Schneiderian First Rank Symptoms Significantly Predict a Dissociative Disorder Diagnosis in Psychiatric In-Patients.

Previous empirical studies on the relationship between psychotic symptoms and dissociative disorders focused on auditory hallucinations only or employed limited statistical analyses. We investigated whether the frequency of Schneiderian first rank symptoms (FRS) predicts the presence or absence of a dissociative disorder (DD). Psychiatric in-patients ( = 116) completed measures of dissociation, FRS and general psychological distress (GPD).

Effects of a 6-month exercise programme on disease activity, physical and functional parameters in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: Randomised controlled trial.

Background: Exercise forms an important component in the management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The objective of our study was to determine the effects of a 6-month swimming, land-based stretching, strengthening and breathing exercise intervention in AS patients.

Methods/design: A total of 29 (14 females, 15 males) patients diagnosed with AS according to the Modified New York Criteria participated in our study.

Discerning undifferentiated anxiety from syndromal anxiety in acute-phase schizophrenia.

Background: Literature on anxiety in schizophrenia is confined to well-established diagnostic syndromes and the diagnostic category of unspecified anxiety disorder has not been quantitatively verified in this population. This study examined whether anxiety that is not differentiated into the well-established syndromes is empirically discernible from syndromal anxiety and no anxiety in acute-phase schizophrenia.

Methods: After sampling 111 acute-phase schizophrenia patients, they were stratified into three groups: syndromal anxiety; undifferentiated anxiety; and without anxiety disorder.

Psychological Resilience and Vulnerability as Mediators Between Adverse Life Events and Fatigue, Motor Dysfunction, and Paresthesia in Multiple Sclerosis.

Objective: Adverse life events have been associated with exacerbating multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, but results have been variable, raising the question on the role of other psychological factors. This study examined the role of psychological resilience and vulnerability as mediators between adverse life events on MS symptoms.

Methods: Participants with MS (N = 1239) were aged 18 to 81 years (mean [SD] = 45.

The Injury and Illness Profile of Male and Female Participants in a 94.7 km Cycle Race: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: To describe the incidence and patterns of injury and illness of male and female participants during a 94.7 km distance cycling event.

Design: Descriptive study.

Catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses on racetracks in Gauteng, South Africa.

The incidence and types of catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbreds that resulted in euthanasia on selected racetracks in South Africa between 1998 and 2012 were investigated by an observational retrospective investigation. Data from the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa for these racetracks were used to calculate incidence rates in Thoroughbreds (n = 114) that sustained catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries during racing that required immediate euthanasia, based on the diagnosis made by the on-site veterinarian as well as on fetlock radiographs and dissections of 53 cadaver limbs of horses that sustained a catastrophic musculoskeletal injury. The proximal sesamoid bones and the distal suspensory ligament were involved in 55.

Longitudinal neuropsychological outcomes in treatment-resistant depression following bed nucleus of the stria terminalis-area deep brain stimulation: a case review.

Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment modality for psychiatric conditions. We present a case reviewing the longitudinal neuropsychological performance outcomes following bed nucleus of the stria terminalis-area (BNST) DBS in a patient with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The cognitive safety of DBS is well documented for various targets, however cognitive outcomes of BNST-area DBS have not been extensively reported for patients with TRD.

Effect of Mixed Basic Military Training on the Physical Fitness of Male and Female Soldiers.

Introduction: Mixed gender basic military training (BMT) is adopted to integrate the female South African soldier into the military. This study aimed to assess gender differences before, during (12 weeks), and after a 20-week mixed BMT course and determine if BMT significantly reduced these differences.

Methods: A total of 186 soldiers (114 male: mean age = 21.

Predicting a dissociative disorder from type of childhood maltreatment and abuser-abused relational tie.

We investigate the types of childhood maltreatment and abuser-abused relational ties that best predict a dissociative disorder (DD). Psychiatric inpatients (n = 116; mean age = 35; F:M = 1.28:1) completed measures of dissociation and trauma.

The functioning and behaviour of biological parents of children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, attending the outpatient department at Weskoppies Hospital, Pretoria.

Background: ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is gradually being acknowledged as a functionally impairing disorder across the lifespan, underscored by heritability. Nonetheless, lack of ADHD (adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) data from South Africa is alarming which could be due to either the unawareness of ADHD symptoms or underutilisation of available screening measures. Undiagnosed ADHD may influence family- and working lives unpleasantly.

