Efficacy of cognitive remediation in bipolar disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

A significant percentage of people with bipolar disorder (BD) exhibit suboptimal functional adjustment, even when appropriately treated and after symptomatic recovery is achieved. Given that cognitive impairment is one of the strongest correlates of socio-occupational outcomes and quality of life in BD, cognitive remediation (CR) is currently acknowledged as a promising treatment that could help bridge the gap between symptomatic and full functional recovery. The aim of this review was to explore the efficacy of CR approaches in improving cognitive and functional outcomes in BD patients.

The Degradation of Daguerreotypes and the Relationship with Their Multi-Material Structure: A Multimodal Investigation.

Preserving and analytically examining daguerreotypes is particularly challenging because of their multi-material and multi-component structure. Various sensors have been exploited to examine mainly the image plates of the daguerreotypes even though the degradation goes beyond this component. Micro-analyses have been the preferred method due to the nanoscale structure of the image particles.

A Novel Transmittance Vis-NIR Hyper-Spectral Imaging Scanner for Analysis of Photographic Negatives: A Potential Tool for Photography Conservation.

This work illustrates a novel prototype of a transmittance hyperspectral imaging (HSI) scanner, operating in the 400-900 nm range, and designed on purpose for non-invasive analysis of photographic materials, such as negatives, films and slides. The instrument provides high-quality spectral data and high-definition spectral images on targets of small size (e.g.

The long-term course of cognition in bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of patient-control differences in test-score changes.

Neuropsychological impairment represents a key aspect of bipolar disorder (BD) that is evident even in early-course patients and is a strong predictor of functional outcomes among those affected. Previous meta-analyses of longitudinal studies suggest that BD-related cognitive deficits may not progress along the course of the disorder. However, short test-retest periods were used in most primary studies and comparisons with healthy controls were limited.

Clinical benefits of a consistent reduction in blood pressure.

This paper briefly reviews the epidemiological evidence that hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor. It also summarizes the data from controlled intervention trials that show antihypertensive treatment to be accompanied by a reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The inability of antihypertensive treatment to offer full protection to the hypertensive individual is then discussed, together with the therapeutic strategies to increase the benefits, particularly with respect to limiting end-organ damage and reduction of cardiovascular events.