Tag: pubmed

Ind Psychiatry J. 2023 Jan-Jun;32(1):43-47. doi: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_65_22. Epub 2023 Jan 4.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Uncertain situation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to fear, stigma, and discrimination across all strata of society in varying proportions. Stigmatization increases the suffering of people or those who are at risk of getting the disease and make it harder for public health authorities to control the disease.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present study is a questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey conducted over a period of four weeks in the month of July 2021 in a food industry in rural region of western Maharashtra among COVID-19 positive patients. A total of 152 participants were included in the study. The data was analyzed using SPSS software (version 20). Descriptive statistics were used which included frequencies and percentages.

RESULTS: 64.5% of the participants were males and 35.5% were females. Approx. 85% of the participants were in age group 15-58 years. 100% of them reported to have faced fear on being tested COVID-19 positive. However, only approx. 2-5% individuals hid their illness from family and friends and 7.9% of them were afraid of getting hospitalized.

CONCLUSION: It was found that fear was prevalent among all survivors but stigma was found to be minimal which is likely due to widespread awareness through media, IEC campaigns, and active involvement of administration in implementing policies.

PMID:37274591 | PMC:PMC10236673 | DOI:10.4103/ipj.ipj_65_22

Ind Psychiatry J. 2023 Jan-Jun;32(1):176-186. doi: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_190_22. Epub 2023 Apr 14.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Music therapy has been in use for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since the 1940s. However, there is limited scientific evidence on its use in the Indian context.

AIM: The present study aims to explore musical preferences of children with ASD and their caregivers’ acceptability of music as a form of intervention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a cross-sectional study of 120 subjects diagnosed with ASD as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 identified by convenience sampling. A semi-structured interview schedule consisting of 25 objective response questions with multiple choices and 11 open-ended questions (pertaining to music and the use of music) was used to explore caregivers’/parents’ thoughts and beliefs. The responses to open-ended questions were collected in narrative mode. A descriptive approach of content analysis was adopted to analyse the data. The data are presented using descriptive statistics. Institutional Ethics Committee’s approval was obtained for conducting the study.

RESULTS: Most of the children liked (89.2%, n = 107) music and responded (88.3%, n = 106) actively (listen intently/hum or sing or dance along) to music. Most subjects preferred rhythm (65%, n = 78) over melody (15%, n = 18). While 98.3% (n = 118) of the parents were willing to try music therapy for their child, 61% of them (n = 72) asked follow-up questions like – “Is there available data on it?” (n = 12; 10.2%) and “Will it be worth investing our time and efforts on it?” (n = 60; 50.8%).

CONCLUSION: Most of the children including those with auditory sensitivity like music and prefer rhythm over melody. Caregivers possess a positive attitude toward the use of music therapy. However, most of them wish to clarify the scientific basis of the same.

PMID:37274590 | PMC:PMC10236685 | DOI:10.4103/ipj.ipj_190_22

Ind Psychiatry J. 2023 Jan-Jun;32(1):93-99. doi: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_16_22. Epub 2022 Sep 14.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Depression causes significant morbidity, disability and mortality, along with socioeconomic losses. Patients with depression who don’t remit even with the second trial of anti-depressants need optimization, combination or augmentation strategies. Pharmacological strategies sometimes have unacceptable adverse effects.

AIM: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) to left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) with that of pharmacological augmentation strategies in unipolar non-psychotic treatment-resistant depression.

METHOD: This is a randomized controlled trial.

SUBJECTS: Cases of unipolar, non-psychotic, treatment-resistant depression between ages 20 and 60 years were taken.

PERIOD OF STUDY: The study period was from November 2016 to May 2018.

RANDOMIZATION: Cases diagnosed as per ICD-10 criteria by a qualified psychiatrist. Cases of treatment-resistant depression (100) were divided into two arms by using a random number generator: rTMS arm and treatment as usual (TAU) arm.

INTERVENTION: HF-rTMS to left DLPFC (rTMS group) and pharmacological augmentation with lithium, serotonin-dopamine antagonist, buspirone or thyroxine.

RESULTS: In the rTMS arm, 44 patients and in TAU arm 41 completed the study. After 4 weeks of treatment augmentation, rTMS and TAU groups showed response rates of 52% and 46%, respectively. The difference between the two groups in terms of number of responders at the end of 4 weeks is not statistically significant. Additionally, factors associated with good response to rTMS were absence of a family history of psychiatric illness, no concomitant psychoactive substance use, being first episode of depression and mild-moderate severity of illness.

