Reduced reward-related probability learning in schizophrenia patients

Although it is known that individuals with schizophrenia demonstrate marked impairment in reinforcement learning, the details of this impairment are not known. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that reward-related probability learning is altered in schizophrenia patients. Twenty-five clinically stable schizophrenia patients and 25 age- and gender-matched controls participated in the study. A simple gambling paradigm was used in which five different cues were associated with different reward probabilities (50%, 67%, and 100%). Participants were asked to make their best guess about the reward probability of each cue. Compared with controls, patients had significant impairment in learning contingencies on the basis of reward-related feedback. The correlation analyses revealed that the impairment of patients partially correlated with the severity of negative symptoms as measured on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale but that it was not related to antipsychotic dose. In conclusion, the present study showed that the schizophrenia patients had impaired reward-based learning and that this was independent from their medication status

Sensorless speed control of a vector controlled three-phase induction motor drive by using MRAS

A method for rotor speed estimation using model reference adaptive system (MRAS) was proposed to improve the performance of a sensorless vector controller. State variables, such as rotor flux and reactive power were estimated in a reference model and then compared with state variables obtained by using space vector modulation (SVM) algorithm. In conventional MRAS methods, the difference between state variables and the speed estimation error is unclear. However, in this study, the stator current error was represented as functions of state variables and reference axis parameters. It was aimed that the applied model can control voltage and moment producing components of the stator separetely. The induction motor working at low speeds and zero speed was used at producing constant moments. It could be controlled in a wide range of speed due to the fact that the mathematical model provides attainable speeds to mechanical limits of the motor. Experimental verification was also provided. It was concluded that application of vector control for the sensorless speed control in induction motors results in better and rapid response and more simple structure comparing to the classical methods

Comorbidity of psychotic disorder and substance use disorder in a psychiatry inpatient unit: A retrospective study

Objective: Comorbidity of psychotic disorder and substance use disorder is common. Studies demonstrate that this comorbidity constitutes a major mental health problem. The aim of this study is to investigate sociodemographic and clinical differences between illicit drug users and non-users in hospitalised male patients diagnosed with psychotic disorder. Method: This was a retrospective study evaluating files of 237 inpatients treated between January 2013 and December 2016 in Ege University Department of Psychiatry Male Inpatient Unit with diagnosis of Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders according to DSM-5. Results: Of 237 participants, 16% had a lifetime use of an illicit drug. Participants with substance use disorder had a smaller mean age and shorter duration of education than participants without substance use disorder. Of all the participants with a history of substance use, 76.3% had a history of substance use in the first episode of psychosis. The most preferred substance in 72.4% of the participants with substance use during the first psychotic episode and in 68.4% of all the participants with substance use was cannabis. Treatment compliance was worse in the participants with substance use. Discussion: Our findings show that, when psychotic disorder is comorbid with substance use disorder, age of onset of psychotic symptoms decreases, duration of education shortens and treatment compliance deteriorates. These results should be supported by longitudinal studies using quantitative analysis methods

Primary gastrointestinal aspergillosis: A case report and literature review

Invasive aspergillosis is a severe infection that generally involves the lungs. Primary gastrointestinal aspergillosis is the least common form of invasive aspergillosis. A patient aged 65 years developed a febrile neutropenic episode following an autologous stem cell transplant for plasmacytoid variant diffuse large B-cell gastric non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He had abdominal pain on the second day of the febrile neutropenic episode and ileus occurred on the sixth day. His general condition deteriorated despite broad spectrum antibiotics and caspofungin treatment, and intestinal perforation occurred on the nineteenth day of the febrile neutropenic episode. Pathological examination of the resected jejunum and ileum revealed mould hyphae compatible with aspergillus. The patient died due to massive gastrointestinal bleeding on the fifth post-operative day. Although a rare condition, primary gastrointestinal aspergillosis should be kept in mind while treating neutropenic patients with gastrointestinal symptoms

Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy

Since the other treatment options did not meet the expectations in treatment resistant patients, maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (m-ECT) recently regained interest as a treatment option . Although it has long been applied as a treatment, studies of m-ECT lacks strong evidence for effectiveness, safety and the choice of application method because of problems regarding methodology, small sample sizes and scarcity of randomized, double-blind, controlled trials. Besides several points about treatment remains uncertain. Some of these troubled points are the selection of patients that will receive m-ECT, schedule and procedure of the application, the duration of the treatment, the assessment and follow-up of side effects and concomitant medication with drugs. Therefore, some guidelines recommended it for a particular group of patients and some rejected its application with a cautious consideration. The terminology, applications and rationales in different disorders, possible side effects and concomitant drug use are discussed in this review. Further studies with broader samples are needed to clarify the issues of effectiveness and adverse events in m-ECT

Comparison of Alcohol Attentional Bias and Alcohol Craving Among Alcohol Abusers and Non-Abusers

The aim of this research is to investigate implicit cognitive process underlying alcohol craving and relationship between alcohol attentional bias and alcohol craving by using visual probe task. Current study examined whether alcohol abusers show attentional bias toward alcohol related task compared with non- abusers and causal relationship between alcohol attentional bias and alcohol craving. Firstly, participants were divided two groups (non abusers- abusers) and they were completed alcohol craving scale to determinate their alcohol craving level. Then, participants alcohol attentional bias was investigated using the visual probe task. In this task, images (alcohol-related and neutral) were presented for 500 ms on a computer screen. After that, probe (*, asterisk) was presented. Participants were asked to decide the place of the probe place by using keyboard keys within 1500 ms. Participants reaction time and number of correct and incorrect answers during the test. According to results, alcohol abuser group’s reaction times were faster than non-abuser when probe was associated with alcohol picture but not in neutral trials. These results suggested that, alcohol abusers showed significantly greater attentional bias to alcohol related pictures than non- abusers. From this point, investigation of alcohol attentional bias might be important component of alcohol dependence in terms of the alcohol relapse risk and determination of the alcohol craving

GPS Velocity and Strain Rate Fields in Southwest Anatolia from Repeated GPS Measurements

Southwestern Turkey is a tectonically active area. To determine kinematics and strain distribution in this region, a GPS network of sixteen stations was established. We have used GPS velocity field data for southwest Anatolia from continuous measurements covering the period 2003 to 2006 to estimate current crustal deformation of this tectonically active region. GPS data were processed using GAMIT/GLOBK software and velocity and strain rate fields were estimated in the study area. The measurements showed velocities of 15–30 mm/yr toward the southwest and strain values up to 0.28–8.23×10−8. Results showed that extension has been determined in the Burdur-Isparta region. In this study, all of strain data reveal an extensional neotectonic regime through the northeast edge of the Isparta Angle despite the previously reported compressional neotectonic regime. Meanwhile, results showed some small differences relatively with the 2006 model of Reilinger et al. As a result, active tectonic movements, in agreement with earthquake fault plane solutions showed important activity

Türkiye akademik CAR-T hücre (ISIKOK-19) klinik çalışması ön raporu: Ürün karakterizasyonu ve klinik uygulama sonuçları

