When mental health care is stigmatizing: A participative study in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVES: Mental health care has been identified as a major source of mental illness stigmatization. Detailed information about these stigmatization experiences is thus needed to reduce stigma in mental health practices. The study aimed to (a) identify the most relevant stigmatizing situations in mental health care encountered by users with schizophrenia and their families; (b) characterize the relative importance of these situations in terms of frequency, experienced stigmatization, and associated suffering; and (c) identify contextual and individual factors associated with these experiences. METHOD: An online survey was conducted in France among users and family members to characterize situations of stigmatization in mental health care and identify associated factors. The survey content was first developed from a participative perspective, through a focus group including users. RESULTS: A total of 235 participants were included in the survey: 59 participants with schizophrenia diagnosis, 96 with other psychiatric diagnoses, and 80 family members. The results revealed 15 relevant situations with different levels of frequency, stigmatization, and suffering. Participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia experienced more situations of stigmatization, with a higher frequency. Moreover, contextual factors were strongly associated with experienced stigmatization, including recovery-oriented practices (negatively associated) and measures without consent (positively associated). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These situations, as well as associated contextual factors, could be targeted to reduce stigmatization and related suffering in mental health practices. Results strongly underscore the potential of recovery-oriented practice as an instrument to fight stigma in mental health care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A call for promoting living kidney donation in France in 2023 / Pourquoi développer la greffe de rein à partir de donneurs vivants en France en 2023 ?

Kidney transplantation from living donors is particularly under-developed in France in comparison with the US and most European countries. Among others, the lack of a proactive and evidence-based communication from French health providers is a potential cause that has been overlooked thus far. With this as a backdrop, the SFNDT Commission of transplantation has elaborated a 10 points-call for promoting living kidney transplantation in France in 2023 with the aims at (1) providing the entire nephrology community with a scientific rationale and (2) strenghtening the conviction of health providers, patients, and their relatives regarding the relevance of this modality of kidney transplantation.

La transplantation rénale à partir de donneur vivant est une activité qui reste insuffisamment développée en France. Ceci est particulièrement vrai en comparaison à la majorité des pays nord-américains et européens. Les raisons en sont multiples et incluent un défaut de communication proactive et argumentée par les acteurs de soins. La communication, l'information et finalement la promotion de la greffe à partir de donneurs vivants sont l'affaire de l'ensemble de la communauté néphrologique et, au premier rang, des néphrologues non spécifiquement impliqués en transplantation. C'est dans cet esprit que la Commission Transplantation de la Société francophone de néphrologie, dialyse et transplantation (SFNDT) a travaillé à l'élaboration d'un plaidoyer en tentant de répondre, en dix points, à la question « Pourquoi faut-il développer la transplantation rénale à partir de donneurs vivants en France en 2023 ? ¼. L'objectif est double : (1) fournir les principales bases d'une information scientifiquement argumentée et (2) renforcer la conviction de l'ensemble des acteurs de soins et des patients du bien-fondé de cette modalité de greffe.

Part of the solution yet part of the problem: factors of schizophrenia stigma in mental health professionals.

BACKGROUND: Stigma is highly prejudicial to persons with schizophrenia, their families, the society and the health care system. Mental health professionals (MHP) are considered to be one of the main sources of schizophrenia stigma. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to identify individual and contextual factors associated with stigma in MHP in its three dimensions (stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination, Fiske, 1998). METHODS: An online survey was conducted with specific measures of MHP stigma (stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination). Four categories of potential associated factors were also measured: sociodemographic characteristics, contextual characteristics (e.g., Work setting), individual characteristics (e.g., Profession, Recovery-oriented practices) and theoretical beliefs (e.g., Biological beliefs, Perceived similarities, Continuum versus Categorical beliefs). RESULTS: Responses of 357 MHP were analysed. Factors that were the most strongly associated with MHP stigma were Perceived similarities, Categorical beliefs, Biological beliefs, Recovery-oriented practice and Work setting (independent practice). Conversely, Gender, Specific trainings in stigma or recovery and Cognitive aetiology beliefs showed no association with any of MHP stigma dimension. Remaining factors show associations with a weak effect size. CONCLUSIONS: The survey results suggest that MHP stigma is more influenced by individual factors such as theoretical beliefs and recovery-oriented practices than contextual factors. These original results provide perspectives for reducing stigma in mental health practices.Key pointsMental health professionals (MHP) considering they share similarities with persons with schizophrenia or believing that schizophrenia is not a discrete social category but rather the extreme on a continuum between 'normal' and 'pathologic' reported less stigmatisation.MHP holding higher professional utility beliefs and using recovery-oriented practice reported fewer stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination.Other factors such as age, academic level, contact frequency, familiarity and multidisciplinary practice show associations with a weak effect size.

