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Schizotypy may be associated with heightened creativity, but the exact relationship between schizotypal traits and creative divergent thinking remains unclear. Unlike previous research, which predominantly focused on students, this study (n = 213) explored the relationship between schizotypy and divergent thinking in the Alternate Uses Task across a wider age range (from 18 to 78 years, M = 42.8). Schizotypy was measured using the shortened O-LIFE scale. To examine moderating factors, inhibitory control was assessed with a Go/NoGo task, and the spontaneous flow of associative thinking was measured with a Forward Flow task. Impulsive Nonconformity was particularly associated with enhanced creativity and originality in divergent thinking, while negative schizotypy had a detrimental effect. Impulsive Nonconformity was especially influential in fostering creativity when combined with reduced inhibitory control or distant associations, aligning with theories that propose creative ideation stems from combining distantly related ideas, because reduced inhibition and distant associations may broaden access to a wider range of information. Conversely, negative schizotypy diminished originality, possibly due to reduced motivation and fluency, coupled with decreased inhibition. These results underscore the complexity of the interaction between inhibition, associative thinking, and creativity, indicating that cognitive resources and processing strategies play critical roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eldercare workers experience higher levels of moral distress than other health and social care service workers. Moral distress is a psychological response to a morally challenging event. Very little is known about moral distress in the context of eldercare and about the mechanisms of preventing or mitigating moral distress. This qualitative study was conducted as part of the "Ensuring the availability of staff and the attractiveness of the sector in eldercareservices" project in Finland in 2021. The data were from 39 semi-structured interviews. This qualitative interview data were examined using two-stage content analysis. The key finding of this study, as reported by eldercare professionals, is that strategies to mitigate moral distress can be found at all organizational levels : organizational, workplace and individual. The tools that emerged from the interviews fell into four main categories: 1) organizational support and education 2) peer support 3) improving self-care and competence and 4) defending patients. The main identified categories confirmed the earlier findings but the qualitative, rich research interview data provided new insights into a little-studied topic: mitigating moral distress in eldercare. The main conclusion is that, in order to mitigate moral distress, ethical competence needs to be strengthened at all organizational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Machine learning techniques have demonstrated success in predictive modeling across various clinical cases. However, few studies have considered predicting the use of multisectoral health and social services among older adults. This research aims to utilize machine learning models to detect high-risk groups of excessive health and social services utilization at early stage, facilitating the implementation of preventive interventions. Methods: We used pseudonymized data covering a four-year period and including information on a total of 33,374 senior citizens from Southern Finland. The endpoint was defined based on the occurrence of unplanned healthcare visits and the total number of different services used. Input features included individual's basic demographics, health status and past usage of healthcare resources. Logistic regression and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) methods were used for binary classification, with the dataset split into 70% training and 30% testing sets. Results: Subgroup-based results mirrored trends observed in the full cohort, with age and certain health issues, e.g. mental health, emerging as positive predictors for high service utilization. Conversely, hospital stay and urban residence were associated with decreased risk. The models achieved a classification performance (AUC) of 0.61 for the full cohort and varying in the range of 0.55–0.62 for the subgroups. Conclusions: Predictive models offer potential for predicting future high service utilization in the older adult population. Achieving high classification performance remains challenging due to diverse contributing factors. We anticipate that classification performance could be increased by including features based on additional data categories such as socio-economic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study investigates the creative capacities of artificial intelligence (AI), exemplified by ChatGPT-4, in comparison with human creativity, utilizing the Figural Interpretation Quest (FIQ) as the evaluative tool. The primary objective is to assess whether AI can surpass human performance in creative tasks, particularly in terms of flexibility and subjectively perceived creativity. Participants, including both ChatGPT-4 and humans, were asked to provide creative interpretations for a set of ambiguous, abstract figures. The study measured the flexibility of these interpretations and gathered subjective ratings of creativity from independent evaluators. Results indicated that while AI, on average, demonstrated higher flexibility in generating creative interpretations, human participants excelled in terms of subjectively perceived creativity. Furthermore, the most creative human responses were higher than those of AI in both flexibility and subjective creativity. These findings suggest that in these types of complex multimodal interpretation tasks, AI shows excellent potential and the ability to generate semantically diverse ideas, yet human subjectively perceived creativity remains for now unmatched. The study highlights the limitations of AI in replicating the complexity of human creativity and points to possible theoretical interpretations of the reported findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) relies on family caregivers (FCs) who face increasing demands. This study aimed to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms in FCs. 226 FCs and individuals with AD were followed up for 5 years as a part of the ALSOVA study. Depressive symptoms in FCs were measured with the Beck Depression Inventory from the time of the AD diagnosis to the 5-year follow-up. We compared the trajectory of groups regarding age, education, and sex of both FC distress and AD symptoms. We identified three trajectories of FC depressive symptoms throughout follow-up: (1) declining (7.5% of FCs), (2) minor (59.7% of FCs), and (3) increased (32.7% of FCs). These groups exhibited differences in demographic variables, FC distress, and individuals with AD neuropsychiatric symptoms. The present study showed that FC depressive symptoms existed, and one-third of caregivers experienced increasing depressive symptoms over five years. Family caregivers' health should be followed in clinical practice, and those at risk of depression could be recognized early in caregiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) resistance is widespread across Europe, but its prevalence has not been previously studied in Finland. We sampled 48 house mice (Mus musculus) and 48 brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) in farms and urban locations from southern Finland and here we report the identification of Vkorc1 polymorphisms linked to AR resistance.Two thirds of mice carried Vkorc1 polymorphisms. The most common was the type Y139C (resistance to first-generation ARs, bromadiolone and difenacoum), whereas the type L128S (resistance to FGARs and bromadiolone) was much less abundant. Only two rats tested positive, both with a rare type R33P (resistance probably to warfarin). No clear patterns based on subregion, sex and urban/rural division were seen.We suggest that the type Y139C polymorphism should be taken into account when