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Tijdschr Psychiatr 2019 ;61(4):284-286

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J Phys Condens Matter 2019 Apr 23. Epub 2019 Apr 23.

Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, Fysikvej, Building 309, Lyngby, 2800, DENMARK.

Materials exhibiting a substitutional disorder such as multicomponent alloys and mixed metal oxides/oxyfluorides are of great importance in many scientific and technological sectors. Disordered materials constitute an overwhelmingly large configurational space, which makes it practically impossible to be explored manually using first-principles calculations such as density functional theory (DFT) due to the high computational costs. Consequently, the use of methods such as cluster expansion (CE) is vital in enhancing our understanding of the disordered materials. Read More

Sleep 2019 Apr 23. Epub 2019 Apr 23.

Unit of Sleep Medicine and Epilepsy, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.

Study Objectives: To search for a specific neuropsychological profile in idiopathic REM sleep Behavior Disorder (iRBD), able to predict the onset of neurodegenerative disorders.

Methods: In a longitudinal follow-up study of 63 consecutive iRBD patients (follow-up duration 6.7± 3. Read More

Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2019 Apr 4;3(2):161-172. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine University of North Carolina Chapel Hill North Carolina.

Since its discovery over 350 years ago, studies of fibrinogen have revealed remarkable characteristics. Its complex structure as a large (340 kDa) hexameric homodimer supports complex roles in hemostasis and homeostasis. Fibrinogen synthesis is regulated at the transcriptional and translational levels, undergoing both constitutive (basal) secretion from liver, and inducible upregulation in response to inflammatory events. Read More

Liver Int 2019 Apr 22. Epub 2019 Apr 22.

Third Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan.

Background & Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been known to cause various extrahepatic autoimmune disorders. The prevalence of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G (PA-IgG) has been high in patients with HCV infection. Because thrombocytopenia in HCV-related liver diseases is a notable problem, we performed prospective study on the effect of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) treatment on PA-IgG and platelet count. Read More

J Emerg Med 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Background: Children with conversion disorder experience neurological symptoms without a definable organic cause. Clinical presentation of conversion disorders is uncommon in the emergency department (ED).

Case Report: An 11-year-old previously healthy girl presented to the ED for management of lobar pneumonia. Read More

J Pak Med Assoc 2019 Apr;69(4):602

University of Central Punjab, Lahore.

J Pak Med Assoc 2019 Apr;69(4):601

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Saudi Arabia 11525.

J Biophotonics 2019 Apr 15:e201800340. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 2, Czech Republic.

Prion disorders are fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by the autocatalytic conversion of a natively occurring prion protein (PrP ) into its misfolded infectious form (PrP ). The proven resistance of PrP to common disinfection procedures increases the risk of prion transmission in medical settings. Herein, we present the effective photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of prions by disulfonated hydroxyaluminum phthalocyanine (AlPcOH(SO ) ) utilizing two custom-built red light sources. Read More

J Hosp Med 2019 Apr 8;14:E1-E4. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin.

Adolescents with severe eating disorders require hospitalization for medical stabilization. Supervision best practices for these patients are not established. This study sought to evaluate the cost and feasibility of centralized video monitoring (CVM) supervision on a general pediatric unit of an academic quaternary care center. Read More

Front Neuroinform 2019 22;13:13. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Background: The hippocampus and hippocampal subfields have been found to be diversely affected in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and early stages of Alzheimer's disease by neuroimaging studies. However, our knowledge is still lacking about the trajectories of the hippocampus and hippocampal subfields atrophy with the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: To identify which subfields of the hippocampus differ in the trajectories of Alzheimer's disease by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine whether individual differences on memory could be explained by structural volumes of hippocampal subfields. Read More

Rev Prat 2019 Feb;69(2):214-218

Centre hospitalier universitaire de Nancy, unité d'épileptologie, Nancy, France.

Non-epileptic psychogenic seizures: a renewal approach of conversion disorders. Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) are characterized by a paroxystic modification of behaviour or consciousness that resemble to an epileptic seizure. They are classified as dissociative or somatoform disorders. Read More

Lancet Neurol 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Program in Medical Population and Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA; Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, and Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Stroke, a leading cause of long-term disability and death worldwide, has a heritable component. Recent gene discovery efforts have expanded the number of known single-gene disorders associated with stroke and have linked common variants at approximately 35 genetic loci to stroke risk. These discoveries have highlighted novel mechanisms and pathways implicated in stroke related to large artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolism, and small vessel disease, and defined shared genetic influences with related vascular traits. Read More

Front Neurosci 2019 26;13:254. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.

