Do childhood experiences influence associations between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and positive autobiographical memories among military veteran students? An exploratory study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence links posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and features of positive autobiographical memories (accessibility, vividness, coherence, sharing, emotional intensity, distancing). There is a knowledge gap on how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and benevolent childhood experiences (BCEs) may influence these relationships. OBJECTIVES: The current study explored whether the number ACEs or BCEs moderated associations between PTSD symptom severity and features of positive autobiographical memories. DESIGN AND METHODS: The sample included 124 student military veterans who had experienced a trauma (Mage = 33.90; 77.4% male; 75.0% White). RESULTS: Path analyses showed more PTSD symptom severity was significantly associated with less positive autobiographical memory vividness (ß = -0.26, p = .019, R2 = 0.06). Further, the number of ACEs moderated the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and positive autobiographical memory accessibility (ß = -0.25, p = .023, R2 = 0.10) and vividness (ß = -0.20, p = .024, R2 = 0.10). Among individuals with more ACEs (1 SD above the mean) compared to those with fewer ACEs (1 SD below the mean), less accessibility and vividness of positive autobiographical memories was associated with greater PTSD symptom severity. The number of BCEs was not a significant moderator. CONCLUSIONS: Positive memory-based interventions may be particularly useful to address PTSD symptoms among military veterans with a history of childhood adversity.

Daily-level associations between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and reactions to retrieving positive autobiographical memories.

Trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) report difficulties accessing and describing positive memories. To understand these patterns, we examined daily-level relations of PTSD symptoms with affective, cognitive (dwelling/rumination; pushing memory out of one's mind; suppression; avoidance; distraction; thinking about something else; remembering negative or positive memories/events; negative or positive thoughts; accepting or disapproving memory; reinterpreting memory), and behavioral (using alcohol/drugs; smoking cigarettes; cravings for or seeking out cigarettes/alcohol/drugs; craving, seeking out, or consuming large amounts of food; dissociation; engaging in risky behaviors; sharing memories; interference with ongoing task; arousal) reactions to retrieving positive memories. Eighty-eight trauma survivors (Mage= 39.89 years; 59.1% female) completed 7 daily measures of PTSD and reactions to retrieving positive memories. Days with more PTSD severity were associated with higher odds of same-day suppression, avoidance, distraction, thinking about something else, smoking cigarettes, craving substances, craving, seeking out, or consuming large amounts of food, dissociation, remembering negative memories/events/thoughts, engaging in risky behaviors, interference with ongoing tasks, and arousal (ORs=1.10-1.22); and greater negative affect (ß = 0.27). Supplemental lagged analyses indicated some associations between previous-day reactions to positive memory retrieval and next-day PTSD severity and vice versa. Trauma survivors with PTSD symptoms report negative and avoidance-oriented reactions to retrieving positive memories.

High-Performance Aramids with Intrinsic Bactericide Activity.

Aramids, renowned for their high-performance attributes, find applications in critical fields such as protective equipment, aerospace components, and industrial filters. However, challenges arise in scenarios in which frequent washing is impractical, leading to bacterial proliferation, especially in textiles. This study outlines a straightforward and scalable method for preparing aramid-coated textiles and films endowed with inherent bactericidal activity, achieved by reacting parent aramids with vanillin. The functionalization of the aramids with bactericide moieties not only preserved the high-performance characteristics of commercial aramids but also improved their crucial mechanical properties. Tensile tests revealed an increase in Young's modulus, up to 50% compared to commercial m-aramid, accompanied by thermal performance comparable to commercial m-aramids. The evaluation of these coated textiles as bactericidal materials demonstrated robust effectiveness with A parameters (antibacterial activity) of 4.31 for S. aureus and 3.44 for K. pneumoniae. Reusability tests (washing the textiles in harsh conditions) underscored that the bactericide-coated textiles maintain their performance over at least 5 cycles. Regarding practical applications, tests performed with reconstructed human epidermis affirmed the nonirritating nature of these materials to the skin. The distinctive qualities of these metal-free intrinsic bactericidal aramids position them as ideal candidates for scenarios demanding a synergy of high performance and bactericidal properties. Applications such as first responders' textiles or filters stand to benefit significantly from these advanced materials.

1-L polyethylene glycol + ascorbic acid versus sodium picosulfate + magnesium citrate bowel preparations for colonoscopy: effectiveness and safety.