planning control actions targeting house mice in Finland. The low number of AR resistant rats found suggests a low prevalence of resistance in rats. To fully understand the state of AR resistance in Finland, additional studies on yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) and bank voles (Myodes glareolus) are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes varied place attachments manifested in public (communal) places in the two socioeconomically weakest suburbs of the city of Jyväskylä in central Finland. We conducted ethnographic research and observations, interviewed local experts on their views of the suburbs, and analyzed discourses from various places where residents' experiences of identity and social relations are connected to residential and community attachment. Our results show a strong connection to place evolving in both suburbs through bonds to the physical and the social environment. The local experts reported social connectedness and sense of belonging among the residents of both suburbs. The strength of the suburbs resided in a community spirit manifested in public places (community centers, local natural beauty spots, and recreational spaces). Residents are attached to their nearby natural environment and specific places in both suburbs. Attachment to place is undermined by negative media influence and by public discourse highlighting social segregation and insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of the recall of the severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) with Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis (PUQE) questionnaire has been questioned. We aimed to compare PUQE scores of women recalling the worst episode of NVP of their current pregnancy in different gestational weeks (gwks). Total of 2343 pregnant women (gwks 7–40) were recruited. Four groups were formed according to the gwks at reply: ≤16 gwks (n = 554), ≤20 gwks (n = 1209), >20 gwks (n = 1134) and ≥24 gwks (n = 495). PUQE scores were similar between the groups. Consequently, consistency of PUQE scores across the groups endorses the useability of the PUQE questionnaire in retrospective assessment of the overall severity of NVP in different gwks, regardless of passing of the peak NVP symptoms. What is already known on this subject? Retrospective evaluation of the severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) has been argued to be disposed to recall bias. Structured Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis (PUQE) questionnaire is a validated tool for assessing the severity of NVP. What do the results of this study add? When the women recalled the most severe NVP symptoms of their current pregnancy, no differences in the PUQE scores were found despite different gestational weeks at reply. Of distinct PUQE questions, women answering in early pregnancy reported longer duration of nausea than women answering in late pregnancy, but other questions were rated similarly. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our aim was to compare the PUQE scores between the women who filled in the PUQE questionnaire in early or in late pregnancy, instructed to recall their worst symptoms in their current pregnancy. As there were no differences between the groups in total PUQE scores, our results support the application of PUQE questionnaire to assess the severity of NVP during pregnancy not only concurrent to the peak symptoms but also retrospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over-consumption and the domestic abundance of things have become a problem in affluent Western homes, which are full of new commodities and layers of lived things. At the same time, the encounter with mess and clutter generates a strong moral charge. We should not approach clutter as simply meaningless or lacking order, but rather as a form of trouble-making materiality that forces people to engage with materiality due to a sense of discomfort. In this article, we focus on specific objects that are considered as clutter, asking thirteen people to introduce the materiality of their homes. Overall, we find three different viewpoints on clutter: stuff materializing social relations and family connections; stuff referring to personal memories; and stuff that constructs the feeling of home. We conclude that clutter is not a simple matter of disorder, but rather something affective that calls for attention and emotional work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As there is a trend toward more people seeking medical help due to cognitive symptoms, validated and targeted questionnaires are increasingly important in the clinical evaluation process. The Cognitive Function at Work Questionnaire (CFWQ) was developed to identify and rate subjective cognitive symptoms of individuals active in working life. However, its psychometric characteristics have not been previously studied in a memory clinic setting. The factorial structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity of the CFWQ were studied in a memory clinic setting (N = 113). We also investigated the instrument's ability to identify cognitive symptoms in a cohort of early-onset dementia (EOD, N = 22), mild cognitive impairment-neurological (MCI-n, N = 18), MCI due to mood, sleep, or other physical health problems (MCI-o, N = 59), and subjective cognitive decline (SCD, N = 14) patients. Based on factor analysis, eight cognitive subscales were identified covering main cognitive domains: Memory, Language, Executive Function, Speed of Processing, Cognitive Control, Name Memory, Visuospatial/Praxis and Attention. The internal consistency (α =.93) and the test-retest reliability (ICC =.91) were high. Several correlations (r =.19 –.33, p <.05) were documented between neuropsychological impairment level and CFWQ scores. EOD, MCI-n, MCI-o, and SCD groups did not differ statistically significantly in the levels of cognitive symptoms as measured by the CFWQ Total score. EOD group scored higher (p =.009) than other patient groups on the Visuospatial/Praxis subscale, but the difference between EOD and MCI-o groups turned insignificant after correcting for multiple testing. The results of the study support the validity and reliability characteristics of the CFWQ in a memory clinic setting. The instrument is easy-to-use and has clinical utility in capturing the subjective cognitive symptoms of patients active in working life and who need a referral to a more detailed evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No single tool is able to distinguish fallers from non-fallers. The aim of this study was to detect subacute stroke inpatients at higher risk for falls, predictors for the number of falls and near falls and the impact of these incidents on functional outcome. An observational prospective cohort study comparing clinical differences between non-fallers, onetime and repeat fallers. Bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses with length of stay as an offset variable were conducted. Fallers had mostly intermediate level of impairment and disability (NIHSS, FIM, mRS, the ICF minimal generic data set). The onetime fallers who were oldest, most disabled and most often institutionalised achieved the same functional improvement as the non-fallers, however, after significantly longer inpatient rehabilitation. The repeat fallers who were youngest and had the longest rehabilitation in-stay, achieved equal functioning as the non-fallers having faster motor gain and the greatest overall functional improvement compared to the other two subgroups. Right hemispheric stroke, previous myocardial infarction and shorter time from stroke onset were independent predictors for the number of incidents. In the future, larger studies are recommended to investigate fall rate and different severities of incidents, falls and near falls separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In periodontal disease (PD), bacterial biofilms suppress β6 integrin expression transforming growth factor-β1 signaling, resulting in gingival inflammation and bone loss. β6 integrin-null (Itgb6−/−) mice develop spontaneous PD. The aim of this study was to unravel potential differences