Associations between paraoxonase-1 activity and therapeutic drug monitoring indicators in schizophrenia patients treated with olanzapine: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) indicators have been suggested to predict overall outcome responses to olanzapine (OLZ) treatments in terms of efficacy and metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to investigate whether paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity can be used to predict schizophrenia patient outcomes.

Methods: Schizophrenic patients ( = 50) aged between 20 and 65 years who received OLZ treatment were recruited, and their Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores, PON-1 activity, and olanzapine drug levels normalized by dose (OLZ/D) and its metabolite N-desmethyl-olanzapine (DMO), together with biochemical parameters, were determined.

Revisiting the Defeatist Performance Belief Scale in Adults With Schizophrenia and Youth at Clinical High-Risk for Psychosis: A Comprehensive Psychometric Analysis.

Background And Hypothesis: In accordance with the Cognitive Model of Negative Symptoms, defeatist performance beliefs (DPBs) are an important psychosocial mechanism of negative symptoms in schizophrenia-spectrum groups. DPBs are also mediators of negative symptom improvement in clinical trials. Despite the clinical significance of DPBs and their inclusion as a mechanism of change measure in clinical trials, the psychometric properties of the DPB scale have not been examined in any schizophrenia-spectrum group.

Association between the number of acute episodes and increased cardiac left ventricular mass index in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Patients with schizophrenia have a high risk of cardiovascular death. Increased cardiac left ventricular (LV) mass has been reported to be associated with heart failure and cardiac mortality. However, few studies have used echocardiographic imaging to evaluate the associations between cardiac LV mass and the clinical characteristics of schizophrenia.

Biodegradable PHBVHHx-PEG/Collagen Hydrogel Scaffolds for Cartilage Repair.

Recently, there has been increased attention on the treatment of cartilage repair. Overall, we constructed PHBVHHx-COL, a composite hydrogel of PHBVHHx-co-PEG and collagen, and evaluated its cartilage repair efficacy through and studies using hydrogel loaded with peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PBMSCs). Rheological properties and compressive mechanical properties of the hydrogels were systematically evaluated.

The short term impact of radiofrequency ablative techniques and peripheral nerve block on thermoregulation in mouse models.

This study investigated the impact of multiple nerve block methods (local anesthesia, conventional radiofrequency thermocoagulation [CRF], and pulsed radiofrequency [PRF]) on thermoregulation. Focusing on hypothalamic function, the effects of local anesthesia, CRF, and PRF on central and peripheral temperatures were analyzed and compared. Our findings revealed that all three nerve block groups cause a decrease in central temperature, with the CRF group exhibiting the most pronounced effect.

Pentoxifylline adjunct to risperidone for negative symptoms of stable schizophrenia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Negative symptoms of schizophrenia represent an unmet therapeutic need for many patients on whom pentoxifylline may be effective in terms of its dopaminergic, anti-inflammatory, and cerebral blood flow-increasing properties. This study aimed to evaluate pentoxifylline as a therapeutic agent for improving negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Methods: Chronic schizophrenia outpatients experiencing significant negative symptoms were randomly allocated to receive pentoxifylline 400 mg or matched placebo q12hr for eight weeks.

The Relationship Between Resilience and Mental Health Status Among Nurses With Workplace Violence Experiences: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nurses encounter many stressors and challenges at work, which can negatively affect their mental and physical health. Modern theories of resilience suggest that resilience is a dynamic process of positive adaptation to adversity. This process involves personal growth through adversity, developing effective coping strategies and inculcating the ability to cope with stress.

The neural correlates of guilt highlight preclinical manifestations between bipolar and major depressive disorders.

Background: Over 25 % of bipolar disorder (BD) patients are misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). An urgent need exists for a biomarker to differentiate BD from MDD. Various manifestations and intensities of maladaptive guilt processing might uniquely contribute to the pathogenesis of BD compared to MDD.

Association between allostatic load and cardiac structural and functional abnormalities in young adults with serious mental disorders.

Objective: Allostatic load refers to the pathophysiological consequences of uncompensated adaptation to chronic stress. Few studies have investigated the effect of allostatic load on cardiac health in patients with serious mental disorders (SMDs), a population at high risk of cardiac mortality. Herein we evaluated associations between allostatic load and cardiac structure and function in young adults with SMDs.

Metformin efficacy and safety as an adjunctive treatment for irritability in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Antidiabetic medications have shown efficacy in alleviating autism symptoms. However, there is a lack of clinical research on the impact of metformin on irritability associated with autism. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of metformin as an adjuvant therapy with risperidone for managing irritability in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Crocus sativus (saffron) adjunct to risperidone for negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Current treatments for schizophrenia encounter resistance, limited efficacy, and limiting complications, necessitating novel approaches. The effects of saffron on negative symptoms were investigated as it has shown neuroprotective and antipsychotic properties. Fifty-six clinically stable chronic schizophrenic outpatients were equally assigned to saffron 15 mg q12hr or placebo groups while continuing risperidone.

Folate and vitamin B12 supplementation in patients with schizophrenia and low serum folate level: A 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effects of folate and vitamin B12 on psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia and low serum folate levels.

Methods: Fifty-five schizophrenia patients with serum folate levels lower than 6 mg/L were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to supplementation with 5 mg of folate and 500 μg of vitamin B12 per day (the folate group, n = 36) or placebo (the placebo group, n = 19) for 24 weeks. We evaluated patients' symptomatology with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and cognitive functions with Cogstate.

Dynamic Bidirectional Associations Between Global Positioning System Mobility and Ecological Momentary Assessment of Mood Symptoms in Mood Disorders: Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Although significant research has explored the digital phenotype in mood disorders, the time-lagged and bidirectional relationship between mood and global positioning system (GPS) mobility remains relatively unexplored. Leveraging the widespread use of smartphones, we examined correlations between mood and behavioral changes, which could inform future scalable interventions and personalized mental health monitoring.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the bidirectional time lag relationships between passive GPS data and active ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data collected via smartphone app technology.

Vortioxetine-Induced Bleeding Tendency in a Young Woman with Depression: A Case Report.

Vortioxetine, which functions as a 5-HT3, 5-HT1D, and 5-HT7 antagonist, a 5-HT1A agonist, and a 5-HT1B partial agonist, is a recently launched antidepressant approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for treating adult major depressive disorder. Although hematological adverse effects have been associated with antidepressants, massive bleeding is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. In this case report, we present a young woman who experienced abnormal bleeding tendencies, with manifestations including tarry stools, ecchymosis, and massive uterine bleeding, while undergoing vortioxetine treatment.

Effects of advanced practice nurses on health-care costs, quality of care, and patient well-being: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: The growing recognition of advanced practice nurses' role has been challenged by the need for decreased health-care costs while ensuring quality of care and patient well-being. However, limited evidence exists from previous reviews evaluating the effectiveness of advanced practice nurses.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of advanced practice nurses on health-care costs, quality of care, and patient well-being.

Categorical and Dimensional Approaches for Psychiatric Classification and Treatment Targeting: Considerations from Psychosis Biotypes.

Categorical diagnosis, a pillar of the medical model, has not worked well in psychiatry where most diagnoses are still exclusively symptom based. Uncertainty continues about whether categories or dimensions work better for the assessment and treatment of idiopathic psychoses. The Bipolar Schizophrenia Network for Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP) examined multiple cognitive and electrophysiological biomarkers across a large transdiagnostic psychosis data set.