A seizure is one of the leading neurological disorders. NMDA receptor-mediated neuronal excitation has been thought to be essential for epileptogenesis. As an endogenous co-agonist of the NMDA receptor, D-serine has been suggested to play a role in epileptogenesis. Read More

J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol 2019 04 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

Aromatase deficiency rarely causes a 46, XX sexual differentiation disorder. The gene encodes the aromatase enzyme which catalyses the conversion of androgens to oestrogens. In cases with 46, XX karyotype, mutations in the gene can lead to disorders of sex development. Read More

Schizophr Res 2019 Apr 7. Epub 2019 Apr 7.

Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States. Electronic address:

Objective: Schizophrenia is associated with aberrant blood cytokine and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. However, less is known about alterations in these markers prior to the onset of psychosis. We performed a meta-analysis of blood cytokines and CRP in subjects at high-risk for psychosis. Read More

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

University of California San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, 92093, La Jolla, UNITED KINGDOM.

L-4-Chlorokynurenine (L-4-Cl-Kyn) is a neuropharmaceutical drug candidate in development for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Recently, this amino acid was naturally found as a residue in the lipopeptide antibiotic taromycin. Herein we report the unprecedented conversion of L-tryptophan to L-4-Cl-Kyn catalyzed by four enzymes in the taromycin biosynthetic pathway from the marine bacterium Saccharomonospora sp. Read More

Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2019 Apr 12;40:14-17. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

University of Duhok, College of Medicine Azadi Teaching Hospital, 8 Nakhoshkhana Road, 1014, AM, Duhok City, DUHOK, Iraq.

Introduction: Gall bladder anomalies varies from variations in the size, site, duct systems, and shape. Abnormal location comprises the commonest one.The presence of an ectopic gall bladder is estimated to occur in around 0. Read More

Cancer Manag Res 2019 22;11:2339-2348. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Oncology, HwaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang, China,

Background: Human melanoma is a malignant tumor originated from melanocytes with high invasion, metastasis, and poor prognosis. In this study, the effects of naphthalimides UNBS5162 and amonafide on the properties of proliferation and apoptosis in human melanoma cells were confirmed.

Methods: Cell proliferation was determined by CCK8 and clone formation assay. Read More

J Psychiatr Res 2019 Apr 2;113:159-164. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Laboratory of Panic & Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rua Ataulfo de Paiva 135 S. 609, 22440-901, Brazil.

Abnormalities in the kynurenine pathway (KP) have been implicated in the cognitive deficits of psychiatry disorders, possibly through cytokines that increase the activity of indoleamine-2,3 dioxygenase (IDO), a key enzyme for tryptophan-to-kynurenine conversion. Some studies on panic disorder (PD) have detected elevated cytokines in blood. We aimed to determine the extent to which elevated peripheral cytokine levels and kynurenine/tryptophan (kyn/tryp) ratio (1) are biological markers for PD patients and (2) are related to cognition in PD. Read More

Adv Mater 2019 Apr 8:e1901187. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine (LOMIN), National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) genome-editing system has shown great potential in biomedical applications. Although physical approaches, viruses, and some nonviral vectors have been employed for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery and induce some promising genome-editing efficacy, precise genome editing remains challenging and has not been reported yet. Herein, second near-infrared window (NIR-II) imaging-guided NIR-light-triggered remote control of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing strategy is reported based on a rationally designed semiconducting polymer brush (SPPF). Read More

Hand (N Y) 2019 Apr 8:1558944719837674. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

1 Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.

Background: Clenched fist syndrome is a rare disorder, often attributed to a conversion disorder without anatomic basis. Here, we review the literature surrounding clenched fist syndrome and challenge the assumption it is always psychiatric in origin, via description of a case of clenched fist syndrome responsive to surgical nerve decompression.

Methods: An unusual case of clenched fist syndrome is reviewed and discussed. Read More

Br J Psychiatry 2019 Apr 5:1-7. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Laboratorio de Neurociencias (LIM-27),Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria,Hospital das Clinicas,Faculdade de Medicina,Universidade de Sao Paulo,Brazil.

