Gray-Level Co-occurrence Matrix Analysis for the Detection of Discrete, Ethanol-Induced, Structural Changes in Cell Nuclei: An Artificial Intelligence Approach.

Gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) analysis is a contemporary and innovative computational method for the assessment of textural patterns, applicable in almost any area of microscopy. The aim of our research was to perform the GLCM analysis of cell nuclei in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells after the induction of sublethal cell damage with ethyl alcohol, and to evaluate the performance of various machine learning (ML) models regarding their ability to separate damaged from intact cells. For each cell nucleus, five GLCM parameters were calculated: angular second moment, inverse difference moment, GLCM contrast, GLCM correlation, and textural variance. Based on the obtained GLCM data, we applied three ML approaches: neural network, random trees, and binomial logistic regression. Statistically significant differences in GLCM features were observed between treated and untreated cells. The multilayer perceptron neural network had the highest classification accuracy. The model also showed a relatively high level of sensitivity and specificity, as well as an excellent discriminatory power in the separation of treated from untreated cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that it is possible to create a relatively sensitive GLCM-based ML model for the detection of alcohol-induced damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell nuclei.

The Sexuality of Sex Workers: Sexual Arousability and the Sexual Profile of Women Engaged in Prostitution in Serbia.

BACKGROUND: In a view of sex work being a sexual behavioural activity, the main objective of our research was to explore the sexuality of sex workers in Serbia regarding to intensity of their sexual arousability. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The research was conducted on 30 sex workers and 30 controls of randomly selected social and demographic characteristics, without any signs of psychiatric morbidity. For the evaluation of the intensity of sexual arousability, SAI (Sexual Arousability Index) questionnaire was used. RESULTS: The analysis of the main total scores of the SAI for the sex workers and control participants showed no statistically significant difference in the overall intensity of arousability (p>0.05). However, item by item analysis of the questionnaire showed qualitative difference in sexuality between sex workers and controls, related to certain aspects of sexuality. CONCLUSIONS: These findings allow the space for further research in the way of identifying origins of qualitative issues in the sexual profile of sex workers, in correlation to women who are not sex workers, i.e. whether they had been result of potential biological, specific psychodynamic factors, or have been formed as a result of the direct influence of the sex work.

Burnout of Formal Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy.

BACKGROUND: Burnout syndrome is under-researched within caregivers (CGs) of children with cerebral palsy. The primary aim was to determine the burnout level of formal CGs of children with cerebral palsy (G1) and to compare it with a control group (G2) of professional pediatric nurses, and second, to correlate the level of depression and anxiety with the burnout level. METHOD: In a total sample of 60 CGs, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), consisting of three structural units - emotional exhaustion (MBIEE) subscale, depersonalization (MBI-DP) subscale and personal accomplishment (MBI-PA) subscale - was used to measure burnout. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used for the assessment of anxiety, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for depression. RESULTS: A significant difference was shown on the MBI-EE subscale and on the BDI test (p<0.05), in both cases higher scores were obtained by G1. High burnout was observed in all subscales, on the MBI-EE subscale registered 50% of CGs in G1, and 17% in control G2. Correlation of the MBI-EE subscale with BDI and BAI tests was highly significant (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate the need for future research aimed at formulating preventive strategies for caregivers' mental health. Better care for caregivers would provide them with better professional satisfaction, and consequently would lead to better care for patients.

Burnout, quality of life and emotional profile in general practitioners and psychiatrists.

OBJECTIVE: Many studies confirm that psychological factors and burnout in physicians are interconnected. It is however not known, whether quality of life is another factor that plays a role in this connection.The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between quality of life and emotional profile with the level of burnout in physicians. PARTICIPANTS: 120 physicians participated in this study, i.e., sixty general practitioners (GPs) and sixty psychiatrists. METHODS: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were used to measure the job stress. The Quality of Life (QOL) and the Emotions Profile Index (EPI) were used to determine quality of life and emotional profile. Data were analyzed using methods of single and multiple correlation and regression methods. RESULTS: The QOL was higher in psychiatrists as a direct consequence of questions about finances and friendship. Analysis by gender showed that the growth of the burnout risk level (MBI) correlated with the growth of number of women who had stress coping problems. CONCLUSIONS: This research suggests that quality of life and individual factors represent a very significant role in burnout among physicians. Further researches in a bigger sample are required in order to identify key factors of quality of life related to burnout reducing, as well as for improvement of supervision strategies, including more the relevance of psychological profile of physicians.

Anxiety in epileptic patients.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety may occur as ictal, postictal or interictal symptom in patients with epilepsy. The main aim of this research was to explore the intensity and frequency of anxiety in patients with generalized, temporal and extratemporal epilepsy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of three groups of patients with epilepsy (30 patients per group) - recently diagnosed with generalized epilepsy, temporal epilepsy and extratemporal epilepsy, and a healthy control group (N=30). The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used for quantitative assessment of anxiety. RESULTS: Patients with temporal and extratemporal epilepsies had a significantly higher mean total scores on the BAI than the patients with generalized forms of epilepsies (ANOVA: F=6.323, p<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between the temporal and extratemporal epilepsy groups according to the levels of anxiety on BAI (t-test: t=1.68, p>0.05). For the first three symptoms - numbness, wobbling in the legs and the fear of the worst happening - the group of patients with extratemporal epilepsies had significantly higher average levels of intensity and frequency of symptoms (ANOVA: F1=5.591, F2=6.555, F3=5.906; p<0.01) CONCLUSIONS: Patients with partial epilepsy have more frequent and prominent anxiety symptoms than patients with generalized epilepsy, and also more than the control group. All these findings clearly indicate the necessity to modify treatment strategies accordingly in order to include both the antiepileptic therapy and treatment for anxiety disorders.

