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Recenti Progressi in Medicina Nov 2023Previous studies shows that 30-40% of oncological and hematological patients report symptoms of distress compatible with a psychiatric disorder. The use of various and...
INTRODUCTION
Previous studies shows that 30-40% of oncological and hematological patients report symptoms of distress compatible with a psychiatric disorder. The use of various and mostly unconscious defense mechanisms is implemented to cope with increased suffering after a cancer diagnosis. In this preliminary report, we explored the presence of defense mechanisms and their associations with psychopathological dimensions in a sample of late-stage cancer patients without history of psychiatric disorders.
METHODS
We recruited 50 patients (28 females, 18-64 years old) with cancer diagnosis without prior history of any substance use disorder or psychiatric disorders. All participants were given the following self-report questionnaires: the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and the 40-item version of the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40).
RESULTS
In our study we demonstrated significant psychiatric distress in a third of our patients (defined as SCL-90 ≥2 points). A Pearson correlation analysis on all patients shows that psychotic defense styles were correlated with hostility, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychoticism, while neurotic defense styles correlated with somatization.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Our results are in line with previous findings showing that one third of cancer patients suffers from a psychiatric disorder. Moreover, we found that somatization correlates with both psychotic and neurotic defense mechanism styles. This demonstrates the importance of assessing oncological patients coping mechanisms to achieve best possible treatment.
Topics: Female; Humans; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Mental Disorders; Medical Oncology; Anxiety; Adaptation, Psychological; Neoplasms
PubMed: 37902540
DOI: 10.1701/4133.41269 -
The Lancet. Haematology Apr 2024
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Gender Identity; Sex Factors
PubMed: 38461850
DOI: 10.1016/S2352-3026(24)00074-7 -
BMC Psychology Nov 2023Adolescence is recognized as a particularly susceptible developmental period for experiencing multiple types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), increasing the...
BACKGROUND
Adolescence is recognized as a particularly susceptible developmental period for experiencing multiple types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), increasing the vulnerability to higher levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD symptoms. Some studies found that defense mechanisms play an important role on the association between ACE and psychological symptoms.
METHODS
We analyzed the associations between direct and indirect exposure to ACE and PTSD and Complex PTSD (affective dysregulation, negative self-concept and disturbances in relationships) through the mediation role of mature defense mechanisms: mature, neurotic, and immature defense mechanisms in Indian adolescents. A sample of 411 Indian adolescents (M = 14.2 years old; S.D. = 0.5) completed validated self-report questionnaires. Serial multiple mediation models were tested by conducting a structural equation modelling employing Preacher and Hayes' procedures (2008).
RESULTS
Immature and neurotic defense mechanisms mediated the association between direct exposure to ACE with PTSD symptoms. Immature defense mechanisms were mediators of the relationship between direct exposure to ACE and Complex PTSD symptoms clusters.
CONCLUSIONS
Maladaptive defense mechanisms can disturb the process of self-regulation and emotion regulation capabilities in coping with traumatic experiences, leading to higher PTSD and Complex PTSD symptoms severity.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Adaptation, Psychological; Emotional Regulation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Defense Mechanisms
PubMed: 38001536
DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01456-0 -
Health Services Research Aug 2023
Topics: Humans; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Gender Identity
PubMed: 37011909
DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14158 -
Current Opinion in Psychology Aug 2023
Topics: Humans; Sexual Behavior; Gender Identity
PubMed: 37418831
DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101616 -
Advances in Pediatrics Aug 2023Children and adolescents may present with transgender or gender diverse (TGD) identity during the course of development. Pediatricians may be the first health care... (Review)
Review
Children and adolescents may present with transgender or gender diverse (TGD) identity during the course of development. Pediatricians may be the first health care providers to whom TGD identity is revealed. Pediatricians can optimize health care outcomes by promoting a gender-affirming clinical environment, initiating the evaluation for gender incongruence, supporting social transition, and initiating medical interventions. Clinical practice guidelines are available from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH, Standards of Care, version 8, 2022) and the Endocrine Society (2017). This article outlines a general approach to providing social and medical affirming care from the pediatrician's office.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Child; Transgender Persons; Gender Identity
PubMed: 37422296
DOI: 10.1016/j.yapd.2023.04.006 -
The Lancet. Public Health Feb 2024
Topics: Humans; Gender Identity; Health Inequities; Sexual and Gender Minorities
PubMed: 38307680
DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00006-9 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2023Improving agricultural products by the stimulation of plant growth and defense mechanisms by priming with plant extracts is needed to attain sustainability in...
