The reliability and validity of a Japanese version of symptom checklist 90 revised

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To examine the validity and reliability of a Japanese version of the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90-R (J)).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The English SCL-90-R was translated to Japanese and the Japanese version confirmed by back-translation. To determine the factor validity and internal consistency of the nine primary subscales, 460 people from the community completed SCL-90-R(J). Test-retest reliability was examined for 104 outpatients and 124 healthy undergraduate students. The convergent-discriminant validity was determined for 80 inpatients who replied to both SCL-90-R(J) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The correlation coefficients between the nine primary subscales and items were .26 to .78. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were from .76 (Phobic Anxiety) to .86 (Interpersonal Sensitivity). Pearson's correlation coefficients between test-retest scores were from .81 (Psychoticism) to .90 (Somatization) for the outpatients and were from .64 (Phobic Anxiety) to .78 (Paranoid Ideation) for the students. Each of the nine primary subscales correlated well with their corresponding constructs in the MMPI.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We confirmed the validity and reliability of SCL-90-R(J) for the measurement of individual distress. The nine primary subscales were consistent with the items of the original English version.</p

A study on short-term practice effects of autogenic training in clinical psychology practical training

本研究の目的は，臨床心理学実習の受講生を対象に自律訓練法・標準練習を実施し，その短期練習効果を検討することである。受講者66名を対象に自律訓練法・標準練習を集団形態で実施した。効果の測定には，状態不安尺度，リラセーション効果尺度，自律訓練法・心理・身体的反応尺度の3尺度を使用した。また，練習の習得状況をみるために，未習得から6公式まで習得の8段階で評定してもらった。前者の2つの尺度は，練習初日，2週間後，3週間後の練習の前後に，後者の心理・身体的尺度は練習後にそれぞれ回答を求めた。習得度についても同様であった。習得状況の結果は，練習2週間後には未習得者は無く，6公式まで習得したものは，14名で全体の約3割だった。状態不安尺度は，練習の前後と時期ともに有意に得点は低下し，リラクセーション尺度得点は，練習の前後と時期ともに有意に上昇していた。また，心理的・身体的反応尺度も，練習の時期とともに得点が有意に上昇していた。以上の結果から，自律訓練法・標準練習の短期練習効果が確認された

Polymorphisms and expression of genes encoding Argonautes 1 and 2 in autoimmune thyroid diseases

The microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis pathway is regulated by specific proteins and enzymes, including Dicer, Drosha, DGCR8, Exportin 5 and the Argonaute (AGO) family. In this study, we investigated the AGO family, which is the primary component of RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) and directly binds to microRNA. We examined the association of polymorphisms in AGO family genes with AGO expression and with the development and prognosis of autoimmune thyroid diseases. We genotyped AGO1 rs636832A/G, AGO2 rs7005286C/T, AGO2 rs11166985A/G and AGO2 rs2292779C/G polymorphisms in 184 Graves’ disease (GD) patients, 195 Hashimoto’s disease (HD) patients and 122 healthy volunteers using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. We also examined the expression of AGO1 and AGO2 mRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from 52 GD patients, 41 HD patients, and 25 healthy volunteers using quantitative RT-PCR methods. The G allele of AGO1 rs636832 and the A allele of AGO2 rs11166985 polymorphisms were significantly more frequent in GD patients than in healthy controls. The A allele of AGO2 rs11166985 was also significantly more frequent in intractable GD patients than in controls. The C carrier (CC + CG genotypes) and C allele of AGO2 rs2292779 polymorphism were significantly more frequent in intractable GD patients than in patients with GD in remission. Expression of AGO1 mRNA in PBMC was significantly higher in AITD patient than in controls, and that of AGO2 mRNA in PBMC was significantly higher in intractable GD patients than in patients with GD in remission. Furthermore, the expression levels of both the AGO1 and AGO2 genes were significantly correlated with the proportions of Th17 cells in PBMC. In conclusion, the polymorphisms of the AGO1 and AGO2 genes, the expression levels of which correlated with the proportion of Th17 cells, were associated with the development and prognosis of GD. The AGO2 rs2292779 C carrier and C allele were associated with the intractability of GD

Association of IL6 gene methylation in peripheral blood cells with the development and prognosis of autoimmune thyroid diseases

