bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate in early rheumatoid arthritis are associated with single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in genes coding for folate pathway enzymes
Authors: Wessels Judith A. M. , de Vries‐Bouwstra Jeska K. , Heijmans Bas T. , Slagboom P. Eline , Goekoop‐Ruiterman Yvonne P. M. , Allaart Cornelia F. , Kerstens Pit J. S. M. , van Zeben Derkjen , Breedveld Ferdinand C. , Dijkmans Ben A. C. , Huizinga Tom W. J. , Guchelaar Henk‐Jan
Published: March 2006

Objective

To determine associations of methotrexate (MTX) efficacy and toxicity with single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes coding for folate pathway enzymes in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

Patients (n = 205) with active RA received MTX at an initial dosage of 7.5 mg/week, which was increased to 15 mg/week and combined with folic acid (1 mg/day) after 4 weeks. If the Disease Activity Score in 44 joints (DAS44) was >2.4 at 3 months, MTX was increased to 25 mg/week. MTX efficacy was evaluated at 3 and 6 months and compared for genotypes in 3 analyses: patients with and without good response (DAS44 ≤2.4), patients with and without good improvement (ΔDAS44 >1.2), and patients with and without moderate improvement (ΔDAS44 >0.6). The association between MTX‐related adverse drug events (ADEs) and genotype was evaluated by comparing genotypes between patients with and without ADEs, specifically pneumonitis, gastrointestinal ADEs, skin and mucosal ADEs, and elevated liver enzyme levels. The following SNPs were analyzed: methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T, MTHFR 1298A>C, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) −473G>A, DHFR 35289G>A, and reduced folate carrier 80G>A. In case of significant differences, odds ratios (ORs) were calculated.

Results

At 6 months, MTHFR 1298AA was associated with good improvement relative to 1298C (OR 2.3, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.18–4.41), which increased with increased copies of the MTHFR 677CC haplotype. In contrast, MTHFR 1298C allele carriers developed more ADEs (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.32–4.72).

Conclusion

Patients with MTHFR 1298AA and MTHFR 677CC showed greater clinical improvement with MTX, whereas only the MTHFR 1298C allele was associated with toxicity. In the future, MTHFR genotypes may help determine which patients will benefit most from MTX treatment.
Activation of the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α pathway potentiates interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist production in cytokine‐treated chondrocytes
Authors: François Mathias , Richette Pascal , Tsagris Lydia , Fitting Catherine , Lemay Cedric , Benallaoua Mourad , Tahiri Khadija , Corvol Marie‐Therese
Published: March 2006

Objective

To determine whether peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α (PPARα) agonists protect chondrocytes against the effects of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β).

Methods

PPARα expression and function in cultured rabbit articular chondrocytes were studied by Northern blotting, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and transient expression of a luciferase reporter construct bearing the human IL‐1 receptor antagonist (Il‐1Ra) gene promoter. Chondrocytes were incubated in vitro with IL‐1β alone or in combination with CloFibrate (CloF) or other PPAR ligands. Proteoglycans were evaluated by 35S‐sulfate incorporation, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) levels were assessed by zymography and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and MMP messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were measured by Northern blotting and real‐time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. IL‐1β and IL‐1Ra soluble contents were measured by ELISA.

Results

CloF counteracted IL‐1β–induced 35S‐proteoglycan degradation, gelatinolytic activity, and MMP‐1, ‐3, and ‐13 mRNA expression. CloF also maximized IL‐1β–induced endogenous production of soluble IL‐1Ra (sIL‐1Ra). This stimulating effect on IL‐1Ra gene expression was shown, by transient expression assay, to be transcriptional. Inhibition of sIL‐1Ra expression by a specific small interfering RNA suppressed the effect of CloF on IL‐1β–induced MMP expression. The stimulatory effect of CloF was enhanced by cotransfection with wild‐type PPARα and abolished by a dominant‐negative PPARα mutant. Fenofibrate and WY‐14643 displayed a similar stimulating effect on the IL‐1Ra promoter, while rosiglitazone did not. Two PPAR response elements, an NF‐κB–binding site, and a CCAAT/enhancer binding protein–binding site were identified in the IL‐1Ra promoter. All 4 sites were necessary for mediation of the effects of CloF.

