Development of the Positive Emotions Program for Schizophrenia (PEPS): an intervention to improve pleasure and motivation in schizophrenia

Objectives: The efficacy of drug-based treatments and psychological interventions on the primary negative symptoms of schizophrenia remains limited. Recent literature has distinguished negative symptoms associated with a diminished capacity to experience, from those associated with a limited capacity for expression. The positive emotions program for schizophrenia (PEPS) is a new method that specifically aims to reduce the syndrome of a diminished capacity to experience. Methods: The intervention's vital ingredients were identified through a literature review of emotion in schizophrenia and positive psychology. The program has been beta-tested on various groups of health-care professionals. Results: A detailed description of the final version of PEPS is presented here. The French version of the program is freely downloadable. Conclusion: PEPS is a specific, short, easy to use, group-based intervention to improve pleasure, and motivation in schizophrenia. It was built considering a recovery-oriented approach to schizophrenia.

Suivi de l'adhésion thérapeutique des patients hypertendus ou dyslipi- démiques par les cercles de qualité médecins-pharmaciens [Monitoring drug adherence for hypertensive and dyslipidemic patients in networks of community-based pharmacists and physicians].

Patient adherence is often poor for hypertension and dyslipidaemia. A monitoring of drug adherence might improve these risk factors control, but little is known in ambulatory care. We conducted a randomised controlled study in networks of community-based pharmacists and physicians in the canton of Fribourg to examine whether monitoring drug adherence with an electronic monitor (MEMS) would improve risk factor control among treated, but uncontrolled hypertensive and dyslipidemic patients. The results indicate that MEMS achieve a better blood pressure control and lipid profile, although its implementation requires considerable resources. The study also shows the value of collaboration between physicians and pharmacists in the field of patient adherence to improve ambulatory care of patients with cardiovascular risk factors.

Impact of a smoking ban in public places: a rapid assessment in the Seychelles.

Background We assessed the impact of a smoking ban in hospitality venues in the Seychelles 9 months after legislation was implemented. Methods Survey officers observed compliance with the smoking ban in 38 most popular hospitality venues and administered a structured questionnaire to two customers, two workers and one manager in each venue. Results Virtually no customers or workers were seen smoking in the indoor premises. Patrons, workers and managers largely supported the ban. The personnel of the hospitality venues reported that most smokers had no difficulty refraining from smoking. However, a third of workers did not systematically request customers to stop smoking and half of them did not report adequate training. Workers reported improved health. No substantial change in the number of customers was noted. Conclusion A ban on public smoking was generally well implemented in hospitality venues but some less than optimal findings suggest the need for adequate training of workers and strengthened enforcement measures. The simple and inexpensive methodology used in this rapid survey may be a useful approach to evaluate the implementation and impact of clean air policy in low and middle-income countries.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents in Seychelles : results of the School Screening Program in 2013

Results related to overweight and obesity in 2013: Participation to the school screening program was satisfactory in 2013, but a bit less than in previous years (4220 children seen out of a total of approximately 6000 eligible ones). Less than maximal participation to the screening program can relate to different factors, e.g.; a trend for obese children to decline participation; lack of time of school nurses to complete the screening program due to competing duties at health centre level. Good organization by the school nurses and adequate facilities for screening are also important factors for a good conduct of the screening program.

Understanding the concepts of community phylogenetics

Background: Community phylogenetics is an emerging field of research that has made important contributions to understanding community assembly. The rapid development of this field can be attributed to the merging of phylogenetics and community ecology research to provide improved clarity on the processes that govern community structure and composition. Question: What are the major challenges that impede the sound interpretation of the patterns and processes of phylogenetic community assembly? Methods: We use four scenarios to illustrate explicitly how the phylogenetic structure of communities can exist in stable or transient phases, based on the different combinations of phylogenetic relationships and phenotypic traits among co-occurring species. We discuss these phases by implicating a two-way process in the assembly and disintegration of the given ecological community. Conclusions: This paper synthesizes the major concepts of community phylogenetics using habitat filtering and competition processes to elucidate how the understanding of phylogenetic community structure is currently hindered by the dynamics of community assembly and disassembly.

Improving the implementation of evidence-based knowledge in healthcare

The pace of development of new healthcare technologies and related knowledge is very fast. Implementation of high quality evidence-based knowledge is thus mandatory to warrant an effective healthcare system and patient safety. However, even though only a small fraction of the approximate 2500 scientific publication indexed daily in Medline is actually useful to clinical practice, the amountof the new information is much too large to allow busy healthcare professionals to stay aware of possibly important evidence-based information.