Memorial University of Newfoundland

About: Memorial University of Newfoundland is a education organization based out in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 13818 authors who have published 27785 publications receiving 743594 citations. The organization is also known as: Memorial University & Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Self‐compassion training for binge eating disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract: Objectives The present pilot study sought to compare a compassion-focused therapy (CFT)-based self-help intervention for binge eating disorder (BED) to a behaviourally based intervention. Design Forty-one individuals with BED were randomly assigned to 3 weeks of food planning plus self-compassion exercises; food planning plus behavioural strategies; or a wait-list control condition. Methods Participants completed weekly measures of binge eating and self-compassion; pre- and post-intervention measures of eating disorder pathology and depressive symptoms; and a baseline measure assessing fear of self-compassion. Results Results showed that: (1) perceived credibility, expectancy, and compliance did not differ between the two interventions; (2) both interventions reduced weekly binge days more than the control condition; (3) the self-compassion intervention reduced global eating disorder pathology, eating concerns, and weight concerns more than the other conditions; (4) the self-compassion intervention increased self-compassion more than the other conditions; and (5) participants low in fear of self-compassion derived significantly more benefits from the self-compassion intervention than those high in fear of self-compassion. Conclusions Findings offer preliminary support for the usefulness of CFT-based interventions for BED sufferers. Results also suggest that for individuals to benefit from self-compassion training, assessing and lowering fear of self-compassion will be crucial. Practitioner points Individuals with BED perceive self-compassion training self-help interventions, derived from CFT, to be as credible and as likely to help as behaviourally based interventions. The cultivation of self-compassion may be an effective approach for reducing binge eating, and eating, and weight concerns in individuals with BED. Teaching individuals with BED CFT-based self-help exercises may increase their self-compassion levels over a short period of time. It may be important for clinicians to assess and target clients' fear of self-compassion for clients to benefit from self-compassion training interventions.

Exposures to potentially traumatic events among public safety personnel in Canada.

Abstract: Canadian Public Safety Personnel (e.g., correctional workers, dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics, and police) are regularly exposed to potentially traumatic events, some of which are highlighted as critical incidents warranting additional resources. Unfortunately, available Canadian public safety personnel data measuring associations between potentially traumatic events and mental health remains sparse. The current research quantifies estimates for diverse event exposures within and between several categories of public safety personnel. Participants were 4,441 public safety personnel (31.7% women) in 1 of 6 categories (i.e., dispatchers, correctional workers, firefighters, municipal/provincial police, paramedics, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police). Participants reported exposures to diverse events including sudden violent (93.8%) or accidental deaths (93.7%), serious transportation accidents (93.2%), and physical assaults (90.6%), often 11+ times per event. There were significant relationships between potentially traumatic event exposures and all mental disorders. Sudden violent death and severe human suffering appeared particularly related to mental disorder symptoms, and therein potentially defensible as critical incidents. The current results offer initial evidence that (a) potentially traumatic event exposures are diverse and frequent among diverse Canadian public safety personnel; (b) many different types of exposure can be associated with mental disorders; (c) event exposures are associated with diverse mental disorders, including but not limited to posttraumatic stress disorder, and mental disorder screens would be substantially reduced in the absence of exposures; and (d) population attributable fractions indicated a substantial reduction in positive mental disorder screens (i.e., between 29.0 and 79.5%) if all traumatic event exposures were eliminated among Canadian public safety personnel. Le personnel de sécurité publique canadien (p. ex. les travailleurs des services correctionnels, les répartiteurs, les ambulanciers et les policiers) sont régulièrement exposés à des événements au potentiel traumatique, certains desquels sont présentés comme des événements critiques justifiant le recours à des ressources additionnelles. Malheureusement, les données disponibles concernant le personnel de sécurité publique canadien qui permettraient de mesurer les associations entre les événements au potentiel traumatique et la santé mentale se font encore rares. La recherche actuelle quantifie les estimations liées à l’exposition à divers incidents parmi plusieurs catégories de personnel de sécurité publique. Au total, 4 441 membres du personnel de sécurité publique (dont 31,7 % de femmes) de six catégories différentes (répartiteurs, travailleurs des services correctionnels, pompiers, policiers municipaux/provinciaux, ambulanciers et agents de la Gendarmerie royale canadienne) ont pris part à l’étude. Parmi les événements rapportés par les participants, notons des morts violentes subites (93,8 %) ou accidentelles (93,7 %), des accidents de la route graves (93,2 %) et des agressions physiques (90,6 %). Souvent, les participants s’étaient retrouvés confrontés 11 fois ou plus à de tels événements. Des relations déterminantes ont été observées entre l’exposition à des événements traumatisants et l’ensemble des troubles mentaux. Les morts violentes subites et la souffrance humaine aiguë semblaient particulièrement reliées aux symptômes de trouble mental. Il était donc justifié de les considérer comme des incidents critiques. Les résultats actuels permettent d’entrée de jeu de conclure que (a) les expositions à des événements au potentiel traumatique sont diversifiées et fréquentes parmi l’ensemble du personnel de sécurité publique; (b) de nombreux types d’expositions peuvent être associés à divers troubles de santé mentale, notamment le trouble de stress post-traumatique, et les tests de dépistage de troubles mentaux seraient considérablement réduits en l’absence d’exposition; et (d) les fractions étiologiques du risque indiquaient une réduction substantielle des résultats positifs aux tests de dépistage de troubles mentaux (soit entre 29,0 % et 79,5 %) si toutes les expositions à des événements traumatisants étaient éliminées chez le personnel de sécurité publique canadien.

