Obsessive-compulsive disorder and trichotillomania: a phenomenological comparison

RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are.Abstract Background Similarities between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and trichotillomania (TTM) have been widely recognized. Nevertheless, there is evidence of important differences between these two disorders. Some authors have conceptualized the disorders as lying on an OCD spectrum of conditions. Methods Two hundred and seventy eight OCD patients (n = 278: 148 male; 130 female) and 54 TTM patients (n = 54; 5 male; 49 female) of all ages were interviewed. Female patients were compared on select demographic and clinical variables, including comorbid axis I and II disorders, and temperament/character profiles. Results OCD patients reported significantly more lifetime disability, but fewer TTM patients reported response to treatment. OCD patients reported higher comorbidity, more harm avoidance and less novelty seeking, more maladaptive beliefs, and more sexual abuse. OCD and TTM symptoms were equally likely to worsen during menstruation, but OCD onset or worsening was more likely associated with pregnancy/puerperium. Conclusions These findings support previous work demonstrating significant differences between OCD and TTM. The classification of TTM as an impulse control disorder is also problematic, and TTM may have more in common with conditions characterized by stereotypical self-injurious symptoms, such as skin-picking. Differences between OCD and TTM may reflect differences in underlying psychobiology, and may necessitate contrasting treatment approaches.Published versio

3D genomics across the tree of life reveals condensin II as a determinant of architecture type

We investigated genome folding across the eukaryotic tree of life. We find two types of three-dimensional(3D) genome architectures at the chromosome scale. Each type appears and disappears repeatedlyduring eukaryotic evolution. The type of genome architecture that an organism exhibits correlates with theabsence of condensin II subunits. Moreover, condensin II depletion converts the architecture of thehuman genome to a state resembling that seen in organisms such as fungi or mosquitoes. In this state,centromeres cluster together at nucleoli, and heterochromatin domains merge. We propose a physicalmodel in which lengthwise compaction of chromosomes by condensin II during mitosis determineschromosome-scale genome architecture, with effects that are retained during the subsequent interphase.This mechanism likely has been conserved since the last common ancestor of all eukaryotes.C.H. is supported by the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds; C.H., Á.S.C., and B.D.R. are supported by an ERC CoG (772471, “CohesinLooping”); A.M.O.E. and B.D.R. are supported by the Dutch Research Council (NWO-Echo); and J.A.R. and R.H.M. are supported by the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF). T.v.S. and B.v.S. are supported by NIH Common Fund “4D Nucleome” Program grant U54DK107965. H.T. and E.d.W. are supported by an ERC StG (637597, “HAP-PHEN”). J.A.R., T.v.S., H.T., R.H.M., B.v.S., and E.d.W. are part of the Oncode Institute, which is partly financed by the Dutch Cancer Society. Work at the Center for Theoretical Biological Physics is sponsored by the NSF (grants PHY-2019745 and CHE-1614101) and by the Welch Foundation (grant C-1792). V.G.C. is funded by FAPESP (São Paulo State Research Foundation and Higher Education Personnel) grants 2016/13998-8 and 2017/09662-7. J.N.O. is a CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research. E.L.A. was supported by an NSF Physics Frontiers Center Award (PHY-2019745), the Welch Foundation (Q-1866), a USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant (2017-05741), the Behavioral Plasticity Research Institute (NSF DBI-2021795), and an NIH Encyclopedia of DNA Elements Mapping Center Award (UM1HG009375). Hi-C data for the 24 species were created by the DNA Zoo Consortium (www.dnazoo.org). DNA Zoo is supported by Illumina, Inc.; IBM; and the Pawsey Supercomputing Center. P.K. is supported by the University of Western Australia. L.L.M. was supported by NIH (1R01NS114491) and NSF awards (1557923, 1548121, and 1645219) and the Human Frontiers Science Program (RGP0060/2017). The draft A. californica project was supported by NHGRI. J.L.G.-S. received funding from the ERC (grant agreement no. 740041), the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (grant no. BFU2016-74961-P), and the institutional grant Unidad de Excelencia María de Maeztu (MDM-2016-0687). R.D.K. is supported by NIH grant RO1DK121366. V.H. is supported by NIH grant NIH1P41HD071837. K.M. is supported by a MEXT grant (20H05936). M.C.W. is supported by the NIH grants R01AG045183, R01AT009050, R01AG062257, and DP1DK113644 and by the Welch Foundation. E.F. was supported by NHGR

Systematic Review of Potential Health Risks Posed by Pharmaceutical, Occupational and Consumer Exposures to Metallic and Nanoscale Aluminum, Aluminum Oxides, Aluminum Hydroxide and Its Soluble Salts