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), including Hashimoto’s disease (HD) and Graves’ disease (GD), are archetypes of organ-specific autoimmune diseases, but the prognosis of patients with AITD varies. Autoimmune diseases, including AITDs, are believed to develop in response to both genetic and environmental factors. Interleukin (IL)-6 plays a major role in B cell differentiation and T cell proliferation, and methylation of the IL6 gene is associated with IL-6 production. To clarify the role of IL6 gene methylation in the pathogenesis and prognosis of AITDs, we measured the methylation levels of −666, −664, −610, −491 and −426 CpG sites in the IL6 gene. We measured the methylation levels of 5 CpG sites in 29 patients with HD, 31 patients with GD and 16 healthy volunteers using pyrosequencing. The methylation level at each of the −664, −491 and −426 CpG sites was negatively correlated with the age at the time of sampling. Multiple regression analysis indicated that patients with HD, including severe or mild HD, showed higher methylation levels at the −426 CpG site than control subjects. Patients with intractable GD showed lower methylation levels at the −664 and −666 CpG sites than patients with GD in remission. In conclusion, IL6 gene methylation levels were related to the susceptibility to HD and the intractability of GD

Association of the polymorphisms in the gene encoding thyroglobulin with the development and prognosis of autoimmune thyroid disease

Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s disease (HD) are autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), and the prognosis of AITDs is different for each patient. We examined the association of polymorphisms in the Thyroglobulin (TG) gene with the pathogenesis of AITD. We genotyped TG rs180195G/A, rs853326G/A, rs2076740C/T, rs2703013G/T, rs2958692C/T and rs733735A/G polymorphisms in 137 HD patients, 131 GD patients and 89 healthy controls and also examined the levels of TG mRNA expression and serum TG. The TG rs180195 GG genotype was more frequent in HD patients (p = .0277), and the proportion of CD4+ cells with high levels of TG mRNA was greater in individuals with the GG genotype than in A carriers (p = .0107). The TG rs2703013 TT genotype was less frequent in AITD (p = .0186), and serum TG levels were lower in individuals with the TT genotype than in G carriers (p = .0170). In the TG rs2958692 polymorphism, the T allele was more frequent in intractable GD than in GD in remission (p = .0055), and serum titres of anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) were lower in GD patients with the TT genotype than in C carriers (p = .0151). In the TG rs2076740 polymorphism, serum titres of TgAb were higher in HD patients who were T carriers than in those with the CC genotype (p = .0359). SNPs in the TG gene were associated with the development of HD and GD, the intractability of GD, and the levels of TG mRNA expression, serum TG, and serum TgAb

PD-1 gene polymorphisms and thyroid expression of PD-1 ligands differ between Graves’ and Hashimoto’s diseases

The programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/PD ligand pathway plays a key role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance by enhancing the suppressive activity of regulatory T (Treg) cells. The promoter activity of the A allele of PD1 rs36084323 G/A polymorphism is lower than that of the G allele. We examined the association of PD1 gene polymorphisms, PD-1 expression on Treg cells, and thyroid PD-1/PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) expression with the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). We classified patients and genotyped PD-1 polymorphisms by using the PCR-RFLP method in a total of 176 Graves’ disease (GD) patients, 150 Hashimoto’s disease (HD) patients with different disease severities and 99 healthy controls. PD-1 expression on Treg cells was analysed by flow cytometry. Indirect immunofluorescence staining was performed in thyroid tissue to detect PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2. The frequencies of the A allele and the AA + AG genotypes of the PD1 rs36084323 polymorphism were lower in HD patients than in GD patients, and the frequencies of the AA genotype of the PD1 rs36084323 and of the TT genotype of the PD1 rs2227982 were lower in mild HD patients than in severe HD patients. In patients with severe HD, the titres of TgAb at the onset were higher in patients with the PD1 rs36084323 AA genotype than in patients with the GG genotype. Peripheral PD1+ Treg cells tended to decrease in individuals with the PD1 rs36084323 AA genotype than with the G carrier genotype. Peripheral PD-1+ Treg cells were increased in HD, especially in mild HD. PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 were expressed in thyroid-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMCs), and PD-L1 and PD-L2 were expressed in thyroid epithelial cells (TECs) in AITD patients but not in normal controls. Expression of PD-L1 in TIMCs and expression of PD-L2 in TECs were predominant in HD and GD patients, respectively. In conclusion, the functional PD1 rs36084323 polymorphism and the thyroid PD-1/ PD-L1s expression which may enhance the suppressive activity of Treg cells differ between GD and HD, and the PD1 rs36084323 and rs2227982 polymorphisms and PD1+ Treg cells are related to the severity of HD