We identified seven relevant surveys (3111 prisoners).w1-w7 Reported sampling strategies included complete sampling of entire prisons (584 prisoners).w2,w7 stratified random sampling (2027),w1,w4a ...and inclusion of consecutive prisoners (500).w3,w5,w6 Six studies reported response rates in excess of 90%,w1-w6 and one study reported a response in excess of 75%.w7 All studies were based on clinical interviews (none was supplemented by neurological examination or other medical investigation).
Background:
A single nucleotide polymorphism, rs17070145, in the KIBRA protein, is thought to influence memory function in humans (Papassotiropoulos et al, 2006). We sought to investigate its effect ...on memory performance in people with Early Onset Schizophrenia (EOS; onset before age of 18) and their first-degree relatives.
Methods:
53 EOS probands and 117 non-psychotic first-degree relatives were examined on IQ (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised), learning and memory (California Verbal Learning Test; CVLT). the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV yielded four diagnostic groups: EOS probands; relatives with Mood Disorders; other Axis I diagnoses; and no diagnosis (healthy relatives). Analysis of co-variance was performed, with diagnosis and genotype as fixed factors and age as covariate.
Results:
Carriers of the rs17070145 T allele achieved higher performance IQ, and recalled more words in short-delayed and long-delayed recall in the CVLT compared to C allele carriers p< 0.003 and p< 0.009, respectively. However TT homozygotes made more perseverative errors than C allele carriers p=0.04. after applying the Bonferroni for multiple comparisons, a genotype by diagnosis interaction revealed that relatives who were TT homozygotes and had mood disorders performed better on long-delayed recall p< 0.04 but made more intrusion errors in the CVLT than the CC/CT genotype group.
Conclusions:
KIBRA may be involved in:
1.
processes that enhance overall competence in non-verbal tasks;
2.
phenotypic expression of cognition in mentally unwell relatives of schizophrenia patients.
Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) has been identified as one of the leading schizophrenia candidate genes. However, its functional mechanisms and its effects on neurocognition remain unclear and the path from NRG1 ...to schizophrenia has not yet been fully mapped. In this study we use two well established oculomotor endophenotypes, the antisaccade (AS) and smooth pursuit (SPEM) tasks, to investigate the functional mechanisms of a single nucleotide polymorphism in NRG1 (rs3924999) at the neurocognitive level in a healthy population. 122 healthy Caucasian volunteers were genotyped for NRG1 rs3924999 and underwent infrared oculographic assessment of AS and SPEM (at target velocities of 12, 24 and 36°/s). Additionally, self-report questionnaires of schizotypy, neuroticism, attention deficit hyperactivity, and obsessive-compulsive traits were included. Significant effects of NRG1 genotype with age and gender as covariates were found for AS amplitude gain (p<0.01) and AS spatial error (p=0.01), with an increasing number of A alleles being associated with increasingly worse performance. No significant associations were found for other AS and SPEM variables or questionnaire scores. These findings indicate that NRG1 rs3924999 affects spatial accuracy measures of the AS task, suggesting an influence of the gene on the neural mechanisms underlying visuospatial sensorimotor transformations. This is a mechanism that has previously been found to be impaired in schizophrenia patients and their relatives.
This study was supported by European Union (LSHM-CT-2006–037761) and the German Research Foundation (ET 31/2–1)
A study on designing a linear polarization (LP) to circular polarization (CP) converter at low THz frequencies is presented. The proposed design is composed of a periodic arrangement of 4-micron ...thick gold, anisotropic patches deposited on a quartz substrate, with a gold ground plane backing the wafer. The materials were chosen to minimize reflection loss, with the quartz providing an optically flat surface. Simulations have been carried out using CST Microwave Studio to extract and evaluate the operation bandwidth and the reflection losses of the proposed design. The design achieves more than 120 GHz left handed circular polarization (LHCP) bandwidth and more than 65 GHz right handed circular polarization (RHCP) bandwidth with 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth more than 89.9% and a 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of 26.5% respectively. The proposed design can be fabricated using standard microfabrication methods.
A LP to CP polarization converter based on artificial materials with metallic meta-atoms is proposed. The structure is composed of metallic cuboid inclusions (termed here as meta-atoms) in a ...dielectric host material placed at a distance from a conducting ground plane. The proposed metamaterial based polarization converter can be fabricated entirely by 3D printing. The structure is designed to convert broadband LP incident waves to CP and with low-losses at frequencies around 16 GHz. Simulations have been carried out in CST Microwave Studio, and the results demonstrate a broadband 10 GHz bandwidth and a low loss performance of less than 0.7 dB.
Introduction
The current treatment goal in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is functional recovery (Zimmerman M et al, 2012). However, finding the “right dose for the right patient” may be challenging ...and the dose-response relationship for antidepressant efficacy remains controversial (Hieronymus F et al, 2016). Efficacy evaluated by MADRS increases with higher vortioxetine doses, based on meta-analysis data (Thase ME et al, 2016).
Objectives
The aim of this exploratory analysis was to assess the impact of different doses on vortioxetine effectiveness in clinical practice in Greece.
