Confirmatory factor analysis and differential relationships of the two subdomains of negative symptoms in chronically ill psychotic patients

Research suggests a two factor structure for negative symptoms in patients with psychotic disorders: social amotivation (SA) and expressive deficits (ED). Applying this two-factor structure in clinical settings may provide valuable information with regard to outcomes and to target treatments. We aimed to investigate 1) whether the factor structure is also supported in chronically ill patients with a psychotic disorder and 2) what the relationship is between these factors and functioning (overall functioning and living situation), depressive symptoms and quality of life. 1157 Patients with a psychotic disorder and a duration of illness of 5 years or more were included in the analysis (data selected from the Pharmacotherapy Monitoring Outcome Survey; PHAMOUS). A confirmatory factor analysis was performed using items of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale that were previously identified to reflect negative symptoms (N1-4, N6, G5, G7, G13, G16). Subsequently, regression analysis was performed on outcomes. The results confirmed the distinction between SA (N2, N4, G16) and ED (N1, N3, N6, G5, G7, G13) in chronically ill patients. Both factors were related to worse overall functioning as measured with the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales, ED was uniquely associated with residential living status. Higher scores for SA were associated with more depressive symptoms and worse quality of life. Thus, SA is most strongly related to level of social-emotional functioning, while ED are more related to living situation and thereby are indicative of level of everyday functioning. This subdivision may be useful for research purposes and be a valuable additional tool in clinical practice and treatment development

Effects of a lifestyle intervention on psychosocial well-being of severe mentally ill residential patients:ELIPS, a cluster randomized controlled pragmatic trial

Large studies investigating the psychosocial effects of lifestyle interventions in patients with a severe mental illness (SMI) are scarce, especially in residential patients. This large, randomized controlled, multicentre pragmatic trial assessed the psychosocial effects of a combined diet-and-exercise lifestyle intervention targeting the obesogenic environment of SMI residential patients. Twenty-nine sheltered and clinical care teams were randomized into intervention (n = 15) or control (n = 14) arm. Team tailored diet-and-exercise lifestyle plans were set up to change the obesogenic environment into a healthier setting, and team members were trained in supporting patients to make healthier choices. The control group received care-as-usual. The Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA) were assessed at baseline and after three and twelve months. Data were available for 384 intervention and 386 control patients (48.6 +/- 12.5 years old, 62.7% males, 73.7% psychotic disorder). Linear mixed model analysis showed no psychosocial improvements in the intervention group compared to care-as-usual; the intervention group showed a slightly reduced quality of life (overall) and a small increase in depressive symptoms (clinical care facilities) and psychotic symptoms (sheltered facilities). This may be due to difficulties with implementation, the intervention not being specifically designed for improvements in mental well-being, or the small change approach, which may take longer to reach an effect. Further research might elucidate what type of lifestyle intervention under what circumstances positively affects psychosocial outcomes in this population. (c) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Comparative BAC end sequence analysis of tomato and potato reveals overrepresentation of specific gene families in potato

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tomato (<it>Solanum lycopersicon</it>) and potato (<it>S. tuberosum</it>) are two economically important crop species, the genomes of which are currently being sequenced. This study presents a first genome-wide analysis of these two species, based on two large collections of BAC end sequences representing approximately 19% of the tomato genome and 10% of the potato genome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The tomato genome has a higher repeat content than the potato genome, primarily due to a higher number of retrotransposon insertions in the tomato genome. On the other hand, simple sequence repeats are more abundant in potato than in tomato. The two genomes also differ in the frequency distribution of SSR motifs. Based on EST and protein alignments, potato appears to contain up to 6,400 more putative coding regions than tomato. Major gene families such as cytochrome P450 mono-oxygenases and serine-threonine protein kinases are significantly overrepresented in potato, compared to tomato. Moreover, the P450 superfamily appears to have expanded spectacularly in both species compared to <it>Arabidopsis thaliana</it>, suggesting an expanded network of secondary metabolic pathways in the <it>Solanaceae</it>. Both tomato and potato appear to have a low level of microsynteny with <it>A. thaliana</it>. A higher degree of synteny was observed with <it>Populus trichocarpa</it>, specifically in the region between 15.2 and 19.4 Mb on <it>P. trichocarpa </it>chromosome 10.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings in this paper present a first glimpse into the evolution of Solanaceous genomes, both within the family and relative to other plant species. When the complete genome sequences of these species become available, whole-genome comparisons and protein- or repeat-family specific studies may shed more light on the observations made here.</p