Correlation of pre-morbid alcoholism and changes in the level of biogenic amine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid of accute brain infarction patients.

BACKGROUND: The disorder of biogenic amine metabolism (serotonin - 5-HT and dopamine - DA) is expected in the brain (neuron) damage caused by acute ischemia. It is known that long-term abuse of ethyl-alcohol damages the quality of neurons diffusely in the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and its biochemical content, 5-HT and DA, are reliable indicators of the vitality of neurons. The main objective of this research was to demonstrate that the elevated content of metabolites 5-HT and DA in the CSF in patients with acute brain infarction, who were pre-morbid alcohol-dependent patients, is additionally emphasized by diffusive damage of neuron vitality caused by alcoholism. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Study sample consists of two groups - 50 alcohol-dependent patients with acute brain infarction under the age of 65 (group A) and 50 patients with acute brain infarction who were not alcohol-dependent (group B). All subjects underwent the same procedure - CSF was taken during admission to the hospital and history was obtained through anamnesis, heteroanamnesis and clinical examinations. RESULTS: Metabolism of DA and metabolic turnover of DA (3, 4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid + homovanilic acid; DOPAC + HVA) was elevated in the liquor of both patient groups. The statistically significant difference between the groups was found in metabolic turnover of 5-HT (p<0.05), and metabolic turnover of DA (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic neuron disbalance, i.e. their pathophysiological-biochemical dysfunction as a result of acute brain infarction, is present in a higher degree in patients with pre-morbid long-term alcohol abuse.

Most common diagnoses requiring physical restriction of psychiatric patients: humanity at the test.

INTRODUCTION: Attitude about physical restriction has been changing through history. It has always been multidimensional approach, including ethic, medical and judicial aspect. OBJECTIVE: The main aim was establishing distribution of physical restrictions of patients for the following years: 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11. METHODS: The research included patients that were hospitalized in the Special Hospital for Psychiatric Disorders "Dr. Laza Lazarevic" in Belgrade from June 1, 2006 to June 1, 2011. Retrospective review of illness history of hospitalized female patients was done (350 in total) and records were formed containing data on physically restrained patients. RESULTS: The largest number of referral diagnoses belonged to groups F20, F23 and F29; it was established that the number of physical restrictions was associated with referral diagnoses on the level of highly statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The average number of restrainees per hospitalized patient which was growing in the studied period, which was also shown by the trend line (y = 0.5x + 1.06; R2 = 0.7242). CONCLUSION: Physical restrictions of psychiatric patients must backed up by benevolence, and it is not by any means the doctor's arbitrariness, which is strongly criticized and represents breach of ethical norms, human rights and the rights of the patient as guaranteed by law. This topic, which, indeed, refers to modern psychiatry, deserves more attention by public discussions, as well as by legislative regulations.

[Professional stress in general practitioners and psychiatrists--the level of psycologic distress and burnout risk].

BACKGROUND/AIM: So far, studies of stress have shown that physicians are at a high risk of sickness from psychic and somatic disorders related to professional stress, that can lead to important disturbance of personal, familiar and professional functionating. The aim of this study was to investigate the doctors exposition level to professional stress, to compare stress level in general practitioners (GP) group with that in the group of psychiatrists and risk level for the apperance of burnout syndrome. METHODS: This cross-section study included subjects recruited by a random sample method. Thirty General Practice doctors and 30 psychiatrists (totally 60 doctors) filled the set of 3 questionnaires: Sociodemographics features, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ; Goldberg D, 1991), and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI; Maslach C, 1996). Appropriate statistical procedures (Pearson test, t-test, variance analysis) in interpretation of the results were used. RESULTS: A total level of psychic distress measured with the GHQ test in both groups of physicians was very low implying their good mental health. A difference in Burnout risk based on MBI test between the groups was statistically significant (chi2 = 4,286; p < 0.05) only at subscale Personal Accomplishment (MBI-PA); it was a consequence of a higher number of GPs with medium burnout risk (13.3 : 0.0%). However, even 35 physicians from the sample were affected with a high burnout risk measured with subscales Emotional Ehausation (MBI-EE) and MBI-DP, showing that both groups of physicians had risk for the appearance of burnout syndrome. CONCLUSION: The obtained results showed a high burnout risk level in both, GPs and psychiatrists, groups. In both groups there was no presence of psychic disorders (anxiety, depression, insomnia), while there was a high level of emotional ehausation and overtension by job, and also a lower total personal accomplishment. Level of exposition to professional stress is higher in GPs than in psychiatrists, but the difference was not statistically significant.