How continuum beliefs can reduce stigma of schizophrenia: The role of perceived similarities.

Growing evidence has shown continuum beliefs as a promising tool to reduce psychiatric stigma in the general population, but data still lack regarding mechanisms underlying this effect. This study aims at testing the hypothesis that continuum beliefs affect public stigma and self-stigma by increasing perceived similarities between oneself and people with schizophrenia. Perceiving such similarities may reduce public stigma and increase self-stigma in the general population. The current study was preregistered on OSF. Data were collected via an on-line survey (N = 565). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions. Continuum beliefs were induced with short videos supporting either a continuum viewpoint of schizophrenia, a categorial viewpoint of schizophrenia, or a neutral video. A scale of Perceived similarities between oneself and people with schizophrenia was administered. Public stigma was measured with an Essentialism scale and Self-stigma with a scale of self-stereotype association. Mediation analyses showed that the effects of categorial and continuum beliefs on essentialism and self-stereotype association were mediated by perceived similarities. Our results suggest that continuum beliefs about schizophrenia act as a recategorization mechanism, by enhancing perceived similarities with the stereotyped group.

Blood pressure decreases after revascularization in atherosclerotic renal artery disease: A cohort study based on a multidisciplinary meeting.

BACKGROUND: In atherosclerotic renal artery disease, the benefit of revascularization is controversial. A clinical decision-making process based on a multidisciplinary meeting was formalized in the Lyon university hospital. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether this decisional process ensured a clinical benefit to patients assigned to renal revascularization. METHODS: Single-centre retrospective cohort study, including patients diagnosed from April 2013 to February 2015 with an atherosclerotic renal artery disease with a peak systolic velocity >180cm/s. For each patient, the decision taken in multidisciplinary meeting (medical treatment or revacularization) was compared to the one guided by international guidelines. Blood pressure values, number of antihypertensive medications, presence of an uncontrolled or resistant hypertension, and glomerular filtration rate at one-year follow-up were compared to baseline values. Safety data were collected. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were included: 26 (53%) were assigned to a medical treatment and 23 (47%) to a renal revascularization. Therapeutic decision was in accordance with the 2013 American Health Association guidelines and with the 2017 European Society of Cardiology guidelines for 78% and 22% of patients who underwent revascularization, respectively. Patients assigned to revascularization presented a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (-23±34mmHg, p = 0.007), diastolic blood pressure (-12±18mmHg, p = 0.007), number of antihypertensive medications (-1.00±1.03, p = 0.001), and number of uncontrolled or resistant hypertension (p = 0.022 and 0.031) at one-year follow-up. Those parameters were not modified among patients assigned to medical treatment alone. There was no grade 3 adverse event. CONCLUSION: Based on a multidisciplinary selection of revascularization indications, patients on whom a renal revascularization was performed exhibited a significant improvement of blood pressure control parameters with no severe adverse events.

[Gemcitabine-induced thrombotic microangiopathy: Can we improve screening and treatment?] / Microangiopathie thrombotique secondaire à la gemcitabine : peut-on améliorer le dépistage et la prise en charge ?

Thrombotic microangiopathy is a rare but severe complication of treatment with gemcitabine. Its prevalence increases because gemcitabine's indications are growing. We report four cases, which presented with common clinical and biological manifestations, i.e. high blood pressure, proteinuria and increasing plasmatic creatinine level. However, severity was not similar, hemodialysis was inconstant. There is no consensus on treatment for this condition. Stopping gemcitabine is essential. Treatment was dispensed considering the severity of the presentation: plasma exchange therapy of variable outcome, and eculizumab, which was efficient when used. It's important to note that this syndrome includes common and frequent signs in patients receiving chemotherapies. But they must encourage the research of most specific signs, such as hypertension, mechanic hemolysis signs, proteinuria or hematuria, in order to recognize thrombotic microangiopathy as early as possible to treat it precociously, and to prevent additional gemcitabine injections.

