Persistence or recurrence of non-psychotic comorbid mental disorders associated with 6-year poor functional outcomes in patients at ultra high risk for psychosis.

Background: Patients at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) are a highly heterogeneous group in terms of clinical and functional outcomes. Several non-psychotic mental disorders co-occur together with the UHR state. Little is known about the impact of non-psychotic comorbid mental disorders on clinical and functional outcomes of UHR patients.

Influence of ABCB1 and ABCG2 polymorphisms on the antiemetic efficacy in patients with cancer receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy: a TRIPLE pharmacogenomics study.

Resistance to antiemetic treatment with 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist is an issue. This study evaluated the potential roles of ABCB1 and ABCG2 polymorphisms in antiemetic treatment resistance in patients with cancer previously enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. A total of 156 patients were evaluated for their responses to antiemetic therapy and then subdivided into granisetron or palonosetron groups.

Altered neuronal spontaneous activity correlates with glutamate concentration in medial prefrontal cortex of major depressed females: An fMRI-MRS study.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is twice more prevalent in females than in males. Yet, there have only been a few studies on the functional brain activity in female MDD patients and the detailed mechanisms underlying their neurobiology merit further investigations. In the present work, we used combined fMRI-MRS methods to investigate the altered intrinsic neuronal activity and its association with neurotransmitter concentration in female MDD patients.

Contrasting cardiovascular mortality trends in Eastern Mediterranean populations: Contributions from risk factor changes and treatments.

Background: Middle income countries are facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases, especially coronary heart disease (CHD). We used a validated CHD mortality model (IMPACT) to explain recent trends in Tunisia, Syria, the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and Turkey.

Methods: Data on populations, mortality, patient numbers, treatments and risk factor trends from national and local surveys in each country were collated over two time points (1995-97; 2006-09); integrated and analysed using the IMPACT model.

Failed efficacy of ziprasidone in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic anxiety disorder that is often difficult to treat. Patients suffering from PTSD often fail to respond to antidepressants and may have a high incidence of positive symptoms of psychosis, though antipsychotic medications have been minimally studied in this population. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the atypical antipsychotic ziprasidone (Geodon) on PTSD symptom clusters, as well as comorbid major depressive disorder.

Comparison of Body, Auricular, and Abdominal Acupuncture Treatments for Insomnia Differentiated as Internal Harassment of Phlegm-Heat Syndrome: An Orthogonal Design.

Objective. To identify the optimum treatment protocol for insomnia among auricular, body, and abdominal needling methods. Methods.

The essence of the Japan Radiological Society/Japanese College of Radiology Imaging Guideline.

Diagnostic imaging is undoubtedly important in modern medicine, and final clinical decisions are often made based on it. Fortunately, Japan has the highest numbers of diagnostic imaging instruments, such as CT and MRI devices, and boasts easy access to them as well as a high level of diagnostic accuracy. In consequence, a very large number of imaging examinations are performed, but diagnostic instruments are installed in so many medical facilities that expert management of these examinations tends to be insufficient.

Development of waist circumference percentiles for Japanese children and an examination of their screening utility for childhood metabolic syndrome: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: In Japan, waist circumference (WC) percentiles to screen for childhood metabolic syndrome (MetS) are unavailable. The objectives of this study were to develop WC and WC-to-height ratio (WC/Ht) percentile curves by age and sex for Japanese children, and to test their utility in screening for MetS in children with obesity who are otherwise healthy.

Methods: The WC and WC/Ht percentiles were developed using the LMS method of summarizing growth standards, which monitors changing skewness (L), medians (M), and coefficients of variation (S) in childhood distributions.

Comparison of Site-Based Versus Central Ratings in a Study of Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Lack of standardization across sites and raters, poor interrater reliability, and possible scoring bias affecting the primary outcome measure contribute to a high failure rate in anxiety trials. Remote centralized raters who are blinded to protocol inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as visit number may standardize assessments across raters and eliminate scoring bias, decreasing placebo response and thereby increasing signal detection. The purpose of the primary study was to test the safety and efficacy of an anxiolytic in a double-blind, placebo-controlled (no active comparator), multicenter trial.

Integrated molecular analysis of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a peripheral T cell neoplasm of largely unknown genetic basis, associated with human T cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infection. Here we describe an integrated molecular study in which we performed whole-genome, exome, transcriptome and targeted resequencing, as well as array-based copy number and methylation analyses, in a total of 426 ATL cases. The identified alterations overlap significantly with the HTLV-1 Tax interactome and are highly enriched for T cell receptor-NF-κB signaling, T cell trafficking and other T cell-related pathways as well as immunosurveillance.

The Efficacy of Neurofeedback in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: An Open Labeled Prospective Study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of neurofeedback on depressive symptoms and electrophysiological disturbances in patients with major depressive disorder. We recruited participants suffering from depression to evaluate efficacy of left prefrontal beta with alpha/theta training. An 8-week, prospective, open-label study was undertaken.

Influence of anxiety symptoms on improvement of neurocognitive functions in patients with major depressive disorder: A 12-week, multicenter, randomized trial of tianeptine versus escitalopram, the CAMPION study.