CONCLUSION: The study did not find rTMS augmentation to be significantly better than standard pharmacological augmentation therapies.

PMID:37274586 | PMC:PMC10236667 | DOI:10.4103/ipj.ipj_16_22

Ind Psychiatry J. 2023 Jan-Jun;32(1):142-149. doi: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_115_22. Epub 2022 Dec 23.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although the potential for alternate conceptions of gender roles and sexual orientations are diverse, it is by-and-large not well tolerated. This study explores the self-reported gender-roles and sexual orientations of Indian undergraduate medical students.

AIM: To study self-reported gender role and sexual orientation of undergraduate medical students in India.

METHOD: One hundred twenty volunteers were included in the study consisting of 60 males and 60 females. A questionnaire comprising of a sociodemographic proforma, Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), and Epstein Sexual Orientation Inventory (ESOI) were given to each participant. The scales were scored, tabulated, and statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: The BSRI revealed that femininity was predominant in both female and male participants, at 68.33% and 55%, respectively. The ESOI revealed that females had significantly higher opposite-sex attraction than males. Though males had higher same-sex attraction than females, the difference was not statistically significant. Females also had a significantly higher sexual orientation range and a mean sexual orientation. Sexual drive was significantly higher in males. Significantly more females supported homosexuality and bisexuality as compared to males.

CONCLUSION: This study helps establish that gender roles can be non-conforming. It helps ascertain that while heterosexual orientation predominates, alternate sexual orientations also exist. It paves the way for future studies and explorations to alleviate public misconceptions.

PMID:37274584 | PMC:PMC10236688 | DOI:10.4103/ipj.ipj_115_22

Glob Public Health. 2023 Jan;18(1):2217445. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2023.2217445.

ABSTRACT

Behind the statistics forecasting millions of deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an even greater burden of morbidity leaving many people with long-term chronic illnesses and disability. Despite growing recognition of the importance of inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary knowledge in forming responses to address this global health threat, there remains a paucity of social science research to understand the social burdens of AMR. In this qualitative study we explore the experiences of people living with chronic AMR infections, their interactions with health providers and therapeutic quests for care, and the effects upon their lives and that of their families and caregivers. Our analysis reveals that the resistant infections impacted not only the physical health but also the mental health of the sufferers and their caregivers, causing major disruptions to their social and work lives. Most undertook arduous treatment regimes – of powerful antibiotics with debilitating side effects, combined a range of other complementary and alternate therapies, including travel to seek treatment overseas. Further, we question the notion of ‘AMR survivorship’ currently being promoted as part of a public education campaign by the World Health Organisation and whether people with the diverse AMR experience really self-identify as ‘survivors’ of a biosocial group.

PMID:37272390 | DOI:10.1080/17441692.2023.2217445

Twin Res Hum Genet. 2023 Jun 5:1-10. doi: 10.1017/thg.2023.19. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Joseph has written what purports to be a refutation of studies of Twins Reared-Apart (TRAs) with a singular focus on the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared-Apart (MISTRA). I show, in detail, that (a) his criticisms of previous TRA studies depend on sources that were discredited prior to MISTRA, as they all failed the test of replicability, (b) the list of biases he uses to invalidate MISTRA do not support his arguments, (c) the accusations of questionable research practices are unsubstantiated, (d) his claim that MISTRA should be evaluated in the context of psychology’s replication crisis is refuted. The TRA studies are constructive replications. Like many other scholars, past and present, he has been misled by the variation introduced by small samples (sampling error) and the distortion created by walking in the garden of forking paths. His endeavor is a concatenation of elision and erroneous statistical/scientific reasoning.

PMID:37272376 | DOI:10.1017/thg.2023.19

Int J Comput Dent. 2023 Jun 5;0(0):0. doi: 10.3290/j.ijcd.b4140897. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the segmentation accuracy of dentition testing four free-source semi-automatic software.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) were selected to perform semi-automatic segmentation of maxillary and mandibular dentition. The software tested were Invesalius, ITK-Snap, 3D Slicer and Seg3D. Each tooth model was also manually segmented (Mimics software) and set as the gold standard (GS) reference of the investigation. A specific 3D imaging technology was used to perform the superimposition between the teeth models obtained with semi-automatic software and the GS model, and to perform the surface-to-surface matching analysis. The accuracy of semi-automatic segmentation was evaluated calculating the volumetric mean differences (mean bias and limits of agreement) and the percentage of matching of the tooth models compared to the manual segmentation (GS). Qualitative assessments were performed using color-coded maps. All data were statistically analysed to perform software comparisons.

