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Alcohol abuse is one of the main causes of health problems in the world. In response to these alcohol-related health consequences, telehealth supportive counseling has emerged, offering new strategies of dealing with addition problems. Most of telehealth supportive counseling strategies are focused on coping more precisely with positive and negative thinking. The aim of presented study was to examine the relationships between positive thinking, and other coping strategies inherent to human thinking, to refuse alcohol. For this purpose, a total of 232 people participated in the study, all of them were users of a telehealth supportive counseling in Brazil. A batch of questionnaires was employed. This included the sociodemographic information, IDHEA-AD scores and the Coping Behaviours Inventory (CBI-20). After an analysis of mediation, the results indicated that the relationship between negative and positive thinking might be mediated by the assertiveness to refuse. These results suggest that this type of supportive counseling modality might be helpful for users and health professionals. More research is needed to examine the innumerable possibilities of the telehealth tools using as a strategy to deal with the coping variables related to quitting alcohol use.

Purpose: to evaluate the effect of labor on pelvic floor muscles strength. Methods: Two hundred pregnant women at beginning of the 9th month of pregnancy were selected randomly from antenatal care clinic of Kasr Al-Aini University Hospital in Cairo, Cairo University. Their ages were ranged from 25 to 35 years old and their body mass index was not exceeding 35 kg/m2. They were Primigravida and Multigravida. Women who had history of pelvic disease, any previous pelvic operations, diabetes mellitus, history of abortion and history of pre-eclampsia or smokers and alcohol abusers are excluded from the study. 133 women delivered normal labor (55 primipara and 78 multipara) (Group A) and 67 women delivered by cesarean section (29 primipara and 38 multipara) (Group B). Pelvic floor muscles strength was evaluated for all women by using TG Myo feedback 420v at beginning of the 9th month of pregnancy and after 6 weeks postnatal. Results: Results of this study found that there was a statistically highly significant decrease (P

The future of every nation lies in the hands of the youth who are expected to be strong and healthy. Most youths put their future into jeopardy by indulging in risky health habits, particularly alcoholism. The purpose of this study was to find out the factors contributing to Alcoholism among the youth in New Edubiase. The study was quantitative with a descriptive cross-sectional design. The study population was a youth in New Edubiase. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 350. A questionnaire was used for collecting the data. The results were presented in frequencies, percentages and chi-square test. The study found out that the use of alcohol among the youth was low as most of them were uncertain of taking alcoholic beverages. Again, there was high knowledge about alcohol use and its implication on the health of abusers. Further, interventions for alcohol use include punishment of alcohol abusers, enforcement of laws on sales of alcoholic products and the prohibition of an advertisement on alcohol before 9:00 pm. In conclusion, the high knowledge of the youth about alcoholic products and the effect of the health of alcohol abusers could be due to the effort of a health care professional in educating the masses about the health implication. It was recommended that the Food and Drugs Authority must ensure that all media houses adhere to the new directive on the ban of advertisements on alcoholic beverages before 9:00 pm.

Background: Despite the growing epidemic of problematic Internet use (PIU), little information is available on PIU and related factors in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 4261 university students among 13 universities throughout the country in 2017. The data collection tool included demographic characteristics, the status of using the Internet, social media, computer games, tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs, suicide ideation and attempt, and unprotected sex. PIU was measured using the 15-item PIU questionnaire. The status of general health was evaluated using the 28-item general health questionnaire (GHQ) questionnaire. The simple and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to measure the crude and adjusted associations between various factors and PIU. Results: Of 4261 university students, 55.9% were female, 13.5% were smokers, 4.9% were drug abusers, 7.9% were alcohol abusers, 7.8% had unprotected sex in the past year, 7.4% had suicidal ideation in the past month, 1.7% had attempted suicide in the past year, and 27.3% suffered from PIU. Only 61.1% had normal health. In contrast, 30.9%, 7.2%, and 0.8% had mild, moderate, and severe general health problems, respectively. There were significant relationships between PIU and age group 20-24 vs.

DNA methylation-based clocks provide the most accurate age estimates with practical implications for clinical and forensic genetics. However, the effects of external factors that may influence the estimates are poorly studied. Here, we evaluated the effect of alcohol consumption on epigenetic age prediction in a cohort of extreme alcohol abusers. Blood samples from deceased alcohol abusers and age- and sex-matched controls were analyzed using the VISAGE enhanced tool for age prediction from somatic tissues that enables examination of 44 CpGs within eight age markers. Significantly altered DNA methylation was recorded for alcohol abusers in MIR29B2CHG. This resulted in a mean predicted age of 1.4 years higher compared to the controls and this trend increased in older individuals. The association of alcohol abuse with epigenetic age acceleration, as determined by the prediction analysis performed based on MIR29B2CHG, was small but significant (β = 0.190; P-value = 0.007). However, the observed alteration in DNA methylation of MIR29B2CHG had a non-significant effect on age estimation with the VISAGE age prediction model. The mean absolute error in the alcohol-abusing cohort was 3.1 years, compared to 3.3 years in the control group. At the same time, upregulation of MIR29B2CHG expression may have a biological function, which merits further studies.