Background: Previous research has reported evidence that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) show anxiety symptoms and neurocognitive impairments. However, the influence of anxiety on neurocognitive function in MDD patients during antidepressant treatment is unclear.

Method: MDD patients (n=164) completed a 12-week, multicenter, randomized trial assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either tianeptine or escitalopram.

Suggestibility as a predictor of response to antidepressants: A preliminary prospective trial.

Background: The growing awareness that so many do not respond adequately to antidepressant (AD) pharmacotherapy has sparked research seeking to characterize those who do. While the pharmacological mechanisms of AD treatment have been extensively evaluated, much remains unknown about the placebo component of the response to medication. This study examined the association between suggestibility levels and response to ADs amongst depressed patients.

Visible light crosslinking of methacrylated hyaluronan hydrogels for injectable tissue repair.

Tissue engineering hydrogels are primarily cured in situ using ultraviolet (UV) radiation which limits the use of hydrogels as drug or cell carriers. Visible green light activated crosslinking systems are presented as a safe alternative to UV photocrosslinked hydrogels, without compromising material properties such as viscosity and stiffness. The objective of this study was to fabricate and characterize photocrosslinked hydrogels with well-regulated gelation kinetics and mechanical properties for the repair or replacement of soft tissue.

An Open-Label Trial of Memantine for Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Background. Studies using standard neuropsychological instruments have demonstrated memory deficits in patients with PTSD. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist memantine in veterans with PTSD and cognitive impairment.

Comparison of striatal dopamine transporter levels in chronic heroin-dependent and methamphetamine-dependent subjects.

To compare the effects of heroin and methamphetamine (METH) addiction on dopamine transporters (DATs) in the same dose and duration, we assessed DAT levels in the striatum by Tc-TRODAT-1 single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain images in people with heroin and METH dependence. We recruited 21 healthy human controls, 23 heroin-dependent subjects and 25 METH abusers. The heroin- and METH-dependent subjects exhibited negative urine toxicology after undergoing physiological detoxification.

World Workshop on Oral Medicine VI: Controversies regarding dental management of medically complex patients: assessment of current recommendations.

Objectives: Current recommendations for safe and effective dental management are less than optimal for some medical conditions because of limited evidence, conflicting conclusions, or both. This review (1) compiled and evaluated dental management recommendations for select medical conditions; (2) summarized recommendations and their assigned levels of evidence; (3) identified areas of conflict, ambiguity, or both; and (4) identified issues that warrant future research, enhanced consensus statements, or both.

Study Design: Systematic literature searches were performed for guideline publications, systematic and narrative reviews, and opinion documents containing recommendations for (1) medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ); (2) cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); (3) prosthetic joints (PJs); and (4) systemic steroid therapy (SST).

Vortioxetine, a multimodal antidepressant for generalized anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vortioxetine has a beneficial pharmacological profile for reducing anxiety and depression. Recently, a number of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of vortioxetine have been conducted in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); however, the results from GAD RCTs are inconsistent. With an extensive search of databases and clinical trial registries, four published short-term RCTs were identified and included in the present meta-analysis.

Longterm Safety and Efficacy of Subcutaneous Tocilizumab Monotherapy: Results from the 2-year Open-label Extension of the MUSASHI Study.

Objective: To evaluate the longterm safety and efficacy of subcutaneous tocilizumab (TCZ-SC) as monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Of 346 patients who received 24 weeks of double-blind treatment with either TCZ-SC monotherapy, 162 mg every 2 weeks (q2w); or intravenous TCZ (TCZ-IV) monotherapy, 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks; 319 patients continued to receive TCZ-SC q2w in the 84-week open-label extension (OLE) of the MUSASHI study (JAPICCTI-101117). Efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity were evaluated for all patients treated with TCZ during 108 weeks.

Predicting joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis with power Doppler, anti-citrullinated peptide antibody, and joint swelling.

Objective: To determine combined evaluation of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) and power Doppler (PD) signals, anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA), and other clinical findings improve the prediction of joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 331 RA patients (female n = 280 and male n = 51, mean age: 57.9 ± 13.

Analysis of hair cortisol level in first-episodic and recurrent female patients with depression compared to healthy controls.

Background: Although accumulating evidence has shown increased cortisol levels in serum, saliva, or 24-h urine samples in depression, a number of studies did not find the association between cortisol levels and depression. Hair cortisol levels reflect long-term and historical information of cortisol and hair cortisol analysis has been applied in the research of psychiatric diseases. The aim of this study is to compare the hair cortisol levels between patients with depression and healthy controls.

Structural changes in the CNS of patients with hemifacial spasm.

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a peripheral nerve disorder which impacts the living quality of patients both psychologically and physically. Whether HFS has structural changes under these specific stressors including psychological and physiological conditions in the CNS remains largely unknown. In the current study, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to evaluate changes in gray matter (GM) by using T1-weighted imaging in 25 HFS patients and 25 demographically similar healthy volunteers.