Preliminary findings of a randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation in treatment-resistant depression: a analysis on the role of co-occurring personality disorders.

Introduction: Despite the high hopes for the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of depression, between 30% and 60.5% of patients do not respond to stimulation. The factors contributing to non-response, especially those related to personality, remain insufficiently investigated.

'Slow down, one detail at the time!' the influence of reflective-impulsive cognitive style on the recollection of criminal events.

This study investigates the impact of the reflective-impulsive dimension of cognitive styles on recollection and the accuracy of a criminal events. In a VR-based experimental study, 150 participants were exposed to both criminal and neutral scenarios and subsequently asked to report everything they remembered about them. Cognitive styles were assessed using a computer-administered Matching Familiar Figures Test.

Z-Scheme BiVO/g-CN Photocatalyst-With or Without an Electron Mediator?

The hybrid system BiVO/g-CN is a prospective photocatalyst because of the favorable mutual alignment of the energy bands of both semiconductors. However, the path of the photocatalytic process is still unclear because of contradictory information in the literature on whether the mechanism of charge carrier separation at the BiVO/g-CN interface is band-to-band or Z-scheme. In this work, we clarified this issue by comparative photocatalytic studies with the use of systems without a mediator and with different kinds of mediators including Au nanoparticles, fullerene derivatives, and the Fe/Fe redox couple.

Evaluation of Intra- and Inter-Network Connectivity within Major Brain Networks in Drug-Resistant Depression Using rs-fMRI.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a significant challenge in modern medicine due to its unclear underlying causes. Brain network dysfunction is believed to play a key role in its pathophysiology. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), a neuroimaging technique, enables the in vivo assessment of functional connectivity (FC) between brain regions, offering insights into these network dysfunctions.

Exploring the associations between momentary cortisol levels and psychotic-like experiences in young adults: Results from a temporal network analysis of daily-life data.

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been implicated in the development of psychosis and subthreshold psychotic symptoms commonly referred to as psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The exact mechanisms linking the HPA axis responses with the emergence of PLEs remain unknown. The present study aimed to explore real-life associations between stress, negative affect, salivary cortisol levels (a proxy of the HPA axis activity) as well as PLEs together with their underlying cognitive biases (i.

Does social isolation predict the emergence of psychotic-like experiences? Results from the experience sampling method study.

Background: Several studies have shown that social isolation and loneliness are associated with the occurrence of psychotic experiences. However, dynamics of these phenomena in people with subclinical experiences, commonly referred to as psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), remains largely unknown. Therefore, in this study we performed a temporal network analysis to model dynamic predictions between social isolation, loneliness, negative affect, social stress, and PLEs.

How emotions shape memory? The moderating effect of healthy emotionality on eyewitness testimony.

The influence of emotions on memory is a significant topic in the psychology of eyewitness testimony. However, conflicting results have arisen, possibly due to varying approaches and methodologies across studies. These discrepancies might also arise from inadequate consideration of individual differences in emotionality.

Environmental pollution and extreme weather conditions: insights into the effect on mental health.

Environmental pollution exposures, including air, soil, water, light, and noise pollution, are critical issues that may implicate adverse mental health outcomes. Extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and droughts, may also cause long-term severe concerns. However, the knowledge about possible psychiatric disorders associated with these exposures is currently not well disseminated.

Retrospective analysis of negative cytology results correlated with a positive high-risk in the human papillomavirus result and subsequent results of patients over a period of three years.

This research paper evaluates the efficacy of co-testing in precluding cervical cancer, with a particular focus on distinguishable outcomes of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vs. cytology tests. A retrospective review of 5948 patients, who tested positive for high-risk HPV but showed negative cytologic findings, revealed that 15.

Distinctive Nucleic Acid Recognition by Lysine-Embedded Phenanthridine Peptides.

Three new phenanthridine peptide derivatives (, , and ) were synthesized to explore their potential as spectrophotometric probes for DNA and RNA. UV/Vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectra, mass spectroscopy, and computational analysis confirmed the presence of intramolecular interactions in all three compounds. Computational analysis revealed that compounds alternate between bent and open conformations, highlighting the latter's crucial influence on successful polynucleotide recognition.

Coping styles do not interact with the association between childhood trauma history and the immune-inflammatory phenotype of schizophrenia: Findings from a cross-sectional study.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a well-known risk factor of schizophrenia. Moreover, individuals with schizophrenia are likely to use maladaptive stress coping strategies. Although it has been reported that a history of ACEs might be associated with a pro-inflammatory phenotype in patients with schizophrenia, the interacting effect of coping styles on this association has not been tested so far.

Ultrafast photoluminescence and multiscale light amplification in nanoplasmonic cavity glass.

Interactions between plasmons and exciton nanoemitters in plexcitonic systems lead to fast and intense luminescence, desirable in optoelectonic devices, ultrafast optical switches and quantum information science. While luminescence enhancement through exciton-plasmon coupling has thus far been mostly demonstrated in micro- and nanoscale structures, analogous demonstrations in bulk materials have been largely neglected. Here we present a bulk nanocomposite glass doped with cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) and silver nanoparticles, nAg, which act as exciton and plasmon sources, respectively.

Life History Strategies of Male Criminal Offenders: Verifying Traditional Life History Patterns.

