352 research outputs found
Lack of robust meta-analytic evidence to favour cognitive behavioural therapy for prevention of psychosis
No full textOff the RADAR; questions regarding the trial protocol of a randomised controlled trial of antipsychotic reduction and discontinuation
No full text: The randomised controlled trial of antipsychotic reduction and discontinuation addresses essential questions with regard to continued use of antipsychotics in schizophrenia, pertaining to social functioning and continued antipsychotic use. However, significant methodological issues stated in the trial protocol have the potential to confound interpretation of any findings. These include use of a non-blinded outcome measure, treatment as usual comparator and possible sample size issues
Overoptimistic Literature and Methodological Biases Favoring Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Prevention of Psychosis
Get PDFsj-docx-1-jop-10.1177_02698811231200881 – Supplemental material for Dopamine in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of in vivo imaging studies
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-1-jop-10.1177_02698811231200881 for Dopamine in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of in vivo imaging studies by Yuya Mizuno, Abhishekh Hulegar Ashok, Bhagyashree Bhaskar Bhat, Sameer Jauhar and Oliver D Howes in Journal of Psychopharmacology</p
INFLUENCE OF RETRENCHMENT STRATEGY ON PERFORMANCE OF SAMEER AFRICA IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
No full text<p><strong>Abstract:</strong> The entry of new competition from imported tires and independent suppliers has had a significant impact on operating costs in Sameer Africa. This impact has manifested itself in the form of lower sales volumes leading to lower profits. This study examined the influence of retrenchment strategy on performance of Sameer Africa in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study applied a descriptive research design. The unit of analysis was Samer Africa in Nairobi City County, Kenya, and the unit of observation was 630 employees drawn from the following departments; Sales and Marketing, Operations, Human Resources, Information and Technology, Imports and Clearing, Audit and Risk Management. Proportional stratified sampling was used in the study to select samples from various subsets of the target population in order to ensure adequate representation of all cases. Simple random sample selection was used to select the sample size of 245 respondents. With the help of a semi-structured questionnaire, primary data was gathered. The questionnaire was piloted on 25 respondents from the same organization who weren't part of the main study in order to test its validity and reliability. The means and standard deviations of descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data. The data were presented using tables and graphics. Correlation analysis and multiple analysis were used in inferential statistics to ascertain the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The study discovered that the performance of Sameer Africa in Nairobi City County, Kenya, is positively and significantly impacted by reemployment strategy. The study concluded that retrenchment is a cost-management strategy that removes goods and services from the market and lessens competition. The study recommended that the management of the company can for divestment strategy is the case of severity of competition and the inability of the organization to cope with it.</p>
<p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Retrenchment Strategy, Organizational Performance.</p>
<p><strong>Title:</strong> INFLUENCE OF RETRENCHMENT STRATEGY ON PERFORMANCE OF SAMEER AFRICA IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA</p>
<p><strong>Author:</strong> Doris Mueni Mengo, Dr Eliud Obere</p>
<p><strong>International Journal of Management and Commerce Innovations </strong></p>
<p><strong>ISSN 2348-7585 (Online)</strong></p>
<p><strong>Vol. 11, Issue 2, October 2023 - March 2024</strong></p>
<p><strong>Page No: 8-13</strong></p>
<p><strong>Research Publish Journals</strong></p>
<p><strong>Website: www.researchpublish.com</strong></p>
<p><strong>Published Date: 04-October-2023</strong></p>
<p><strong>DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8406732">https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8406732</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Paper Download Link (Source)</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/influence-of-retrenchment-strategy-on-performance-of-sameer-africa-in-nairobi-city-county-kenya">https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/influence-of-retrenchment-strategy-on-performance-of-sameer-africa-in-nairobi-city-county-kenya</a></strong></p>International Journal of Management and Commerce Innovations, ISSN 2348-7585 (Online), Research Publish Journals, Website: www.researchpublish.co
Antidepressants, withdrawal, and addiction; where are we now?
No full textControversy continues in regard to antidepressants and withdrawal. Recent debates have focused on the prevalence and length of withdrawal, and some continue to state that withdrawal from these compounds constitutes “addiction”. In this editorial we examine the evidence underlying these recent debates. We acknowledge gaps in knowledge, and make suggestions for how the field can progress
Should we stop using electroconvulsive therapy?