in oral microbiome in wild-type (WT) and Itgb6−/− FVB mice. Mouse oral microbiome was analyzed from 3- and 6-month-old WT and Itgb6−/−. The periodontal inflammation and spontaneous bone loss were present in 3-month-old and advanced in 6-month-old Itgb6−/− mice. The observed amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) of alpha diversity showed close similarity in 3-month-old and 6-month-old Itgb6−/− mice. Chao1 and ACE methods revealed that the microbiome in Itgb6−/− mice showed less diversity compared to the WT. UniFrac Principal Coordinate analyses (PCoA) showed a clear spatial segregation and clustering between Itgb6−/− and WT mice in general, and between 3-month- and 6-month-old WT mice. Weighted PCoA showed the tight clustering and distinct separation of individual mouse samples within Itgb6−/− and WT. The most abundant microbial classes varied between the sample groups. However, the genus Aggregatibacter significantly increased in the 6-month-old Itgb6−/− mice. β6 integrin-deficient mice develop periodontal inflammation that may relate to dysbiosis in the microbiome that further promotes the disease process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, nursing students comprise a large portion of students in higher education institutions (HEIs). The expectation that HEIs will educate professionally competent nurses is high. To ensure adequate competence, exit examinations play a significant role in evaluation in many countries. However, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the instruments used and the content evaluated in exit examinations globally. Purposes: The aim of this study was to identify and describe the instruments used in undergraduate nursing students' exit examinations. Methods: Five databases were systematically searched, and eleven studies were included. The data of content used in exit exams were analysed using inductive content analysis. The instruments used in exit exams were tabulated and described. The systematic process was followed to identify included papers. Results: Eleven different instruments were identified, including nine theoretical instruments and two clinical instruments. The exit examinations of undergraduate nursing students varied considerably depending on the country and educational organisation. The content evaluated in the exit examinations covered the holistic nursing perspective. Conclusions: The findings of this review suggest that HEIs should develop and implement more comprehensive evaluation methods and instruments to ensure students' competence upon graduation. The results are important for developing exit examinations in nursing education because they indicate that summative evaluation is needed. Clinical examinations have been used marginally in HEIs, which should be considered when implementing new examinations. Digitalisation (e.g. virtual environments) could be one solution for offering objective assessment, validity and cost-effectiveness. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of undergraduate nursing students' exit examinations and indicates that more clinical evaluation methods should be developed to ensure adequate competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arts-based practice and research in care has increased significantly. There is a need to examine the ethical issues arising from this complex phenomenon, conceptualised as boundary work. To support interdisciplinary understanding in artistic and arts-based work, we collaboratively explored three arts-based research projects implemented in diverse care and healthcare contexts. The ethical issues related to boundary work were negotiated through reciprocal, in-depth reflection. Arts-based and artistic research allows embodied, sensitive, and sensible encounters to emerge, in which the boundaries between artistic agency, professional positions, and even notions of evidence may be challenged. The notion of vulnerability emerges as a central ethical feature of boundary work. Articulating ethical concerns in artistic-pedagogic boundary work and research can promote a more nuanced understanding of power relations in cross-sectoral practices. It may help develop services that support the agency and holistic well-being of individuals and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to trust one's own perceptions is crucial for psychological well-being and growth. The relevance of its opposite, self-invalidation (SI), to the psychopathology of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is emphasized in many contemporary theories of evidence-based treatments for BPD. Empirical research on this topic remains scarce, however. This study aimed to describe manifestations of SI in individuals with BPD during a 40-session psychoeducational intervention based mainly on schema therapy. Transcripts of videotaped group sessions were analyzed inductively using qualitative content analysis. SI emerged as a recurrent, ubiquitous phenomenon. The content analysis yielded three core categories of SI: (1) a self-critical and harsh attitude towards the self (subcategories reflected punitive internalizations that could engender fear-based inertia, self-erasing, submissive coping behavior, and temporal fluctuation in SI), (2) a deficient sense of normalcy, and self-doubt, and (3) self-stigma. We also found an association of SI with various dimensions of BPD, including difficulty in the identification of emotions, secondary emotional reactions such as guilt, shame, anger, and resentment, self-related and interpersonal problems, and suicidal urges. SI is a detrimental cognitive-emotional process relevant to BPD that merits treatment. Efforts to reduce self-stigma, a pernicious aspect of SI, are imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this integrative review was to analyse the usage of different virtual reality (VR) technologies in learning and user experiences (UXs) of these technologies in healthcare practice and education. The integrative review was conducted in spring 2019 by searching eight international databases. The searches retrieved n = 26 original articles that were quality checked and included for the review. Three different VR technologies used in the field of healthcare education and practice were identified: haptic device simulators, computer-based simulations and head-mounted displays (HMDs). The haptic simulators were the most often used, whereas the HMD devices were the least-used technology in the field of healthcare. In immersive virtual environments, UX includes ten components. Most of the components were observed in the context of haptic devices and HMD devices, with all ten components being observed with the HMD devices. Almost all of the components were rated as positive. In conclusion, the development of VR technology has enabled the creation of the most comprehensive UXs, thus enhancing skill development, enabling remote access to training and, ultimately, improving patient safety. This review is important as it highlights the need for far more UX research within immersive virtual environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competent professionals are essential when delivering patient-centered and individual palliative care to patients and their families. However, interprofessional competencies for health and social care professionals in specialized palliative care have not been defined. The purpose of this study was to describe the competencies required for good interprofessional teamwork in specialized palliative care from the perspective of health and social care professionals. A qualitative descriptive study design was chosen to undertake the face-to-face individual and focus-group interviews. Fifty participants working in specialized palliative care units were recruited through a purposive sampling technique. The data were analyzed using abductive content analysis. The required interprofessional competencies in specialized palliative care were identified as values and ethics for interprofessional practice, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork. Professionals should be interprofessionally competent to meet patients’ care needs holistically and