Cluster analysis of negative symptoms identifies distinct negative symptom subgroups.

The heterogeneity of schizophrenia has been acknowledged for decades because of the diverse presentation of symptoms, illness course, and treatment response noted between individuals diagnosed with the disorder. Cluster analysis has been used as a statistical method to determine whether schizophrenia subgroups might be identified based on symptom heterogeneity. However, there is very limited research examining whether heterogeneity in negative symptoms might be useful in establishing schizophrenia subtypes, particularly research examining newer models of negative symptoms based on five latent constructs including anhedonia, asociality, avolition, blunted affect, and alogia.

A Controlled Evaluation of a Sport-Specific Performance Optimization Program in an Athlete Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder Within the Context of COVID-19.

Adolescent athletes with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) experience unique challenges that impact their sport performance, such as making errors due to poor concentration. The current multiple-baseline across behaviors case trial (i.e.

Improving accuracy of ADHD subtype diagnoses with the ADHD symptom rating scale.

Neuropsychologists evaluate children and adults with ADHD to establish a diagnosis, quantify cognitive deficits associated with ADHD and other common comorbid conditions, and provide recommendations for education and vocational planning. Standardized instruments that align with DSM ADHD symptom criteria are recommended for increasing ADHD diagnostic accuracy. This study examined whether a brief DSM-based symptom rating scale would assist in differentiating subtypes of ADHD.

Improving Assessment, Diagnosis, and Management of Urinary Incontinence and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms on Acute and Rehabilitation Wards That Admit Adult Patients: Protocol for a Before-and-After Implementation Study.

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are commonly experienced by adult patients in hospitals (inpatients). Although peak bodies recommend that health services have systems for optimal UI and LUTS care, they are often not delivered. For example, results from the 2017 Australian National Stroke Audit Acute Services indicated that of the one-third of acute stroke inpatients with UI, only 18% received a management plan.

Implementation of a multifaceted nurse-led intervention to reduce indwelling urinary catheter use in four Australian hospitals: A pre- and postintervention study.

Aims And Objectives: This study aimed to reduce indwelling urinary catheter (IDC) use and duration through implementation of a multifaceted "bundled" care intervention.

Background: Indwelling urinary catheters present a risk for patients through the potential development of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), with duration of IDC a key risk factor. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection is considered preventable yet accounts for over a third of all hospital-acquired infections.

Variations in indwelling urinary catheter use in four Australian acute care hospitals.

Aims And Objectives: To identify the point prevalence of indwelling urinary catheters (IDCs) in adult inpatients in acute care hospitals, and to describe the indications for IDC insertion based on patient age, gender, specialty and hospital.

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are preventable healthcare-associated infections. IDC duration is the strongest predictor of CAUTI, and little is known about characteristics of patients who receive an IDC.

A University-Based Transdisciplinary Approach to Mental Health Workforce Shortages.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, actions, and evaluation of a university-based, transdisciplinary coalition so that the model may be replicated in other university or multidisciplinary systems. The University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Mental and Behavioral Health Coalition addresses Nevada's workforce shortages through multi-disciplinary faculty collaboration among seven training programs at UNLV that produce mental health professionals. The coalition's collaborative approach to solution-generating work has served as a catalyst for professional integration in the community as a whole.

Social Cognition in Children With ADHD.

Despite evidence of social skill deficits in children with ADHD, there is no consensus regarding a social cognitive profile and whether these skills predict behavior. Therefore, a comprehensive battery was used to investigate the relationship between social cognition and behavioral functioning. Children ages 7 to 13 with ADHD ( = 25) and controls ( = 25) completed tests assessing social cognitive domains (affect recognition and theory of mind [ToM]).

The REVAMP trial to evaluate HIV resistance testing in sub-Saharan Africa: a case study in clinical trial design in resource limited settings to optimize effectiveness and cost effectiveness estimates.

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, rates of sustained HIV virologic suppression remain below international goals. HIV resistance testing, while common in resource-rich settings, has not gained traction due to concerns about cost and sustainability.

Objective: We designed a randomized clinical trial to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of routine HIV resistance testing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Use of Clotted Human Plasma and Aprotinin in Skin Tissue Engineering: A Novel Approach to Engineering Composite Skin on a Porous Scaffold.