International audience; Researchers have claimed that craving and Attentional Bias (AB) towards alcohol-related cues can be explained by a common incentive-salience mechanism. However, the exact relationship between AB and craving is a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to show that metacognitions moderate the effect of AB on craving. A sample of 38 alcohol abusers undergoing post-withdrawal treating in a hospital setting completed the visual Dot Probe Detection Task (DPDT), while both pre- and post-task measures of craving were recorded. Our results confirmed significant effects of both exposure to pictures of alcohol, and metacognitions, on craving; in particular, the interaction Metacognition * DPDT was significant. Although we initially confirmed a significant main effect of AB on craving, it became non-significant when adjusted for inter-subject variance, and metacognitions. The effect of the interaction AB * Metacognition on craving was not significant. Our findings support the hypothesis that craving and AB share variance, but the relationship appears to be spurious, and caused by confounding factors. We discuss these results with reference to the metacognitive model of addiction.

Purpose\ud Autonomic dysfunction is a known consequence of chronic and excessive alcohol consumption. The aim of this systematic review was to characterise this phenomenon, describe the frequency at which it occurs and to explore the best management strategies.\ud \ud Methods\ud A systematic, computer-based search was conducted using the PubMed database. All studies identified by the search were evaluated independently by at least three authors. For inclusion, studies had to report human subjects consuming ethanol in excess. Case reports and non-original studies were excluded from this review.\ud \ud Results\ud A total of 55 studies were included in this review. According to cardiovascular reflex tests, 16–73% of chronic alcohol abusers suffer from autonomic dysfunction. The most commonly occurring symptom is erectile dysfunction, whilst other features such as postural dizziness are rare. The most important risk factor for this condition is total lifetime dose of ethanol, although there is mixed evidence supporting the role of other risk factors. The only management strategy currently explored in the literature is abstinence, which appears to lead to significant improvement in autonomic investigations.\ud \ud Conclusion\ud Current literature includes studies of highly heterogeneous populations, consuming differing volumes of alcohol over variable periods of time and utilising a number of different autonomic test batteries and criteria to diagnose autonomic dysfunction. Therefore, further research using homogeneous methods for measuring autonomic dysfunction in the field is needed. Despite this limitation, our review demonstrated that autonomic dysfunction is very common among alcohol abusers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible differences between adolescents with an acute alcohol intoxication living in high- and low-population-density areas. Data were used from the Dutch Pediatric Surveillance System, which monitors acute alcohol intoxication among treated adolescents. During treatment, questionnaires are completed by the pediatricians involved, covering socio-demographic characteristics and circumstantial and treatment data. Adolescents eligible for inclusion in the current study had to be under the age of 18 years and have a positive blood alcohol concentration, and the living region was known. This resulted in analyzing data from the years 2007 until 2015, with a total of 4,895 questionnaires. This study shows that treated adolescents who are living in a high-population-density area are significantly younger (15.3 versus 15.5 years) and have a lower blood alcohol concentration at admittance (1.86 versus 1.90 g/l). The patients in the high-population-density areas are less from an autochthonous Dutch origin (86.0% versus 90.7%) and are more often enrolled in a higher educational level (45.4% versus 38.1%). Adolescents in urban areas drink more on the streets (27.7% versus 16.3%), in contrast to those living in a lower-population-density area, who drink in a bar or comparable place. Adolescents living is urban areas are overrepresented in the intoxication sample. This article is the first to describe the differences between alcohol-intoxicated adolescents in high- and low-population-density areas in the Netherlands. These findings are important for the awareness of alcohol abusers, and the design of future prevention strategies.Key messages Demographic, drinking, and intoxication characteristics during alcohol intoxication treatment differ for youngsters coming from high- and low-population-density areas. Youngsters from low-population areas turn out to be older, lower educated, more often Dutch, and drink more in bars, than their counterparts from high-population-density areas. Youngsters from lower density areas have higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels, and more often have parental approval to drink. Hospitalization periods are equal for both groups.

Purpose Determine the differences between those attempting the suicide for the first time and those having the recurrent suicide attempts. Material & method The consecutive 144 patients applied to the emergency department with the suicide attempt reason were prospectively evaluated. The patients attempting the suicide in previous years were grouped as the Recurrent Suicide Attempt (RSA) and patients attempting the suicide for the first time were grouped as the First Suicide Attempt (FSA), and their results were analyzed. Results 144 patients, whose ages were between 18 and 74 years old and age averages were 28.03 ± 9.9/years, were included in our study. 67% (n = 97) of the patients was female and 32.6% (n = 47) of them was male, and the female/male rate was 2.06. It was determined that the recurrent suicide attempts were more risky as 8.45 fold (p = 0.001, S.E = 0.650, HR: 8.45 (1.361–30.219.9)) in the smokers and 2.66 fold (S.E. = 0.476, p = 0.04, HR = 2.66 (1.047–6.765)) in the alcohol abusers with reference to the logistic regression analysis. Conclusion There are many risk factors depending on the individual and social environment in the RSA attempts. It was determined in our study that just the smoking and drinking alcohol increased the recurrent suicide attempt risk.