[Management of atherosclerotic renal-artery stenosis in 2016]. / Prise en charge de la sténose athéromateuse d'artère rénale en 2016.

Endovascular revascularization as treatment of atherosclerotic renal-artery stenosis (aRAS) is controversial since 3 large and multicentric randomised trials (CORAL, ASTRAL, STAR) failed to prove the superiority of percutaneous transluminal renal-artery stenting (PTRAS) over medical treatment only (MT). However, considering the multiple bias of these trials, among which questionable inclusion criterias, these results must be extrapolated in clinical practice with caution. New pathophysiological data have been helping to understand why restoring blood flow does not necessarily lead to kidney function improvement. Today, the diagnostic approach must in one hand confirm the artery stenosis and on the other hand assess its severity and impact on the kidney. Therapeutic options still lie on the American guidelines published in 2006, since no study data can be reasonably used in everyday practice. However, particular sub-groups of patients who could benefit from revascularisation have been identified through recent cohort studies. Further prospective studies are needed in order to confirm the superiority of PTRAS in these populations. Meanwhile, multidisciplinary approach should be promoted, in order to provide the best treatment for each patient.

Intracellular Phosphate Dynamics in Muscle Measured by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy during Hemodialysis.

Of the 600-700 mg inorganic phosphate (Pi) removed during a 4-hour hemodialysis session, a maximum of 10% may be extracted from the extracellular space. The origin of the other 90% of removed phosphate is unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that the main source of phosphate removed during hemodialysis is the intracellular compartment. Six binephrectomized pigs each underwent one 3-hour hemodialysis session, during which the extracorporeal circulation blood flow was maintained between 100 and 150 ml/min. To determine in vivo phosphate metabolism, we performed phosphorous ((31)P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy using a 1.5-Tesla system and a surface coil placed over the gluteal muscle region. (31)P magnetic resonance spectra (repetition time =10 s; echo time =0.35 ms) were acquired every 160 seconds before, during, and after dialysis. During the dialysis sessions, plasma phosphate concentrations decreased rapidly (-30.4 %; P=0.003) and then, plateaued before increasing approximately 30 minutes before the end of the sessions; 16 mmol phosphate was removed in each session. When extracellular phosphate levels plateaued, intracellular Pi content increased significantly (11%; P<0.001). Moreover, ßATP decreased significantly (P<0.001); however, calcium levels remained balanced. Results of this study show that intracellular Pi is the source of Pi removed during dialysis. The intracellular Pi increase may reflect cellular stress induced by hemodialysis and/or strong intracellular phosphate regulation.

Effect of long-term climbing training on cerebellar ataxia: a case series.

Background. Efficient therapy for both limb and gait ataxia is required. Climbing, a complex task for the whole motor system involving balance, body stabilization, and the simultaneous coordination of all 4 limbs, may have therapeutic potential. Objective. To investigate whether long-term climbing training improves motor function in patients with cerebellar ataxia. Methods. Four patients suffering from limb and gait ataxia underwent a 6-week climbing training. Its effect on ataxia was evaluated with validated clinical balance and manual dexterity tests and with a kinematic analysis of multijoint arm and leg pointing movements. Results. The patients increased their movement velocity and achieved a more symmetric movement speed profile in both arm and leg pointing movements. Furthermore, the 2 patients who suffered the most from gait ataxia improved their balance and 2 of the 4 patients improved manual dexterity. Conclusion. Climbing training has the potential to serve as a new rehabilitation method for patients with upper and lower limb ataxia.

Stochastic models and numerical algorithms for a class of regulatory gene networks.