Tissue-engineered composite skin is a promising therapy for the treatment of chronic and acute wounds, including burns. Providing the wound bed with a dermal scaffold populated by autologous dermal and epidermal cellular components can further entice host cell infiltration and vascularization to achieve permanent wound closure in a single stage. However, the high porosity and the lack of a supportive basement membrane in most commercially available dermal scaffolds hinders organized keratinocyte proliferation and stratification in vitro and may delay re-epithelization in vivo.

Clinical application and viability of cryopreserved cadaveric skin allografts in severe burn: a retrospective analysis.

Introduction: Cadaveric cutaneous allografts are used in burns surgery both as a temporary bio-dressing and occasionally as definitive management of partial thickness burns. Nonetheless, limitations in the understanding of the biology of these grafts have meant that their role in burns surgery continues to be controversial.

Methods: A review of all patients suffering 20% or greater total body surface area (TBSA) burns over an eight year period that received cadaveric allografts were identified.

Use of an adapted problem-based learning approach to aid the development of clinical audit skills in a palliative care setting.

Aim: To share the experiences of an adapted problem-based learning approach to audit within a palliative care setting.

Method: A small group learning approach to design and undertake an audit.

Result: This approach was a positive learning experience within clinical practice that enabled the group to develop their knowledge of audit planning, design, analysis and reporting as well as their problem-solving, written and communication skills.

Thoracoscopic management of empyema thoracis.

Appropriate management of empyema thoracis is dependent upon a secure diagnosis of the etiology of empyema and the phase of development. Minimal access surgery using video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) is one of many useful techniques in treating empyema. Complex empyema requires adjunctive treatment in addition to VATS.

Effects of early steroid withdrawal after heart transplantation.

Background: Managing immunosuppression is a significant aspect of posttransplantation patient care. Previously, our institution reported that prednisone could be withdrawn in cardiac allograft recipients without jeopardizing midterm survival. We returned to this group of patients to investigate the long-term effects of our steroid taper protocol.

Contemporary techniques and safety of cardiovascular procedures in the surgical management of renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus.

Objective: Renal cell carcinomas often form venous thrombi that extend into the vena cava. Frequently, cardiovascular consultation is necessary for complete surgical excision. We sought to investigate the risk factors, surgical techniques, and outcomes of patients treated for renal cell carcinoma with venous extension.

Routine computed tomography screening of the chest in high-risk cardiac transplant recipients may improve survival.

Background: Multiple studies have demonstrated an increased incidence of lung cancer in the heart transplant population. We reviewed our cardiac transplantation experience with respect to the development of bronchogenic carcinoma and explored the role of routine chest computed tomography (CT) in its surveillance.

Methods: We performed a review of our cardiac transplantation experience, highlighting the incidence of lung cancer, and we analyzed our recent experience with screening chest CT in lung cancer surveillance in this patient group.

Improved pain management outcomes with continuous infusion of a local anesthetic after thoracotomy.

Objective: We sought to determine the effectiveness of an incisional infusion of local anesthetics through a continuous-infusion elastomeric pump for the management of postoperative pain after thoracotomy.

Methods: We performed a retrospective comparative analysis of 110 patients undergoing thoracotomies between November 1999 and March 2003. Postoperative pain management with a continuous-infusion elastomeric pump providing local anesthetic into the incisional area was compared with a single-shot epidural in combination with continuous local anesthetic infusion and continuous thoracic epidural infusion.

Contemporary assessment of laryngotracheal trauma.

Objectives: Laryngotracheal trauma is a rare and potentially deadly spectrum of injuries. We sought to characterize the contemporary mechanisms, diagnostic modalities, and outcomes common in laryngotracheal trauma today.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all laryngotracheal trauma cases at 2 major metropolitan hospitals between 1996 and 2004, detailing mechanisms, associated injuries, diagnostic modalities, and outcomes of laryngotracheal trauma.

Surgical treatment of thoracic empyema in HIV-infected patients: severity and treatment modality is associated with CD4 count status.

Objectives: Patients infected with HIV have an increased propensity for developing thoracic empyemas secondary to their susceptibility to polymicrobial pulmonary infections. We performed an assessment of the clinical outcomes of HIV patients undergoing surgical treatment of thoracic empyemas and reviewed the microbiology of these infections.

Methods: We completed a retrospective analysis of the patients who had been referred for surgical treatment of thoracic empyemas over an 11-year period, ending in 2002.