Genome-wide association study of colorectal cancer identifies six new susceptibility loci

Abstract: Genetic susceptibility to colorectal cancer is caused by rare pathogenic mutations and common genetic variants that contribute to familial risk. Here we report the results of a two-stage association study with 18,299 cases of colorectal cancer and 19,656 controls, with follow-up of the most statistically significant genetic loci in 4,725 cases and 9,969 controls from two Asian consortia. We describe six new susceptibility loci reaching a genome-wide threshold of P<5.0E-08. These findings provide additional insight into the underlying biological mechanisms of colorectal cancer and demonstrate the scientific value of large consortia-based genetic epidemiology studies.

Are improvements in shame and self-compassion early in eating disorders treatment associated with better patient outcomes?

Abstract: Compassion-focused therapy (CFT; Gilbert, 2005, 2009) is a transdiagnostic treatment approach focused on building self-compassion and reducing shame. It is based on the theory that feelings of shame contribute to the maintenance of psychopathology, whereas self-compassion contributes to the alleviation of shame and psychopathology. We sought to test this theory in a transdiagnostic sample of eating disorder patients by examining whether larger improvements in shame and self-compassion early in treatment would facilitate faster eating disorder symptom remission over 12 weeks. Participants were 97 patients with an eating disorder admitted to specialized day hospital or inpatient treatment. They completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire, Experiences of Shame Scale, and Self-Compassion Scale at intake, and again after weeks 3, 6, 9, and 12. Multilevel modeling revealed that patients who experienced greater decreases in their level of shame in the first 4 weeks of treatment had faster decreases in their eating disorder symptoms over 12 weeks of treatment. In addition, patients who had greater increases in their level of self-compassion early in treatment had faster decreases in their feelings of shame over 12 weeks, even when controlling for their early change in eating disorder symptoms. These results suggest that CFT theory may help to explain the maintenance of eating disorders. Clinically, findings suggest that intervening with shame early in treatment, perhaps by building patients' self-compassion, may promote better eating disorders treatment response.

Accurate Method for Obtaining Band Gaps in Conducting Polymers Using a DFT/Hybrid Approach

Abstract: DFT calculations on a series of oligomers have been used to estimate band gaps, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and bandwidths for polyacetylene, polythiophene, polypyrrole, polythiazole, and a thiophene−thiazole copolymer. Using a slightly modified hybrid functional, we obtain band gaps within 0.1 eV of experimental solid-state values. Calculated bond lengths and bond angles for the central ring of sexithiophene differ by less than 0.026 A and 0.7ο from those of the sexithiophene crystal structure. IPs and EAs are overestimated by up to 0.77 eV compared to experimental bulk values. Extrapolated bandwidths agree reasonably well with bandwidths from band structure calculations.