RESULT: Statistically significant differences were found in the volumetric and matching percentage data (p < 0,05). Invesalius was the most accurate software for 3D rendering of the dentition with a volumetric bias (Mimics) ranging from 4,59 mm3 to 85,79 mm3; instead, ITK-SNAP showed the higher volumetric bias, ranging from 30,22 mm3 to 319,83 mm3. The dis-matched area was mainly located at the radicular region of the teeth. Volumetric data showed excellent inter-software reliability with coefficient values ranging from 0,951 to 0,997.

CONCLUSIO: Different semi-automatic software algorithms could generate different patterns of inaccuracy error in the segmentation of teeth.

PMID:37272346 | DOI:10.3290/j.ijcd.b4140897

Trauma Violence Abuse. 2023 Jun 5:15248380231176056. doi: 10.1177/15248380231176056. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Given the pervasiveness of violent extremism all over the globe, understanding its psychological underpinnings is key in the fight against it. According to the Significance Quest Theory and its 3N model, violent extremism (i.e., violent and deviant behavior) is a function of three elements: need, narrative, and network. In the present meta-analysis, to put into test the theory and its model, we aimed to establish the strength of the association between these three elements, as well as the quest for significance itself, and violent extremism; and investigate if these associations are influenced by methodological decisions (i.e., sampling and measurements/manipulations). A literature search was performed through electronic platforms, a call for unpublished or in-press data, and backward snowballing. Seventeen reports, comprising 42 studies, met full inclusion criteria: quantitative studies based on primary data assessing for the association of at least one of the 3Ns, or quest for significance, and violent extremism, and providing sufficient data for effect size extraction. Findings are reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA) guidelines. Random-effect meta-analyses rendered statistically significant pooled effect sizes in all the investigated associations. The association is strong for quest for significance, moderate for narrative and network, and low for need for significance. Subgroup analyses demonstrate that the detection of these associations is influenced by methodological decisions concerning the measurements and manipulations, but not by those concerning the sampling. We discuss these findings and suggest future research directions aiming to improve the predictive power of the theory and its model.

PMID:37272343 | DOI:10.1177/15248380231176056

Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023 Jun 5:1-13. doi: 10.1080/17549507.2023.2181220. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to describe the experiences and needs of Canadian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who conducted communication assessments via telepractice across the lifespan during the first year (2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD: The present study consisted of an online survey that aimed to capture both quantitative aspects of telepractice-based communication assessment and the qualitative experience of shifting to telepractice. One hundred sixty-eight practicing SLPs across Canada participated in the survey, between September 2020 and January 2021. Quantitative results were analysed using descriptive statistics while open-ended responses were analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULT: SLPs identified challenges and opportunities relating to client and family engagement, access to and knowledge of technology, and the reliability of assessment tools. SLPs also identified a future need for online assessment materials and training, such as materials adapted for different communication needs (e.g. augmentative and alternative communication).

CONCLUSION: The present study contributes to a growing understanding worldwide of potential benefits and challenges related to telepractice, fuelled by the necessary shift in practices in our field during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results provide direction for continuing to build a valid and inclusive approach to telepractice in the future.

PMID:37272330 | DOI:10.1080/17549507.2023.2181220

J Biol Dyn. 2023 Dec;17(1):2220349. doi: 10.1080/17513758.2023.2220349.

ABSTRACT

In this work, we set up a new discrete predator-prey competitive model with time-varying delays and feedback controls. By virtue of the difference inequality knowledge, a sufficient condition which guarantees the permanence of the established discrete predator-prey competitive model with time-varying delays and feedback controls is derived. Under some appropriate parameter conditions, we have proved that the periodic solution of the system without delay exists and globally attractive. To verify the correctness of the derived theoretical fruits, we give two examples and execute computer simulations. Our obtained results are novel and complement previous known results.

PMID:37272309 | DOI:10.1080/17513758.2023.2220349