In the past 10 years, mental and behavioral health has seen a proliferation of technology-based interventions in the form of online and other computer-delivered programs. This paper focuses on ...technology-based treatment and preventive interventions aimed at benefitting children and adolescents via either involving the parents and families, or only the youth. The review considered only technology-based interventions that had at least one published study with a randomized controlled trial design. Questions being addressed included: (1) What are the technology-based interventions in the mental/behavioral health area that have been systematically evaluated in published studies? (2) What are the common and unique characteristics of these interventions and their application with respect to sample characteristics, target problems, and technology characteristics (platforms, structures, elements, and communication formats)? and (3) Which intervention approaches and strategies have accrued the greatest evidence? The review identified 30 technology-based psychosocial interventions for children and families, 19 of which were parent or family-focused (32 studies) and 11 of which were youth-focused (in 13 studies). For the parent/family-focused interventions, greatest promise was found in those that addressed either youth behavioral problems or depressive/anxious symptoms, as well as more general bolstering of parenting efficacy. The youth-focused interventions showed some promise in reducing depressive/anxious symptoms. Advantages and disadvantages of the technology-based approaches were considered, and areas for future research and development were discussed.
Biological drugs such as the tumour necrosis factor inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of psoriasis, but some have the potential to induce an unwanted immune response. This immunogenicity ...may be associated with low trough drug levels, reduced clinical efficacy, reduced drug survival and an increased risk for adverse events. This article presents a literature review of the evidence on immunogenicity of biologics used in the treatment of psoriasis and considers the implications for therapeutic decision‐making in the management of patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis.
Parental substance abuse is a serious problem affecting the well-being of children and families. The co-occurrence of parental substance abuse and problematic parenting is recognized as a major ...public health concern. This review focuses on 21 outcome studies that tested dual treatment of substance abuse and parenting. A summary of theoretical conceptualizations of the connections between substance abuse and parenting provides a backdrop for the review. Outcomes of the dual treatment studies were generally positive with respect to reduction of parental substance use and improvement of parenting. Research in this area varied in methodological rigor and needs to overcome challenges regarding design issues, sampling frame, and complexities inherent in such a high-risk population. This area of work can be strengthened by randomized controlled trials, use of mixed-methods outcome measures, consideration of parent involvement with child protective services, involvement of significant others in treatment, provision of concrete supports for treatment attendance and facilitative public policies.
•Parental substance abuse and parenting difficulties dually threaten public health.•The nature and quality of dual-treatment outcome studies are reviewed.•Multiple pathways and conceptual frameworks inform this area.•Methodological rigor varied but positive outcomes were observed.•Methodology, interventions, and public policy can and should be strengthened.
Perceived creaminess of semi-solid foods de Wijk, R.A; Terpstra, M.E.J.; Janssen, A.M. ...
Trends in food science & technology,
01/2006, Letnik:
17, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Results of sensory, physiological and physico-chemical studies from our laboratory on perceived creaminess of semi-solids foods are reviewed. Most results stem from studies using model vanilla ...custard desserts, allowing systematic variation of fat, flavor and thickener properties. The generalizability of the custard results was verified for yogurts, mayonnaises, white sauces and other semi-solid foods. Creaminess sensations could be decomposed into sensations reflecting either properties of the bulk or of the surface of the oral food bolus. Bulk properties related to the rheological properties of the bolus whereas surface properties related to lubrication and flavor release. Creaminess was inversely related to enzymatic and mechanical induced break-down during oral processing. Starch thickeners generally enhanced creaminess although they suffered from enzymatic break-down compared to non-starch thickeners. It is suggested that the negative effects of break-down were off-set by positive effects of fat migrating to the surface of the bolus. The surfaced fat enhances lubrication and the release of fat-soluble flavors enhance creaminess, especially in low fat starch-based semi-solids. Bulk-related properties were measured by rheological measurements, surface-related properties were measured by friction, and mechanical- and enzymatic break-down properties were measured with a modified rheometer.
Background
Each individual psoriasis patient has different expectations and goals for biological treatment, which may differ from those of the clinician. As such, a patient‐centred approach to ...treatment goals remains an unmet need in psoriasis.
Objective
The aim of this study was to review available data on patients’ and physicians’ decision criteria and expectations of biological treatment for moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis with the aim of developing a core set of questions for clinicians to ask patients routinely to understand what is important to them and thus better align physicians’ and patients’ expectations of treatment with biologics and its outcomes.
Methods
A literature search was conducted to identify key themes and data gaps. Aspects of treatment relevant when choosing a biological agent for an individual patient were identified and compared to an existing validated instrument. A series of questions aimed at helping the physician to identify the particular aspects of treatment that are recognised as important to individual psoriasis patients was developed.
Results
Key findings of the literature search were grouped under themes of adherence, decision‐making, quality of life, patient/physician goals, communication, patient‐reported outcomes, satisfaction and patient benefit index. Several aspects of treatment were identified as being relevant when choosing a biological agent for an individual patient.
The questionnaire is devised in two parts. The first part asks questions about patients’ experience of psoriasis and satisfaction with previous treatments. The second part aims to identify the treatment attributes patients consider to be important and may as such affect their preference for a particular biological treatment. The questionnaire results will allow the physician to understand the key factors that can be influenced by biological drug choice that are of importance to the patient. This information can be used be the physician in clinical decision making.
Conclusion
The questionnaire has been developed to provide a new tool to better understand and align patients’ and physicians’ preferences and goals for biological treatment of psoriasis.
Summary
Background. Diagnostic classification of chronic hand eczema (CHE) represents a major clinical and taxonomic challenge because of its wide aetiological and clinical heterogeneity.
Aim. To ...develop an algorithm for the diagnosis and classification of CHE.
Methods. Well‐defined aetiological, clinical and morphological criteria of CHE were arranged graphically in a diagnostic hierarchy, and validated in 137 German patients with hand eczema.
Results. The algorithm distinguished chronic hand eczema due to contact allergy, irritant damage or a combination of the two, each either with or without atopy, and also atopic hand eczema and idiopathic hand eczema lacking obvious causative factors. Foot involvement helped to distinguish idiopathic from irritant hand eczema. Each subtype could occur either with a hyperkeratotic–rhagadiform, dyshidrotic or mixed morphology, but certain hand eczema subtypes had clear morphological preferences.
Conclusions. By providing a more precise clinical definition this diagnostic algorithm could improve the classification and taxonomy of hand eczema subtypes, facilitating more rational treatment decisions and allowing better treatment outcome analysis.
Frictional conditions in the mouth are thought by food scientists to be critical to the perception of important food attributes such as astringency, smoothness, roughness, slipperiness, etc. This ...ability to detect friction probably evolved to avoid foods that could wear the teeth excessively. In modern humans, sensations related to friction and lubrication affect consumer responses to food products and are therefore commercially important. In this study, the coefficient of friction between two mucosal surfaces was measured using stimulated and unstimulated saliva at loads varying from 0.34 to 2.20
N and at speeds varying from 0.1 to 700
mm
s
−1. The coefficient of friction decreased with increasing load and speed for both types of saliva. Lubrication with stimulated saliva resulted in higher friction than with unstimulated saliva. Stimulated saliva has a higher protein content and lower viscosity than unstimulated saliva, which may explain the friction differences found between the two types of saliva. The reduction in friction with load is attributed to deformation of the mucosal surfaces, leading to a reduction in surface roughness.
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