BACKGROUND: adequate bowel preparation is crucial for the protective effect of colonoscopy. Commonly used preparation regimens like polyethylene glycol (PEG) or sodium picosulfate with magnesium citrate (SPMC) have shown similar results in clinical trials, but low-volume PEG + ascorbic acid (1-L PEG + ASC) versus SPMC have never been compared in a real-life setting. AIM: to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 1-L PEG + ASC versus SPMC in a real-life setting for the overall population, for patients aged ≥ 65 years, and males versus females. METHODS: out-patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent colonoscopy for any indication were randomly assigned to the 1-L PEG + ASC or SPMC group. Using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), the primary endpoints were the bowel cleansing success of the overall colon and right colon, as well as high-quality (HQ) cleansing. Furthermore, the effectiveness and safety outcomes for age groups and males versus females were compared. RESULTS: 1-L PEG + ASC showed significantly better bowel cleansing success than SPMC. Particularly remarkable is the HQ cleansing reached with 1-L PEG + ASC compared with SPMC (55.5 % versus 25.4 % in the overall colon, and 58.7 % versus 27.2 % in the right colon). 1-L PEG + ASC was equally effective for men and women while SPMC showed significant differences between genders (men had worse bowel cleansing). Age did not affect the cleansing effectiveness. 1-L PEG + ASC versus SPMC showed significant differences in tolerance and safety; women also had significantly worse tolerance than men for both solutions, but these did not affect the quality of bowel cleansing. CONCLUSIONS: in our real-life setting, 1-L PEG + ASC offered better adequate and HQ bowel cleansing than SPMC, achieving excellent cleansing quality, regardless of gender or tolerance.

1-L polyethylene glycol + ascorbic acid versus sodium picosulfate + magnesium citrate bowel preparations for colonoscopy: effectiveness and safety

Background: adequate bowel preparation is crucial for the protective effect of colonoscopy. Commonly used preparation regimens like polyethylene glycol (PEG) or sodium picosulfate with magnesium citrate (SPMC) have shown similar results in clinical trials, but low-volume PEG + ascorbic acid (1-L PEG + ASC) versus SPMC have never been compared in a real-life setting. Aim: to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 1-L PEG + ASC versus SPMC in a real-life setting for the overall population, for patients aged ≥ 65 years, and males versus females. Methods: out-patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent colonoscopy for any indication were randomly assigned to the 1-L PEG + ASC or SPMC group. Using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), the primary endpoints were the bowel cleansing success of the overall colon and right colon, as well as high-quality (HQ) cleansing. Furthermore, the effectiveness and safety outcomes for age groups and males versus females were compared. Results: 1-L PEG + ASC showed significantly better bowel cleansing success than SPMC. Particularly remarkable is the HQ cleansing reached with 1-L PEG + ASC compared with SPMC (55.5 % versus 25.4 % in the overall colon, and 58.7 % versus 27.2 % in the right colon). 1-L PEG + ASC was equally effective for men and women while SPMC showed significant differences between genders (men had worse bowel cleansing). Age did not affect the cleansing effectiveness. 1-L PEG + ASC versus SPMC showed significant differences in tolerance and safety; women also had significantly worse tolerance than men for both solutions, but these did not affect the quality of bowel cleansing. Conclusions: in our real-life setting, 1-L PEG + ASC offered better adequate and HQ bowel cleansing than SPMC, achieving excellent cleansing quality, regardless of gender or tolerance. (AU)

Crafting and Analyzing Multi-Structured Aramid Materials and Their Pyrolytic Transformations: A Comprehensive Exploration.

Gradient porous materials, particularly carbon-based materials, hold immense potential in the fields of batteries, energy storage, electrocatalysis, and sensing, among others, by synergistically combining the attributes associated with each pore size within a unified structural framework. In this study, we developed a gradient porous aramid (GP-Aramid) by incorporating cellulose acetate as a porosity promoter in the polymer casting solution in different proportions. These GP-Aramids were subsequently transformed into their pyrolyzed counterparts (GP-Pyramids), retaining their original structures while displaying diverse cellular or dense microstructures inherited from the parent aramid, as confirmed via scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction spectra provided evidence of the conversion of aramids into carbonaceous materials. The materials showed structural defects observed through the intensity ratio of the G and D bands (ID/IG = 1.05) in the Raman spectra, while X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) revealed that the carbonization process yielded pyrolyzed carbon materials unusually rich in nitrogen (6%), oxygen (20%), and carbon (72%), which is especially relevant for catalysis applications. The pyrolyzed materials showed bulk resistivities from 5.3 ± 0.3 to 34.2 ± 0.6 depending on the meta- or para-orientation of the aramid and the porous structure. This work contributes to understanding these gradient porous aromatic polyamides' broader significance and potential applications in various fields.

