Severe mental disorders in complex emergencies

People with severe mental disorders are a neglected and vulnerable group in complex emergencies. Here, we describe field experiences in establishing mental health services in five humanitarian settings. We show data to quantify the issue, and suggest reasons for this neglect. We then outline the actions needed to establish services in these settings, including the provision of practical training, medication, psychosocial supports, and, when appropriate, work with traditional healers. We have identified some persisting problems locally, nationally, and internationally, and suggest some solutions. Protection and care of people with severe mental disorders in complex emergencies is a humanitarian responsibility.     

Home visits for frail older people: a qualitative study on the needs and preferences of frail older people and their informal caregivers

Background

A number of studies have examined the effects of home visits and showed inconsistent results on physical functioning, institutionalisation, and mortality. Despite continuing interest from professionals in home visits for older people, reports on older people’s needs and preferences for such visits are scarce.

Aim

This qualitative study aims to explore the views and needs of community-dwelling frail older people concerning home visits.

Design and setting

A qualitative study including interviews with frail older persons and their informal caregivers living in the area of Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with frail older people and informal caregivers. A grounded theory approach was used for data-analysis.

Results

Eleven frail older people and 11 informal caregivers were included. Most participants emphasised the importance of home visits for frail older people. They felt that it would give older people the personal attention they used to receive from GPs but miss nowadays. Most stated that this would give them more trust in GPs. Participants stated that trust is one of the most important factors in a good patient–professional relationship. Further, participants preferred home visits to focus on the psychosocial context of the patient. They stated that more knowledge of the psychosocial context and a good patient–professional relationship would enable the professional to provide better and more patient-centred care.

Conclusion

Patients’ expectations of home visits are quite different from the actual purpose of home visiting programmes; that is, care and wellbeing versus cure and prevention. This difference may partly explain why the effectiveness of home visits remains controversial. Future studies on home visits should involve patients in the development of home visiting programmes.     

The effect of the Fanconi anemia polypeptide, FAC, upon p53 induction and G2 checkpoint regulation

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disease marked by developmental defects, bone marrow failure, and cancer susceptibility. FA cells are hypersensitive to DNA cross-linking and alkylating agents and accumulate in the G2 phase of the cell cycle in response to these agents. FA cells also display genomic instability, suggesting a possible defect in the p53 pathway. To test the effect of heterologous expression of FAC cDNA on drug-induced cytotoxicity, G2 accumulation, and p53 induction in FA cells, we compared two isogenic FA cell lines: HSC536N (mock), a FA type C cell line sensitive to mitomycin C (MMC), and the same cell line transfected (corrected) with wild-type FAC cDNA (HSC536N [+FAC]). HSC536N (+FAC) cells showed a 30-fold increase in resistance to MMC concentration. Similarly, increases in resistance were observed following exposure to cisplatin, carboplatin, and cyclophosphamide. In addition, HSC536N (+FAC) cells showed a twofold lower G2 accumulation following MMC treatment. To analyze the possible interaction of FAC with the p53 pathway, we analyzed p53 induction in mock and corrected cell lines following exposure to MMC. HSC536N (mock) cells induced p53 at lower MMC concentrations than HSC536N (corrected). Caffeine, a known G2 checkpoint inhibitor, not only inhibited G2 accumulation seen in both cell lines but also caused the resistant HSC536N (+FAC) to become as sensitive to MMC as HSC536N (mock) cell line. We conclude that the FAC protein has a specific cytoprotective effect and may function as a cell cycle regulator of the G2 phase of the cell cycle.     

Is the benign joint hypermobility syndrome benign?

Summary Over a period of two years, joint hypermobility was identified in 95 female and 19 male patients who attended rheumatology and rehabilitation units in Ismailia city. Pauciarticular pains referring to large and medium-sized joints was their most frequent complaint. Clinical diagnosis of carpal and/or tarsal tunnel syndromes was made in 45.6% of patients, and various forms of soft tissue rheumatism were evident in 73% of them. On radiologic evaluation of the involved joints, 60.5% of the examined patients showed significant degenerative lesions. The most prominent finding in the study, however, was the aggregation of varieties of articular and extra-articular abnormalities in the same patient. Extra-articular features included high frequencies of occurrence of varicose veins, piles and uterine prolapse among other abnormalities. Thus, results of the study lend support to the view that joint hypermobility predisposes to several articular and nonarticular lesions and raise serious questions about the reputable benignity of the syndrome.     

Electrophysiologic mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmias

In this work the electrophysiologic mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmias have been briefly summarized. Ventricular arrhytmias can be caused either by pacemaker activity or by reentrant excitation. Enhancement of normal automaticy can generate a parasystolic rhythm in normal fibers. Abnormal automaticity may arise fom fibers in which maximum diastolic potential has been reduced by a variety of interventions. Triggered activity is caused by either an early (EAD) or delayed (DAD) afterdepolarization and requires a prior normal action potential for initiation. While there is growing evidence that EAD-induced triggered activity plays a significant role in the Long QTU syndrome and Torsade de Pointes, no clinical arrhythmias has definitely been ascribed to DADs, although DADs have been recorded in man after acute digoxin intoxication.Ventricular arrhytmias can be also caused by reentrant excitation, which can be subdivided into reflection or circus movement reentry (CMR). In the reflection model impulses in both directions are transmitted over the same pathway. In the CMR three models can be differentiated: the ring model, which requires a fixed anatomical obstacle; the figure-eight model and the leading circle model, where functional rather than fixed anatomical obstacles are involved.Abbreviations AV atrio-ventricular - CMR circus movement reentry - DAD delayed afterdepolarization - EAD early afterdepolarization - ECG electrocardiogram - LV left ventricle - MAP monophasic action potential - MF muscle fiber - PF Purkinje fiber - RV right ventricle - TdP Torsade de Pointes