INTRODUZIONE E SCOPO: L'incremento di peso si osserva frequentemente nei pazienti sotto- posti a Trapianto di Fegato. Questa condizione e spesso associata allo sviluppo di altre compli- canze che potrebbero influenzare la sopravvivenza a lungo termine. Tuttavia, i fattori di rischio non sono stati ancora chiarificati. Lo scopo dello studio e di rilevare la prevalenza di sovrappeso e obesitaI€, e la variazione del BMI nei tre anni successivi al trapianto, e di identificare i fattori di rischio associati. METODO: Sono stati retrospettivamente reclutati i soggetti sottoposti a Trapianto di Fegato, presso la Fondazione IRCCS " CaI€ Granda – Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico" di Milano dal 1° Gennaio 2005 al 30 Giugno 2014.Sono stati reperiti parametri clinici, biochimici e farmaco- logici, alla dimissione e ad 1,2,3 anni dal trapianto di fegato. RISULTATI: Sono stati inclusi 145 soggetti, 95(66%) uomini, 53 anni (44-59), 48(33%) affetti da Cirrosi HBV+HDV correlata, 30(21%) da Cirrosi Etiltossica. Alla dimissione il BMI dei soggetti era 21.9 Kg/m2 e la prevalenza di sovrappeso era del 14%; gli stessi parametri dopo 1,2 e 3 anni di follow-up erano, rispettivamente, 25.6 Kg/m2 e 40%, 25.5 Kg/m2 e 41%, 25.4 Kg/m2 e 37%. L'incremento medio di peso corporeo, durane il primo anni, e stato di 9.8 Kg(p

Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a fastidious, capnophilic, thin gram-negative rod that may cause zoonotic infections when patients are exposed to the oral flora of dogs, and rarely, cats. It can present as cellulitis, or less commonly, meningitis, but is particularly known to cause florid sepsis in immunocompromised hosts, most commonly asplenics, those with hematologic malignancies, or alcohol abusers. We report the case of a 70-year-old immunocompetent woman who presented with altered mental status and was diagnosed with C. canimorsus meningitis.

In low tuberculosis incidence regions, tuberculosis is mainly concentrated among hard-to-reach populations like migrants, homeless people, drug or alcohol abusers, prisoners and people living with HIV. To be able to eliminate tuberculosis from these low incidence regions tuberculosis screening and treatment programs should focus on these hard-to-reach populations. Here we discuss the barriers and facilitators of health care-seeking, interventions improving tuberculosis screening uptake and interventions improving treatment adherence in these hard-to-reach populations.

Introduction: The article reviews attachment-oriented research in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). Based on attachment theory, substance abuse can be understood as "self-medication," as an attempt to compensate for lacking attachment strategies. Attachment theory suggests a developmental pathway from insecure attachment to SUD and, on the other hand, a negative impact of substance abuse on attachment security. Earlier reviews have indicated a general link but have been inconclusive with regard to other aspects. In the light of a growing body of research, this review is looking for evidence for the general link, for its direction, for differences due to different patterns of attachment, different substances and severities, comorbid psychiatric disorders, and age groups. Methods: Using medical and psychological databases, 34 cross-sectional studies, three longitudinal studies, and a systematic meta-analysis were identified. Methodological problems such as poor assessment of SUD and the use of different measures of attachment limit comparability. Results: All cross-sectional studies in the review confirm a link between insecure attachment and SUD. Results of longitudinal studies show insecure attachment to be a risk factor for SUD, while continued substance abuse impairs the ability to form close relationships. With regard to specific patterns of attachment, results mainly point toward very insecure patterns. They indicate different patterns of attachment in different groups of substance abusers, suggesting different developmental pathways. Fearful-avoidant attachment was frequent in heroin addicts, while alcohol abusers displayed more heterogeneous patterns. Comorbid mental disorders and severity of SUD seem to be important factors, but data are still inconclusive. The link between insecure attachment and SUD seems to be stronger in adolescence compared to adulthood. Discussion: The last decades have seen a substantial growth in studies on attachment and SUDs. Despite methodological problems, the general link between insecure attachment and SUD today is well established. Attachment theory might contribute to the understanding and treatment of SUDs in a significant way. But to do so, a lot of open questions have to be answered. We will need more carefully designed longitudinal studies, more studies connecting psychological data with brain processes, and more clinical trials.