Outcomes of cement augmentation in fragility trochanteric hip fractures - A multicenter randomized controlled trial follow-up.

PURPOSE: Cement augmentation is considered to improve the bone-implant construct stability in hip fragility fractures, additionally biomechanical studies show that cement augmentation improves the pull-out strength and increases resistance to failure. Thus far, the advantage of these technique used in a clinical scenario is yet to be determined METHODS: a randomized, multicenter, single-blinded clinical trial was conducted in patients aged 65 years or older who were admitted to two level I trauma centers with a fragility intertrochanteric hip fracture during September 2015 and December 2017. Patients were stratified into 2 groups: patients between 65 and 85 years and older than 85 years. A balanced block randomization was performed using blocks of 6 patients: 3 patients assigned to the control group (no augmentation) and 3 patients to the intervention group. Follow-up visits were done at 1, 3, 6 and 12 postoperative months documenting the tip-apex distance (TAD) as well as followed up after 5 to 7 years of surgical procedure documenting EQ5D, Parker Mobility Score and mortality rates at these different time points. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients were included but only 53 patients completed a one-year follow up. The mean immediate postoperative and one-year follow up TAD measurement from the whole cohort (20.99 mm vs 21.3 mm, respectively) showed no statistical significance (P = 0.18). For patients in the control group, the difference of TAD measurements from the immediate postoperative and one-year follow-up was -0.25 mm (P = 0.441). For patients included in the intervention group, the difference of TAD measurement from the immediate postoperative and 1-year follow up was -0.48 mm (P = 0.383). No statistical difference was found when stratified by age (p = 0.78). One patient from the control group had an implant failure after 1-month postoperative. Readmission after 30 days showed no statistical difference between both groups (7 vs. 7 patients, p = 0.754). Augmentation did not show a difference in most of the functional outcomes nor quality of life after 5 to 7 years of surgical procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The use of augmentation can be considered a safe procedure for the fixation of fragility hip fractures.

From Classical to Advanced Use of Polymers in Food and Beverage Applications.

Polymers are extensively used in food and beverage packaging to shield against contaminants and external damage due to their barrier properties, protecting the goods inside and reducing waste. However, current trends in polymers for food, water, and beverage applications are moving forward into the design and preparation of advanced polymers, which can act as active packaging, bearing active ingredients in their formulation, or controlling the head-space composition to extend the shelf-life of the goods inside. In addition, polymers can serve as sensory polymers to detect and indicate the presence of target species, including contaminants of food quality indicators, or even to remove or separate target species for later quantification. Polymers are nowadays essential materials for both food safety and the extension of food shelf-life, which are key goals of the food industry, and the irruption of smart materials is opening new opportunities for going even further in these goals. This review describes the state of the art following the last 10 years of research within the field of food and beverage polymer's applications, covering present applications, perspectives, and concerns related to waste generation and the circular economy.

Quality of memories in battered women: Analysis of positive narratives.

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, the evidence regarding the characteristics of positive autobiographical memories in the field of posttraumatic stress disorder has gained increasing interest. The objective of this study was to add to the evidence in this area by analyzing the characteristics of positive memories in a specific trauma population, namely victims of intimate partner violence. METHOD: The study compared the narratives of highly positive events of 50 battered women (trauma-exposed group) with those of 50 nonexposed women (controls). RESULTS: The results show that, compared with the narratives of the control group, the narratives of the trauma-exposed group contained fewer references to positive emotions and achievement and more words related to the first person and mistreatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the hypothesis that the consequences of trauma can impact the characteristics of positive autobiographical memories. The resulting clinical implications point toward the possible relevance of adding work with positive memories to the clinical approach to trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Fragility fracture systems, Latin America perspective.

Osteoporosis is a worldwide epidemic, affecting an average of 30% to 50% of those over 50 years of age in Latin America. Resulting from it is another epidemic, that of fragility fractures, which adversely affects morbidity and mortality of this population. Increasing in their incidence, fragility fractures are expected to occur in 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50years of age during their lifetimes. Currently, there are diagnostic and management guidelines for fragility fractures in Latin American countries, especially those for hip and spine fractures. In general, in Latin America, the quality indicators and standards for the care of these fractures vary greatly according to the health system, being suboptimal in many situations. The organization of health services is different in the different countries throughout Latin America. Common underlying characteristics, however, include the distinctions that exist in care between public and private medicine and the lack of economic resources directed to public healthcare systems from the national levels. Several important changes have been implemented in recent years, with the collaboration between national organizations and international associations such as the Fragility Fracture Network and the International Osteoporosis Foundation, aimed at improving quality standards in care and rates of morbidity and mortality in patients treated thorough fragility fracture programs. The underregistration in these programs and absence of formal national registries also contribute to a lack of recognition of the size, scope, and severity of the problem.