Methods
In this non-interventional study, open-label vortioxetine was administered at a flexible dosage (5-20 mg/d). Patients receiving 5/10 mg vortioxetine (group A), at the end of the study, were compared to patients receiving 15/20mg vortioxetine (group B). At baseline, 1 and 3 months, depressive symptoms and functioning were assessed by MADRS and SDS. Multiple regression was used for the statistical analyses.
Results
The study included 336 MDD patients. At the end of the study, 64.3% (n=200) of patients were receiving 15/20 mg vortioxetine. Higher vortioxetine dose at month 3 was significantly correlated with higher MADRS total score at baseline (p<0.001). SDS total score change from baseline to month 3 was significantly associated with vortioxetine dose (p<0.001), with group A and group B showing improvements of -9.2±8.2 and -12.1±6.0, respectively- whereas such association was not observed for MADRS total score.
Conclusions
In conclusion, patients with more severe depressive symptoms were treated with higher antidepressant doses. However, beyond symptom improvement, vortioxetine effectiveness on patient functioning seems to increase with higher doses.
Conflict of interest
A. Galanopoulos and E. Papalexi are full-time employees in Lundbeck Hellas. A. Ettrup is a full-time employee in H. Lundbeck A/S.
Background:
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are promoted as cognitive enhancers with consumption recommended in the general population and those with neurocognitive deficits such as ...attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials is inconclusive.
Aims:
This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation on cognition in healthy populations and those with ADHD and related disorders (RDs).
Methods:
Databases were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in adults and school-aged children (who were healthy and typically developing (TD) or had ADHD or a related-neurodevelopmental disorder (ADHD+RD) which assessed the effects of n-3 PUFA on cognition.
Results:
In the 24 included studies n-3 PUFA supplementation, in the whole sample and the TD and ADHD+RD subgroup, did not show improvements in any of the cognitive performance measures. In those with low n-3 PUFA status, supplementation improved short-term memory.
Conclusions:
There is marginal evidence that n-3 PUFA supplementation effects cognition in those who are n-3 PUFA deficient. However, there is no evidence of an effect in the general population or those with neurodevelopmental disorders. This has important implications given the widespread advertisement and consumption of n-3 PUFA; claims of cognitive benefit should be narrowed.
Abstract Background A number of randomised controlled trials report a beneficial effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ( n -3 PUFA) supplementation on emotional lability (EL) and related ...domains (e.g. oppositional behaviour, conduct problems). Given that n -3 PUFA supplementation shows a significant effect on reducing symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and that EL and related behaviours commonly co-occurs with ADHD, it is important that there is a more conclusive picture as to the effect of n -3 PUFA on these co-occurring clinical domains. Methods Databases (Ovid Medline, Embase, Psychinfo) were searched for trials assessing the effects of n -3 PUFA on EL, oppositional behaviour, aggression and conduct problems. We included trials in children who had ADHD or a related neurodevelopmental disorder. Results Of the 1775 identified studies, 10 were included in the meta-analysis. In the primary analyses n -3 PUFA supplementation did not show improvements in measures of EL, oppositional behaviour, conduct problems or aggression. However subgroup analyses of higher quality studies and those meeting strict inclusion criteria found a significant reduction in EL and oppositional behaviour. Limitations A number of treatment effects may have failed to reach statistical significance due to small sample sizes and within and between study heterogeneity in terms of design and study participants. Conclusions These results exclude the possibility of moderate to large effects. They provide suggestive evidence of small effects of n -3 PUFA on reducing EL and oppositional behaviour in subgroups of children with ADHD.
The aim of this study was to investigate the response rates of different extremity soft-tissue sarcoma subtypes (eSTS) after isolated limb perfusion (ILP), based on an international multi-centre ...study.
The retrospective cohort comprised eSTS patients from 17 specialised ILP centres that underwent melphalan-based ILP, with or without recombinant human tumour necrosis factor (rhTNFα) (TM-ILP and M-ILP, respectively). Response was measured on imaging (magnetic resonance imaging) and/or clinical response, for which M-ILPs were excluded.
A total of 1109 eSTS patients were included. The three most common histological subtypes were undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (17%, n = 184), synovial sarcoma (16%, n = 175) and myxofibrosarcoma (8%, n = 87). rhTNFα was used in 93% (TM-ILP) and resulted in a significantly better overall response rate (ORR, p = 0.031) and complete responses (CR, p < 0.001) in comparison to M-ILP, without significant differences among histological subgroups. The ORR of TM-ILP was 68%, including 17% CR. Also, 80% showed progressive disease. Significantly higher response rates were shown for Kaposi sarcoma (KS) with 42% CR and 96% ORR (both p < 0.001), and significantly higher CR rates for angiosarcoma (AS, 45%, p < 0.001) and clear cell sarcoma (CCS, 31%, p = 0.049). ILP was followed by resection ≤ 6 months in 80% of the patients. The overall limb salvage rate was 88%, without significant differences among histological subgroups, but was significantly higher for ILP responders compared to non-responders (93% versus 76%, p < 0.001).
ILP resulted in high response and LRS among all eSTS subtypes, however, with significant differences between subtypes with most promising results for KS, AS and CCS.
•ILP shows high response rates with an ORR of 68% and a CR of 17%.•With an LSR of 88%, ILP is a valuable limb salvage treatment for patients with eSTS.•ILP is a generic eSTS treatment with responses in every subtype.
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