Aim Despite knowledge regarding the existence of alcohol cardiomyopathy the exact impact of alcohol abuse in consecutive subject is poorly examined. We aimed to evaluate the left ventricle (LV) function in chronic abusers group and compared classical and novel echocardiography parameters in alcohol abusers (ALC) and control group (C). Methods We compared 75 adults (mean age 48±12, 60 male) without other overt heart disease, coronary artery disease excluded, but with alcohol abuse history: average alcohol intake 32 alcohol unit per week (AUW) with control group consisted of 40 subjects without history of excessive drinking, abstinents or drinking ≤8 AUW (mean age 50±4, 16 men). One unit was defined as 10 grams of pure etanol. All patients underwent TTE examination including ejection fraction (EF) calculation with 3D and longitudinal strain assessment by AFI method. Results ALC group showed LV systolic dysfunction expressed as EF 48±14 vs 60±9%, global longitudinal strain (AFI GLS) −15.6±6.6 vs −18.7±3.4; p ALC vs Control group comparison ALC N75 C N40 p value Age 48±12 50±4 ns BMI 24±6 28±6 0.0009 LVd 48±13 47±4 ns LVs 34±15 32±4 ns LA 38±9 38±3 ns EF 48±14 60±9 Conclusions Chronic alcohol abuse revealed harmful effect on LV systolic function which can be assessed quantitatively by both decreased EF and absolute values of myocardial longitudinal strain. This systolic function impairment seems to anticipate the overt remodelling of the heart.

Club drugs and alcohol abuse are prevalent among methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients. However, little is known about the association between these abuse and treatment outcomes among MMT patients. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of club drugs and alcohol abuse among MMT patientsand to investigate the associations between these abuse and treatment outcomes – drop-out and poor adherence. In this one-year cohort study conducting in Guangzhou, China, data including background characteristics, club drugs use in the last six months, alcohol use history and treatment-related information was collected. Cox regression analyses and log-binomial regression analyses were applied to identify the associations between these abuse and drop-out and poor adherence respectively. Thirty-seven participants (9.2%) admitted to the use of at least one type of club drugs in the last six months and eighty-eight (21.9%) were identified as alcohol abusers. Of all participants, 21.0% had dropped out of treatment and 27.7% exhibited poor adherence during the study period. Adjusting for significant background variables, use of at least one type of club drugs [hazards ratio (HR) = 1.90, 95% confidence Interval (CI) = 1.01–3.56] and use of methamphetamine in the last six months (HR = 2.26, 95%CI = 1.15–4.43) significantly predicted drop-out. Frequency of having six or more drinks on one drinking occasion when drinking [risk ratio (RR) = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.16–2.95] significantly predicted poor adherence. Our findings indicated that club drugs and alcohol abuse predicted drop-out and poor adherence among MMT patients. Early identification and intervention for the abuse should be taken into consideration when developing interventions tailored to improve treatment outcomes among MMT patients.

Denne artikel undersøger interaktionen mellem deltagerne i gruppeterapi på en døgninstitution for alkoholmisbrugere. Dette sker med udgangspunkt i et analytisk begrebsapparat baseret på en sammentænkning af Foucaults magtanalytik (1982, 2008) og Goffmans rolleanalyse (1967, 1992). Begrebsapparatet muliggør analyser af magtudøvelser forstået som magtteknikker, der formes i ansigt-til-ansigt-interaktion. Tilgangen sætter fokus på mangfoldigheden i måderne, hvorpå magtteknikker og modstand udfoldes, ligesom der åbnes for analyser af magtens forskellige effekter. Tilgangen søger derved en nuanceret forståelse af, hvordan mennesker formes igennem specifikke magtudøvelser. Artiklens analyse undersøger gruppeterapien som en magtteknik, der er baseret på beboernes bekendelser. Analysen fremanalyserer tre bekendelsesformer, hvor magtteknikken udfoldes, og forskellige modstandsformer indgår. Bekendelsesformerne indebærer forskellige forsøg på at forandre klienterne. Afhængigt af klienternes modstandsformer varierer socialarbejdernes tilgang til bekendelsen mellem en positivt støttende og en konfrontativ tilgang. I forlængelse heraf demonstrerer artiklen, at modstandsformerne, der er rettet mod forskellige aspekter af bekendelserne, til tider begrænser bekendelsen som magtteknik til at forandre individet. Endeligt viser artiklen, hvordan klienterne, i kraft af deres måde at indgå i bekendelserne, skabes som subjekter på forskellig vis. ENGELSK ABSTRACT: Kristian Fahnøe: Confessions in Group Therapy for Alcohol Abusers. An Interaction Based Analysis of a Power Technique This article explores group therapy at an inpatient treatment facility for alcoholics. Based on an analytical approach which combines Foucault’s work on power (1982, 2008) with Goffman’s interactionism (1967, 1992), it analyses group therapy sessions as a power technique that is shaped through the face-to-face interaction between the participants. The analytical approach entails an exploration of the various ways power techniques are exercised in practice and their resulting effects. As such, the approach provides a nuanced understanding of how individuals are molded through specific acts of power. The approach is also able to highlight the entwinement of power and knowledge. The analysis explores group therapy as a power technique based on confessions given by the clients. Focusing on three forms of confession, the analysis demonstrates how the forms of confession involve both acts of power and resistance. These forms of confession entail different efforts to change the clients in which the social workers’ involvements span from appreciative to confrontational. The acts of resistance target various elements of the confession and shape the exercise of the power technique. This means that clients are shaped as various subjects depending on how they engage in the confessions. Keywords: power, social work, substance abuse treatment, Foucault, Goffman.