Conclusion

Our findings support the notion that there is a PPARα‐dependent mechanism that inhibits IL‐1β function in chondrocytes, which operates via an increase in sIL‐1Ra production.
High‐resolution multipinhole single‐photon–emission computed tomography in experimental and human arthritis
Authors: Ostendorf B. , Scherer A. , Wirrwar A. , Hoppin J. W. , Lackas C. , Schramm N. U. , Cohnen M. , Mödder U. , van den Berg W. B. , Müller H. W. , Schneider M. , Joosten L. A. B.
Published: March 2006

Objective

To image inflammatory arthritic lesions in experimental arthritis and in patients with arthritis, using a newly developed high‐resolution multipinhole single‐photon–emission computed tomography (MPH‐SPECT) technique.

Methods

Six interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist–deficient mice with arthritis of the front and back paws and 2 control BALB/c mice were imaged with MPH‐SPECT and scored macroscopically for arthritis. SPECT imaging was performed with a conventional gamma camera upgraded with a pyramidal lead collimator affixed with MPH apertures. All images were reconstructed, and uptake in the paws was quantified in counts/weight and injected activity. To transfer the imaging technique to humans we examined the clinically dominant hand of 6 individuals (3 with established rheumatoid arthritis [RA], 1 with early RA, 1 with osteoarthritis, and 1 healthy control).

Results

MPH‐SPECT images were high‐resolution 3‐dimensional tomographic images, which allowed exact localization and quantifiable observation of increased bone metabolism. MPH‐SPECT counts of inflamed joints in mice correlated with macroscopic scoring and histologic joint analysis postmortem. In humans, MPH‐SPECT images depicted a detailed visualization of tracer accumulation in bony structures of hand and finger joints, and were also capable of imaging increased bone metabolism that had appeared normal with other imaging modalities, e.g., magnetic resonance imaging.

Conclusion

The MPH‐SPECT technique represents a new diagnostic tool in the detection of bone pathology in small‐animal arthritis research. Compared with macroscopic scoring, this new method provides a more objective and higher‐precision quantifiable measurement of bone reaction, allowing visualization of inflammatory processes of the whole skeleton in vivo. These results suggest that MPH‐SPECT may be useful as a diagnostic instrument for monitoring experimental arthritis, with further potential for use in human studies of RA.
Identification and characterization of an Xp22.33;Yp11.2 translocation causing a triplication of several genes of the pseudoautosomal region 1 in an XX male patient with severe systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Chagnon Pierre , Schneider Rayfel , Hébert Josée , Fortin Paul R. , Provost Sylvie , Belisle Claude , Gingras Marianne , Bolduc Véronique , Perreault Claude , Silverman Earl , Busque Lambert
Published: March 2006

The X;Y translocation break point sequence in an XX male patient with prepubertal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was characterized with the intention of identifying a predisposing gene(s) for SLE. Spectral karyotyping of the patient's metaphase chromosomes showed normal autosomes and 2 X chromosomes, one of which displayed a small portion of the Y chromosome. Using a Y chromosome polymerase chain reaction (PCR) walking strategy and inverse PCR, we found that the abnormal recombination occurred between retroviral long terminal repeats located at Xp22.33 (position 0.95 Mb; inside the pseudoautosomal regions) and Yp11.2 (4.20 Mb) downstream of the sex‐determining region Y (SRY) gene. The complete DNA sequence of the break point was determined, revealing a partial duplication of the pseudoautosomal region 1 (PAR1) in the derivative X chromosome and causing a partial trisomy of the 12 known genes located between the interleukin‐3 receptor α (IL3RA; position 1.1 Mb on the X and Y chromosomes) and CD99 (position 2.2 Mb) genes inclusively. All other X chromosome genes were present as 2 copies. Real‐time quantitative PCR confirmed the presence of 3 copies of each of the 12 genes in the patient's genomic DNA. We also found that RNA for 1 of the candidate genes was indeed overexpressed in the patient's blood as compared with normal subjects. Taken together, the uniqueness of the translocation, the rarity of severe prepubertal SLE in males, and the presence of SLE in some patients with Klinefelter's syndrome (who have a triplication of the 2 PAR regions) point to a possible relationship between the partial triplication of the PAR1 region and the development of SLE.
Antagonist of interferon‐inducible protein 10/CXCL10 ameliorates the progression of autoimmune sialadenitis in MRL/lpr mice
Authors: Hasegawa Hitoshi , Inoue Atsushi , Kohno Masashi , Muraoka Masatake , Miyazaki Tatsuhiko , Terada Miho , Nakayama Takashi , Yoshie Osamu , Nose Masato , Yasukawa Masaki
Published: March 2006

Objective

Mononuclear cell infiltration of the salivary glands is a major feature of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and its animal model. Local generation of chemokines and the presence of chemokine receptors on the infiltrating cells may be involved in this process. We undertook the present study to investigate the expression of chemokines during the development of autoimmune sialadenitis in MRL/lpr mice and the therapeutic effect of chemokine antagonists on sialadenitis.

