• Living with Body Dysmorphic Disorder or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. An IPA study.

      Morris, Neil; Smook, Levina Johanna Lelanie (University of Wolverhampton, 2014)
      Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) share many similarities such as the presence of obsessions and compulsions, a similar age of onset and also similar activation of underlying structures within the brain related to obsessions and compulsion formation. The recently published DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) has grouped the two conditions together in a chapter entitled Obsessive Compulsive -and related disorders, recognising the similarities in presentation. This appeared to echo the classification within the NICE guidelines for OCD and BDD (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2006) where the two conditions were grouped together on the presence of obsessions and compulsions, neurological evidence pointing to the activation of brain areas responsible for obsessive thoughts and compulsive acts alongside strong familial links. Both OCD and BDD were understood (from both sets of guidelines) to respond well to the use of Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors and the treatment use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This qualitative research study focuses on the gap in existing literature by studying the lived experience of individuals living with obsessions and compulsions. Much focus has historically remained on understanding the clinical symptomology and underlying constructs as related to living with obsessions and compulsions, through the use of questionnaires or brain imaging. With recent changes in the DSM-V (Statistical Manual for mental Disorders; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) recognising OCD and BDD as part of the same family of conditions, it appeared timely to focus on the individuals living with OCD or BDD and their sense and meaning making as informed by their experiences of obsessions and compulsions.
    • Practices of verisimilitude in pop music biopics: A conversation with Todd Eckert and James Anthony Pearson on Control, and Nick Moran on Telstar

      Stewart, Jon; Maloy, Liam; Halligan, Benjamin (International Association for the Study of Popular Music, 2017-10-31)
      The arresting look and feel of two recent British music biopics, Control (directed by Anton Corbijn, 2007) and Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (directed by Nick Moran, 2008), prompts a reconsideration of questions of realism and authenticity – rationales, strategies, practices and constructions – in the historical popular music biopic. The first-hand accounts collated here highlight the ways in which verisimilitude can be compromised by the production process, particularly in relation to budget restrictions and expectations, performance limitations, equipment and props use, contemporary or period dialogue, music copyright, and a myriad other issues and challenges relating to the production of “period” cinema.
    • Prevalence and associations of hypertension and its control in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

      Panoulas, Vasileios F.; Douglas, Karen M. J.; Milionis, Haralampos J.; Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou, Antonios; Nightingale, Peter; Kita, Marina D.; Tselios, Andreas L.; Metsios, Giorgos S.; Elisaf, Moses S.; Kitas, George D. (Oxford University Press, 2007)
      OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associates with excessive cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Hypertension (HT) contributes significantly to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Little is known about the factors that influence blood pressure (BP) in patients with RA. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of HT in a secondary care cohort of RA patients, and aimed to identify factors associated with its presence and inadequate control. METHODS: A total of 400 consecutive RA patients were studied. HT was defined as systolic BP >/=140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP >/=90 mmHg or current use of antihypertensive drugs. The association of HT with several demographic and RA-related factors, comorbidities and drugs was evaluated using logistic regression. RESULTS: HT was present in 282 (70.5%) patients. Of those, 171 (60.6%) received anti-hypertensive therapy, but 111 (39.4%) remained undiagnosed. Of those treated, only 37/171 (21.8%) were optimally controlled. Multivariable logistic regression revealed age (OR = 1.054, CI: 1.02 to 1.07, P = 0.001), body mass index [BMI (OR = 1.06, CI: 1.003-1.121, P = 0.038)] and prednisolone use (OR = 2.39, CI: 1.02-5.6, P = 0.045) to be independently associated with the presence of HT. BMI (OR = 1.11, CI: 1.02-1.21, P = 0.002) and the presence of CVD (OR = 4.01, CI: 1.27-12.69, P = 0.018) associated with uncontrolled HT. CONCLUSIONS: HT is highly prevalent in RA, under-diagnosed particularly in the young, and under-treated particularly in old RA patients with CVD. RA patients receiving steroids should be specifically targeted for screening and treatment; those with any cardiovascular comorbidity may require particularly aggressive monitoring and treatment strategies.
    • Synopsis of an engineering solution for a painful problem: Phantom limb pain

      Mousavi, A; Cole, J; Kalganova, T; Stone, R; Zhang, J; Petiffer, S; Walker, R; Nikopoulou-Smyrni, P; Henderson Slater, D; Aggoun, Amar; et al. (SCITEPRESS, 2014)
      This paper is synopsis of a recently proposed solution for treating patients who suffer from Phantom Limb Pain (PLP). The underpinning approach of this research and development project is based on an extension of "mirror box" therapy which has had some promising results in pain reduction. An outline of an immersive individually tailored environment giving the patient a virtually realised limb presence, as a means to pain reduction is provided. The virtual 3D holographic environment is meant to produce immersive, engaging and creative environments and tasks to encourage and maintain patients' interest, an important aspect in two of the more challenging populations under consideration (over-60s and war veterans). The system is hoped to reduce PLP by more than 3 points on an 11 point Visual Analog Scale (VAS), when a score less than 3 could be attributed to distraction alone. Copyright © 2014 SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications. All rights reserved.
    • The search for the temporal grail? Reflections on notation, control and digital music representations

      Boehm, Carola (2007)
      This article examines notation, music representation and the representation of time. It builds on Boehm’s experience designing and implementing large-scale time-based information systems. In this article she focuses upon methodologies used for designing systems and data structures for time-based media. This submission looks specifically at issues around notation, control and the resulting requirements for digital representation of music and time-based information.