The tendency to anxiety is a characteristic feature of alcohol abusers, and anxiety can be a symptom of alcohol withdrawal as well as comorbid disorder. The frequent comorbidity of alcohol use disorders and anxiety is due to a number of reasons including general hereditary predisposition, mutual conditioning and similar pathogenesis. Pharmacological therapy of anxiety disorders in alcohol-dependent patients is carried out on the basis of general principles of anxiety treatment and involves the use of benzodiazepines, antidepressants and, in some cases, antipsychotics as second-line medicines.Характерной особенностью индивидов, злоупотребляющих алкоголем, является склонность к тревоге, которая может служить симптомом отмены алкоголя при прекращении его употребления и выступать в качестве коморбидного расстройства. Частая коморбидность указанных расстройств может быть объяснена общим наследственным предрасположением и сходным патогенезом. Фармакологическая терапия тревожных расстройств у пациентов с алкогольной зависимостью происходит на основе общих принципов лечения тревоги и предполагает применение бензодиазепинов, антидепрессантов, а в отдельных случаях, в качестве препаратов второй линии - антипсихотиков.

Background Tobacco and alcohol are among the top causes of preventable deaths in the world, in most cases both these substances are used together. This study aims to compare the differences in nicotine dependence and the readiness to quit among past and present alcohol abusers. Methods Snowball sampling methodology was used to recruit past alcohol abusers from an Alcohol Anonymous group in Chennai, of the 25 people who were contacted over phone only 10 were ready to participate in the study and they were all grouped as past alcohol abusers, as they absented themselves from consuming alcohol for more 60 days, And to recruit present alcohol abusers two Alcoholic bars was selected and the patrons were questioned before they could consume alcohol, of the 24 people contacted 20 were ready to participate, for the subjects who participated in both the groups the levels of nicotine dependence were recorded using Fagestrom test for nicotine dependence and their readiness to quit tobacco was recorded using readiness to quit tobacco ladder which is available online, both these were recorded by the interviewer. Results Group 1 are past alcohol abusers, of which 3 had low dependence,3 had moderate dependence and 4 had high dependence and only one of them was ready to quit tobacco within 30 days, in group 2 which consists present alcohol abusers, 8 had low dependence, 10 had moderate dependence and 2 had high dependence, of which 2 people have actually absented themselves from using tobacco for 10 days but worry about slipping back, 4 of them have strong determination not to quit tobacco abuse at all. Conclusions From the pilot study it was found that 4 past alcohol abusers were highy nicotine dependent, and many of the present alcohol abusers were in pre-contemplation stage compared to past alcohol abusers.

Alcohol drinking is a legal and widely accepted activity in society. However, when drinking crosses the line from social use to problem drinking, is considered as alcohol abuse. Alcohol addiction or alcoholism is a disease that can affect the health of the user physically as well as psychologically, and the effects of alcoholism can even be observed in Electroencephalography (EEG) signals. This chapter explains the experiment design for the screening of alcohol abusers and healthy participants using EEG signals. The objective is to provide a quantitative EEG-based screening method for the alcohol abuser. The research design and experiment procedure are explained in detail. Finally, the data description is provided along with the relevant papers that utilized the dataset recorded during this experiment.

Despite the promising results which were achieved under different intervention programs in alcohol abuse, its beneficial effects seem to vary among patients. In this way, a variable of interest might be the way to deal with a specific situation. Not surprisingly, escaping addiction has also been studied as an underlying ineffective strategy. Thus, to assess the effect of brief motivational intervention on coping strategies, a 6 months treatment was carried out in alcohol abusers. Moreover, differences among these patients’ profiles were examined according to their coping outcomes. The survey was conducted by telephone, employing the Coping Behaviours Inventory (CBI) as a dependent measure. A sample of 120 participants took part in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups: Intervention (IBM) or control (without intervention). The analysis of the participants’ profiles resulted in 3 different groups: i) Most of the participants were in the control group and did not stop drinking, ii) All participants were in the control group and stopped drinking, and iii) All the participants were in the experimental group and almost all of them stopped drinking. With regards to coping strategies, participants in the last group showed better CBI scores. The results help to better understand the profile of users of alcohol following treatment, as well as the kind of strategies that they might use to stop substance use. They also depicted a more homogeneous coping pattern for those participants after intervention and some unusual profile features among the control group.