Background: Experimental studies indicate that lithium may facilitate neurotrophic/protective responses in the brain. Epidemiological and imaging studies in bipolar disorder, in addition to a few trials in Alzheimer's disease support the clinical translation of these findings. Nonetheless, there is limited controlled data about potential use of lithium to treat or prevent dementia. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2019 Mar 30. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Universita degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Unità di Psichiatria, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milano, Italy; "Aldo Ravelli" Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, University of Milan, Italy.

Background: A century ago, Janet was the first to conceptualize conversion reactions as having a neurocognitive component, as disorders of memory processing that arise in the wake of trauma. The available evidence suggests that this impairment might arise from dysfunction in the fronto-subcortical circuits. Our aim was to examine the cognitive functions regulating deception in patients with functional motor symptoms (FMS), using a computerised task, the Guilty Knowledge Task (GKT). Read More

J Clin Psychopharmacol 2019 May/Jun;39(3):226-237

Relmada Therapeutics, Inc, New York, NY.

Purpose/background: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NMDAR) antagonists are potential agents for the treatment of several central nervous system disorders including major depressive disorder. Racemic methadone, L-methadone, and D-methadone all bind the NMDAR with an affinity similar to that of established NMDAR antagonists, whereas only L-methadone and racemic methadone bind to opioid receptors with high affinity. Therefore, D-methadone is expected to have no clinically significant opioid effects at therapeutic doses mediated by its NMDAR antagonism. Read More

Bioinformatics 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

UC-Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.

Motivation: Several algorithms have been developed that use high throughput sequencing technology to characterize structural variations. Most of the existing approaches focus on detecting relatively simple types of SVs such as insertions, deletions, and short inversions. In fact, complex SVs are of crucial importance and several have been associated with genomic disorders. Read More

Front Vet Sci 2019 15;6:72. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

PRC, CNRS, IFCE, INRA, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France.

The postnatal period is critical for broiler chicks as they are exposed to potentially stressful environmental changes in the hatchery and during transportation to the rearing houses. The ability of broiler chicks to spontaneously drink essential oils (EO) to mitigate the effects of a negative postnatal experience was tested. Chicks were placed in the rearing facility either immediately (C group), or after a 24 h-delay period (D group) to mimic a delay in transportation possible under commercial conditions. Read More

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2019 Mar 23. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Sleep Medicine Centre, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.

Introduction: Several longitudinal studies revealed that patients affected by idiopathic REM behavior disorder (iRBD) trend to convert to α-synucleinopathies at follow-up, although the time and direction of conversion is currently unpredictable. This study aimed at evaluating brain glucose metabolism, measured by [18F]FDG-PET, in patients affected by iRBD and compared to Parkinson's Disease (PD), Lewy Body Dementia (DLB), Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and controls.

Methods: Differences in brain [18F]FDG uptake were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping implemented in Matlab R2012b among iRBD, PD, DLB, AD, and controls. Read More

Br J Pharmacol 2019 Mar 30. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Division of Cardiology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Mechanisms of Cardiological Disorders, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.

Objective: The calcium antagonist amlodipine exerts important cardioprotective effects by modulating smooth muscle and endothelial functions. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are incompletely understood.

Approach And Results: Only the calcium antagonist amlodipine, and no other type of anti-hypertensive drugs, induced miR-21 overexpression in plasma and aortic vessels in the animal model. Read More

Pediatr Neurol 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas. Electronic address:

Background: Distinguishing patients with psychogenic nonsyncopal collapse (PNSC), a conversion disorder that resembles syncope, can pose a difficult clinical challenge. Using the open-ended question "what does it feel like to faint?," the present study aimed to characterize how patients with PNSC perceive and communicate the prodromal symptoms associated with their attacks by comparing narratives between patients with PNSC and those with syncope.

Methods: During a 42-month database-type study of tilt-table diagnoses, all patients with a history of fainting were asked the open-ended question. Read More

Ann Agric Environ Med 2019 Mar 21;26(1):33-38. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Chair and Department of Paedodontics, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.

Introduction: Researchers who study the problems of Internet addiction point out that this dependence is often co-morbid with symptoms of a variety of pathological disorders, including anxiety, depressive, somatization, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The goal of this study was to compare the severity of psychopathological symptoms in individuals at risk of Internet addiction (according to Young's criteria) and those not at risk of developing this addiction with respect to gender and place of residence (urban vs. rural). Read More

J Nerv Ment Dis 2019 Apr;207(4):255-263

Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas.