Objective: Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies have already made an impact on the treatment of B-cell malignancies. Although CAR-T cell therapies are promising, there are concerns about commercial products regarding their affordability and sustainability. In this preliminary study, the results of the first production and clinical data of an academic CAR-T cell (ISIKOK-19) trial in Turkey are presented. Materials and Methods: A pilot clinical trial (NCT04206943) designed to assess the safety and feasibility of ISIKOK-19 T-cell therapy for patients with relapsed and refractory CD19+ tumors was conducted and participating patients received ISIKOK-19 infusions between October 2019 and July 2021. The production data of the first 8 patients and the clinical outcome of 7 patients who received ISIKOK-19 cell infusions are presented in this study. Results: Nine patients were enrolled in the trial [5 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 4 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)], but only 7 patients could receive treatment. Two of the 3 participating ALL patients and 3 of the 4 NHL patients had complete/ partial response (overall response rate: 72%). Four patients (57%) had CAR-T-related toxicities (cytokine release syndrome, CAR-T-related encephalopathy syndrome, and pancytopenia). Two patients were unresponsive and had progressive disease following CAR-T therapy. Two patients with partial response had progressive disease during follow-up. Conclusion: Production efficacy and fulfillment of the criteria of quality control were satisfactory for academic production. Response rates and toxicity profiles were also acceptable for this heavily pretreated/refractory patient group. ISIKOK-19 cells appear to be a safe, economical, and efficient treatment option for CD19+ tumors. However, the findings of this study need to be supported by the currently ongoing ISIKOK-19 clinical trial.Amaç: Kimerik antijen reseptör T (CAR-T) hücre uygulamaları B-hücreli malignitelerin tedavisinde etkili olmaktadır. CAR-T hücre uygulamalarının sonuçları umut vaadedici olsa da, ticari CAR-T ürünlerinin yükek maliyetleri nedeniyle ulaşılabilirlik açısından ciddi sorunlar yaşanmaktadır. Bu ön raporda, Türkiye’deki ilk akademik CAR-T hücre çalışmasının üretim ve klinik uygulama sonuçları sunulmuştur. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Relaps refrakter CD 19+ hematolojik maligniteli hastalarda ISIKOK-19 T-hücre tedavisinin güvenliği ve etkinliğini değerlendirmek amacıyla yürütülen klinik çalışmaya (NCT04206943) Ekim 2019-Temmuz 2021 tarihleri arasındaki hastalar dahil edilmiştir. Bu raporda ilk 8 hastanın üretim bilgileriyle, ISIKOK-19 hücre infüzyonu yapılan 7 hastanın klinik sonuçları sunulmuştur. Bulgular: Çalışmaya toplam 9 hasta dahil edilmiştir (5 akut lenfoblastik lösemi [ALL] ve 4 non-hodgkin lenfoma [NHL]), ancak sadece 7 hastaya hücre infüzyonu yapılabilmiştir. Hücre infüzyonu alan 3 ALL hastasından 2’sinde ve 4 NHL hastasının 3’ünde tam/kısmi cevap gözlenmiştir (toplam yanıt oranı %72). Dört hastada (%57) CAR-T ilişkili toksisite (sitokin salınım sendromu, immün efektör hücre ilişkili nörotoksisite sendromu ve pansitopeni) tespit edilmiştir. İki hastada ise CAR-T hücre uygulaması sonrası cevapsızlık ve progresif hastalık izlenmiştir. Kısmi cevap veren hastalardan 2’sinde de takip sırasında progresif hastalık tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç: Akademik CAR-T üretimimiz, üretim etkinliği ve kalite kontrol kriterlerinin tam olarak karşılanması açısından tatmin edici sonuçlara sahiptir. Çalışmaya dahil edilen hastaların tedavi yükü hesaba katıldığında tedaviye cevap oranı ve toksisite profili açısından da sonuçlar kabul edilebilir düzeydedir. Bu sonuçlarla, ISIKOK-19 hücrelerinin güvenli, ekonomik ve etkili bir tedavi seçeneği olduğu düşünülebilir. Ancak bu ön sonuçların halen devam eden ISIKOK-19 klinik çalışmasıyla desteklenmesi beklenmektedir

DenseNet and Support Vector Machine classifications of major depressive disorder using vertex-wise cortical features

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex psychiatric disorder that affects the lives of hundreds of millions of individuals around the globe. Even today, researchers debate if morphological alterations in the brain are linked to MDD, likely due to the heterogeneity of this disorder. The application of deep learning tools to neuroimaging data, capable of capturing complex non-linear patterns, has the potential to provide diagnostic and predictive biomarkers for MDD. However, previous attempts to demarcate MDD patients and healthy controls (HC) based on segmented cortical features via linear machine learning approaches have reported low accuracies. In this study, we used globally representative data from the ENIGMA-MDD working group containing an extensive sample of people with MDD (N=2,772) and HC (N=4,240), which allows a comprehensive analysis with generalizable results. Based on the hypothesis that integration of vertex-wise cortical features can improve classification performance, we evaluated the classification of a DenseNet and a Support Vector Machine (SVM), with the expectation that the former would outperform the latter. As we analyzed a multi-site sample, we additionally applied the ComBat harmonization tool to remove potential nuisance effects of site. We found that both classifiers exhibited close to chance performance (balanced accuracy DenseNet: 51%; SVM: 53%), when estimated on unseen sites. Slightly higher classification performance (balanced accuracy DenseNet: 58%; SVM: 55%) was found when the cross-validation folds contained subjects from all sites, indicating site effect. In conclusion, the integration of vertex-wise morphometric features and the use of the non-linear classifier did not lead to the differentiability between MDD and HC. Our results support the notion that MDD classification on this combination of features and classifiers is unfeasible