358 research outputs found
Psychotic symptoms in young adults exposed to childhood trauma - A 20 year follow-up study
No full textChildhood adversity has been shown to increase the risk of psychotic symptoms in adult life. However, there are no previous studies looking at the association between experiencing a natural disaster during childhood and the development of psychotic symptoms in young adulthood. Eight hundred and six bushfire-exposed children and 725 control children were evaluated following the 1983 South Australian bushfires. Five hundred and twenty nine (65.6%) of the bushfire group and 464 (64%) controls participated in a follow up study 20 years later. Childhood data on emotional and behavioural disorders and dysfunctional parenting was available. The adult assessment included the Australian National Health and Well-Being psychosis screen and detailed information about trauma, childhood adversity and alcohol and cannabis abuse. 5.6% of subjects responded positively to the psychosis screen and 2.6% responded positively to a further probe question. Psychotic symptoms were more common in subjects exposed to a greater number of traumas, and were associated with higher rates of childhood adversity, emotional and behavioural disturbance, dysfunctional parenting, and alcohol and cannabis abuse. Subjects exposed to bushfires as children did not have a greater risk of psychosis. Our results indicate that exposure to multiple traumas, rather than a single major trauma, increases the risk of later psychosis.Cherrie Galletly, Miranda Van Hooff, Alexander McFarlan
Psychiatric outcomes amongst adult survivors of childhood burns
No full textAbstract not availableFreya Goodhew, Miranda Van Hooff, Anthony Sparnon, Rachel Roberts, Jenelle Baur, Elizabeth J. Saccone, Alexander McFarlan
PIV measurements of opposing-jet ventilation flow in a reduced-scale simplified empty airplane cabin
No full textsponsorship: The Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) is gratefully ac-knowledged for their financial support of the PhD fellowship of Jo-Hendrik Thysen (project FWO 1150617N) , the post-doctoral fellowship of Twan van Hooff (project FWO 12R9718N) , and the funding for the development of the experimental set-up (FWO 1518517N) . The authors are grateful to Airbus for supporting the measurement campaign. Special thanks go to Jan Diepens, Geert-Jan Maas and Stan van Asten, members of the Laboratory of the Unit Building Physics and Services at Eindhoven University of Technology, and Ad Holten, member of the Laboratory of the Fluids and Flows (F&F) section at Eindhoven University of Technology, for their valuable contributions. (Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)|FWO 1150617N, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)|FWO 12R9718N, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)|FWO 1518517N)status: Published onlin
Anxiety disorders and PTSD
No full textINTRODUCTION This chapter reviews the literature on the prevalence and etiology of anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), following disasters. We highlight that there is relatively little information about anxiety disorders other than PTSD; the paucity of data is due to the challenge of the shared phenomenology of these disorders and the difficulty of defining their boundaries. A further challenge is explored, namely, how disasters interact with background morbidity in a community. In considering the etiology of anxiety disorders, the differential role of threat is hypothesized to be differentiated from the more enduring effect of the losses sustained in disasters. Anxiety disorders have an enduring effect in the aftermath of disasters, and many issues remain to be examined in future research, especially in expanding beyond PTSD. To begin, however, it is important to understand the settings in which disasters occur and the anticipations that abound following these events, as these have the potential to bias a rational appraisal of the challenges that will impact the affected community. Managing the psychological impact of disasters is a critical public-health challenge in the aftermath of these events. Informed prevalence and incidence estimates are critical to effective service planning. Unfortunately, there is often dramatization of disaster impact immediately afterward, with fears expressed about the capacity of the population to function and manage effectively (de Ville de Goyet, 2007).Alexander C. McFarlane, Miranda Van Hooff and Freya Goodhewhttp://trove.nla.gov.au/work/3551236
A field study on Sumatran orang utans (Pongo pygmaeus abelii Lesson 1827) : ecology, behaviour and conservation