Methods

NH2‐terminal–truncated interferon‐inducible protein 10 (IP‐10)/CXCL10 analogs were transfected into a nonmetastatic fibroblastoid cell line, MRL/N‐1, and injected subcutaneously into MRL/lpr mice, and the effects on sialadenitis were monitored.

Results

IP‐10 analogs truncated by 5 or more amino acid residues from the N‐terminal failed to induce chemotaxis and calcium influx by CXCR3‐expressing cells. Of these, the most potent antagonist (AT) (IP‐10–AT) was a molecule with methionine added after removal of the 5 N‐terminal amino acid residues. Significantly increased expression of the Th1‐associated chemokines IP‐10, monokine induced by interferon‐γ/CXCL9, and interferon‐inducible T cell chemoattractant/CXCL11 was induced in the ductal epithelium by interferon‐γ produced in the salivary glands, whereas expression of the Th2‐associated chemokines thymus and activation–regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17 and monocyte‐derived chemokine/CCL22 was almost undetectable during sialadenitis. Inoculation of IP‐10–AT into MRL/lpr mice during the early stage of sialadenitis significantly reduced periductal mononuclear cell infiltration and parenchymal destruction compared with these features in control and TARC‐AT–bearing mice. This was due to a significant reduction in infiltration of CXCR3+ T cells, predominantly Th1 cells, resulting in decreased interferon‐γ production.

Conclusion

We prepared a novel potent IP‐10 antagonist and demonstrated its ability to ameliorate the progression of autoimmune sialadenitis. This agent may provide a new therapeutic approach to SS.
The complex nature of the interaction between disease activity and therapy on the lipid profile in patients with pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Sarkissian Talin , Beyenne Joseph , Feldman Brian , Adeli Khosrow , Silverman Earl
Published: March 2006

Objective

To determine the prevalence of lipid abnormalities at different times and to determine the influence of both the disease and corticosteroid therapy on lipid abnormalities in pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

Lipid measurements were obtained in an inception cohort of 139 pediatric patients with SLE (114 females). Fasting levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in the SLE patients were compared with those in age‐ and sex‐matched control subjects. Disease activity levels and medication dosages were obtained at the time of lipid measurements.

Results

At the time of diagnosis, the mean levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were highest, whereas the mean levels of HDL cholesterol were lowest. The percentage of patients with abnormal triglyceride values was highest at diagnosis, decreased at year 1, and then remained relatively constant thereafter. The mean total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels decreased at year 1 as compared with the time of diagnosis and then remained relatively constant. The lowest mean HDL cholesterol levels were found at the time of diagnosis, and these values rose with time. Comparison of lipid levels at different prednisone dosages and disease activity levels revealed that changes in triglyceride levels were mainly associated with changes in disease activity, changes in both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels were associated with changes in the prednisone dosage and not disease activity, and low levels of HDL cholesterol were associated with active SLE, whereas the prednisone dosage was associated with increased levels of HDL cholesterol.

Conclusion

Factors intrinsic to SLE appear to alter lipid levels. Control of SLE may be the most important factor in improving abnormal lipid profiles, and paradoxically, prednisone therapy may improve abnormal lipid levels.
Acute heavy‐resistance exercise–induced pain and neuromuscular fatigue in elderly women with fibromyalgia and in healthy controls: Effects of strength training
Authors: Valkeinen Heli , Häkkinen Arja , Hannonen Pekka , Häkkinen Keijo , Alén Markku
Published: March 2006

Objective

To examine heavy‐resistance exercise–induced acute neuromuscular fatigue, blood lactate concentration, and muscle pain in elderly women with fibromyalgia (FM) and in healthy controls before and after a period of strength training.

Methods

Thirteen elderly women with FM (mean ± SD age 60 ± 2 years) and 10 healthy women (mean ± SD age 64 ± 3 years) performed a heavy‐resistance fatiguing protocol (5 sets of leg presses with 10 repetitions maximum) before and after a 21‐week strength training period. Maximal isometric force and electromyography (EMG) activity of leg extensors and blood lactate concentration were measured during the loading. Pain was assessed by visual analog scale.