The conversion disorder that appears like syncope is common but poorly recognized. The study aimed to develop and validate a brief, clinician-administered screening tool to discriminate psychogenic nonsyncopal collapse (PNSC) among young patients referred for fainting. Consecutive patients with PNSC and with syncope (15. Read More

Wien Med Wochenschr 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Institut für Schilddrüsendiagnostik und Nuklearmedizin Gleisdorf, Businesspark 2, 8200, Gleisdorf, Austria.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is one of the most common organspecific autoimune diseases and the most frequent cause of hypothyroidism in areas with sufficient iodine supply. Excessively stimulated T cells CD4+ and their differentiated cells are known to play a key role in the pathogenesis. It is currently accepted that on the one hand genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, existential factors (gender difference) play an important role, on the other hand gut and intestinal microbiota seem to contribute to its development too. Read More

Cureus 2019 Jan 16;11(1):e3902. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Neurology, Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton, USA.

Conversion disorder or a functional neurological symptom disorder is a psychiatric illness in which psychological conflicts are manifested as physical symptoms. Common examples of symptoms include blindness, paralysis, dystonia, anesthesia, inability to speak, difficulty swallowing, incontinence, balance problems, tremors, difficulty walking, hallucinations, and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). Conversion disorder is often missed on initial medical and neurological evaluations due to the lack of a definitive organic diagnosis. Read More

J Cell Physiol 2019 Mar 25. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.

Generating neural stem cells (NSCs) from astroglia as an abundant cell type in the mammalian brain has a promising outlook to be used in cell-replacement therapy for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and neuronal trauma. However, little is known about a single reprogramming factor that may lead to the generation of induced NSCs (iNSCs) from adult brain-derived astrocytes in the absence of extrinsic inductive signals. Here, we show that zinc-finger nuclear protein Zfp521 alone is sufficient for converting the adult mouse brain-derived astrocytes into iNSCs. Read More

Hum Mutat 2019 Mar 25. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Metabolic Unit, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

D-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria Type I (D-2-HGA Type I), a neurometabolic disorder with a broad clinical spectrum, is caused by recessive variants in the D2HGDH gene encoding D-2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase (D-2-HGDH). We and others detected 42 potentially pathogenic variants in D2HGDH of which 31 were missense. We developed functional studies to investigate the effect of missense variants on D-2-HGDH catalytic activity. Read More

Clin Epigenetics 2019 03 21;11(1):52. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter University, RILD Building Level 4, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Barrack Rd, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK.

Background: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is hypothesized to involve epigenetic dysfunction. Previous studies of DNA modifications in Alzheimer's disease have been unable to distinguish between DNA methylation and DNA hydroxymethylation. DNA hydroxymethylation has been shown to be enriched in the human brain, although its role in Alzheimer's disease has not yet been fully explored. Read More

J Inherit Metab Dis 2019 Mar 19. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Department of Pediatrics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.

Cholesterol serves as a building material for cellular membranes and plays an important role in cellular metabolism. The brain relies on its own cholesterol biosynthesis, which starts during embryonic development. Cholesterol is synthesized from two immediate precursors, desmosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC). Read More

Pediatr Endocrinol Rev 2019 Mar;16(3):335-358

Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Baystate Children's Hopsital, USA.

Apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) is a rare inherited disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the 11β-HSD2 gene resulting in a deficiency of the 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) enzyme catalyzing the conversion of cortisol to its inactive metabolite, cortisone. Impaired cortisol metabolism results in a mineralocorticoid excess-like state presenting as low renin, low aldosterone hypertension (HTN) and hypokalemia. Typically, AME is diagnosed in early childhood. Read More

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2019 Apr 26;11(14):13397-13404. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027 , P. R. China.

ZrNiSn-based half-Heusler (HH) alloys are considered very promising thermoelectric (TE) materials at intermediate and high temperatures due to their favorable intrinsic electrical properties, but they are also limited by their inherent high thermal conductivities. Numerous works have focused on reducing their thermal conductivities, especially their lattice thermal conductivities. A multielement (Ti, Hf, Nb, V, and Sb) and multisite alloying strategy for simultaneously improving the electrical properties and greatly reducing the lattice thermal conductivity of ZrNiSn-based HH TE materials is reported in this work. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2019 1;10:39. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Psychology Department, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel.

