P300 component in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder type I, bipolar disorder type II and healthy controls: a preliminary event-related potential study

The aim of the present study was to investigate P300 event-related potential components in euthymic bipolar disorder type I (BDI) and bipolar disorder type II (BDII) patients and matched controls. A total of 10 BDI patients, 10 BDII patients and 10 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. Event-related potential data were collected according to a standard auditory 'oddball' paradigm. A significant groups effect in both the peak amplitude (P<0.001) and the mean amplitude (P<0.001) was observed; post-hoc comparisons showed that the peak and mean amplitudes of BDI and BDII patients were significantly lower than the peak and mean amplitudes of the healthy controls. The neurophysiological patterns found in the present study might at least partially reflect the presence of a mild selective cognitive impairment in euthymic BDI and BDII patients. From a clinical point of view, these evidences support the potential role of cognitive interventions in the treatment of BD

Negative symptoms as key features of depression among cannabis users: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis use is frequent among depressed patients and may lead to the so-called "amotivational syndrome", which combines symptoms of affective flattening and loss of emotional reactivity (i.e. the so-called "negative" symptomatology). The aim of this study was to investigate the negative symptomatology in depressed patients with concomitant cannabis use disorders (CUDs) in comparison with depressed patients without CUDs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-one patients with a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and concomitant CUD and fifty-one MDD patients were enrolled in the study. The 21-Item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the negative symptoms subscales of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were used to assess depressive and negative symptomatology. RESULTS: Patients with cannabis use disorders presented significantly more severe negative symptoms in comparison with patients without cannabis use (15.18 ± 2.25 vs 13.75 ± 2.44; t100 = 3.25 p = 0.002). DISCUSSION: A deeper knowledge of the "negative" psychopathological profile of MDD patients who use cannabis may lead to novel etiopathogenetic models of MDD and to more appropriate treatment approaches

Engineering Technology Reports, Volume 1: Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY00

In FY-2000, Engineering at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory faced significant pressures to meet critical project milestones, and immediate demands to facilitate the reassignment of employees as the National Ignition Facility (the 600-TW laser facility being designed and built at Livermore, and one of the largest R&amp;D construction projects in the world) was in the process of re-baselining its plan while executing full-speed its technology development efforts. This drive for change occurred as an unprecedented level of management and program changes were occurring within LLNL. I am pleased to report that we met many key milestones and achieved numerous technological breakthroughs. This report summarizes our efforts to perform feasibility and reduce-to-practice studies, demonstrations, and/or techniques--as structured through our technology centers. Whether using computational engineering to predict how giant structures like suspension bridges will respond to massive earthquakes or devising a suitcase-sized microtool to detect chemical and biological agents used by terrorists, we have made solid technical progress. Five Centers focus and guide longer-term investments within Engineering, as well as impact all of LLNL. Each Center is responsible for the vitality and growth of the core technologies it represents. My goal is that each Center will be recognized on an international scale for solving compelling national problems requiring breakthrough innovation. The Centers and their leaders are as follows: Center for Complex Distributed Systems--David B. McCallen; Center for Computational Engineering--Kyran D. Mish; Center for Microtechnology--Raymond P. Mariella, Jr.; Center for Nondestructive Characterization--Harry E. Martz, Jr.; and Center for Precision Engineering--Keith Carlisle

Metabolic abnormalities and low dietary Omega 3 are associated with symptom severity and worse functioning prior to the onset of psychosis: Findings from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Studies Consortium

Objective: Patients with schizophrenia have a high prevalence of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular mortality. It is possible that a vulnerability to metabolic abnormalities is associated with risk for psychosis, symptoms and functionality. In this study, we evaluate demographic information, cardiometabolic indices, symptoms and functioning in an antipsychotic free cohort at Clinical High Risk (CHR) for psychosis from the NAPLS Omega 3 fatty acid clinical trial. Method: Subjects received physical exams and metabolic monitoring prior to randomization into the Omega 3 versus Placebo trial. Anthropometrical measures, vital signs, glucose, and lipids were assessed along with symptoms, functioning, dietary Omega 3 fatty acids, erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acid content and a measure of lipid peroxidation (TBARS, Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances). Results: The sample included 113 CHR subjects (42.1% female; 17.5% Latino) ages 12–29. The mean BMI was 24.3 with a trend toward higher BMI and a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome in Latino subjects; 36% of the sample was obese/overweight; 37.6% met criteria for prehypertension/hypertension; 4.2% met criteria for prediabetes/diabetes; 9.6% showed evidence of insulin resistance and 44.7% had dyslipidemia. The TBARS was elevated at 9.8 μM ± 6.1 (normal 1.86–3.94 μM). Metabolic parameters and a diet low in Omega 3 rich foods were significantly associated with prodromal symptoms and poor functioning. Conclusions: CHR subjects show a high percentage of metabolic abnormalities prior to exposure to antipsychotic medication. These findings reinforce that early detection of metabolic disturbances and food insecurity is crucial since these factors are modifiable with the potential for significant gains in terms of quality of life, physical and mental health

