[De Clérambault's syndrome and transgressive behavior in the consulting room, a cross-sectional study among caregivers].

Background: De Clérambault’s syndrome (SC), a delusion that another person is in love with the patient, is associated with stalking and other dangerous behaviors. There are suspicions that caregivers are at increased risk of being victims of these behaviors in patients with SC, but little is known about them.

Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted among psychiatric and somatic caregivers to examine the occurrence and consequences of the behavior of patients with SC.

Estimating Density Dependence, Environmental Variance, and Long-Term Selection on a Stage-Structured Life History.

AbstractA method for analyzing long-term demographic data on density-dependent stage-structured populations in a stochastic environment is derived to facilitate comparison of populations and species with different life histories. We assume that a weighted sum of stage abundances, , exerts density dependence on stage-specific vital rates of survival and reproduction and that has a small or moderate coefficient of variation. The dynamics of are approximated as a univariate stochastic process governed by three key parameters: the density-independent growth rate, the net density dependence, and environmental variance in the life history.

CXCL4-RNA Complexes Circulate in Systemic Sclerosis and Amplify Inflammatory/Pro-Fibrotic Responses by Myeloid Dendritic Cells.

CXCL4 is an important biomarker of systemic sclerosis (SSc), an incurable autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy and skin/internal organs fibrosis. CXCL4 contributes to the type I interferon (IFN-I) signature, typical of at least half of SSc patients, and its presence is linked to an unfavorable prognosis. The mechanism implicated is CXCL4 binding to self-DNA, with the formation of complexes amplifying TLR9 stimulation in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs).

Heparin-Independent and Heparin-Dependent Anti-CXCL4 Antibodies Have a Reciprocal Expression in a Systemic Sclerosis Patients' Cohort.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic disease characterized by skin/internal organ fibrosis, vasculopathy and autoimmunity. Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 4 (CXCL4) is an early SSc biomarker that predicts worse disease outcome. We previously reported that CXCL4 is an autoantigen in SSc, and anti-CXCL4 antibodies correlated with IFN-I and were more abundant in patients with lung fibrosis.

New Autoantibody Specificities in Systemic Sclerosis and Very Early Systemic Sclerosis.

Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 4 (CXCL4) is a biomarker of unfavorable prognosis in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), a potentially severe autoimmune condition, characterized by vasculitis, fibrosis and interferon (IFN)-I-signature. We recently reported that autoantibodies to CXCL4 circulate in SSc patients and correlate with IFN-α. Here, we used shorter versions of CXCL4 and CXCL4-L1, the CXCL4 non-allelic variant, to search for autoantibodies exclusively reacting to one or the other CXCL4 form.

Complementary Effects of Carbamylated and Citrullinated LL37 in Autoimmunity and Inflammation in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

LL37 acts as T-cell/B-cell autoantigen in Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriatic disease. Moreover, when bound to "self" nucleic acids, LL37 acts as "danger signal," leading to type I interferon (IFN-I)/pro-inflammatory factors production. T-cell epitopes derived from citrullinated-LL37 act as better antigens than unmodified LL37 epitopes in SLE, at least in selected HLA-backgrounds, included the SLE-associated HLA-DRB1*1501/HLA-DRB5*0101 backgrounds.

American Civil War medical practice, the post-bellum opium crisis and modern comparisons.

The American Civil War resulted in massive numbers of injured and ill soldiers. Throughout the conflict, medical doctors relied on opium to treat these conditions, giving rise to claims that the injudicious use of the narcotic caused America's post-bellum opium crisis. Similar claims of medical misuse of opioids are now made as America confronts the modern narcotic crisis.

Anti-CXCL4 Antibody Reactivity Is Present in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and Correlates with the SSc Type I Interferon Signature.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by skin/internal organ fibrosis, vasculopathy and autoimmunity. Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 4 (CXCL4) is an SSc biomarker, predicting unfavorable prognosis and lung fibrosis. CXCL4 binds DNA/RNA and favors interferon (IFN)-α production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), contributing to the type I IFN (IFN-I) signature in SSc patients.

Generation of Monoclonal Antibodies Specific for Native LL37 and Citrullinated LL37 That Discriminate the Two LL37 Forms in the Skin and Circulation of Cutaneous/Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Human cathelicidin LL37 is a cationic antimicrobial peptide active against bacteria and viruses and exerting immune modulatory functions. LL37 can be also a target of autoreactive B- and T-lymphocytes in autoimmune settings. Irreversible post-translational modifications, such as citrullination and carbamylation, mainly occurring at the level of cationic amino acids arginine and lysine, can affect the inflammatory properties and reduce antibacterial effects.

Native/citrullinated LL37-specific T-cells help autoantibody production in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

LL37 exerts a dual pathogenic role in psoriasis. Bound to self-DNA/RNA, LL37 licenses autoreactivity by stimulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells-(pDCs)-Type I interferon (IFN-I) and acts as autoantigen for pathogenic Th17-cells. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), LL37 also triggers IFN-I in pDCs and is target of pathogenic autoantibodies.

Toll-like receptors in mediating pathogenesis in systemic sclerosis.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are evolutionarily conserved receptors essential for the host defence against pathogens. Both immune and non-immune cells can express TLRs, although at different levels. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic disease in which autoimmunity, dysregulated profibrotic mediator release and activation of fibroblasts lead to dysregulated collagen deposition and fibrosis.