The effectiveness of a range of sports bras in reducing breast displacement during treadmill running and two-step star jumping.

Background: The primary aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a range of sports bras in reducing multi-planar breast displacement during treadmill running and a two-step star jump. A secondary aim was to assess the relationship between perceptual bra comfort, bra fit and breast pain and measured breast displacement.

Methods: Seventeen females (mean age 22 years, range 18-31 years) with bra cup sizes B to C volunteered to take part in the study.

Ultra-Marathon Athletes at Risk for the Female Athlete Triad.

Background: Worldwide female participation in ultra-endurance events may place them at risk for the female athlete triad (FAT). The study objectives were to establish triad knowledge, occurrence of disordered eating and triad risk amongst participants of the 2014 89-km Comrades Marathon event.

Methods: A survey utilising the Low Energy Availability in Females questionnaire (LEAF-Q) and Female Athlete Screening Tool (FAST) questionnaire was conducted on female participants in order to determine the risk.

A comparison between heart rate and heart rate variability as indicators of cardiac health and fitness.

Quantification of cardiac autonomic activity and control via heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) is known to provide prognostic information in clinical populations. Issues with regard to standardization and interpretation of HRV data make the use of the more easily accessible HR on its own as an indicator of autonomic cardiac control very appealing. The aim of this study was to investigate the strength of associations between an important cardio vascular health metric such as VO2max and the following: HR, HRV indicators, and HR normalized HRV indicators.

The Difference Between Exercise-Induced Autonomic and Fitness Changes Measured After 12 and 20 Weeks of Medium-to-High Intensity Military Training.

Grant, CC, Mongwe, L, Janse van Rensburg, DC, Fletcher, L, Wood, PS, Terblanche, E, and du Toit, PJ. The difference between exercise-induced autonomic and fitness changes measured after 12 and 20 weeks of medium-to-high intensity military training. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2453-2459, 2016-The aim of this study was to compare the physical fitness, based on VO2max and exercise-induced cardiac autonomic changes, measured by heart rate variability (HRV) of 12 weeks with 20 weeks of training in the South African National Defence Force.

Dissociative mental states are canonically associated with decreased temporal theta activity on spectral analysis of EEG.

Quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) changes relating to dissociative experiences have only rarely been demonstrated, and dissociative states were not quantified in those studies. The aim of this study was to explore concurrent associations between quantified dissociative states and QEEG spectral parameters, in particular theta activity, in psychiatric patients. Fifty psychiatric patients completed the State Scale of Dissociation (SSD) immediately after a 15-min EEG recording.

Feasibility for mapping cartilage t1 relaxation times in the distal metacarpus3/metatarsus3 of thoroughbred racehorses using delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC): normal cadaver study.

Osteoarthritis of the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joints is one of the major causes of poor performance in horses. Delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) may be a useful technique for noninvasively quantifying articular cartilage damage in horses. The purpose of this study was to describe dGEMRIC characteristics of the distal metacarpus3/metatarsus3 (Mc3/Mt3) articular cartilage in 20 cadaver specimens collected from normal Thoroughbred horses.

Validation of delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage and T2 mapping for quantifying distal metacarpus/metatarsus cartilage thickness in Thoroughbred racehorses.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether delayed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) and T2 mapping are accurate techniques for measuring cartilage thickness in the metacarpus3/metatarsus3 (Mc3/Mt3) of Thoroughbred racehorses. Twenty-four Mc3/Mt3 cadaver specimens were acquired from six healthy racehorses. Cartilage thickness was measured from postintra-articular Gd-DTPA(2-) images acquired using short tau inversion recovery (STIR), and proton density weighted (PDw) sequences, and compared with cartilage thickness measured from corresponding histologic images.

Autonomic impairment in rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim: To determine if there is a difference between autonomic cardiac control as measured by heart rate variability (HRV) in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to a healthy control group.

Methods: The RA group (45) and control group (39) were matched for age and body mass index (BMI). Three techniques were used: time domain, frequency domain and Poincarè plot analysis.

Effect of exercise on cardiac autonomic function in females with rheumatoid arthritis.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of exercise on cardiac autonomic function as measured by short-term heart rate variability (HRV) in females suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Females with confirmed RA were randomly assigned to an exercise group (RAE) and a sedentary group (RAC). RAE was required to train under supervision two to three times per week, for 3 months.