No full textThe results of a three year research project on the ecology, behaviour and conservation of the Sumatran orang utan are discussed. The 150 hectares Ketambe study area lie within the boundaries of the Gunung Leuser. reserve in Aceh Tenggara, and consists of mixed rainforest typical of hilly regions.The orang utan's food is irregularly distributed in quantity, space and time within this area. Although the orang utan is frugivorous he also eats leaves, insects, 'bark' and several other less important foods, such as bird's eggs. By far the largest part of the 114 food plants collected is typical primary rainforest growth. Figs make up an important part of the diet, particularly those known as the 'strangling' Ficus spp. As the fruiting seasons of the various strangling fig species are staggered over the whole year, and such trees are often enormous in size, they form particularly suitable food sources. Orang utans appear to have a good topographical knowledge of their 'home range'. There are indications that fig trees bearing ripe fruits are sometimes found by using the flight paths of flocks of hornbills, which also feed on figs. With respect to figs in particular, the orang utan must compete for its food with many other species, notably primates.The study area was regularly used by 22 individually recognized orang utans. Both males and females live in homeranges which overlap considerably and are 2-10 km sq. in extent. The population density of the Ketambe area is considerably higher than that reported for other areas in Indonesia, being approximately 5 individuals per square kilometre. Orang utans live a 'limited gregarious' lifestyle, that is, adult males spend the largest part of their time alone, and avoid encounters with other adult males. The adult females and their offspring stay together for the first 4-5 years of life (the birth interval is at least 3 years.). Adolescent social groups form after the mother-offspring bond becomes weaker. This social phase continues for each individual until either (a) the sexual dimorphistic characteristics of males are clearly distinguishable (at approximately 15 years of age), or (b) the female's first young is born (approximately 10 years of age). Adults also have social moments in their lives. Several individuals in an area can come together to form a 'temporary association' in certain fruit trees. It may be seen from their behaviour that they know each other well and that a network of relationships exist which is partly based on competitive dominance. A peaceful co-existence between adult males however, has not been observed; meetings between adult males had invariably an agonistic character. The sexual behaviour of the orang utan is roughly divisable into: (a) 'raping' of some females by sub-adult males; and (b) cooperative matings, where females often take the intitiative by presenting themselves to, usually, adult males. It appears that only the latter makes an essential contribution to reproduction.The social behaviour of the orang utan is considered and described in detail. Comparison of the behavioural repertoire of this species with that of the (gregarious) chimpanzee shows that the two species are closely related. There are clear differences in social organisation, however, which appear to be mainly of degree, rather than of quality. The social organisation of an animal must be a factor that fits its situational (i.e. environmental) context, but is based on phylogenetic characteristics. Comparison of the habitats of these two apes reveals that they both live in a similar ecological condition with respect to food. The reasons for the exceptional life-style on the part of the orang utan are possibly to be found in the predation pressure the species is exposed to, particularly by man. Man has been present in regions of South-EastAsia since the Pleistocene. It is plausible that the orang utan has been persecuted by man continuously from this time. A comparable influence on the chimpanzee is much more recent. The orang utan is the heaviest arboreal creature and has an exceptional social organisation for a primate. If it may be assumed that high intelligence is a biological outcome of complex group life then, on grounds of intelligence, and from the distinct social organisation and current arboreal life-style it maybe postulated that the orang utan has evolved from a groundliving social ape. This original form was supplanted from its niche by a better adapted ground-living social ape, that is, man. It is possible that a stricly arboreal life style for an animal as heavy as an adult orang utan is not compatible with a social life-style. Moreover, it is likely that refraining from a high degree of sociability and inconspicuousness are the best strategies against human predation.Since one possibility is that the hunting pressure in ancient (and current) times had a great influence on the biology of the orang utan, I have paid particular attention to hunting behaviour in hominids. At present, this form of threat is overshadowed by excessive habitat destruction. Cultivation in connection with the