Improving agricultural products by the stimulation of plant growth and defense mechanisms by priming with plant extracts is needed to attain sustainability in agriculture. This study focused to consider the possible improvement in Vigna radiata L. seed germination rate, plant growth, and protection against the natural stress by increasing the defense mechanisms through the incorporation of Sesamum indicum phytochemical compounds with pre-sowing seed treatment technologies. The gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the methanol extract of S. indicum leaf extract contained eight major bioactive compounds, namely, 2-ethylacridine (8.24%), tert-butyl (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenoxy) dimethylsilane (13.25%), tris(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy) arsane (10.66%), 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane (18.50%), acetamide, N-[4-(trimethylsilyl) phenyl (19.97%), 3,3-diisopropoxy-1,1,1,5,5,5-hexamethyltrisiloxane (6.78%), silicic acid, diethyl bis(trimethylsilyl) ester (17.71%) and cylotrisiloxane, hexamethyl-(4.89%). The V. radiata seeds were treated with sesame leaf extract seeds at concentrations 0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L. Sesame leaf extract at 50 and 100 mg/L concentrations was effective in increasing the germination percentage and the fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots. The increased peroxidase activity was noticed after treatment with S. indicum extract. In addition, disease percentage (< 60%) of both fungal pathogens (Rhizoctonia and Macrophomina) was significantly reduced in V. radiata plants treated with 100 mg/L of sesame leaf extract. These results revealed that physiochemical components present in S. indicum mature leaf extract significantly enhanced growth and defense mechanism in green gram plants.
Topics: Rhizoctonia; Sesamum; Vigna; Agriculture; Ascomycota; Cortodoxone; Defense Mechanisms
PubMed: 37620354
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39660-y -
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Jan 2024
Topics: Humans; Procrastination; Personality
PubMed: 38127448
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000010977 -
Environmental Research Nov 2023The wide use of antibiotics in aquaculture has triggered global ecological security issue. Microalgal bioremediation is a promising strategy for antibiotics elimination...
The wide use of antibiotics in aquaculture has triggered global ecological security issue. Microalgal bioremediation is a promising strategy for antibiotics elimination due to carbon recovery, detoxification and various ecological advantages. However, a lack of understanding with respect to the corresponding regulation mechanism towards antibiotic stress may limit its practical applicability. The microalga Scenedesmus obliquus was shown to be capable of effectively eliminating ciprofloxacin (CIP), which is a common antibiotic used in aquaculture. However, the corresponding transcriptional alterations require further investigation and verification at the metabolomic level. Thus, this study uncovered the metabolomic profiles and detailed toxic and defense mechanisms towards CIP in S. obliquus using untargeted metabolomics. The enhanced oligosaccharide/polyol/lipid transport, up-regulation of carbohydrate and arachidonic acid metabolic pathways and increased energy production via EMP metabolism were observed as defense mechanisms of microalgal cells to xenobiotic CIP. The toxic metabolic responses included: (1) down-regulation of parts of mineral and organic transporters; (2) electrons competition between antibiotic and NAD during intracellular CIP degradation; and (3) suppressed expression of the hem gene in chlorophyll biosynthesis. This study describes the metabolic profile of microalgae during CIP elimination and reveals the key pathways from the perspective of metabolism, thereby providing information on the precise regulation of antibiotic bioremediation via microalgae.
PubMed: 37625537
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116974