Interacting Roles of COMT and GAD1 Genes in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: a Genetic Association Study of Schizophrenia Patients and Healthy Controls.

The projection from dopaminergic neurons to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons in the prefrontal cortex is involved in the etiology of schizophrenia. The impact of interacting effects between dopamine signals and the expression of GABA on the clinical phenotypes of schizophrenia has not been studied. Since these interactions could be closely involved in prefrontal cortex functions, patients with specific alleles of these relevant molecules (which lead to lower or vulnerable genetic functions) may develop treatment-refractory symptoms.

Genetic risks of schizophrenia identified in a matched case-control study.

It has been suggested that dopaminergic neurotransmission plays important roles for the psychotic symptoms and probably etiology of schizophrenia. In our recent preliminary study, we demonstrated that the specific allele combinations of dopamine-related functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs10770141, rs4680, and rs1800497 could indicate risks for schizophrenia. The present validation study involved a total of 2542 individuals who were age- and sex-matched in a propensity score matching analysis, and the results supported the statistical significances of the proposed genetic risks described in our previous reports.

Stigma in mental illness: Perspective from eight Asian nations.

Background: Stigma against those who suffer from mental illness is a major issue in many nations. Stigma, which is comprised of prejudice, ignorance, and discrimination, serves as a barrier to seeking help and staying in contact with mental health services. It is thus imperative that concerted efforts are taken against stigma.

Vulnerable combinations of functional dopaminergic polymorphisms to late-onset treatment resistant schizophrenia.

Background: A significant portion of patients with schizophrenia who respond to initial antipsychotic treatment acquire treatment resistance. One of the possible pathogeneses of treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is antipsychotic-induced dopamine supersensitivity psychosis (Ai-DSP). Patients with this disease progression might share some genetic vulnerabilities, and thus determining individuals with higher risks of developing Ai-DSP could contribute to preventing iatrogenic development of TRS.

Alterations in glutamatergic signaling in the brain of dopamine supersensitivity psychosis and non-supersensitivity psychosis model rats.

Background: The long-term administration of antipsychotics is known to induce dopamine supersensitivity psychosis (DSP). Although the mechanism of DSP involves mainly a compensatory upregulation of dopamine D2 receptors, the precise mechanisms underlying DSP are unknown. It is known that glutamatergic signaling plays a key role in psychosis.

A crucial role for CDC42 in senescence-associated inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Risk factors for atherosclerosis accelerate the senescence of vascular endothelial cells and promote atherogenesis by inducing vascular inflammation. A hallmark of endothelial senescence is the persistent up-regulation of pro-inflammatory genes. We identified CDC42 signaling as a mediator of chronic inflammation associated with endothelial senescence.

Viral pathogens associated with acute respiratory infections in central vietnamese children.

Hospitalized Vietnamese children with acute respiratory infection were investigated for 13 viral pathogens using multiplex-polymerase chain reaction. We enrolled 958 children of whom 659 (69%) had documented viral infection: rhinovirus (28%), respiratory syncytial virus (23%), influenza virus (15%), adenovirus (5%), human metapneumo virus (4.5%), parainfluenza virus (5%), and bocavirus (2%).

Catalytic cyclization of o-alkynylbenzaldehyde acetals and thioacetals. Unprecedented activation of the platinum catalyst by olefins. Scope and mechanism of the reaction.

A general protocol for the synthesis of functionalized indenes from o-alkynylbenzaldehyde acetals and thioacetals has been elaborated. Acetals uniformly give cyclization products having the alkyl group from the starting acetylene migrated to the alpha-position, whereas the cyclization of the corresponding thioacetals proceeds without alkyl migration. Optimization of the catalytic system for the cyclization of o-alkynylbenzaldehyde acetals revealed an unknown activation effect: PtCl(2) was found to be a better catalyst for the cyclization of acetals in the presence of olefins than without.