Measurement and assessment of grief in a large international sample.

BACKGROUND: In 2022, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and an update of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5 TR) were released for implementation worldwide and now include the new Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). The newest definition of PGD is based on robust clinical research from the Global North yet until now has not been tested for global applicability. METHODS: The current study assesses the new PGD ICD-11 criteria in a large international sample of 1393 bereaved adults. The majority of the sample was included from the USΑ. Additionally, we conduct a sub-sample analysis to evaluate the psychometric properties, probable caseness of PGD, and differences in network structure across three regions of residency (USA, Greece-Cyprus, Turkey-Iran). RESULTS: The psychometric validity and reliability of the 33-item International Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (IPGDS) were confirmed across the whole sample and for each regional group. Using the strict diagnostic algorithm, the probable caseness for PGD for the whole sample was 3.6 %. Probable caseness was highest for the Greece-Cyprus group (6.9 %) followed by Turkey-Iran (3.2 %) and the USA (2.8 %). Finally, the network structure of the IPGDS standard items and cultural supplement items (total of 33 items) confirmed the strong connection between central items of PGD, and revealed unique network connections within the regional groups. LIMITATIONS: Future research is encouraged to include larger sample sizes and a more systematic assessment of culture. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings confirm the global applicability of the new ICD-11 PGD disorder definition as evaluated through the newly developed IPGDS. This scale includes culturally sensitive grief symptoms that may improve clinical precision and decision-making.

Associations Between Primary Residence and Mental Health in Global Marginalized Populations.

Scholars suggest that marginalized people in non-urban areas experience higher distress levels and fewer psychosocial resources than in urban areas. Researchers have yet to test whether precise proximity to urban centers is associated with mental health for marginalized populations. We recruited 1733 people who reported living in 45 different countries. Participants entered their home locations and completed measures of anxiety, depression, social support, and resilience. Regression and thematic analyses were used to determine what role distance from legislative and urban centers may play in mental health when marginalized people were disaggregated. Greater distance from legislative center predicted higher anxiety and resilience. Greater distance from urban center also predicted more resilience. Thematic analyses yielded five categories (e.g., safety, connection) that further illustrated the impact of geographic location on health. Implications for community mental health are discussed including the need to better understand and further expand resilience in rural areas.

Opportunistic screening for Chlamydia trachomatis in men attending three different secondary healthcare settings.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of opportunistic Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) screening of asymptomatic men attending three different secondary healthcare settings and to investigate CT positivity in these settings. METHODS: Men attending fracture, fertility and family planning (FP) clinics were invited to be screened by first-void urine and complete a questionnaire which collected demographic, sexual and behavioural characteristics, and their opinion about the screening process. RESULTS: 1290 men were approached, with 80% participating. The number of men approached, number providing a satisfactory urine specimen and CT positivity rate (95% CI) were, respectively, n = 401, n = 206, 14.6% (10.4 to 20.1) for the FP clinic, n = 505, n = 328, 1.2% (0.5 to 3.2) for the fracture clinic and n = 384, n = 319, 0.3% (0.1 to 1.8) for the fertility clinic. The highest rates of CT infection were found in men attending the FP clinics, aged between 20-24 years. Most of the men from all three clinics felt that the setting (87.9%) and specimen (97.7%) were acceptable. CONCLUSION: Opportunistic chlamydial screening of asymptomatic men in three secondary healthcare settings found high positivity rates, but low uptake rates in a FP setting compared with fertility and fracture clinics. Innovative and targeted intervention strategies are required to engage this high-risk group of men in screening.

A comparative analysis of pilin genes from pathogenic and nonpathogenic Neisseria species.

Pathogenic Neisseria species elaborate type IV pili, which are considered important for virulence. In this study, we examined pilin-encoding expression loci (pilE) in nonpathogenic Neisseria species. PCR based screening detected homology to a conserved N-terminal region of pilE in 12 of 15 Neisseria species, including all human commensal isolates. The three species failing to display homology were isolated from nonhuman sources. We have also characterized complete pilE loci from the human commensal species N. lactamica and N. cinerea. As anticipated, the predicted protein sequences from these species display features typical of all type IV pilins. In addition, these commensal pilins possess two highly conserved regions, SV2 and CYS2, which are shared among all neisserial pilins. However, a comparative analysis of pilE loci from pathogenic and nonpathogenic Neisseria species reveals two distinct structural groups, one composed of the pilin genes from N. lactamica, N. cinerea, and the class II pilin-producing subset of N. meningitidis isolates, the other of gonococcal and meningococcal class I pilin-encoding genes. Since both class I and class II pilin-producing meningococci can act as pathogens, structural relationships among neisserial pilin genes do not obviously reflect either species membership or ability to cause human disease.

Serum iron, total iron binding capacity, plasma copper and hemoglobin types in anemic and poikilocytic calves.

Ninety-eight calves were studied to determine if anemia and poikilocytosis were related to iron or copper status or hemoglobin type. No significant differences were found in serum iron, total iron binding capacity, marrow iron, plasma copper or hemoglobin type between affected and normal calves. Poikilocytes were strongly inversely correlated (-0.9177) with age. Calves less than six weeks of age had more poikilocytes, lower serum iron, higher total iron binding capacity, less adult hemoglobin and more neonatal and fetal hemoglobin than calves greater than six weeks of age.

Plasma cell sarcoma in a cat.

Lytic lesions occurring in conjunction with plasma cell sarcoma (multiple myeloma) have rarely been reported in cats.A plasma cell sarcoma was diagnosed in a 13 year old castrated male Siamese cat with hind limb paresis resulting from osteolysis of the second lumbar vertebra. Serum electrophoresis showed a monoclonal gammopathy. A uniform population of plasma cells was found in and around the second lumbar vertebra and in the bone marrow of the femora, humeri, pelvis and the fifth lumbar vertebra. The neoplastic cells were identified as IgA and kappa chain specific by direct immunofluorescence.