Objective: Alcohol abusers are vulnerable to emotional disabilities. Studies have shown that alexithymia is significantly associated with alcohol dependence and many other phenotypic descriptors. Given the high phenotypic heterogeneity that characterizes the alcohol dependence syndrome, the study aims to assess alexithymia features according to a multivariate classification scheme of alcoholism – the Lesch Alcoholism Typology (LAT). Methods: A total of 274 alcohol dependence outpatients (DSM diagnosis) were recruited from the Alcoholism Unit of the Psychiatric Service of Santa Maria University Hospital. After a detailed clinical observation, subjects were evaluated with the alcoholism classification system (LAT) and self-rated alexithymia with the Toronto Alexithymic Scale – 20 items (TAS-20). Results: Data showed that almost half of the alcohol-dependent individuals were defined as alexithymic cases (48.5%). “Organic” alcohol-dependent patients (type IV of Lesch classification) presented higher s...

Abstact: The study sought to assess the factors that influence the increase of prostitution in Bulawayo’s Business Centre. It is generally noted that many young women married or unmarried, employed and unemployed, including teenagers of between 13 to17 years are involved in prostitution. It is observed that there many brothels, bars and hotels that attract quite a number of young women. The government’s efforts initiated in curtailing the rate of prostitution through criminalising commercial sex-work by arresting and detaining those suspected of loitering or soliciting for clients seems to have failed. A Mixed Methods Approach which combines quantitative and qualitative paradigms was adopted. Due to the clandestine operation of prostitutes, the exact size could not be ascertained; however, a sample of 25 respondents was used in the study which was selected through snowballing sampling technique. The findings revealed that Zimbabwe’s dire economic situation has forced many young women into prostitution. The majority of the prostitutes were also found to be drug and alcohol abusers. The study also revealed that the enforcement agents were the main prostitute-abusers who arrested women walking in the streets at night on suspicion of loitering or soliciting for commercial sexwork. The increase of women involved in prostituting activitiesin a country that criminalises the phenomenon indicates that the country is not addressing the problem but the symptom. Therefore, the major focus should be directed towards equalization of political opportunities in which women are educationally and economically empowered. Key terms:prostitutes, commercial sexworkers, prostitution.

Background Previous results suggested that alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent patients show cognitive biases in the treatment of alcohol-related cues, especially approach and inhibition deficit biases. Response inhibition was often tested using the go/no-go task in which the participants had to respond as quickly as possible to a class of stimuli (go stimuli) while refraining from responding to another class of stimuli (no-go stimuli). Previous studies assessing specific response inhibition deficits in the process of alcohol-related cues obtained conflicting results. The aims of the present study were to clarify response inhibition for alcohol cues in problem and non-problem drinkers, male and female and to test the effect of alcohol brand logos. Methods Thirty-six non-problem drinker and thirty-five problem drinker undergraduate students completed a modified alcohol go/no-go task using alcohol and neutral object pictures, with or without brand logos, as stimuli. An additional control experiment was carried out to check whether participants' awareness that the study tested their response to alcohol might have biased the results. Results All participants, whether problem or non-problem drinkers, showed significantly shorter mean reaction times when alcohol pictures are used as go stimuli and significantly higher percentages of commission errors (false alarms) when alcohol pictures are used as no-go stimuli. Identical effects were obtained in the control experiment when participants were unaware that the study focused on alcohol. Shorter reaction times to alcohol-related cues were observed in problem drinkers relative to non-problem drinkers but only in the experimental condition with no brand logos on alcohol pictures. The addition of alcohol brand logos further reduced reaction times in light drinkers, thereby masking group differences. There was a tendency for female problem drinkers to show higher rates of false alarms for alcohol no-go stimuli, although this effect was only very close to statistical significance. Conclusions All participants exhibited a cognitive bias in the treatment of alcohol cues that might be related to the positive emotional value of such alcohol-related cues. Stronger cognitive biases in the treatment of alcohol cues were observed in problem drinkers, although differences between problem and non-problem drinkers were relatively small-scale and required specific experimental parameters to be uncovered. In particular, the presence of alcohol brand logos on visual alcohol cues was an important experimental parameter that significantly affected behavioral responses to such stimuli.

Background Negative emotional status and adverse emotional events increase vulnerability to alcohol abuse. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) emitted by rats are a well-established model of emotional status that can reflect positive or negative affective responses in real time. Most USV studies assess counts, yet each USV is a multidimensional data point characterized by several acoustic characteristics that may provide insight into the neurocircuitry underlying emotional response. Methods USVs emitted from selectively bred alcohol-naive and alcohol-experienced alcohol-preferring and nonpreferring rats (P and NP rats) were recorded during 4-hour sessions on alternating days over 4 weeks. Linear mixed modeling (LMM) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were applied to USV acoustic characteristics (e.g., frequency, duration, power, and bandwidth) of negative affect (22 to 28 kilohertz [kHz])- and positive (50 to 55 kHz) affect-related USVs. Results Hundred percent separation between alcohol-naive P and NP rats was achieved through a linear combination (produced by LDA) of USV acoustic characteristics of 22- to 28-kHz USVs, whereas poor separation (36.5%) was observed for 50- to 55-kHz USVs. 22- to 28-kHz LDA separation was high (87%) between alcohol-experienced P and NP rats, but was poor for 50- to 55-kHz USVs (57.3%). USV mean frequency and duration were the highest weighted characteristics in both the naive and experienced 22- to 28-kHz LDA representations suggesting that alcohol experience does not alter the representations. LMM analyses of 22- to 28-kHz USV acoustic characteristics matched the LDA results. Poor LDA separation was observed between alcohol-naive and alcohol-experienced P rats for both 22- to 28-kHz and 50- to 55-kHz USVs. Conclusions Advanced statistical analysis of negative affect-associated USV data predicts future behaviors of excessive alcohol drinking and alcohol avoidance in selectively bred rats. USV characteristics across rat lines reveal affect-related motivation to consume alcohol and may predict neural pathways mediating emotional response. Further characterization of these differences could delineate particular neurocircuitry and methods to ameliorate dysregulated emotional states often observed in human alcohol abusers.