Regulatory gene networks contain generic modules, like those involving feedback loops, which are essential for the regulation of many biological functions (Guido et al. in Nature 439:856-860, 2006). We consider a class of self-regulated genes which are the building blocks of many regulatory gene networks, and study the steady-state distribution of the associated Gillespie algorithm by providing efficient numerical algorithms. We also study a regulatory gene network of interest in gene therapy, using mean-field models with time delays. Convergence of the related time-nonhomogeneous Markov chain is established for a class of linear catalytic networks with feedback loops.

Temporal relationship between dysfunctional beliefs, self-efficacy and panic apprehension in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia.

The aim of this study is to assess if changes in dysfunctional beliefs and self-efficacy precede changes in panic apprehension in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. Subjects participated in a larger study comparing the effectiveness of cognitive restructuring and exposure. Four variables were measured: (a) the strength of each subject's main belief toward the consequence of a panic attack; (b) perceived self-efficacy to control a panic attack in the presence of panicogenic body sensations; (c) perceived self-efficacy to control a panic attack in the presence of panicogenic thoughts; and (d) the level of panic apprehension of a panic attack. Variables were recorded daily on a "0" to "100" scale using category partitioning. Multivariate time series analysis and "causality testing" showed that, for all participants, cognitive changes preceded changes in the level of panic apprehension. Important individual differences were observed in the contribution of each variable to the prediction of change in panic apprehension. Changes in apprehension were preceded by changes in belief in three cases, by changes in self-efficacy in six cases, and by changes in both belief and self-efficacy in the remaining three cases. This pattern was observed in participants in the exposure condition as well as those in the cognitive restructuring condition. These results provide more empirical support to the hypothesis that cognitive changes precede improvement. They also underlie the importance of individual differences in the process of change. Finally, this study does not support the hypothesis that exposure and cognitive restructuring operate through different mechanisms, namely a behavioral one and a cognitive one.

FiRe and microarrays: a fast answer to burning questions.

FiRe is a user-friendly Excel macro designed to survey microarray data rapidly. This software interactively assembles data from different experiments and produces lists of candidate genes according to patterns of gene expression. Furthermore, macros bundled with FiRe can compare lists of genes, merge information from different spreadsheets, link candidates to information available from web-based databases, and produce heat-maps for easy visualization of microarray data. FiRe is freely available at http://www.unifr.ch/plantbio/FiRe/main.html .

Delivering cognitive-behavior therapy for panic disorder with agoraphobia in videoconference.

Delivering psychotherapy by videoconference could significantly increase the accessibility of empirically validated treatments. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) when the therapy is delivered either face-to-face or by videoconference. A sample of 21 participants was treated either face-to-face or by videoconference. Results showed that CBT delivered by videoconference was as effective as CBT delivered face-to-face. There was a statistically significant reduction in all measures, and the number of panic-free participants among those receiving CBT by videoconference was 81% at post-treatment and 91% at the 6-month follow-up. None of the comparisons with face-to-face psychotherapy suggested that CBT delivered by videoconference was less effective. These results were confirmed by analyses of effect size. The participants reported the development of an excellent therapeutic alliance in videoconference as early as the first therapy session. The importance of these results for treatment accessibility is discussed. Hypotheses are proposed to explain the rapid creation of strong therapeutic alliances in videoconferencing.

Anxiety and presence during VR immersion: a comparative study of the reactions of phobic and non-phobic participants in therapeutic virtual environments derived from computer games.

Virtual reality can be used to provide phobic clients with therapeutic exposure to phobogenic stimuli. However, purpose-built therapeutic VR hardware and software can be expensive and difficult to adapt to individual client needs. In this study, inexpensive and readily adaptable PC computer games were used to provide exposure therapy to 13 phobic participants and 13 non-phobic control participants. It was found that anxiety could be induced in phobic participants by exposing them to phobogenic stimuli in therapeutic virtual environments derived from computer games (TVEDG). Assessments were made of the impact of simulator sickness and of sense of presence on the phobogenic effectiveness of TVEDGs. Participants reported low levels of simulator sickness, and the results indicate that simulator sickness had no significant impact on either anxiety or sense of presence. Group differences, correlations, and regression analyses indicate a synergistic relationship between presence and anxiety. These results do not support Slater's contention that presence and emotion are orthogonal.