Abstracts: NRC Waste Management Program reports

This document consists of abstracts of all reports published by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Waste Management Program at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL). It will be updated at regular intervals. Reports are arranged in numerical order, within each category. Unless otherwise specified, authors are LLL scientists and engineers

BOND ENERGIES AND BOND DISSOCIATION ENERGIES

La dissociation d'un lien, R1R2 → R1 • + R2 •, est décrite en tenant compte que dans la molécule les fragments R1 et R2 ne sont pas habituellement électriquement neutres à titre individuel, tandis que les radicaux correspondants le sont certainement. On déduit une équation pour l'énergie de neutralisation de charge, ENC, décrivant la neutralisation de R1 par R2. Il en découle une formule pour 1'énergie de dissociation, D* = ε + ENC + ΔEnl + RE(R1) + RE(R2), où ε est l'énergie de lien (qui dépend des charges) et ΔEnl est un terme d'interaction entre atomes non liés, les derniers deux termes étant chacun l'énergie de réorganisation d'un fragment neutre devenant un radical. Cette formule est générale. Elle se réduit à D* = ε pour les molécules diatomiques. Pour un lien à l'"intérieur" d'une molécule (i.e., un lien entre groupes polyatomiques) on obtient D* ≈ ε. Les liens périphériques (e.g., C-X avec X = H, Cl, Br, I) sont décrits par D* ≈ constante + RE. Finalement, les liens impliquant l'"extérieur" d'une molécule (p. ex. les liaisons hydrogène) sont décrits par D* = ENC + ΔEnl. Bien que les "liens" de ce dernier type puissent être relativement faibles, tout transfert de charge accompagnant leur formation peut déclencher d'importantes modifications dans l'"intérieur" des partenaires liés, se reflétant dans leur réactivité. C'est dans ce contexte que des analyses de populations électroniques et le calcul des énergies de lien qui en dépendent peuvent s'avérer utiles.The problem of bond dissociation, R1R2 → R1 • +R2 •, is addressed from the view point that the fragments, R1 and R2, may not be individually electroneutral in the host molecule, whereas the corresponding radicals certainly are. An expression is derived for the charge neutralization energy, CNE, accounting for the neutralization of R1 by R2. This leads to a new formula for the dissociation energy, D* = ε + CNE + ΔEnb + RE(R1) + RE(R2), where ε is the charge-dependent bond energy, ΔEnb is a small nonbonded contribution and the last two terms are reorganizational energies which measure the relaxation of an electroneutral fragment to yield the final product. This new formula is general. For diatomics it reduces to D* = ε. For a bond in the "interior" of a molecule (i.e. a bond linking sufficiently large groups), the appropriate expression is D* ≈ ε + RE(R1) + RE(R2). Peripheral bonds (e.g., C-X with X = H, Cl, Br, I) are described by D* ≈ constant + RE. Finally, bonds involving the "exterior" of a molecule (e-g., hydrogen bonds) are described by D* = CNE + ΔEnb. Even though the latter "bonds" may be relatively weak, any charge imbalance resulting from their formation is capable of inducing significant modifications in the "interior" of the bonded partners and thus can affect their reactivities. This is where detailed charge analyses and the calculation of charge-dependent bond energies can prove valuable

From Concepts to Algorithms for the Characterization of Reaction Mechanisms- H2CS as a Case Study

All the stationary points on the S0 surface of H2CS and their quadratic force fields have been determined by correlated methods using large multiply polarized basis sets. Complete quartic force fields of all stationary points and reaction paths connecting each pair of minima through a first?order saddle point have been obtained at the MP2 level using smaller polarized basis sets. These data allow the computation of reliable isomerization and fragmentation rates by semiclassical expressions which take into account tunneling as well as curvature and mode–mode couplings. Further insight into the characteristics of the different reaction channels has been gained from the parameters of the so?called reaction path Hamiltonian (RPH) both in adiabatic and diabatic representations. The bookkeeping and processing of the large body of data involved in this study has been possible through the development of a package which is able to perform anharmonic and reaction path computations. The results are discussed with special reference to the H2CO system and to the interplay of potential, kinetic, and statistic effects in determining reaction mechanisms and rates

Fiscal Year 2007

This report summarizes the core research, development, and technology accomplishments in Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Engineering Directorate for FY2007. These efforts exemplify Engineering's more than 50-year history of developing and applying the technologies needed to support the Laboratory's national security missions. A partner in every major program and project at the Laboratory throughout its existence, Engineering has prepared for this role with a skilled workforce and technical resources developed through both internal and external venues. These accomplishments embody Engineering's mission: 'Enable program success today and ensure the Laboratory's vitality tomorrow'. Engineering's mission is carried out through research and technology. Research is the vehicle for creating competencies that are cutting-edge, or require discovery-class groundwork to be fully understood. The technology efforts are discipline-oriented, preparing research breakthroughs for broader application to a variety of Laboratory needs. The term commonly used for technology-based projects is 'reduction to practice'. This report combines the work in research and technology into one volume, organized into thematic technical areas: Engineering Modeling and Simulation; Measurement Technologies; Micro/Nano-Devices and Structures; Engineering Systems for Knowledge and Inference; and Energy Manipulation