Rare metabolic diseases may sometimes arise acutely and endanger human life if not immediately recognized and treated. Marchiafava Bignami disease is an uncommon neurologic disorder described in alcohol abusers and characterized by an acute severe damage of brain white matter. Even more rarely, it has been reported in non-alcohol addicted patients, but never in vegetarian people. This is a case report of a young vegetarian woman, accustomed to drink high amounts of tea, who, three weeks after her first natural childbirth, developed serious motor and cognitive disturbances. A timely brain magnetic resonance (MR) allowed us to identify Marchiafava Bignami disease and she healed few hours after the administration of parenteral steroids and vitamins. We advise to suspect Marchiafava Bignami Disease in all patients presenting with non-obvious acute generalized motor and cognitive disturbances, also if non alcoholics, and to collect the nutritional habits in all patients with suspected symptoms. In these cases a timely brain MRI is warranted, since brain imaging is typical and patients may recover after a prompt treatment.

International audience; Background: The treatment of alcohol abusers in different cultural contexts does not depend only on the methods used but also on the ways in which treatment providers perceive the problem and relate to their clients. Objectives: This study compares treatment professionals' basic beliefs about alcohol use disorders in two culturally different European countries to find out to what extent these ideas are shaped by the respondents' socio-cultural context, profession, and other background variables. Methods: Similar postal surveys were conducted among professionals working in specialized addiction treatment units in Finland (n = 520) and France (n = 472). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and logistic regression analysis. Results: Consistent cultural differences were found in almost all the questions asked and they remained significant even after controlling for the other background factors. The French professionals emphasized the addictiveness of alcohol more than their Finnish colleagues. They also believed less in the chances of recovery and attributed more responsibility for the problem to external factors, while the Finns emphasized individual responsibility. Profession, gender and some other background variables also modified beliefs about specific questions. Conclusions: Cultural factors shape the ways in which alcohol use disorders are perceived more pervasively than the other background variables. The French professionals' low trust in treatment and the Finnish professionals' lack of concern for the addiction potential of alcohol and stronger tendency to regard the person as responsible for the problem could be seen as potential impediments to effective ways of helping alcohol abusers in these countries.

BackgroundAlcohol abusers have increased risk of wound complications following surgical procedures, however the development of complications is reduced after preoperative withdrawal from alcohol. Therefore the aim of the study was to evaluate wound healing at alcohol abuse and after withdrawal. MethodsIn total 16 alcohol abusers were included and tested. Nine abusers were able to abstain from alcohol and were retested after 8 weeks of abstinence. No patients had clinical or biochemical signs of hepatic or renal disease. Collagen and total protein accumulation in wound granulation tissue were evaluated from the deposited amount of hydroxyproline and proline in two subcutaneously implanted polytetrafluoroetylene tubes.ResultsThe amount of proline and total protein increased significantly after 8 weeks of abstinence, median 81.3 nmoI/mm (inter-quartile range: 77.1-92.9) versus 69.3 nmol/mm (68.5-76.3), p < 0.05, and 632 nmol/mm (505-1,127) versus 571 nmol/mm (544-831), p < 0.05, respectively. There was no significant change of hydroxyproline. ConclusionThis study showed a change in the protein level of the wound healing process among alcohol abusers, which seemed reversible after withdrawal. (Less)

Background For almost 30 years, phosphatidylethanol (PEth) has been known as a direct marker of alcohol consumption. This marker stands for consumption in high amounts and for a longer time period, but it has been also detected after 1 high single intake of ethanol (EtOH). The aim of this study was to obtain further information about the formation and elimination of PEth 16:0/18:1 by simulating extensive drinking. Methods After 3 weeks of alcohol abstinence, 11 test persons drank an amount of EtOH leading to an estimated blood ethanol concentration of 1 g/kg on each of 5 successive days. After the drinking episode, they stayed abstinent for 16 days with regular blood sampling. PEth 16:0/18:1 analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (high-performance liquid chromatography 1100 system and QTrap 2000 triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer. Values of blood alcohol were obtained using a standardized method with headspace gas chromatography flame ionization detector. Results Maximum measured concentrations of EtOH were 0.99 to 1.83 g/kg (mean 1.32 g/kg). These values were reached 1 to 3 hours after the start of drinking (mean 1.9 hours). For comparison, 10 of 11 volunteers had detectable PEth 16:0/18:1 values 1 hour after the start of drinking, ranging from 45 to 138 ng/ml PEth 16:0/18:1. Over the following days, concentrations of PEth 16:0/18:1 increased continuously and reached the maximum concentrations of 74 to 237 ng/ml between days 3 and 6. Conclusions This drinking experiment led to measurable PEth concentrations. However, PEth 16:0/18:1 concentrations stayed rather low compared with those of alcohol abusers from previous studies.