individually. Meeting patients and relatives with respect is vital, but respectful behavior and communication among professionals are also highlighted in palliative care. Certain professional qualities, such as patience, humility, and flexibility, were emphasized in interprofessional palliative care. It is important to note that the nature of palliative care affects even experienced professionals, who should be able to face death as a team in everyday work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how psychological change was experienced and what treatment-related factors or events were perceived as supporting or hindering their process by individuals with borderline personality disorder. Eight BPD sufferers attended a 40-session psychoeducational group intervention at a community mental health care center. At intervention end, personal experience of meaningful change was explored in an in-depth interview and data were content-analyzed. Change in BPD symptoms was assessed by the Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index IV interview. The qualitative content analysis on subjectively perceived meaningful change yielded three core categories: (1) improved ability to observe and understand mental events, (2) decreased disconnection from emotions, emergence of new or adaptive emotional reactions and decrease in maladaptive ones, and (3) a new, more adaptive experience of self and agency. Accordingly, (1) learning and (2) normalizing emerged as the main categories of helpful treatment factors. In turn, treatment-related factors perceived as obstacles were: (1) aggression in the group, and (2) inflexibility. With respect to symptom change, four participants were considered clinically as remitted, and two showed a reliable change. Long-term psychoeducational group therapy seems to enhance mentalization / metacognitive functioning and promote self (or personality) integration in BPD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasoning skills are needed in the future work life. As such, it is important that reasoning skills be assessed in higher education, both in the selection phase and during education. This study aims to describe the instruments that are used to assess reasoning skills in higher education. The ultimate goal is to provide information upon which student selection methods may be developed. A computerised search was performed among nine databases, and seventeen articles were included. As a result, seven generic instruments that measure reasoning skills were identified. None of the included studies reported an assessment of reasoning skills during the student selection phase. The content of the reasoning skills' instruments focused on four categories: information processing, analysing, drawing conclusions and argumentation. None of the seven instruments addressed all four categories identified, although a few addressed three categories. To conclude, a comprehensive assessment of reasoning skills including the four identified categories is recommended in the higher education context. Further research is needed to assess the use of reasoning skills and relevant instruments for high stake purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education and lifelong learning projects aimed at adults have become more widespread and have sparked a debate on how to restructure higher education policies and support lifelong learning. In Finland, a recent initiative in higher education policy is based on the theme of continuous learning. Different supporting structures and practices at the governmental level are being sought. During the academic year 2017–2018, the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland funded a project that provided pedagogical studies in teaching for 16 IT professionals. The aim was to enable the participants to focus on the educational field and find new options for their careers. We utilised a narrative research approach to explore the types of adult learners' storylines and positions that were constructed during these studies, of which we identified three: the storyline of different alternatives, in which participants positioned themselves as a career path builders, the storyline of becoming a teacher, in which participants positioned themselves as a teacherhood reflectors and becoming a teacher was an enriching alternative, and the storyline of looking forward, in which participants positioned themselves as a developers and mainly saw their studies as expanding their ongoing career opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this review is to explore research literature beyond music therapy and music medicine studies that addresses healthcare musicians' work in hospitals. Music-related and intersectoral collaboration in contemporary healthcare may appear as if all music practitioners, including music therapists and healthcare musicians, maintain the same professional stance, harmonized goals, and orientations in their work. We argue that this is not the case, either in practice or in research, and therefore this complex field is in need of conceptual clarification as well as educational guidance. Method: A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature with PRISMA yielded 16 studies relating to healthcare musicians' work in somatic hospital settings. These studies were analysed with the quality appraisal tool CASP, utilizing the descriptive statistics and thematic approach, and assessed with the ROBIS tool. Results: Within the scope of the review, the quality of the studies, as well as the reporting of methods and analysis, were very diverse. The review indicates that the hybrid professional work of healthcare musicians in hospitals does not stem from the practices of music therapy. Instead, the healthcare musicians' work draws from different historical, societal, and philosophical contexts, developed mainly in the twenty-first century. Discussion: Despite the rich descriptions of the healthcare musicians' practice and work presented in this review, it remains questionable whether the profession of healthcare musician is already internationally established. However, the emerging movement of expanding professionalism, which healthcare musicians are a part of, needs to be addressed more clearly in practice, research, and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate whether a) the option to make video-review appeals influences the match outcome; b) the number of video reviews differs depending on the time period during a match; and the rejected-to-approved-appeal distribution differs depending on the c) time period during the match, d) match status, and e) match category in karate kumite. Video recordings from 555 matches in a Premier League competition were analysed. Point(s) awarded after the video review(s) changed the match outcome for a total of 47 matches, which corresponded to 13.1% of the matches with video review(s). The number of appealed video reviews increased for each 30-s time period in the 3-min matches (P < 0.001). The rejected-to-approved-appeal distribution differed depending on the time period during the match (P = 0.0025) but not depending on match status and match category (both P > 0.05). For karateka who had fewer points than the opponent, the rejected-to-approved-appeal distribution differed between time periods (P = 0.017). The option for coaches to make video-review appeals for techniques that were not awarded point(s) by the judges increased the chance for a fair match outcome in elite karate kumite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractUncertainty in the figure of merit (FOM) parameters is a central feature of the best-estimate plus uncertainty (BEPU) method, which provides insight into the analysis margins not available from other analysis methods. The FOM uncertainty distributions are formed from propagation of the variations and uncertainty distributions in the operational and modeling parameters used in simulations of a design-basis accident (DBA) scenario for a nuclear power plant.To compute an accurate FOM uncertainty distribution, it is critical to accurately quantify and account for the input parameter prediction uncertainties. The