Life history (LH) strategies are results of trade-offs that species must make due to inhabiting certain ecological niches. Although it is assumed that, through the process of developmental plasticity, similar trade-offs are made by individuals in response to a certain level of harshness and unpredictability of their local environments, the study results on this matter are not consistent. In LH-oriented psychological research, such inconsistencies are often explained as a consequence of significant individual differences in phenotypical quality and owned resources, which make studying trade-offs difficult due to different costs and benefits of the same behaviors taken by different individuals.

Associations of gut microbiota alterations with clinical, metabolic, and immune-inflammatory characteristics of chronic schizophrenia.

The present study had the following aims: 1) to compare gut microbiota composition in patients with schizophrenia and controls and 2) to investigate the association of differentially abundant bacterial taxa with markers of inflammation, intestinal permeability, lipid metabolism, and glucose homeostasis as well as clinical manifestation. A total of 115 patients with schizophrenia during remission of positive and disorganization symptoms, and 119 controls were enrolled. Altogether, 32 peripheral blood markers were assessed.

Functionalization of Phosphate and Tellurite Glasses and Spherical Whispering Gallery Mode Microresonators.

Active whispering gallery mode resonators made as spherical microspheres doped with quantum dots or rare earth ions achieve high quality factors and are excellent candidates for biosensors capable of detecting biomolecules at low concentrations. However, to produce quantum dot-doped microspheres, new low melting temperature glasses are sought, which require surface functionalization and antibody immobilization for biosensor development. Here, we demonstrate the successful functionalization of three low melting point glasses and microspheres made of them.

Durability of SrTiO-TiO eutectic composite as a photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

The idea of employing sunlight - a virtually inexhaustible source of energy - to catalyze various chemical reactions or generate electrical current is intensively studied nowadays. Here, we describe a method for testing photoelectrochemical (PEC) stability developed using the example of photoanodes from an SrTiO-TiO eutectic composite. Eutectic composite stability measurements were carried out in long-term cycles: 0.

Assessment of interrelationships between cognitive performance, symptomatic manifestation and social functioning in the acute and clinical stability phase of schizophrenia: insights from a network analysis.

Background: It has been shown that various aspects of clinical manifestation of schizophrenia are strongly related to social functioning. However, it remains unknown as to whether similar factors predict social functioning at various stages of psychosis. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the effects of interconnections between various domains of psychopathology and neurocognition on social functioning in people during acute phase of psychosis and those during remission of positive and disorganization symptoms using a network analysis.

Understanding pathways from narcissistic grandiosity to psychotic-like experiences: Insights from the network analysis.

It has been shown that narcissistic grandiosity and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) may share the common psychological mechanisms, including impairments of metacognition, social cognition, cognitive biases, emotion regulation through fantasizing and dissociation. However, it remains unknown as to whether these mechanisms are associated with the occurrence of PLEs in people with narcissistic grandiosity. Therefore, in the present study, we approached a network analysis in order to investigate pathways from narcissistic grandiosity to PLEs taking into consideration the mediating effect of common psychological mechanisms.

Surgical treatment methods in the course of psychiatric disorders: Deep brain stimulation-Novel insights and indications.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a relatively dated treatment procedure that emerged in the late 1980s. Nonetheless, numerous studies are being carried out to examine its influence on the human brain and develop new treatment indications. This systematic review aims to summarize the current state of knowledge referring to DBS, investigate novel insights into its indications, and discuss the technical aspects and rationale behind DBS application.

It is not real until it feels real: Testing a new method for simulation of eyewitness experience with virtual reality technology and equipment.

Laboratory research in the psychology of witness testimony is often criticized for its lack of ecological validity, including the use of unrealistic artificial stimuli to test memory performance. The purpose of our study is to present a method that can provide an intermediary between laboratory research and field studies or naturalistic experiments that are difficult to control and administer. It uses Video-360° technology and virtual reality (VR) equipment, which cuts subjects off from external stimuli and gives them control over the visual field.

Profiling gut microbiota signatures associated with the deficit subtype of schizophrenia: Findings from a case-control study.

Background: Previous studies have reported a variety of gut microbiota alterations in patients with schizophrenia. However, none of these studies has investigated gut microbiota in patients with the deficit subtype of schizophrenia (D-SCZ) that can be characterized by primary and enduring negative symptoms. Therefore, in this study we aimed to profile gut microbiota of individuals with D-SCZ, compared to those with non-deficit schizophrenia (ND-SCZ) and healthy controls (HCs).

Gut microbiota alterations in schizophrenia might be related to stress exposure: Findings from the machine learning analysis.

Specific mechanisms underlying gut microbiota alterations in schizophrenia remain unknown. We aimed to compare gut microbiota between patients with schizophrenia and controls, taking into consideration exposure stress across lifespan, dietary habits, metabolic parameters and clinical manifestation. A total of 142 participants, including 89 patients with schizophrenia and 52 controls, were recruited.

The deficit subtype of schizophrenia is associated with a pro-inflammatory phenotype but not with altered levels of zonulin: Findings from a case-control study.

There is evidence that subclinical inflammation and increased gut permeability might be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Less is known about these phenomena in patients with the deficit subtype of schizophrenia (D-SCZ) characterized by primary and enduring negative symptoms. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to compare the levels of zonulin (the marker of gut permeability) and immune-inflammatory markers in patients with D-SCZ, those with non-deficit schizophrenia (ND-SCZ) and healthy controls (HCs).