A retrospective study of 30 patients (12 alcoholics and 18 nonalcoholics) was performed to determine whether the fracture healing time (T) was longer in alcoholics and smokers. Fracture healing time (mean ± standard error) was longer in alcoholics (24.1 ± 5.8 weeks vs. 11.4 ±1.1 weeks in nonalcoholics, p=0.001) and in 21 smokers (15.8 ± 2.9 weeks) vs. 9 nonsmokers (18.2 ± 5.9 weeks) (p=0.045). Delayed union, defined as T > 26 weeks, was more prevalent in alcoholics (4 out of 12) than in nonalcoholics (0 out of 18) (p = 0.018). Experimental evidence from fracture healing studies in ethanol-fed rats indicates that ethanol adversely affects the early stages of fracture healing. Findings in this preliminary study are consistent with this hypothesis, but are based on small number of patients. Nevertheless, they suggest that standard orthopedic treatments may not be sufficient to prevent delay of fracture healing in alcoholics.

The WHO ranks smoking and alcohol consumption as the first and third leading causes of the global burden of disease in industrialized countries, using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) as a combined measure of premature death and disability. Smoking is responsible for 12.2% of all DALYs and alcohol consumption for 9.2%. For example in Germany, annually 110,000–140,000 humans die prematurely because of cigarette smoking and 40,000 because of alcohol drinking. In Europe and the USA, more than 20% of all hospitalized men and more than 9% of all hospitalized women suffer from alcohol-associated diseases. In Germany, about 2.0 million people in the age group 18–64 years (3.8% of all Germans) are alcohol abusers and 1.3 million people (2.4%) are alcohol-dependent. Alcohol can cause acute as well as chronic damage in nearly all body organs. Smoking damages also nearly every human body organ and is worldwide the most important single preventable health risk factor as well as the main cause for premature mortality in industrial countries. One third of the adult Germans as well as of the world population are active smokers; men smoke more frequently than women (34.0 vs. 25.1%). In this review a short overview will be given on the most important deleterious effects of alcohol and smoking. The most recent data about the pathophysiological relevance of non-alcoholic compounds of alcoholic beverages will also be discussed.

This study describes the prevalence and pattern of tobacco use among the elderly in Brazil and establishes its association with socio-demographic characteristics, other substance use and depression.The analyses were performed in 400 individuals aged 60 years and over who participated in the first Brazilian national alcohol survey (BNAS) in 2000.Nearly 60% of the sample had ever smoked, of them one in three were still smoking at the time of the interview. Most (94.3%) of the tobacco users were smoking everyday and 34.3% consuming more than 20 cigarettes a day. Only 1% of the former smokers had received support to quit. Over half of the current users (65%) would use free treatment to quit if it existed in Brazil, and just under half of them (47.4%) would consider quitting if cigarettes' price were higher. Currently, tobacco users were more likely to be men and alcohol abusers. Prevalence of depression was high regardless participant smoking status (33.0% among non-smokers, 34.7% among current smokers and 39.3% among former smokers). There was no significant association between smoking and depression.This study found a disturbingly high proportion of tobacco users among the elderly in Brazil. According to the Global Burden of Disease project, tobacco has the highest mortality risk of all substance use categories, especially for the elderly. This study shows there is an urgent need to develop smoking cessation interventions targeted specifically to the elderly.

Serum total sialic acid (TSA) concentration is a sensitive marker of excessive alcohol consumption and is the sum of protein-bound sialic acid, lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA), and free sialic acid. The LSA is the fraction of SA attached to gangliosides that are transported in the blood by the lipoproteins. In this article, the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on the serum levels of LSA was evaluated. The objective of the study was to understand the mechanism of elevated serum TSA concentration during alcohol abuse. Additionally, the association of LSA with serum lipid profile was tested. For this purpose, the levels of LSA, TSA, lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins (apos) in the sera of 106 alcoholics were measured. The serum level of LSA in alcohol abusers was significantly elevated. This increase was because of the elevated level of LSA in patients drinking alcohol up to 2 days before sampling. The elevated level of LSA positively correlated with TSA, and also with biochemical indices of hepatocellular injury such as aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase, but did not correlate with any lipids, apos, and lipoproteins. The increase in LSA level is not related with the status of serum lipid profile but is related to the liver status estimated by the biochemical markers of liver cell damage. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the elevated level of LSA in alcohol abusers contributes to an increase in the serum concentration of TSA, and contrary to TSA, is affected by the status of liver cells.