Aluminum (Al) is a ubiquitous substance encountered both naturally (as the third most abundant element) and intentionally (used in water, foods, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines); it is also present in ambient and occupational airborne particulates. Existing data underscore the importance of Al physical and chemical forms in relation to its uptake, accumulation, and systemic bioavailability. The present review represents a systematic examination of the peer-reviewed literature on the adverse health effects of Al materials published since a previous critical evaluation compiled by Krewski et al. (2007). Challenges encountered in carrying out the present review reflected the experimental use of different physical and chemical Al forms, different routes of administration, and different target organs in relation to the magnitude, frequency, and duration of exposure. Wide variations in diet can result in Al intakes that are often higher than the World Health Organization provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), which is based on studies with Al citrate. Comparing daily dietary Al exposures on the basis of “total Al”assumes that gastrointestinal bioavailability for all dietary Al forms is equivalent to that for Al citrate, an approach that requires validation. Current occupational exposure limits (OELs) for identical Al substances vary as much as 15-fold. The toxicity of different Al forms depends in large measure on their physical behavior and relative solubility in water. The toxicity of soluble Al forms depends upon the delivered dose of Al+ 3 to target tissues. Trivalent Al reacts with water to produce bidentate superoxide coordination spheres [Al(O2)(H2O4)+ 2 and Al(H2O)6 + 3] that after complexation with O2•−, generate Al superoxides [Al(O2•)](H2O5)]+ 2. Semireduced AlO2• radicals deplete mitochondrial Fe and promote generation of H2O2, O2 • − and OH•. Thus, it is the Al+ 3-induced formation of oxygen radicals that accounts for the oxidative damage that leads to intrinsic apoptosis. In contrast, the toxicity of the insoluble Al oxides depends primarily on their behavior as particulates. Aluminum has been held responsible for human morbidity and mortality, but there is no consistent and convincing evidence to associate the Al found in food and drinking water at the doses and chemical forms presently consumed by people living in North America and Western Europe with increased risk for Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). Neither is there clear evidence to show use of Al-containing underarm antiperspirants or cosmetics increases the risk of AD or breast cancer. Metallic Al, its oxides, and common Al salts have not been shown to be either genotoxic or carcinogenic. Aluminum exposures during neonatal and pediatric parenteral nutrition (PN) can impair bone mineralization and delay neurological development. Adverse effects to vaccines with Al adjuvants have occurred; however, recent controlled trials found that the immunologic response to certain vaccines with Al adjuvants was no greater, and in some cases less than, that after identical vaccination without Al adjuvants. The scientific literature on the adverse health effects of Al is extensive. Health risk assessments for Al must take into account individual co-factors (e.g., age, renal function, diet, gastric pH). Conclusions from the current review point to the need for refinement of the PTWI, reduction of Al contamination in PN solutions, justification for routine addition of Al to vaccines, and harmonization of OELs for Al substances

Gestational weight gain charts for different body mass index groups for women in Europe, North America and Oceania

Background: Gestational weight gain differs according to pre-pregnancy body mass index and is related to the risks of adverse maternal and child health outcomes. Gestational weight gain charts for women in different pre-pregnancy body mass index groups enable identification of women and offspring at risk for adverse health outcomes. We aimed to construct gestational weight gain reference charts for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and grade 1, 2 and 3 obese women and compare these charts with those obtained in women with uncomplicated term pregnancies.Methods: We used individual participant data from 218,216 pregnant women participating in 33 cohorts from Europe, North America and Oceania. Of these women, 9,065 (4.2%), 148,697 (68.1%), 42,678 (19.6%), 13,084 (6.0%), 3,597 (1.6%), and 1,095 (0.5%) were underweight, normal weight, overweight, and grade 1, 2 and 3 obese women, respectively. A total of 138, 517 women from 26 cohorts had pregnancies with no hypertensive or diabetic disorders and with term deliveries of appropriate for gestational age at birth infants. Gestational weight gain charts for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and grade 1, 2 and 3 obese women were derived by the Box-Cox t method using the generalized additive model for location, scale and shape. Results: We observed that gestational weight gain strongly differed per maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index group. The median (interquartile range) gestational weight gain at 40 weeks was 14.2 kg (11.4-17.4) for underweight women, 14.5 kg (11.5-17.7) for normal weight women, 13.9 kg (10.1-17.9) for overweight women, and 11.2 kg (7.0-15.7), 8.7 kg (4.3-13.4) and 6.3 kg (1.9-11.1) for grade 1, 2 and 3 obese women, respectively. The rate of weight gain was lower in the first half than in the second half of pregnancy. No differences in the patterns of weight gain were observed between cohorts or countries. Similar weight gain patterns were observed in mothers without pregnancy complications.Conclusions: Gestational weight gain patterns are strongly related to pre-pregnancy body mass index. The derived charts can be used to assess gestational weight gain in etiological research and as a monitoring tool for weight gain during pregnancy in clinical practice

