Exploring the Focus and Experiences of Smartphone Applications for Addiction Recovery

Addiction recovery Smartphone applications (apps) (n = 87) identified on the Google Play store in 2012 were coded, along with app user reviews, to explore functions, foci, and user experiences. Content analysis revealed that apps typically provided information on recovery, as well as content to enhance motivation, promote social support and tools to monitor progress. App users commented that the apps helped to inform them, keep them focussed, inspire them, and connect them with other people and groups. Because few addiction recovery apps appear to have been formally evaluated, further research is needed to ascertain their effectiveness as stand-alone or adjunctive interventions.     

Mechanical properties and tissue reinforcement of polypropylene grafts used for pelvic floor repair—an experimental study

Purpose  

Although grafts can be made from the same materials, the final weave of the product may play a role in the ultimate outcomes or complications. The aim of this experimental study is to evaluate and compare the mechanical properties of the meshes and their influence on biological characteristics as well.     

Hospital readmissions in people with chronic spinal cord injury

STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal observational. OBJECTIVES: To examine frequency and duration of hospital readmissions in a population based sample of people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) and to look at medical reasons necessitating readmissions and factors influencing them. SETTING: National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, UK and Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, District General Hospital, Southport, UK. METHODS: One-hundred-and-ninety-eight SCI patients, all injured more than 20 years ago, were interviewed on three occasions and their medical records reviewed for the period 1990 - 1996. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 1996, 127 patients (64% of the sample) required hospital treatment for late medical complications, with 481 readmissions between them and the mean length of stay of 12.03 days per readmission. Only 58% of all readmissions were into specialised spinal injuries centres. Averaged over the entire sample, the readmission rate was 0.4 readmissions per person at risk per year, and the occupancy rate was 4.9 bed-days per person at risk per year. The most frequent reason for readmissions were urinary tract complications (40.5% of all readmissions) and the highest bed occupancy was for skin problems (32.2% of all bed-days). When compared with the non-hospitalised group (36% of the sample), the readmitted patients had longer duration of paralysis and lower disability and handicap scores as measured by Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Craig Handicap Assessment & Reporting Technique (CHART). The subgroups did not differ significantly by neurological grouping or age. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary and skin complications are the two main reasons for hospital readmissions in people with chronic SCI. Risk of readmissions increases with time since injury and with disability and handicap severity. Hospital bed requirements for people with chronic SCI are greater than the amount of clinical provision currently available in specialised spinal centres. In order to meet the needs of the growing SCI population, more specialised spinal injuries care beds will be needed. Spinal Cord (2000) 38, 371 - 377.     

The human motor cortex after incomplete spinal cord injury: an investigation using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy

OBJECTIVES—(1) A biochemical investigation of themotor cortex in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury and normalcontrol subjects using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).(2) To relate any altered biochemistry with the physiological changesin corticospinal function seen after spinal cord injury.
METHODS—a group of six patients with incompletespinal cord injury who showed good recovery of motor function wereselected. The patients were compared with five healthy controlsubjects. Electromyographic (EMG) responses of thenar muscles totranscranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex showed thatinhibition of cortical output was weaker in the patients than thecontrols. Proton MRS data were collected from a plane at the level ofthe centrum semiovale. Two 4.5 cm³ voxels in the motorcortex and a third voxel in the ipsilateral occipital cortex wereexamined in the patients and control subjects.
RESULTS—The mean level ofN-acetylaspartate (NAA), expressed relative to thecreatine (Cr) peak (NAA/Cr), was significantly increased in the motorcortex of the patients compared with their ipsilateral occipital cortexor either cortical area in the controls. No differences betweenpatients and controls were seen for any of the other metabolite peaks(choline (Cho), glutamate/glutamine (Glx) or the aspartate component ofNAA (Asp^NAA)) relative to Cr. Choline relative to Cr(Cho/Cr) was higher in the motor cortex of the control subjects than intheir ipsilateral occipital cortex. This difference was not present inthe patients.
CONCLUSIONS—Raised NAA/Cr in the motorcortex of the patients probably results from increased NAA rather thana decrease in the more stable Cr. The possible relevance of a raisedNAA/Cr ratio is discussed, particularly with regard to the changedcorticospinal physiology and the functional recovery seen in the patients.

     

Nichtkleinzellige Lungenkarzinome

The diagnosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been revolutionized over the last few years. Requirements for cytopathologists in lung cancer diagnosis have therefore changed. The general diagnostic category of NSLC is no longer sufficient. In addition cytological specimens need to be evaluated for adequacy regarding predictive marker analyses. Accurate NSCLC subtyping with a distinction of adenocarcinoma from squamous cell carcinoma is crucial for treatment decisions as the subtype will decide on the chemotherapy regimen and the choice of predictive marker analyses for targeted treatment. In the majority of cases, the subtype can be diagnosed by morphology alone. Cytology is equally well suited as biopsy specimens for the assessment of molecular predictive markers. The best results are achieved when both cytology and biopsy specimens are compared to choose the most appropriate specimen for morphological subtyping and molecular testing. In this paper, we discuss special issues of NSCLC subtyping and currently recommended predictive molecular marker analyses.     

The relationship between the dim light melatonin onset and sleep on a regular schedule in young healthy adults

The endogenous melatonin onset in dim light (DLMO) is a marker of circadian phase that can be used to appropriately time the administration of bright light or exogenous melatonin in order to elicit a desired phase shift. Determining an individual's circadian phase can be costly and time-consuming. We examined the relationship between the DLMO and sleep times in 16 young healthy individuals who slept at their habitual times for a week. The DLMO occurred about 2 hours before bedtime and 14 hours after wake. Wake time and midpoint of sleep were significantly associated with the DLMO (r = 0.77, r = 0.68 respectively), but bedtime was not (r = 0.36). The possibility of predicting young healthy normally entrained people's DLMOs from their sleep times is discussed.