coolant flow rate through fuel channels, or more precisely, the hydraulic resistance, including the impact of two-phase flow and its distribution in the primary heat transport system and the critical heat flux (CHF) of the fuel, are two key parameters for the limiting postulated accident scenarios in a CANDU reactor for various DBAs.Prediction uncertainty distributions for these parameters can be derived by directly validating code predictions against in-reactor measurements of flow rate and experimental measurements of CHF, respectively. Such code validation circumvents the convoluted and complex approach of decomposing computer models of physical phenomena into microscopic parameters, such as interfacial mass, momentum, and heat transfer correlations, and propagation of their uncertainty distributions to obtain an overall parameter uncertainty distribution of interest. Uncertainties associated with predictions of the coolant flow rate and CHF arise due to temporal and spatial variations and uncertainties in reactor conditions, limitations of physical models and their implementation in the codes, and in the case of CHF, measurement uncertainties associated with full-scale experiments.Careful assessment of key uncertainties, specifically their magnitudes, is important for ensuring uncertainty magnitudes are not unnecessarily over- or underestimated. These uncertainties also need to be characterized properly, e.g., whether uncertainties are common to a group of reactor fuel channels or vary independently for each fuel channel. Inadequate identification or incorrect classification or characterization of uncertainties would result in an inaccurate FOM uncertainty distribution.One important focus area for this study is the distinction between apparent prediction uncertainty (the difference between code prediction and measurement) and actual prediction uncertainty (the difference between code prediction and the true value). The actual code prediction uncertainty can be calculated from the apparent code uncertainty, provided there is adequate knowledge about the measurement uncertainty. The uncertainty models developed using this approach will be used as part of the BEPU analysis for slow loss-of–reactor power regulation accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are increasingly searching for ways to manage consumption communities. However, previous studies on consumption communities suggest that managing them is difficult, if not impossible, because communities are self-directed and consist of equal, autonomous actors. This article addresses this paradox and builds on recent conceptualisations of consumption communities as networks. By building on theory about network management functions, we discuss how companies can actually manage consumption communities without authoritarian and hierarchical control. Using three case studies of heterogeneous consumption communities, a footwear brand, a sports lifestyle community and a tableware and glassware design brand, the article identifies eight consumption community management activities. The article makes a theoretical contribution to the literature on consumption communities by introducing a network management perspective. In addition, it offers valuable practical guidance for managers who wish to manage consumption communities proactively at the strategic level and as an essential part of their customer-related management processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our article is to find suitable integrative phenomena for both visual arts and mathematics, with a focus on preserving the nature of each of these subjects and their specific methods of acquiring and processing information. This article builds a picture of how to design and conduct an integrative learning continuum which genuinely preserves the nature of mathematics. To draw conclusions, we combined datasets from mathematics teacher education and the lower secondary school context. We found out that suitable integrative phenomena can relate to concepts shared by each of the integrating disciplines, such as ratio; or they can be typical processes of knowledge acquisition and construction, such as sorting. The teaching experiments revealed that the integrative phenomena appropriate for use in school must enable a joint investigative learning experience. The third finding was that the pupils needed teacher support to view the subjects more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bupropion is a synthetic cathinone, which acts therapeutically through norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibition. Recent evidence suggests that serotonin receptor activation occurs with high doses of bupropion and severe serotonin toxicity can occur after isolated bupropion overdoses. Prior observational studies may therefore underestimate the incidence of serotonin toxicity. Methods: A retrospective study of patients with bupropion toxicity at a toxicology referral center from 2015–2017 was performed. Patients who overdosed on other serotonergic medications were excluded. Serotonin toxicity was diagnosed retrospectively using Hunter Criteria. Results: Overall, 96 patients were identified with bupropion toxicity. Of these, 18 patients ingested bupropion in the absence of other serotonergic drugs. The incidence of serotonin toxicity was 33% in this population. Serotonin toxicity was more likely after a suicide attempt than those with an accidental ingestion or after recreational drug use. The median dose of bupropion ingested was 2,250 mg in the cohort diagnosed with serotonin syndrome. Conclusion: The incidence of bupropion induced serotonin toxicity is higher than reported. Clinicians should monitor for serotonergic toxicity when evaluating patients after bupropion overdose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor adherence to psychiatric treatment is a common clinical problem, leading to unfavourable treatment outcome and increased healthcare costs. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the self-reported adherence and attitudes to outpatient visits and pharmacotherapy in specialized care psychiatric patients. Methods: Within the Helsinki University Psychiatric Consortium (HUPC) pilot study, in- and outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (SSA, n  =  113), bipolar disorder (BD, n  =  99), or depressive disorder (DD, n  =  188) were surveyed about their adherence and attitudes towards outpatient visits and pharmacotherapy. Correlates of self-reported adherence to outpatient and drug treatment were investigated using regression analysis. Results: The majority (78.5%) of patients reported having attended outpatient visits regularly or only partly irregularly. Most patients (79.2%) also reported regular use of pharmacotherapy. Self-reported non-adherence to preceding outpatient visits was consistently and significantly more common among inpatients than outpatients across all diagnostic groups (p < .001). Across all groups, hospital setting was the strongest independent correlate of poor adherence to outpatient visits (SSA β = -2.418, BD β = -3.417, DD β = -2.766; p < .001 in all). Another independent correlate of non-adherence was substance use disorder (SSA β = -1.555, p = .001; BD β = -1.535, p = .006; DD β = -2.258, p < .000). No other socio-demographic or clinical factor was significantly associated with poor adherence in multivariate regression models. Conclusions: Irrespective of diagnosis, self-reported adherence to outpatient care among patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression is associated strongly with two factors: hospital setting and substance use disorders. Thus, detection of adherence problems among former inpatients and recognition and treatment of substance misuse are important to ensure proper outpatient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of nano-scale copper oxide (CuO) and basic copper carbonate (Cu2(OH)2CO3) in both ionic and micronized wood preservatives has raised concerns about the potential of these substances to cause adverse humans health effects. To address these concerns, we performed quantitative (probabilistic) human health risk