Depression and anxiety in multisomatoform disorder : prevalence and clinical predictors in primary care

The original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.zaObjective. Multisomatoform disorder (MSD) is characterised by ≥3 medically inexplicable, troublesome physical symptoms, together with a ≥2-year history of somatisation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in a South African sample MSD, and to compare demographic and clinical outcomes in those patients with and without co-morbidity. Methods. Fifty-one adult outpatients with MSD were recruited from primary care clinics in the Cape Town metropole. Participants were assessed for the presence of co-morbid depressive and anxiety disorders using the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus (MINI-Plus). Outcomes included somatic symptom severity, disability, reported sick days and health care visits, pain experience, patient satisfaction with health services, and clinician-experienced difficulty. Results. A current co-morbid depressive disorder was present in 29.4% (N=15) of patients, and a current co-morbid anxiety disorder in 52.9% (N=27). MSD patients with a co-morbid depressive disorder (current or lifetime) had significantly higher physical symptom counts, greater functional impairment, higher unemployment rates, more clinician-reported difficulties, and more dissatisfaction with health care services than those without the disorder. A larger number of co-morbid disorders was associated with greater overall disability. Conclusion. High rates of co-morbid depressive and anxiety disorders were present in a South African sample of primary care patients with MSD. Not all patients had co-morbidity, which is consistent with the view that MSD should be viewed as an independent disorder. However, co-morbid depressive disorders were associated with increased symptom severity and functional impairment, consistent with previous reports from developing countries, emphasising the importance of comorbidity in MSD.Publishers' versio

Depression and Anxiety in Multisomatoform Disorder: Prevalence and Clinical Predictors in Primary Care

Objective Multisomatoform disorder (MSD) is characterized by ≥3 medically unexplained, bothersome physical symptoms together with a ≥2-year history of somatization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in a South African sample with MSD, and compare demographic and clinical outcomes in those with and without comorbidity. Methods Fifty-one adult outpatients with MSD were recruited from primary care clinics in the Cape Town metropole. Participants were assessed for the presence of co-morbid anxiety and depressive disorders using the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus (MINI-Plus). Outcomes included somatic symptom severity; disability; reported sick days and health care visits; pain experience; patient satisfaction with health services; and clinician experienced difficulty. Results A current comorbid depressive disorder was present in 29.4% (n=15) of patients, and a current comorbid anxiety disorder in 52.9% (n=27). MSD patients with a comorbid depressive disorder (current or lifetime) had significantly higher physical symptom counts, greater functional impairment, higher unemployment rates, more clinician reported difficulties, and more dissatisfaction with health care services than those without. A larger number of comorbid disorders was associated with greater overall disability. Conclusion High rates of comorbid major depression and anxiety disorders were present in a South African sample of primary care patients with MSD. Not all patients had comorbidity, consistent with the view that MSD should be conceptualised as an independent disorders. Furthermore, comorbid depression was associated with increased symptom severity and functional impairment, consistent with previous reports from developing countries, emphasizing the importance of comorbidity in MSD

Rapid screening of the fermentation profiles of wine yeasts by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

A rapid screening method for the evaluation of the major fermentation products of Saccharomyces wine yeasts was developed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and principal component factor analysis. Calibration equations for the quantification of volatile acidity, glycerol, ethanol, reducing sugar and glucose concentrations in fermented Chenin blanc and synthetic musts were derived from the Fourier transform infrared spectra of small-scale fermentations. The accuracy of quantification of volatile acidity in both Chenin blanc and synthetic must was excellent, and the standard error of prediction was 0.07 g l⁻¹ and 0.08 g l⁻¹, respectively. The respective standard error of prediction in Chenin blanc and synthetic musts for ethanol was 0.32% v/v and 0.31% v/v, for glycerol was 0.38 g l⁻¹ and 0.32 g l⁻¹, for reducing sugar in Chenin blanc must was 0.56 g l⁻¹ and for glucose in synthetic must was 0.39 g l⁻¹. These values were in agreement with the accuracy obtained by the respective reference methods used for the quantification of the components. The screening method was applied to quantify the fermentation products of glycerol-overproducing hybrid yeasts and commercial wine yeasts. Principal component factor analysis of the fermentation data facilitated an overall comparison of the fermentation profiles (in terms of the components tested) of the strains. The potential of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a tool to rapidly screen the fermentative properties of wine yeasts and to speed up the evaluation processes in the initial stages of yeast strain development programs is shown.9 page(s