Low rate of cardiac events in first-degree relatives of diagnosis-negative young sudden unexplained death syndrome victims during follow-up

BACKGROUND: Sudden unexplained death syndrome (SUDS) in young individuals often results from inherited cardiac disease. Accordingly, comprehensive examination in surviving first-degree relatives unmasks such disease in approximately 35% of the families. It is unknown whether individuals from diagnosis-negative families are at risk of developing manifest disease or cardiac events during follow-up.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to study the prognosis of first-degree relatives of young SUDS victims, in whom the initial cardiologic and genetic examination did not lead to a diagnosis.METHODS: We retrieved vital status of surviving first-degree relatives from 83 diagnosis-negative families who presented to our cardiogenetics department between 1996 and 2009 because of SUDS in ≥1 relatives aged 1-50 years. Moreover, we contacted relatives who previously visited our center for detailed information.RESULTS: We obtained detailed information (median follow-up 6.6 years; interquartile range 4.7-9.6 years) in 340 of 417 first-degree relatives (81.5%) from 77 of 83 families (92.8%). Vital status, available in 405 relatives (97.1%), showed that 20 relatives (4.9%) died during follow-up, including 1 natural death before the age of 50. This girl belonged to a family with multiple cases of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation and SUDS, including another successfully resuscitated sibling during follow-up. Two hundred thirty-four of 340 first-degree relatives (68.8%) underwent cardiologic examination. Of these, 76 (32.5%) were reevaluated. Inherited cardiac disease was diagnosed in 3 families (3.6%).CONCLUSION: In first-degree relatives of young SUDS victims with no manifest abnormalities during the initial examination, the risk of developing manifest inherited cardiac disease or cardiac events during follow-up is low. This does not apply to families with obvious familial SUDS.</p

Th1 Lymphokine Production Profiles of Nickel-Specific CD4+ T-Lymphocyte Clones from Nickel Contact Allergic and Non-Allergic Individuals

Panels of nickel-specific T-lymphocyte clones (TLC) were prepared from nickel-allergic and non-allergic donors. TLC from both panels showed similar levels of expression of TCRα/β, CD4, CD2, CD25, and CD29 and recognized nickel in association with class II HLA molecules with restriction determinants in HLA-DR, HLA-DP, and HLA-DQ. The lymphokine secretion was analyzed in TLC from both panels upon antigen-specific or non-specific stimulation and was compared with the secretion profiles of representants of pre-established human atopen-specific Th1 and Th2 cells. Nickel-specific TLC from both panels showed a lymphokine secretion pattern similar to the atopen-specific Th1 cells, although there was some variation from clone to clone. Most TLC secreted substantial amounts of IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α and GM-CSF, but little or no IL-4 and IL-5. The variation observed mainly concerned IL-2 secretion that could be low or absent in some of the TLC. The general secretion pattern did not change upon different modes of stimulation, including activation via CD3, CD2, or CD28. Because nickel-specific TLC from allergic and non-allergic individuals show a similar Th1 secretion pattern, the present results give no evidence that aberrant lymphokine secretion by CD4+ T cells determines the contact allergic state, as was found for atopic allergy in a previous study

Biobanking of fresh-frozen endoscopic biopsy specimens from esophageal adenocarcinoma

Cellular mechanisms in basic and clinical gastroenterology and hepatolog