assessment (HHRA) along the lifecycles of these formulations used in antibacterial and antifungal wood coatings and impregnations by means of the EU FP7 SUN project's Decision Support System (SUNDS, www.sunds.gd). The results from the risk analysis revealed inhalation risks from CuO in exposure scenarios involving workers handling dry powders and performing sanding operations as well as potential ingestion risks for children exposed to nano Cu2(OH)2CO3 in a scenario involving hand-to-mouth transfer of the substance released from impregnated wood. There are, however, substantial uncertainties in these results, so some of the identified risks may stem from the safety margin of extrapolation to fill data gaps and might be resolved by additional testing. Our stochastic approach successfully communicated the contribution of different sources of uncertainty in the risk assessment. The main source of uncertainty was the extrapolation from short to long-term exposure, which was necessary due to the lack of (sub)chronic in vivo studies with CuO and Cu2(OH)2CO3. Considerable uncertainties also stemmed from the use of default inter- and intra-species extrapolation factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conceptual exposure models, the transmission of pollutants in an imperfectly mixed room is usually described with general ventilation multipliers. This is the approach used in the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) and Stoffenmanager® exposure assessment tools. The multipliers used in these tools were reported by Cherrie (1999; http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/104732299302530) and Cherrie et al. (2011; http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/mer092) who developed them by positing input values for a standard Near-Field/Far-Field (NF/FF) model and then calculating concentration ratios between NF and FF concentrations. This study revisited the calculations that produce the multipliers used in ART and Stoffenmanager and found that the recalculated general ventilation multipliers were up to 2.8 times (280%) higher than the values reported by Cherrie (1999) and the recalculated NF and FF multipliers for 1-hr exposure were up to 1.2 times (17%) smaller and for 8-hr exposure up to 1.7 times (41%) smaller than the values reported by Cherrie et al. (2011). Considering that Stoffenmanager and the ART are classified as higher-tier regulatory exposure assessment tools, the errors is general ventilation multipliers should not be ignored. We recommend revising the general ventilation multipliers. A better solution is to integrate the NF/FF model to Stoffenmanager and the ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we discuss the heritage of the WWII evacuation and the so-called 'burning of Lapland' within a Sámi reindeer herding community, and assess how these wartime experiences have moulded, and continue to mould, the ways people memorialise and engage with the WWII material remains. Our focus is on the village of Vuotso, which is home to the southernmost Sámi community in Finland. The Nazi German troops established a large military base there in 1941, and the Germans and the villagers lived as close neighbours for several years. In 1944 the villagers were evacuated before the outbreak of the Finno-German 'Lapland War' of 1944-1945, in which the German troops annihilated their military installations and the civilian infrastructure. Today the ruins of demolished German military installations persist around the village as vivid reminders, and act for the villagers as important active agents in memorising this vital phase in Lapland's recent past. They also appear to facilitate nostalgia for the more independent days before traditional Sámi lifeways were ruptured by stronger Finnish State intervention in the post-war decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The huge scientific and interpretive value of wetland archaeological sites has been well demonstrated in several studies. The management of the archaeological resource of wetland landscapes is problematic, however, and there is an urgent need for noninvasive techniques to detect waterlogged organic archaeological remains. Stationary wooden fishing structures associated with fishing sites constitute an important wetland archaeological resource in northern Europe. In Finland, similar wooden constructions have been used for fishing from prehistory to the early modern era. The discovery of sites has been accidental, because the waterlogged organic remains have been considered invisible to conventional geoprospection techniques. Because of this, a small project was launched at Lamminoja, northwest Finland, in order to investigate whether it would be possible to improve our chances to detect fishery sites in demanding wetland habitats. New information was obtained through geophysical prospection, trial excavations, and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating. Geophysical testing was hampered by several factors, including complex sediments affected by modern drainage. New information was obtained, however, on the composition, age, and spatial distribution of the wooden fishing structures preserved in peat over 5000 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and use of emerging technologies such as nanomaterials can provide both benefits and risks to society. Emerging materials may promise to bring many technological advantages but may not be well characterized in terms of their production volumes, magnitude of emissions, behaviour in the environment and effects on living organisms. This uncertainty can present challenges to scientists developing these materials and persons responsible for defining and measuring their adverse impacts. Human health risk assessment is a method of identifying the intrinsic hazard of and quantifying the dose–response relationship and exposure to a chemical, to finally determine the estimation of risk. Commonly applied deterministic approaches may not sufficiently estimate and communicate the likelihood of risks from emerging technologies whose uncertainty is large. Probabilistic approaches allow for parameters in the risk assessment process to be defined by distributions instead of single deterministic values whose uncertainty could undermine the value of the assessment. A probabilistic approach was applied to the dose–response and exposure assessment of a case study involving the production of nanoparticles of titanium dioxide in seven different exposure scenarios. Only one exposure scenario showed a statistically significant level of risk. In the latter case, this involved dumping high volumes of nano-TiO2powders into an open vessel with no personal protection equipment. The probabilistic approach not only provided the likelihood of but also the major contributing factors to the estimated risk (e.g. emission potential). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk of cardiovascular events within the diabetic population has decreased and survival increased with patients living longer and thus facing the development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This calls for good care of patient with diabetes with a focus on hypertension. Patient data were collected from 42 Finnish primary care centres. Each was asked to enrol 10–12 consecutive patients with type-2 diabetes between March 2011 and August 2012. Along with the office blood pressure measurements and laboratory tests, the presence of albuminuria was measured and glomerular filtration rate estimated (eGFR). The 2013 ESH criteria for diabetic hypertensive patients (<140/85 mmHg) was reached by 39% of all 625 study patients and 38% of the pharmacologically treated 520 patients. The absence of detectable albumin in urine was significantly associated with the control of systolic blood pressure and achievement of treatment goals. Beta blockers were the most common antihypertensive agents and patients treated with them had lower eGFR compared to those not treated with these agents. The blood pressure of patients was not in full concordance with the present guideline recommendations. However, satisfactory improvement in blood pressure