Identifying Phronotypes in Psychiatry

Refinements in the methods of diagnosis for psychiatric disorders are critically needed. These new methods should be based on objectively measured brain characteristics that provide clinically useful information. Studying the brain with respect to psychiatric disorders, however, faces numerous challenges. Utilizing techniques learned in other areas of medicine to deal with symptoms that lead to complex disorders can provide insight into improving diagnostic models in psychiatry. Specifically, many areas of medicine use objective measures of an organ's function or characteristic to guide clinical management of particular subjective complaints. In psychiatry, an objectively measured brain characteristic that provides clinically useful information is proposed to be that person's “phronotype.” Important requirements to developing phronotypes are discussed. Identifying phronotypes in psychiatry will require a specific investigative approach that must be grounded in rigorous scientific methodology. Successfully developing such markers will have a profound impact on clinical care, clinical research, basic science research, and most importantly the lives of those suffering from these illnesses

Experimental modulation of capsule size in Cryptococcus neoformans

Experimental modulation of capsule size is an important technique for the study of the virulence of the encapsulated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. In this paper, we summarize the techniques available for experimental modulation of capsule size in this yeast and describe improved methods to induce capsule size changes. The response of the yeast to the various stimuli is highly dependent on the cryptococcal strain. A high CO(2) atmosphere and a low iron concentration have been used classically to increase capsule size. Unfortunately, these stimuli are not reliable for inducing capsular enlargement in all strains. Recently we have identified new and simpler conditions for inducing capsule enlargement that consistently elicited this effect. Specifically, we noted that mammalian serum or diluted Sabouraud broth in MOPS buffer pH 7.3 efficiently induced capsule growth. Media that slowed the growth rate of the yeast correlated with an increase in capsule size. Finally, we summarize the most commonly used media that induce capsule growth in C. neoformans

Deception and self-awareness

This paper presents a study conducted for the Shades of Grey EPSRC research project (EP/H02302X/1), which aims to develop a suite of interventions for identifying terrorist activities. The study investigated the body movements demonstrated by participants while waiting to be interviewed, in one of two conditions: preparing to lie or preparing to tell the truth. The effect of self-awareness was also investigated, with half of the participants sitting in front of a full length mirror during the waiting period. The other half faced a blank wall. A significant interaction was found for the duration of hand/arm movements between the deception and self-awareness conditions (F=4.335, df=1;76, p<0.05). Without a mirror, participants expecting to lie spent less time moving their hands than those expecting to tell the truth; the opposite was seen in the presence of a mirror. This finding indicates a new research area worth further investigation

A Purified Capsular Polysaccharide Markedly Inhibits Inflammatory Response during Endotoxic Shock

Capsular material of the opportunistic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is mainly composed of a polysaccharide named glucuronoxylomannan (GXM). In this study, the effects of GXM were analyzed in an in vivo experimental system of LPS-induced shock. Endotoxic shock was induced in mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of LPS from Escherichia coli. GXM treatment reduced the mortality of mice at early stages. Mice treated with LPS alone showed markedly increased plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, whereas mice treated with GXM too showed significantly lower plasma levels of these cytokines. This effect was related to a marked suppression of Akt and IkBα activation. Importantly, the inhibitory effect of GXM on pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion was reproduced by treatment with Wortmannin, an inhibitor of the Akt transcription pathway. Our results indicate that GXM has a beneficial effect on endotoxic shock, resulting in a significant increase in rate of survival by dampening the hyper-inflammatory response

Venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients affected by ARDS related to COVID-19 in Northern-West Italy

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease that was first reported in Wuhan, China, and has subsequently spread worldwide. An association between increased venous thromboembolism in patients with pneumonia-related to COVID-19 has not yet been well described. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We aimed to illustrate cases of pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome related to COVID-19 treated in our intensive care unit. The medical records of patients affected by COVID-19 with acute respiratory distress syndrome in our institute from 1/3/2020 to 31/3/2020 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Our center registered a high prevalence of thromboembolic events among 62 patients affected by acute respiratory distress syndrome related to COVID-19 despite a regular antithrombotic prophylaxis. Out of these, 32 patients were transferred to other hospitals, and 30 were treated in our center. Venous thromboembolism was registered in 12 (19.3%) cases. In particular, 11 diagnoses of pulmonary embolism and 1 diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis were formulated. We described a case series of venous thromboembolism in nine patients treated in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Main pulmonary arteries were always involved in these patients. None of them died. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, critically ill patients with ARDS related to COVID-19 may have an increased risk of VTE that could be a leading cause of mortality. These patients require a high index of clinical suspicion and an accurate diagnostic approach, in order to immediately start an appropriate anticoagulant treatment

On Separation of Variables for Integrable Equations of Soliton Type

We propose a general scheme for separation of variables in the integrable Hamiltonian systems on orbits of the loop algebra $\mathfrak{sl}(2,\Complex)\times \mathcal{P}(\lambda,\lambda^{-1})$. In particular, we illustrate the scheme by application to modified Korteweg--de Vries (MKdV), sin(sinh)-Gordon, nonlinear Schr\"odinger, and Heisenberg magnetic equations.Comment: 22 page

Regional Brain Activation During Meditation Shows Time and Practice Effects: An Exploratory FMRI Study†

Meditation involves attentional regulation and may lead to increased activity in brain regions associated with attention such as dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined whether DLPFC and ACC were activated during meditation. Subjects who meditate were recruited and scanned on a 3.0 Tesla scanner. Subjects meditated for four sessions of 12 min and performed four sessions of a 6 min control task. Individual and group t-maps were generated of overall meditation response versus control response and late meditation response versus early meditation response for each subject and time courses were plotted. For the overall group (n = 13), and using an overall brain analysis, there were no statistically significant regional activations of interest using conservative thresholds. A region of interest analysis of the entire group time courses of DLPFC and ACC were statistically more active throughout meditation in comparison to the control task. Moreover, dividing the cohort into short (n = 8) and long-term (n = 5) practitioners (>10 years) revealed that the time courses of long-term practitioners had significantly more consistent and sustained activation in the DLPFC and the ACC during meditation versus control in comparison to short-term practitioners. The regional brain activations in the more practised subjects may correlate with better sustained attention and attentional error monitoring. In summary, brain regions associated with attention vary over the time of a meditation session and may differ between long- and short-term meditation practitioners