Nutraceutical Augmentation Strategies for Depression: A Narrative Review.

Context: Depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorders, but antidepressant pharmacotherapy often fails to achieve remission, leading health care professionals and researchers to consider various augmentation strategies to improve clinical outcomes.

Objective: To assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of nutraceutical augmentation for depression.

Methods: Nutraceutical-focused systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines identified the more commonly studied augmentation strategies for depression.

Evolution of sexual cooperation from sexual conflict.

In many species that form pair bonds, males display to their mate after pair formation. These displays elevate the female's investment into the brood. This is a form of cooperation because without the display, female investment is reduced to levels that are suboptimal for both sexes.

Developmental integration and evolution of labile plasticity in a complex quantitative character in a multiperiodic environment.

Labile plasticity in a complex quantitative character is modeled, with multiple components contributing to net plasticity in the character. Each component has a specific development rate, norm of reaction, and cost of plasticity. For example, thermal adaptation in mammals includes seasonal fat deposition and fur growth, short-term shivering and sweating or panting, and movement between warm and cold sites.

Predictors for basal ganglia viability after mechanical thrombectomy in proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Background/purpose: In acute proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion covering the lenticulostriate arteries (LSA), ischemic tolerance of basal ganglia is limited due to supposed lack of collateral supply. However, in several patients, basal ganglia (BG) infarction was absent after successful mechanical thrombectomy (MTE). Purpose of our study was to evaluate predictors for BG viability in stroke patients despite prolonged MCA mainstem occlusion.

CXCL4 assembles DNA into liquid crystalline complexes to amplify TLR9-mediated interferon-α production in systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis and vasculopathy. CXCL4 represents an early serum biomarker of severe SSc and likely contributes to inflammation via chemokine signaling pathways, but the exact role of CXCL4 in SSc pathogenesis is unclear. Here, we elucidate an unanticipated mechanism for CXCL4-mediated immune amplification in SSc, in which CXCL4 organizes "self" and microbial DNA into liquid crystalline immune complexes that amplify TLR9-mediated plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC)-hyperactivation and interferon-α production.

CD3+CD4+LAP+Foxp3-Regulatory Cells of the Colonic Lamina Propria Limit Disease Extension in Ulcerative Colitis.

In ulcerative colitis (UC), inflammation begins in the rectum and can extend proximally throughout the entire colon. The extension of inflammation is an important determinant of disease course, and may be limited by the action of regulatory T cells (Tregs). In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the relationship between UC extension and the proportions of CD3+CD4+Foxp3+ and CD3+CD4+LAP+Foxp3-Tregs in the colonic lamina propria (LP) of 79 UC patients and 29 controls.

Mating systems and avoidance of inbreeding depression as evolutionary drivers of pollen limitation in animal-pollinated self-compatible plants.

Background And Aims: Most theory addressing the evolution of pollen limitation in flowering plants focuses on stochasticity in the relative abundance of plant and pollinator populations affecting trade-offs in resource allocation to ovule production or pollinator attraction vs. seed maturation. Mating system evolution is an underappreciated but potentially widespread additional mechanism for the evolutionary emergence of pollen limitation in animal-pollinated self-compatible plants.

Anti-LL37 Antibodies Are Present in Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) Patients: New Biomarkers in PsA.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis. A third of psoriatic patients develop PsA unknown mechanisms. No reliable diagnostic markers are available for PsA, or prognostic biomarkers for PsA development in psoriasis.

Adaptive behavior impaired in children with low-grade glioma.

Background: Adaptive behavior, i.e., the performance on daily activities required for personal and social independence, is essential to estimate in children with low-grade glioma (LGG) since most of them are long-term survivors.

Netting Neutrophils Activate Autoreactive B Cells in Lupus.

Lupus erythematosus (LE) patients develop autoantibodies that form circulating immune complexes (ICs) with extracellular self-nucleic acids. These ICs are deposited into peripheral tissues, where they trigger detrimental organ inflammation. Recent evidence suggests that ICs contain LL37-DNA complexes derived from neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and that LE patients develop pathogenic autoantibodies against these structures, including Abs to LL37.

Mechanical thrombectomy in MCA-mainstem occlusion in patients with low NIHSS scores.

Introduction While effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy (MTE) in M1 segment occlusion is approved for patients with severe impairment, there is a lack of evidence for a potential benefit of MTE in patients with minor to moderate symptoms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate neurological outcome and occurrence of periprocedural complications after MTE in patients with low National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis of 1081 consecutive patients with anterior circulation ischemic stroke due to M1 occlusion detected by computed tomography angiography and treated with MTE at our hospital between February 2012 and November 2017 was performed.

Prospective Study of Brain Wave Changes Associated With Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation.

Objective: To explore brain wave changes associated with cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) among subjects receiving psychiatric care.

Methods: Quantitative electroencephalogram data were obtained before and after a 20-minute session of CES. The investigators recruited active-duty military subjects from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Psychiatry Continuity Service, Bethesda, Maryland.

Alcohol Biomarkers Associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army/Navy/Air Force or the Department of Defense The identification of specific products or scientific instrumentation does not constitute an endorsement or implied endorsement on the part of the authors, DoD, or any component agency. While we generally excise references to products, companies, manufacturers, organizations, etc. in government produced works, the abstracts produced and other similarly situated researchers presents a special circumstance when such product inclusions become an integral part of the scientific endeavor.