Results

The strength training led to large increases in maximal force and EMG activity of the muscles and contributed to the improvement in loading performance (average load/set) at week 21. The fatiguing loading sessions typically applied in strength training before and after the experimental period caused remarkable and comparable acute decreases in maximal force and increases in blood lactate concentration in both groups. Acute exercise‐induced muscle pain increased similarly in both groups, and the pain level in women with FM was lowered after the 21‐week training period.

Conclusion

The increased strength in women with FM improved high‐load performance and also seemed to attenuate perceived pain. Acute exercise‐induced neuromuscular changes and the time course of muscle pain in women with FM were comparable with findings in healthy controls, which suggests a typical fatiguing process and a similar trainability of the muscles in elderly women with FM.
Genetic variation in toll‐like receptor 9 and susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: De Jager Philip L. , Richardson Angela , Vyse Tim J. , Rioux John D.
Published: March 2006

Objective

Autoantibodies produced by differentiated B cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The Toll‐like receptor 9 (TLR‐9) gene has recently emerged as an important costimulatory molecule for both B cells and dendritic cells that respond to chromatin immune complexes. Genetic variation affecting the function of TLR‐9 may therefore increase or decrease the threshold of B cell or dendritic cell activation. This variability in activation threshold may, in turn, affect an individual's susceptibility to SLE. This study assessed the role of genetic variation within the TLR‐9 gene in susceptibility to SLE.

Methods

We genotyped 362 SLE‐affected subject/parent trios for 10 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering a 68,742‐bp genomic segment that contains the TLR‐9 gene and ∼60 kb of flanking sequence. We analyzed the data using the transmission disequilibrium test.

Results

There was no association of susceptibility to SLE with any of the 9 SNPs that generated usable data or the 8 haplotypes found at a frequency of >0.05 in this population. When analyzing the subset of 143 subjects with lupus nephritis, there was also no evidence of association between disease susceptibility and any SNP or haplotype.

Conclusion

These results indicate that there is no evidence that common (frequency higher than 5%) alleles of the TLR‐9 gene contribute significantly to the genetic risk involved in susceptibility to SLE or lupus nephritis.
Intrauterine growth restriction in like‐sex twins discordant for structural defects
Authors: Chambers Christina D. , Castilla Eduardo E. , Orioli Ieda , Jones Kenneth L.
Published: March 2006

BACKGROUND

An increased risk for intrauterine growth restriction in the affected member of like‐sex twin pairs discordant for hypospadias has been reported. The purpose of this study was to document patterns of birth weight disparities in like‐sex twins discordant for a variety of structural defects in order to determine if this is a general phenomenon seen in twins who are discordant for any malformation, is seen only in pairs discordant for certain specific malformations, or is unique to hypospadias.

METHODS

Data were extracted from the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC). Between 1967 and 1999, all like‐sex twin pairs discordant for hypospadias or any other isolated defect that met the criteria of at least 5 discordant pairs for which birth weight was available on both twins were selected. All nonmalformed like‐sex twin pairs in the ECLAMC data base collected over the same study years were selected as controls.

RESULTS

A total of 216 discordant malformed like‐sex twin pairs in 13 defect categories and 328 nonmalformed like‐sex twin pairs met the criteria for inclusion. The proportion of affected infants who were ≥20% smaller than their co‐twin was statistically significantly different from controls for hypospadias, heart defects, anencephaly, and esophageal atresia.

CONCLUSIONS

Intrauterine growth restriction seen in the affected member of like‐sex twin pairs discordant for hypospadias is not unique, but occurs as well in at least 3 additional structural malformations. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Refolding strategies for ketosteroid isomerase following insoluble expression in Escherichia coli
Authors: Hutchinson Matthew H. , Chase Howard A.
Published: March 2006

Dilution and column‐based protein refolding techniques are compared for refolding Δ5‐3‐ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) with a C‐terminus his6‐tag. Column refolding was performed by removing the denaturant while the protein was adsorbed in an immobilized metal affinity chromatography column. Both dilution refolding and a single‐step column‐based refolding strategy were optimized to maximize the recovery of KSI enzyme activity, and achieved refolding yields of 87% and 70% respectively. It was found that the column‐based refolding yield was reduced at higher adsorbed protein concentrations. An elution gradient with increasing imidazole concentration was used to selectively elute the biologically active KSI protein following column refolding, with high molecular weight KSI aggregates retained in the column. An iterative column‐refolding process was then developed to denature and refold protein retained in the column, which significantly increased the refolding yield at high‐adsorbed protein concentrations. Repetition of the column refolding operation increased the refolding yield from 50% to 75% for protein adsorbed at a concentration of 2.9 mg/mL of adsorbent. Although for the KSI protein column‐based refolding did not improve the overall refolding yield compared to dilution refolding, it may still be advantageous due to the ease of integration with purification operations, increased control over the refolding conditions, and the ability to segregate refolded protein from inactive aggregates during elution. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Expanded bed adsorption/desorption of proteins with Streamline Direct CST I adsorbent
Authors: Li Ping , Xiu Guohua , Mata Vera G. , Grande Carlos A. , Rodrigues Alirio E.
Published: March 2006