No full textElectroconvulsive therapy has no long term benefits compared with placebo and often causes brain damage, say John Read and Sue Cunliffe . But Sameer Jauhar and Declan M McLoughlin argue that evidence shows ECT is effective and safe in depression and that adverse side effects can be managed Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was first administered in 1938. The first study, in 1951, showed that people who had had ECT fared worse than those who hadn’t.1 Today, positive, evidence based, risk-benefit analyses are required for treatments. However, systematic23 and narrative4 reviews (by JR and colleagues) identify only 10 studies comparing ECT with placebo for depression (placebo includes general anaesthetic but no shock). Half found no difference. The other five found a temporary lift in mood, but only during the treatment period, and in about only a third of patients. In the famous Northwick Park study5 this minimal improvement was perceived only by psychiatrists, not by nurses or patients. The many reviews and meta-analyses claiming that ECT works67 do so purely on the basis of these temporary gains, in a minority of patients, found in just half the studies. Furthermore, none of them identify any placebo controlled studies showing that ECT reduces depression beyond treatment or prevents suicide.234 Despite this lack of evidence psychiatry remains so adamant ECT works that no studies to establish efficacy have been conducted since 1985.234 Instead, many studies investigate which kind of ECT causes least damage.2 Brain cells receive electrical signals of a fraction of one volt. Subjecting them to 150 V inevitably causes damage, similar to traumatic brain injury.8 Early post-mortem examinations led to the article “Brain damaging therapeutics,” in which the
A potential biomarker for treatment stratification in psychosis
Get PDF[18F]FDOPA PET imaging has shown dopaminergic function indexed as Kicer differs between antipsychotic treatment responders and non-responders. However, the theragnostic potential of this biomarker to identify non-responders has yet to be evaluated. In view of this, we aimed to evaluate this as a theragnostic test using linear and non-linear machine-learning (i.e., Bernoulli, support vector, random forest and Gaussian processes) analyses and to develop and evaluate a simplified approach, standardised uptake value ratio (SUVRc). Both [18F]FDOPA PET approaches had good test-rest reproducibility across striatal regions (Kicer ICC: 0.68-0.94, SUVRc ICC: 0.76-0.91). Both our linear and non-linear classification models showed good predictive power to distinguish responders from non-responders (receiver operating curve area under the curve for region-of-interest approach: Kicer = 0.80, SUVRc = 0.79; for voxel-wise approach using a linear support vector machine: 0.88) and similar sensitivity for identifying treatment non-responders with 100% specificity (Kicer: ~50%, SUVRc: 40-60%). Although the findings were replicated in two independent datasets, given the total sample size (n = 84) and single setting, they warrant testing in other samples and settings. Preliminary economic analysis of [18F]FDOPA PET to fast-track treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia to clozapine indicated a potential healthcare cost saving of ~£3400 (equivalent to $4232 USD) per patient. These findings indicate [18F]FDOPA PET dopamine imaging has potential as biomarker to guide treatment choice
sj-docx-1-jop-10.1177_02698811221099643 – Supplemental material for The association between N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor availability and glutamate levels: A multi-modal PET-MR brain imaging study in first-episode psychosis and healthy controls
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-1-jop-10.1177_02698811221099643 for The association between N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor availability and glutamate levels: A multi-modal PET-MR brain imaging study in first-episode psychosis and healthy controls by Katherine Beck, Atheeshaan Arumuham, Stefan Brugger, Robert A McCutcheon, Mattia Veronese, Barbara Santangelo, Colm J McGinnity, Joel Dunn, Stephen Kaar, Nisha Singh, Toby Pillinger, Faith Borgan, Teresa Sementa, Radhouene Neji, Sameer Jauhar, Franklin Aigbirhio, Istvan Boros, Federico Turkheimer, Alexander Hammers, David Lythgoe, James Stone and Oliver D Howes in Journal of Psychopharmacology</p
Cognitive behavioural therapy—a valid alternative to antipsychotics for psychosis?
Get PDFComments on an article by A. P. Morrison et al. (see record 2018-19037-018). Morrison and colleagues report the results of a randomized controlled feasibility trial of CBT versus antipsychotic monotherapy versus a combination of the two. The trial follows on from a similar study by the same group of CBT in people with established schizophrenia who refused antipsychotic treatment. In the current study, Morrison and colleagues recruited 75 people, nearly all of whom had first-episode psychosis, who had not received treatment for at least 3 months. The authors should be congratulated on recruiting to target, which shows that a trial of this nature is possible in the National Health Service. Previous antipsychotic treatment was unclear. Primary outcomes were feasibility and total scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at 1 year. PANSS total score was significantly reduced in the combined intervention group compared with the CBT group. PANSS total scores did not differ significantly between the combined group and the antipsychotics group or between the antipsychotics and CBT groups. The authors reported no appreciable increase in serious adverse events, and fewer side-effects in the CBT group than in the other groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved
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