explosive population growth in Indonesia, together with the commercial timber concerns, affect the tropical rainforest ecosystem in such proportions that even reserves are threatened. Despite being protected since 1932, the orang utan is a severely endangered species. Rehabilitation of orang utans is a conservation action directed at reducing the still ongoing hunting pressure. This is despite the fact that there are clear risks in this to the wild population. These risks can be negated by confining rehabilitation projects to areas lacking a wild orang utan population.The orang utan is a component of an intact ecosystem and it is of utmost importance that the emphasis of nature conservation schemes is placed on the totality and balance of the tropical rainforest ecosystem. Every form of commercial exploitation within this ecosystem is incompatible with the proposed goal of preserving the system. The removal of components (e.g. 'selective logging' or 'selective hunting') does real damage to the balance of the system.An orang utan who lives in an exploited forest is in principle of equally small biological value as an orang utan in a zoo; it is a, debatably essential, biological solution that does not correspond to the set of conditions originally operating in its natural selection
These routes are made for walking : understanding the transactions between nature, recreational behaviour and environmental meanings in Dwingelderveld National Park, the Netherlands
No full textEr is aangetoond dat natuurgebieden bijdragen aan het fysieke en psychische welzijn van mensen. Echter, een te hoge recreatiedruk kan kwetsbare ecosystemen beschadigen en bovendien de beleving van bezoekers nadelig beïnvloeden. Zo is het groeiende aantal bezoekers aan bijvoorbeeld de Nederlandse nationale parken voor beheerders van deze gebieden een belangrijk aandachtspunt. Om natuurgebieden effectief te beheren, kunnen zoneringsplannen een nuttig hulpmiddel zijn. Zoneren is het aanbrengen van een ruimtelijke geleding waardoor gebiedsdelen ontstaan die elk bestemd worden voor verschillende activiteiten, ervaringen of bezoekintensiteiten. De ontwikkeling van zoneringsplannen is echter moeilijk als het inzicht ontbreekt in de precieze vraag naar verschillende recreatievormen, belevingen en huidige gebruiksniveaus. Met het voorgaande als uitgangspunt heeft de huidige studie tot doel om de relatie tussen de omgeving, recreatieve belevingen en het gedrag in een natuurgebied te begrijpe
No advantage of flow cytometry crossmatch over complement-dependent cytotoxicity in immunologically well-documented renal allograft recipients.
No full textNo advantage of flow cytometry crossmatch over complement-dependent cytotoxicity in immunologically well-documented renal allograft recipients. Christiaans MH, Overhof R, ten Haaft A, Nieman F, van Hooff JP, van den Berg-Loonen EM. Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands. The effect of flow cytometry crossmatches on clinical outcome was studied retrospectively in two groups of immunologically well-documented patients who had received transplants with a negative complement-dependent cytotoxicity crossmatch. The first group consisted of 114 consecutive renal allograft recipients, and the second group consisted of 76 immunologically at-risk recipients. Flow cytometry crossmatches were performed with current and historic sera. In group 1, positive flow cytometry (FC) crossmatches were shown in 15/114 (13%) recipients. Rejection occurred in 8/15 (53%) FC-positive versus 41/99 (41%) FC-negative recipients. The 1-year graft survival rate was 80% for FC-positive patients and 87% for FC-negative patients. Sixty-seven patients were nonsensitized patients; 4 of them had a positive FC crossmatch but no rejection episodes, graft loss, or patient loss. Of 47 retransplanted and/or sensitized recipients, 11 had a positive FC crossmatch. Rejection treatment was needed in 8/11 (73%) FC-positive patients compared with 19/36 (53%) FC-negative patients. Their 1-year graft survival rates were 73% and 81%. None of these differences reached statistical significance. Group 2 consisted of 76 at-risk recipients; 37 were retransplant patients and 39 were sensitized first-transplant patients. Twenty-one (28%) patients showed a positive FC crossmatch. Rejection episodes did not differ between the FC-positive (48%) and FC-negative patients (46%). There was no difference in 1-year graft survival rate (76% vs. 80%) or in 1-year patient survival rate (100% vs. 95%). We conclude that FC crossmatches in our patient group are not superior to the classical complement-dependent cytotoxicity crossmatches with regard to clinical outcome. On the contrary, transplantation with a mandatory negative FC crossmatch would have excluded 28% of the recipients from transplantation, who in fact are doing well
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