Despite the shift toward a biopsychosocial paradigm of medicine, many physicians and mental health professionals (MHPs) find it difficult to treat patients with psycho-somatic disorders. This situation is particularly troublesome due to the high prevalence of these conditions. Although progress has been made over the last few decades in understanding mechanisms underlying the mind-body relationship, disparities remain between research and its clinical implementation. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2019 Mar 18:1-8. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery , The First Hospital of Putian, Teaching Hospital, Fujian Medical University , Putian , Fujian Province , China.

Fetal arrhythmias are common, and they may resolve spontaneously in majority of the cases. Sustained fetal arrhythmias associated with major structural heart disorders, hydrops fetalis, and fetal heart failure warrant intrauterine pharmaceutical conversion of heart rhythm or early pacemaker implant in order to avoid fetal demise. Fetal atrial flutter (AF) and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) resemble in terms of the effects of intrauterine therapies. Read More

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2019 Mar 1. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

Introduction: Although the hallmark feature of essential tremor (ET) is tremor, there is growing appreciation that cognitive impairment also occurs, including increased prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and increased prevalence and incidence of dementia. With emerging knowledge of ET-cognitive impairment, come fundamental questions regarding its course, bases, predictors and clinical outcomes. Studies in the general population and in Parkinson's disease (PD), a related movement disorder, offer a starting point from which to begin filling these clinically important knowledge gaps. Read More

Opt Express 2019 Feb;27(4):5859-5873

Experimental evidence is presented that pulsed laser generated ultrasound can reduce the power necessary to phase convert a nm-scale amorphous film into the crystalline phase. The amount of energy carried by pulsed ultrasound is scant when compared to the CW laser power used to crystallize but the effect is substantial. The evidence points to the extra-ordinary effects possible when a small energy perturbation is applied at a critical juncture in dynamical systems. Read More

Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019 Mar 12;50:10-18. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan. Electronic address:

Proteins as causative agents of diseases such as cancers, diabetes and neurological disorders are attractive drug targets. For developing chemicals selectively acting on key disease-causing proteins, one useful concept is the direct conversion of such target proteins into biosensors. This approach provides ligand-binding assay systems based on protein-based biosensors, which can quantitatively evaluate interactions between the protein and a specific ligand in many environments. Read More

Pract Neurol 2019 Apr;19(2):168-172

Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK

There is very little published literature on treatment strategies for functional visual loss. We present two people with long duration of functional visual loss who achieved complete recovery with a novel combination of therapeutic approaches. These included: (1) the clinician being transparent regarding positive signs such as optokinetic nystagmus, in order to persuade family members of the diagnosis, (2) regularly positively acknowledging everyday events that indicated visual ability, (3) using occipital transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce phosphenes as an artificial temporary visual experience and (4) using hypnotherapy to promote visual recovery. Read More

Eur Psychiatry 2019 05 11;58:72-79. Epub 2019 Mar 11.

Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical Detection Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park SE5 8AF London, UK; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address:

Objective: The predictive accuracy of the Clinical High Risk criteria for Psychosis (CHR-P) regarding the future development of the disorder remains suboptimal. It is therefore necessary to incorporate refined risk estimation tools which can be applied at the individual subject level. The aim of the study was to develop an easy-to use, short refined risk estimation tool to predict the development of psychosis in a new CHR-P cohort recruited in European country with less established early detection services. Read More

J Abnorm Psychol 2019 Mar 14. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Department of Psychology, Northwestern University.

Negative symptoms, such as blunted facial affect, are core features of psychotic disorders that predict poor functional outcome. However, it is unknown whether these impairments occur prior to the onset of psychosis. Understanding this phenomenon in the psychosis risk period has significant relevance for elucidating pathogenic processes, as well as potential for informing a viable new behavioral marker for broader social dysfunction and clinical course. Read More

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2019 Mar 14:1-13. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Department of Clinical, Neuro-, and Developmental Psychology,Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam,The Netherlands.

AimsThe Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) are the most frequently used observer-rated and self-report scales of depression, respectively. It is important to know what a given total score or a change score from baseline on one scale means in relation to the other scale.

Methods: We obtained individual participant data from the randomised controlled trials of psychological and pharmacological treatments for major depressive disorders. Read More

Pain Res Manag 2019 3;2019:9017931. Epub 2019 Feb 3.

Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, No. 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, China.

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a chronic pain state that is difficult to be treated clinically. A series of complicated changes have been produced from nociceptive stimulation to the occurrence and development of postsurgical pain. Many mechanisms remain unclear. Read More