Camphoratins A−J, Potent Cytotoxic and Anti-inflammatory Triterpenoids from the Fruiting Body of Taiwanofungus camphoratus

Ten new triterpenoids, camphoratins A–J (1–10), along with 12 known compounds were isolated from the fruiting body of Taiwanofungus camphoratus. Their structures were established by spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. Compound 10 is the first example of a naturally occurring ergosteroid with an unusual cis-C/D ring junction. Compounds 2–6 and 11 showed moderate to potent cytotoxicity with EC50 values ranging from 0.3 to 3 μM against KB and KB-VIN human cancer cell lines. Compounds 6, 10, 11, 14–16, 18, and 21 exhibited anti-inflammatory NO-production inhibition activity with IC50 values of less than 5 μM, which was more potent than the nonspecific NOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)

A Case of Lung Cancer with Brain Metastasis following Late-Onset Bipolar Disorder

Objective. To describe a case of lung cancer with brain metastasis in a patient who developed new late-onset bipolar disorder 2 years previously. Background. The typical onset age of bipolar disorder is approximately 20, and the first episode is usually a depressive episode. It is still not clear which age-specific factors contribute to the underlying risk. Materials and Methods. A 65-year-old male patient presented with a new-onset manic episode characterized by labile mood, impulsivity, decreased need for sleep, and grandiosity. He was diagnosed with late-onset bipolar disorder after excluding other possible physiological conditions. He was hospitalized in the acute psychiatric ward, and a combination of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics was prescribed. His mental condition improved, and he remained stable for 2 years. However, he experienced abrupt cognitive decline for 2 months and was referred to the emergency room for physiological examination. Results. The patient was diagnosed with lung cancer with brain metastasis by brain magnetic resonance imaging and whole-body positron emission tomography. Conclusion. In geriatric patients, who are at high risk of multiple medical conditions, excluding secondary causes of bipolar disorder is important

Gray Matter Atrophy within the Default Mode Network of Fibromyalgia: A Meta-Analysis of Voxel-Based Morphometry Studies

Over the years, studies have demonstrated morphological changes in the brain of fibromyalgia (FMS). We aimed to conduct a coordinate-based meta-analytic research through systemic review on voxel-based morphometry (VBM) imaging results to identify consistent gray matter (GM) difference between FMS patients and healthy subjects. We performed a comprehensive literature search in PubMed (January 2000–December 2015) and included six VBM publication on FMS. Stereotactic data were extracted from 180 patients of FMS and 123 healthy controls. By means of activation likelihood estimation (ALE) technique, regional GM reduction in left medial prefrontal cortex and right dorsal posterior cingulate cortex was identified. Both regions are within the default mode network. In conclusion, the gray matter deficit is related to the both affective and nonaffective components of pain processing. This result also provided the neuroanatomical correlates for emotional and cognitive symptoms in FMS

Psychiatric Comorbidity and Its Impact on Mortality in Patients Who Attempted Suicide by Paraquat Poisoning during 2000–2010

<div><p>Background</p><p>Paraquat poisoning is a lethal method of suicide used around the world. Although restricting its accessibility had been widely discussed, the underlying psychopathological mechanism of paraquat self-poisoning and its association with mortality have not yet been explicitly evaluated.</p><p>Methods</p><p>We included all patients admitted to a tertiary general hospital in Taiwan between 2000 and 2010 following a suicide attempt by paraquat self-administration. Diagnoses were made upon psychiatric consultation based on the <i>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV)</i> criteria. The risk of mortality was calculated by logistic regression with various psychiatric or medical covariates.</p><p>Results</p><p>The consultation-liaison psychiatry team assessed 157 patients who attempted suicide by paraquat poisoning. Mood disorders (54.0%), including dysthymic (26.7%) and major depressive disorders (24.7%), were the most common psychiatric diagnoses among the self-poisoning patients. Among those who attempted suicide, 87 patients (58.0%) died and dysthymic disorder (OR = 5.58, 95% CI: 1.13–27.69; p<0.05) significantly increased the mortality risk after adjustment for relevant medical variables, including age, gender, severity index of paraquat poisoning (SIPP), and risk for respiratory failure.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Awareness of comorbid psychiatric illnesses, especially dysthymic disorder, is vital in the prevention and treatment of suicide by paraquat poisoning.</p></div

Comorbid psychiatric diagnosis in the subjects who attempted suicide by paraquat self-poisoning.

†<p>One in the 38 patients diagnosed of major depressive disorder had concurrent dysthymic disorder.</p>$<p>Subjects with substance use disorder all had another axis 1 diagnosis, except for 2 patients of alcohol use disorder as sole diagnosis.</p><p>Comorbid psychiatric diagnosis in the subjects who attempted suicide by paraquat self-poisoning.</p

Reasons for suicide attempt by paraquat intoxication.

<p>Reasons for suicide attempt by paraquat intoxication.</p