Effect of adding a positive memories' module in a trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural treatment for female survivors of intimate partner violence: trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural treatments have been proven to be effective for reducing symptoms in female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), although they still present some difficulties (e.g. significant drop-out rates, low adherence). Based on existing evidence about the difficulty of accessing memories of positive experiences among these women, we considered integrating positive memory evocation in trauma-focused treatments. The present study aims to test the effect of adding a positive memory module to trauma-focused CBT for female survivors of IPV. METHODS: The study is a single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing two trauma-focused CBT (with and without a positive memory module) for female survivors of IPV and a wait-list condition (superiority trial), including pretreatment and posttreatment measures, and follow-ups at 3, 6 and 12 months. Assessors of treatment outcome will be blinded to the trial arm. We aim to recruit 135 participants who will be randomized to one of the experimental conditions. The primary outcome is PTSD symptom severity. Secondary outcome measures include IPV, attitudes towards IPV, posttraumatic cognitions, centrality of trauma, self-concept, positive and negative affect, depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation or health-related quality of life, as well as satisfaction with treatment. Moreover, adherence to and satisfaction with treatment will be considered. DISCUSSION: This study first analyses the effect of including positive memory evocation into a trauma-focused treatment for female survivors of IPV. This strategy aims to improve the effect of the treatments and enhance the healing of the trauma by developing a more integrated and emotionally modulated autobiographical narrative that contributes to the recovery and well-being of the victims. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN73702156 . Registered on 10 March 2022.

Positive memory intervention techniques: a scoping review.

The scoping review examines and summarises the available knowledge base on intervention techniques focused on positive memories. An iterative series of PsycInfo and Medline searches was conducted up to April 2021 following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Thirty-nine studies, spanning 12 intervention techniques, were selected and described including: (1) theoretical basis; (2) type of study, sample, and measures; (3) intervention protocol; and (4) results of empirical studies if applicable. Results indicated that most techniques have only been tested in one-two studies with modest sample sizes and, when follow-ups are conducted, they are typically short. Results indicate that working with positive memories has the greatest impact on improving positive affect and reducing depressive symptoms, and that these effects are often temporary. This review serves as a quick reference guide to help professionals' access to descriptions and information on empirical evidence of positive memory techniques, improving their therapeutic arsenal to enhance well-being and therapeutic outcomes in their patients.

Understanding the Molecular Structure of the Elastic and Thermoreversible AlCl3 : Urea/Polyethylene Oxide Gel Electrolyte.

It is possible to prepare elastic and thermoreversible gel electrolytes with significant electroactivity by dissolving minimal weight fractions of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene oxide (UHMW PEO) in an aluminum deep eutectic solvent (DES) electrolyte composed of AlCl3 and urea at a molar ratio of 1.5 : 1 (AlCl3 /urea). The experimental vibrational spectra (FTIR and Raman) provide valuable information on the structure and composition of the gel electrolyte. However, the complexity of this system requires computational simulations to help interpretation of the experimental results. This combined approach allows us to elucidate the speciation of the DES liquid electrolyte in the gel and how it interacts with the polymer chains to give rise to an elastic network that retains the electroactivity of the liquid electrolyte to a very great extent. The observed reactions occur between the ether in the polymer and both the amine groups in urea and the aluminum species. Thus, similar elastomeric gels may likely be prepared with other aluminum liquid electrolytes, making this procedure an effective way to produce families of gel aluminum electrolytes with tunable rheology and electroactivity.

Tough Polymer Gel Electrolytes for Aluminum Secondary Batteries Based on Urea: AlCl3, Prepared by a New Solvent-Free and Scalable Procedure.