control, reduction of albuminuria and hence ESRD prevention was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the involvement of the inflammatory response in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has received considerable attention. The gene encoding for interleukin-6 (IL-6) is interesting since IL-6 has been reported not only to be involved in immune functions but also in AD. We investigated whether the IL-6-174 G/C polymorphism is associated with late onset AD (LOAD) in the Finnish subjects. The G allele was over-represented in ApoE4-LOAD patients but remained unimportant in all and in the ApoE E4 carriers. Interestingly, the G allele frequency was lower in our population in both AD patients and in controls compared to Southern European populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations are increasingly offering flexible work arrangements (FWA), which are associated with a variety of individual and organizational outcomes. Supervisors may support, discourage or prohibit employees’ access to and use of such programs. These actions and decisions can affect employees’ feelings of being respected, and their endorsement of their supervisor – that is, matters that affect employees’ motivation to work in pursuit of group and organizational goals. In the present paper, we take a fresh look at these relationships by proposing, in line with the social identity approach, that they are moderated by leader in-group prototypicality (i.e. the supervisor’s representativeness of group identity). Results from two large sample surveys a year apart at one organization show that employees with supervisors who allow more FWA feel more respected as well as express stronger endorsement of their leaders. Importantly, both of those relationships are moderated by the degree of the supervisor’s in-group prototypicality, but in opposite ways. The association of FWA allowance with respect increases slightly under conditions of higher prototypicality. However, the association of FWA allowance with endorsement of leaders increases more strongly under conditions of lower prototypicality. The discussion considers theoretical, practical and research implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Some multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) induce mesothelioma in rodents, straight MWCNTs showing a more pronounced effect than tangled MWCNTs. As primary and secondary genotoxicity may play a role in MWCNT carcinogenesis, we used a battery of assays for DNA damage and micronuclei to compare the genotoxicity of straight (MWCNT-S) and tangled MWCNTs (MWCNT-T)in vitro(primary genotoxicity) andin vivo(primary or secondary genotoxicity). C57Bl/6 mice showed a dose-dependent increase in DNA strand breaks, as measured by the comet assay, in lung cells 24 h after a single pharyngeal aspiration of MWCNT-S (1–200 μg/mouse). An increase was also observed for DNA strand breaks in lung and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and for micronucleated alveolar type II cells in mice exposed to aerosolized MWCNT-S (8.2–10.8 mg/m3) for 4 d, 4 h/d. No systemic genotoxic effects, assessed by the γ-H2AX assay in blood mononuclear leukocytes or by micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) in bone marrow or blood, were observed for MWCNT-S by either exposure technique. MWCNT-T showed a dose-relateddecreasein DNA damage in BAL and lung cells of mice after a single pharyngeal aspiration (1–200 μg/mouse) and in MNPCEs after inhalation exposure (17.5 mg/m3).In vitroin human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells, MWCNT-S induced DNA strand breaks at low doses (5 and 10 μg/cm2), while MWCNT-T increased strand breakage only at 200 μg/cm2. Neither of the MWCNTs was able to induce micronucleiin vitro. Our findings suggest that both primary and secondary mechanisms may be involved in the genotoxicity of straight MWCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines a specific linguistic practice in psychotherapy in Finnish: ending a turn at talk with että ("that" or "so"). Making että the final item leaves some aspect of the turn implicit and invites the recipient somehow to deal with that implication. This happens in everyday interactions generally. However, whereas in everyday conversation the recipient usually does not explicate the implicit content of the turn, in psychotherapy the therapist may draw out different aspects of the implicit content and offer it to the client for confirmation. We will show that these practices are in service of addressing the problematic contents in the client's telling and in managing resistance. We argue that the ways in which therapists depart from the practices of everyday conversation to deal with the implicit can be seen as institutionally specific means of working with previously avoided themes and integrating them to the client's self. Data are in Finnish with English translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to describe psychiatric nurses’ emotional and ethical experiences regarding seclusion and restraint, and factors associated with these experiences. The data (n= 165) was collected in southern Finland, using the electronic version of the Seclusion and Restraint Experience Questionnaire (SREQ) and analyzed with statistical methods. We found that the experiences of control and duty were strongly emphasized in responses, especially among nurses with short work experience or temporary employment. These results offer new information about psychiatric nurses’ experiences regarding seclusion and restraint. These results can be utilized both in the teaching and in management of the nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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This study describes workers'exposure to fine and ultrafine particles in the production chain of ferrochromium and stainless steel during sintering, ferrochromium smelting, stainless steel melting, and hot and cold rolling operations. Workers'personal exposure to inhalable dust was assessed using IOM sampler with a cellulose acetate filter (AAWP, diameter 25 mm; Millipore, Bedford, MA). Filter sampling methods were used to measure particle mass concentrations in fixed locations. Particle number concentrations and size distributions were examined using an SMPS+C sequential mobile particle sizer and counter (series 5.400, Grimm Aerosol Technik, Ainring, Germany), and a hand-held condensation particle counter (CPC, model 3007,TSI Incorporated, MN). The structure and elemental composition of particles were analyzed using TEM-EDXA (TEM: JEM-1220,JEOL, Tokyo, Japan; EDXA: Noran System Six, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Madison,WI). Workers'personal exposure to inhalable dust averaged 1.87,1.40,2.34,0.30, and 0.17 mg m-3 in sintering plant, ferrochromium smelter, stainless steel melting shop, hot rolling mill, and the cold rolling mill, respectively. Particle number concentrations measured using SMPS+C varied from 58 x 10³ to 662 x 10³ cm-3 in the production areas, whereas concentrations measured using SMPS+C and CPC3007 in control rooms ranged from 24 x 10³ to 243 x 10³ cm-3 and 5.1 x 10³ to 97 x 10³ cm-3, respectively. The elemental composition and the structure of particles in different production phases varied. In the cold-rolling mill non-process particles were abundant. In other sites, chromium and iron originating from ore and recycled steel scrap were the most common elements in the particles studied. Particle mass concentrations were at the same level as that reported earlier. However, particle number measurements showed a high amount of ultrafine particles, especially in sintering, alloy smelting and melting, and tapping operations. Particle number concentration and size distribution measurements provide important information regarding exposure to ultrafine particles, which cannot be seen in particle mass measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost all archaeologists encounter collectors of different kinds of artefacts at some point in their career, whether it is the private collectors of financially valuable antiquities or ‘amateur archaeologists’ who have amassed personal collections of local finds. In our research into the material legacy of the German presence in northern Finland during World War II, we have encountered both artefact hunters (primarily but not exclusively metal detecting enthusiasts) and artefact collectors (sometimes the same people) with a specific interest in military remains from this location and period. In this article, we explore these alternative perspectives on collecting, and frame them within the context of treasure hunters, militaria collectors and other history hobbyists, and their relationship to the ‘official’ heritage managers and curators. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of the project was to produce updated information during 2005–14 on theFusariumspecies found in Finnish cereal grains, and the toxins produced by them, as the last comprehensive survey study ofFusariumspecies and their toxins in Finland was carried out at the turn of the 1960s and the 1970s. Another aim was to use the latest molecular and chemical methods to investigate the occurrence and correlation ofFusariumspecies and their mycotoxins in Finland. The most commonFusariumspecies found in Finland in the FinMyco project 2005 and 2006 wereF. avenaceum,F. culmorum,F. graminearum,F. poae,F. sporotrichioidesandF. langsethiae. F. avenaceumwas the most dominant species in barley, spring wheat and oat samples. The occurrence ofF. culmorumandF. graminearumwas high in oats and barley. Infection byFusariumfungi was the lowest in winter cereal grains. The incidence ofFusariumspecies in 2005 was much higher than in 2006 due to weather conditions.F. langsethiaehas become much more common in Finland since 2001.F. graminearumhas also risen in the order of importance. A highly significant correlation was found betweenFusarium graminearumDNA and deoxynivalenol (DON) levels in Finnish oats, barley and wheat. When comparing the FinMyco data in 2005–06 with the results of the Finnish safety monitoring programme for 2005–14, spring cereals were noted as being more susceptible to infection byFusariumfungi and the formation of toxins. The contents of T-2 and HT-2 toxins and the frequency of exceptionally high DON concentrations all increased in Finland during 2005–14. Beauvericin (BEA), enniatins (ENNs) and moniliformin (MON) were also very common contaminants of Finnish grains in 2005–06. Climate change is leading to warmer weather, and this may indicate more changes in FinnishFusariummycobiota and toxin contents and profiles in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: The overall objective was to apply the goal attainment scaling (GAS) in neuropsychological rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS). The specific aims were to evaluate whether (1) GAS-rated goals are attained; (2) attaining goals is related to standardized rehabilitation outcome measures; and (3) GAS-rated goals can be mapped to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).Method: 56 relapsing-remitting MS patients received neuropsychological rehabilitation conducted once a week for 13 consecutive weeks. The attainment of GAS-rated personal goals and the association between achievement of goals and standardized rehabilitation outcome were evaluated. Moreover, GAS-rated goals were mapped to the ICF.Results: Median (interquartile range) GAS attainment T-score was 56.0 (50.0–62.0); 88.8% of personal goals set were fully achieved. The attainment of goals was not significantly associated with the outcome in majority of the standardized measures. Of the 182 meaningful concepts identified in the goals, 181 could be mapped to the ICF.Conclusions: GAS seems to be an appropriate outcome measure in neuropsychological rehabilitation in MS. GAS-rated personal goals were well achieved, and GAS was found to tap changes not covered with standardized outcome measures.Implications for RehabilitationGAS seems to be an appropriate outcome measure in neuropsychological rehabilitation in MS.GAS-rated personal goals were well achieved, and GAS was found to tap changes in the areas not covered with standardized outcome measures.GAS seems to offer a possibility to take into account the specific needs of each individual patient.The ICF can be used to classify goals in neuropsychological rehabilitation in MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of the Finnish particle aijaa in responding to informings. As a news receipt, aijaa is neutral in the sense that it does not display affect nor explicitly topicalize the prior talk. However, it is not closing implicative either but can be followed by further talk by the informer. The article focuses on how the "neutrality" and sequential ambiguity of the particle are manifested in different stages of a news delivery. It will be shown that aijaa is an adequate response to initial announcements but nonaffiliative and thus insufficient when responding to possibly complete, valenced tellings. The data are in Finnish with English translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The genetic variations in norepinephrine transporter (NET) and serotonin transporter (SERT) genes have been associated with personality traits, several psychiatric disorders and the efficacy of antidepressant treatment. Aims: We investigated the separate effects and possible interactions between NET T-182C (rs2242446) and SERT 5-HTTLPR (rs4795541) polymorphisms on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) treatment response and temperamental traits assessed by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in a clinical sample of subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods: Our sample of 97 patients with major depression completed the 107-item TCI temperament questionnaire (version IX) at the initial assessment of the study and after 6 weeks of follow-up. All subjects received selective SSRI medications. Temperament dimension scores at baseline (1) and endpoint (2) during antidepressant treatment were analyzed between NET and SERT genotypes. Results: SS-genotype of 5-HTTLPR was associated with higher baseline Persistence scores than SL- or LL-genotype. A corresponding but weaker association was found at endpoint. No differences were found between 5-HTTLPR genotypes and other temperament dimensions and 5-HTTLPR genotypes had no effect on treatment response. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the SS-genotype of 5-HTTLPR is associated with Persistence scores in patients with MDD. Higher Persistence could be viewed as a negative trait when recovering from stress and its association with short and " weaker " S-allele may be related to less efficient serotonin neurotransmission, possibly resulting in less effective coping strategies on a behavioral level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions: The present experimental set-up of high spatial resolution cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) showed advantages of demonstrating the critical landmarks of the cochlea in identifying the position of intracochlear electrode contacts and has the potential for clinical application in cochlear implant (CI) surgery. Objective: To evaluate a newly developed CBCT system in defining CI electrode array in human temporal bone and cochlear morphological variation. Methods: Standard electrode, flexible tip electrode (Flex28), and an experimental electrode array with 36 contacts from MED-EL were implanted into the cochleae of six human temporal bones through an atraumatic round window membrane insertion. The cochleae were imaged with 900 frames using an experimental set-up based on a CBCT scanner installed with Superior SXR 130-15-0.5 X-ray tube in combination with filtration of copper and aluminum. Results: In all temporal bones, the landmarks of the cochlea, modiolus, osseous spiral lamina, round window niche, and stapes were demonstrated at an average level of 3.4-4.5. The contacts of electrode arrays were clearly shown to locate in the scala tympani. There was a linear correlation between the 'A' value and cochlea height, and between the A value and actual electrode insertion length for the first 360° insertion depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]