Simplified Fabrication for Ion-Selective Optical Emulsion Sensor with Hydrophobic Solvatochromic Dye Transducer: A Cautionary Tale.

It has recently been reported that polystyrene microbeads may be modified to realize plasticizer-free ion-selective optical sensors (optodes) on the basis of solvatochromic dye transducers. We show here that the functionalized microbeads, individually isolated by flow cytometry, exhibit unexpectedly poor fluorescent properties and that the sensor response is instead attributed to the supernatant. A more thorough study reveals that such optical microemulsion sensors can be made operationally functional and chemically selective, seemingly in the absence of any solvent matrix or added surfactant.

A sib-pair study of the Temperament and Character Inventory scales in major depression.

Background: Certain aspects of the personality may be associated with the vulnerability to develop depression. A sib-pair method has been used to examine the familiality of the 7 scales of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and whether this could be related to the genetic vulnerability to develop depression.

Methods: Probands with depression and their nearest-aged siblings from Wales were compared with healthy control probands and their nearest-aged siblings on the TCI and measures of depressed mood.

Neuroticism, extraversion, life events and depression. The Cardiff Depression Study.

Background: Certain personality traits may mediate the relationship between familiality and adversity in causing depression.

Aims: To examine whether the neuroticism and extraversion scales of the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) represent enduring traits underlying the vulnerability to respond to adversity by developing depressive episodes.

Method: A total of 108 subjects with depression and their siblings were compared with 105 healthy control subjects and their siblings.