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To evaluate whether serum infliximab trough levels (ITL) during the early stages of treatment are predictive of long-term clinical failure in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Longitudinal observational study involving 81 patients with axSpA monitored during infliximab therapy. Serum ITL were measured before starting infliximab treatment and at weeks 2 (W2), W6 and W12 of treatment. Disease activity was assessed by Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) at baseline, W24 and W52, and every 6 months thereafter until treatment discontinuation, regardless of the reason. Non-clinically important improvement was defined by ΔASDAS<1.1. The association between serum levels during the early stages and clinical outcomes (non-clinically important improvement at W52, drug survival and drop-out due to secondary inefficacy) was investigated through logistic regression models and Kaplan Meier curves. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to determine the best cut-off for serum ITL. Out of the 81 patients, 45 (56%) did not achieve clinical improvement at W52. These patients had lower serum ITL at W12 compared to those who improved: ITL [median (IQR)]: 4.1(0.9-8.3) µg/mL vs 7.1 (4.3–11.3) µg/mL, respectively;p = 0.007). ITL<6.7 µg/mL at W12 was significantly associated with: i) not achieving clinical improvement at W52 (OR: 2.3; 95%CI: 1.3–3.9); ii) shorter drug survival (5.0 years (95% CI 3.8–6.2) vs 7.0 years (95% CI 4.8–6.9; p = 0.04), and iii) higher drop-out rates due to secondary inefficacy (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.2–10.2). Low serum ITL at W12 were associated with long-term clinical failure in patients with axSpA, due to secondary inefficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cannabis use poses a significant risk to the psychological wellbeing of youth, affecting academic performance and potentially triggering the onset of mental health issues. Providing young people with comprehensive information about patterns of cannabis use and specific factors that increase an individual's health risks is crucial. The ability to critically assimilate this information is known as health literacy (HL). Objectives: To design a psychoeducational intervention to increase HL on risky cannabis use among students aged 16-25, and to assess its usability and feasibility. Methods: We designed a psychoeducational intervention based on the outcomes of a 3-hour co-creation session involving healthcare professionals and students. 29 university students and 25 high-school students completed this intervention and assessed its usability and feasibility with the SUS (System Usability Scale), PSSUQ (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire) and additional open questions regarding the most and less-liked aspects of the intervention. Results: The design phase resulted in an informative website (http://www.cahlyclinic.cat/) and a 1-hour structured onsite educator-facilitated session, comprising 3 group activities (completed on paper or online) addressing three dimensions of cannabis HL: searching for, interpreting and applying reliable information. Usability of the intervention was rated as excellent (SUS mean score>80). PSSUQ results indicate that students were satisfied with the intervention; found the HL information clear, relevant, and adequate for their needs; found the interface of the digital version pleasant and usable without support; and would recommend it to other students. Conclusions: We propose an innovative structured and usable intervention, designed using a participatory approach, which aims to disseminate information on risky cannabis use to a key target population, namely young people. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) offers a theoretical framework for assessing functioning and disability. The ICF Core Sets for schizophrenia are a list of ICF categories describing the most common problems in functioning of persons affected by this health condition. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the problems occupational therapists (OT) commonly encounterwhen treating individualswith schizophrenia and to validate these Core Sets fromtheir perspective. Methods: In a three-round survey using the Delphi technique, OTs experienced in the treatment of individuals with schizophrenia were asked about the patients' problems and environmental factors they considered more relevant when treating this population. Two trained health professionals linked responses to the ICF; statistical measure of agreement and kappa coefficient was calculated. Results: A total of 92 OTs from 29 countries covering the six World Health Organization regions named 2527 meaningful concepts in the first-round. After the linking process, 121 ICF categories and 31 Personal factors were presented to the expert panel. Consensus (agreement ≥ 75%) was reached for 97 ICF categories and 27 Personal factors. All the categories present in the Brief ICF Core Sets for schizophrenia and 89 of the 97 categories represented at the Comprehensive version reached consensus. Conclusions: The ICF Core Sets for schizophrenia were validated from the perspective of OTs and may offer a useful tool to be used by them at clinical practice, as cover awide variety of problems that they deal with in their interventions with persons with schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report one case of pregnancy-onset severe diffuse proliferative nephritis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), who was successfully treated with a combination of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, plasmapheresis and high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin. No flares were observed either in clinical symptoms or in laboratory examinations during pregnancy or after delivery. Her autoantibodies except fluorescent anti-nuclear antibodies were negative. We suggest that a combination of anti-TNF-alpha, plasmapheresis and high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin may be a safe and effective therapy for pregnant patients suffering severe lupus nephritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An adaptive finite-element method for the analysis of waveguiding structures based on the error at each inner edge of the mesh is presented. The error indicator is based on the fulfillment of the divergence Maxwell equations. The adaptation of the unknowns to the field distribution allows better accuracy in the propagation constant, maintaining a low computational cost. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 27: 361–366, 2000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A generalized circuital analysis (GCA), together with the finite-element method (FEM), is proposed to study the near-field coupling phenomena arising in slotted envelopes covering electronic devices. The proposed approach is very systematic and versatile. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 20: 40–44, 1999. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre-mRNA splicing is an essential step in gene expression that occurs co-transcriptionally in the cell nucleus, involving a large number of RNA binding protein splicing factors, in addition to core spliceosome components. Several of these proteins are required for the recognition of intronic sequence elements, transiently associating with the primary transcript during splicing. Some protein splicing factors, such as the U2 small nuclear RNP auxiliary factor (U2AF), are known to be exported to the cytoplasm, despite being implicated solely in nuclear functions. This observation raises the question of whether U2AF associates with mature mRNA-ribonucleoprotein particles in transit to the cytoplasm, participating in additional cellular functions. Results: Here we report the identification of RNAs immunoprecipitated by a monoclonal antibody specific for the U2AF 65 kDa subunit (U2AF\(^{65}\)) and demonstrate its association with spliced mRNAs. For comparison, we analyzed mRNAs associated with the polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB), a splicing factor that also binds to intronic pyrimidine-rich sequences but additionally participates in mRNA localization, stability, and translation. Our results show that 10% of cellular mRNAs expressed in HeLa cells associate differentially with U2AF\(^{65}\) and PTB. Among U2AF\(^{65}\) -associated mRNAs there is a predominance of transcription factors and cell cycle regulators, whereas PTB-associated transcripts are enriched in mRNA species that encode proteins implicated in intracellular transport, vesicle trafficking, and apoptosis. Conclusion: Our results show that U2AF\(^{65}\) associates with specific subsets of spliced mRNAs, strongly suggesting that it is involved in novel cellular functions in addition to splicing.

Introduction: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) Comprehensive Core Set for schizophrenia (CS-SZ) is a shortlist of ICF categories that are relevant for describing the functioning and disability of persons suffering from schizophrenia. Objectives: This study aims to assess the common aspects and the differences regarding the relevance of the CS-SZ categories among health professionals experienced in schizophrenia treatment that belong to the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions (i.e. African, The Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, European, South East Asia, and Western Pacific). Methods: In a three-round survey using the Delphi technique, 790 health professionals (i.e., psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, and physiotherapists) from 85 countries representing all six WHO regions were asked about the problems they commonly encounter in patients with schizophrenia. Their responses were linked to ICF categories and those that reached consensus (≥ 75%) were selected. Results: A total of 138 second-level ICF categories were selected, and 79 were common across all six WHO regions: 13 Body functions, 1 Body Structures, 33 Activities and Participation, and 32 Environmental factors. Most of the ICF categories of the CS-SZ (78%) were also common across all six WHO regions. The range of concordance amongWHOregions ranged from 79.4% (e.g., Americas and Europe) to 88.7% (i.e., Africa and Eastern Mediterranean). Conclusions: A large number of problems describing functioning and disability in individuals with schizophrenia are common in all six WHO regions. Moreover, data show that ICF categories from the CS-SZ are mostly accepted across all WHO regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alcohol-related Cognitive Impairment (ARCI) is highly prevalent among patients with alcohol dependence, with 50-70% of these patients presenting some degree of impairment. Although it negatively influences treatment outcome, this condition is underdiagnosed and undertreated. Objectives: The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the existing evidence regarding both cognitive and pharmacological interventions for ARCI. Methods: We systematically reviewed PubMed, Scopus and Science direct databases up to May 2019 and followed the PRISMA guidelines. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Jadad Scale. Results: 26 studies were eligible for inclusion (14 referring to neuropsychological interventions and 12 to pharmacological treatments). Among neuropsychological interventions, computerised treatments, errorless learning and component method showed positive effects on working memory, memory measures and general cognitive function. On the other hand, thiamine, memantine and metilphenidate improved working memory, long term memory and general cognitive function. Nevertheless, these studies have several limitations, such as small sample size, lack of replication of the results or low specificity of the interventions. Conclusions: Cognitive functions can be improved by using specific neuropsychological and pharmacological interventions, and these improvements can have a positive effect on the reduction of alcohol use. However, methodological weaknesses of studies in this field prevent from having a gold standard treatment for Alcoholrelated Cognitive Impairment. and further research based on promising strategies (e.g. digital interventions, thiamine) is required. Also, ecological interventions are needed in order to enhance the transferring and generalisation of the acquired abilities into the natural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a new method for the determination of the performance qualities of a semi-anechoic chamber used for electromagnetic compatibility measurements. This approach, based on highly efficient and accurate circuital techniques, provides very good results on low-cost desktop computers in the frequency range 30–300 MHz. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 37: 263–265, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10888 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]