thus raising questions about the justness of the test. The research foregrounds the importance of focusing attention upon the socio-political and ethical circumstances that currently attend large-scale, standardized English language testing.

scholarly journals Investigating the Needs and Drawbacks of L1 in L2 Education: Students’ Perception

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
AbdulMahmoud Idrees Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Analysis And Evaluation ◽  
L2 Learning ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
L1 And L2

This paper aims at exploring the EFL Students’ Perspective of the Use of the Arabic (L1) in English language (L2) learning. The relevant literature reviewed concerning the development of some fundamental issues in L1 usage shows that this technique plays a vital role in breaking the language barriers, promoting better communication, and contributing to linguistic competence. The statistical analysis and evaluation of the responses of the questionnaire exhibited that the need for (L1) in L2 was rated higher. The students claimed that their mother tongue is effective since it increases their awareness of similarities and differences between (L1) and (L2) and helps in explaining the difficult areas in the foreign language. Likewise, they confessed that L1 has drawbacks. It could be said that (L1) is a helpful technique in (L2) learning process, but it should be handled with care.

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