Streamline Direct CST I is a new type of ion exchanger with multi‐modal functional groups, specially designed for an expanded bed adsorption (EBA) process, which can capture directly the proteins from the high ionic strength feedstocks with a high binding capacity. In this study, an experimental study is carried out for two‐component proteins (BSA and myoglobin) competitive adsorption and desorption in an expanded bed packed with Streamline Direct CST I. Based on the measurements of the single‐ and two‐component bovine serum albumin (BSA)/myoglobin adsorption isotherm on Streamline Direct CST I, the binding and elution conditions for the whole EBA process are selected; and then frontal analysis for a longer timescale and column displacement experiments in a fixed bed (XK16/20 column) are carried out to evaluate the two‐component proteins (BSA and myoglobin) competitive adsorption and displacement on Streamline Direct CST I. Finally, the feasibility of capturing both BSA and myoglobin by an expanded bed packed with Streamline Direct CST I is addressed in a Streamline 50 column packed with 300 mL Streamline Direct CST I. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fluorescent 5‐Alkynyl‐2′‐Deoxyuridines: High Emission Efficiency of a Conjugated Perylene Nucleoside in a DNA Duplex
Authors: Skorobogatyi Mikhail V. , Malakhov Andrei D. , Pchelintseva Anna A. , Turban Alexander A. , Bondarev Stanislav L. , Korshun Vladimir A.
Published: March 2006

Four fluorescent 5‐alkynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridines were studied in DNA oligonucleotides and their duplexes. The fluorescence response to hybridization differs dramatically for nucleosides containing a perylene fluorochrome either conjugated or not conjugated to the nucleobase. The conjugated nucleoside, 5‐(perylen‐3‐ylethynyl)‐2′‐deoxyuridine, shows enhanced long‐wavelength emission in the DNA duplex, in contrast to the blue fluorescence of perylene on a flexible linker (in 5‐[(perylen‐3‐yl)methoxyprop‐1‐ynyl]‐2′‐deoxyuridine), which is quenched upon duplex formation.
Relapse prevention with sex offenders: practice, theory and research
Authors: Launay Gilles
Published: March 2006

Introduction

Relapse prevention (RP) is now applied to sex offending. It has been questioned as to whether RP is worthwhile. This paper aims to evaluate this technique.

The Rochester RP programme

The purpose of the Rochester RP programme is to refine and strengthen skills gained in the prison department's sex offender treatment programme. The objective of the programme is to teach prisoners to recognize the chain of events leading up to their current offences and to practise strategies to interrupt this chain.

Theoretical basis for RP

Stopping an undesired behaviour and maintaining abstinence are two different problems. RP aims to address the maintenance problems. At the centre of RP theory is a study of the conditions that can turn lapse into relapse. Yet RP has been criticized as a lot of jargon saying very little. Ward and Hudson criticize RP constructs and their interaction. Such debates have few implications for clinical work and most of the criticism flies in the face of clinical experience.

Research basis for RP

Risk factors for sex offenders are being identified. Local evaluation of the Rochester programme suggests that prisoners do learn to identify risk factors and to develop coping strategies. As yet, however, there is no evidence as to whether RP works or not.

Discussion

A way to improve the efficacy of an RP programme may be to augment it with additional modules, e.g. behaviour therapy, drug treatment, continued work with the same prison staff and relaxation training.

Conclusion

RP theory is sound in essence but suffers from an overlay of cumbersome vocabulary. Reliable research is emerging. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Risk factors for adult male criminality in Colombia
Authors: Klevens Joanne , Roca Juanita , Restrepo Ofelia , Martinez Adriana
Published: March 2006

Objectives

This study sought to establish, in Colombia, the importance of factors alleged to be causes or correlates of adult criminality according to the published literature from other countries.

Methods

A comparison was made of arrested male offenders from ages 18 to 30 (n = 223) and similar community controls (n = 222) selected from five cities in Colombia as to their family background, exposure to abuse, family stressors, perceived care and history of childhood disruptive behaviour problems.