Polymer gel electrolytes have been prepared with polyethylene oxide (PEO) and the deep eutectic mixture of AlCl3: urea (uralumina), a liquid electrolyte which has proved to be an excellent medium for the electrodeposition of aluminum. The polymer gel electrolytes are prepared by mixing PEO in the liquid electrolyte at T > 65 °C, which is the melting point of PEO. This procedure takes a few minutes and requires no subsequent evaporation steps, being a solvent-free, and hence more sustainable procedure as compared to solvent-mediated ones. The absence of auxiliary solvents and evaporation steps makes their preparation highly reproducible and easy to scale up. PEO of increasing molecular weight (Mw = 1 × 105, 9 × 105, 50 × 105 and 80 × 105 g mol-1), including an ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polymer, has been used. Because of the strong interactions between the UHMW PEO and uralumina, self-standing gels can be produced with as little as 2.5 wt% PEO. These self-standing polymer gels maintain the ability to electrodeposit and strip aluminum, and are seen to retain a significant fraction of the current provided by the liquid electrolyte. Their gels' rheology and electrochemistry are stable for months, if kept under inert atmosphere, and their sensitivity to humidity is significantly lower than that of liquid uralumina, improving their stability in the event of accidental exposure to air, and hence, their safety. These polymer gels are tough and thermoplastic, which enable their processing and molding into different shapes, and their recyclability and reprocessability. Their thermoplasticity also allows the preparation of concentrated batches (masterbatch) for a posteriori dilution or additive addition. They are elastomeric (rubbery) and very sticky, which make them very robust, easy to manipulate and self-healing.

Reescritura de Imágenes para el Tratamiento del Estrés Postraumático: Análisis y Revisión / Imagery rescripting in the treatment of posttraumatic stress: Analysis and review

El trastorno por estrés postraumático (TEPT) cuenta con multitud de propuestas eficaces para su abordaje psicoterapéutico. Dentro de estas, una de las menos conocidas en nuestro entorno idiomático es la reescritura de imágenes (RI). El presente trabajo pretende caracterizar la RI y realizar una revisión sistemática acerca de su eficacia en el tratamiento del TEPT. La RI es una técnica joven destinada a cambiar aquellos recuerdos o representaciones mentales que son aversivos para los sujetos. La RI ha mostrado eficacia a la hora de abordar aquellas problemáticas relacionadas con los recuerdos aversivos ylas creencias encapsuladas. Respecto a la aplicación de la RI en el TEPT, los resultados del presente trabajo indican que es eficaz, pero en general no más que las técnicas de exposición. Se concluye que la RI es menos aversiva para los pacientes que las técnicas de exposición y que sus mecanismos de acción son aún desconocidos

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has many effective psychotherapeutic treatment alternatives. Within these, one of the less known in the Spanish language is the Imagery Rescripting (IR). The present study aims to characterize IR and conduct a systematic review on their efficacy in PTSD treatment. IR is a young technique intended to change memories or mental representations that are aversive to the patients. IR has shown efficacy in addressing those problems related to aversive memories and encapsulated beliefs. Regarding the implementation of the IR in PTSD, the results of this study indicate that it is effective but, in general, not more than exposure techniques. It is concluded that IR is less aversive to patients than exposure techniques and their mechanisms of action are still unknown

Solvent-Free Procedure for the Preparation under Controlled Atmosphere Conditions of Phase-Segregated Thermoplastic Polymer Electrolytes.

A solvent-free method that allows thermoplastic solid electrolytes based on poly(ethylene oxide) PEO to be obtained under controlled atmosphere conditions is presented. This method comprises two steps, the first one being the melt compounding of PEO with a filler, able to physically crosslink the polymer and its pelletizing, and the second the pellets' swelling with an electroactive liquid phase. This method is an adaptation of the step described in previous publications of the preparation of thermoplastic electrolytes by a single melt compounding. In comparison to the single step extrusion methodology, this new method permits employing electroactive species that are very sensitive to atmospheric conditions. The two-step method can also be designed to produce controlled phase-segregated morphologies in the electrolyte, namely polymer-poor and polymer-rich phases, with the aim of increasing ionic conductivity over that of homogeneous electrolytes. An evaluation of the characteristics of the electrolytes prepared by single and two-step procedures is done by comparing membranes prepared by both methods using PEO as a polymeric scaffold and a solution of the room-temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (EMI TFSI) and the bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide lithium salt (Li TFSI) as liquid phase. The electrolytes prepared by both methods have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and optic microscopy profilometry, differential scanning calorimetry, self-creep experiments, and dielectric spectroscopy. In this way, the phase separation, rheology, and ionic conductivity are studied and compared. It is striking how the electrolytes prepared with this new method maintain their solid-like behavior even at 90 °C. Compared to the single step method, the two-step method produces electrolytes with a phase-separated morphology, which results in higher ionic conductivity.

Metástasis adrenal como presentación de un hepatocarcinoma / Adrenal metastasis as presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma

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Tratamiento con ribavirina de la hepatitis E aguda con afectación renal grave en un paciente inmunocompetente / Treatment with ribavirin of acute hepatitis and severe renal damage in an immunocompetent patient

No disponible