Results

Compared with neighbourhood controls from similar social classes, offenders were significantly more likely to report having had parents with less education, a mother under the age of 18 or over the age of 35 at time of birth, family members involved in crime, experiencing extreme economic deprivation, parental absence, family conflict, severe punishments, physical abuse, and maternal unavailability, rejection and lack of supervision. Prevalence of childhood disruptive behaviour problems was similar among offenders and controls. These findings appear to be independent of economic status, family size or type, birth order, or primary caregiver. Although the independent contribution of most of these factors is small, once all others have been controlled for, their cumulative effect is strong.

Conclusions

The findings obtained in this Latin American setting do not support the generalized view that adult antisocial behaviour is necessarily preceded by a history of childhood behaviour problems. However, they do add evidence for the importance of family factors in the risk for adult criminality. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Alcohol expectancies in convicted rapists and child molesters
Authors: Aromäki Anu S. , Lindman Ralf E.
Published: March 2006

Background

Previous findings suggest that cognitive factors and expectancies related to drinking can mediate subjective sexual arousal as well as aggression in men. Our aim was to investigate the drinking habits and alcohol‐related expectancies that might predispose men to sexually aggress in two groups of sexual offenders.

Method

Men convicted of rape (n = 10) were compared with men convicted of child molesting (n = 10) and with control subjects (n = 31). Current drinking habits (while not in prison) were assessed by self‐report, and the extent of alcohol abuse was mapped by the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST; Selzer, 1971). Cognitive expectancies related to alcohol use were explored by the standard Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ; Brown et al., 1980).

Results

The majority of the men who committed rape (70%) but only a third of the men convicted of child molesting were diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Alcohol abuse was common in men convicted of both rape and child molesting and the men convicted of rape expected significantly more positive effects from drinking than the control group. Both sex offender groups were the only groups to express significant alcohol‐related cognitive expectancies linked to arousal and aggression. Expectancy patterns were directly linked to the antisocial personality characteristics.

Conclusion

Alcohol abuse is common in men who commit both rape and child molesting. Heavy drinking and the anticipation of alcohol effects such as sexual enhancement, arousal and aggression may facilitate sexual aggression in offenders with antisocial personality disorder. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Quality of life for patients with a personality disorder – comparison of patients in two settings: an English special hospital and a Dutch TBS clinic
Authors: Swinton Mark , Carlisle Julie , Oliver Joseph
Published: March 2006

Introduction

There are differing approaches to the management of people with a severe personality disorder in the UK and The Netherlands. Few comparative studies exist. This study describes the use of an adapted version of the Lancashire Quality of life profile as a patient based‐outcome measure.

Method

A cross‐sectional sample of 37 patients was interviewed at each site.

Result

Patients in the Dutch service reported a significantly higher quality of life which could not be explained by better objective circumstances.

Discussion

The data collected do not explain why the Dutch patients reported a higher quality of life. It is suggested that this finding was related to more extensive therapeutic activity and greater therapeutic optimism in the Dutch service. There is a need for critical scrutiny of the appropriateness of quality of life measures in offender patients before they are accepted for use as an outcome measure. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
The Forensic Inpatient Observation Scale (FIOS): development, reliability and validity
Authors: Timmerman Irma G.H. , Vastenburg Nanette C. , Emmelkamp Paul M.G.
Published: March 2006

Introduction

Re‐offending, as a measure of success in forensic psychiatry, gives no information about other behaviours that may have changed. The development of the Forensic Inpatient Observation Scale (FIOS), an observation instrument to assess the non‐offending functioning of forensic patients, is described.

Study 1

In the first study the development of the initial item pool of the FIOS is described. This resulted in an instrument consisting of 78 items and seven scales. The internal reliability of the scales ranged from 0.78 to 0.91. The inter‐rater reliability of the scales varied from 0.50 to 0.85 and the test–retest reliability over a period of three weeks was high for most scales, ranging from 0.74 to 0.89.

Study 2

In the second study the FIOS was developed further in another sample of forensic patients. This time exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation and post hoc reliability analysis were applied to determine the factor structure among the items. This resulted in an item pool of 35 items, among which six factors could be distinguished that closely resemble the factor structure of the FIOS in study one: (1) self‐care, (2) social behaviour, (3) oppositional behaviour, (4) insight offence/ problems, (5) verbal skills and (6) distress. Most items have high loadings on the factor they are assigned; 29 items have a loading of 0.60 or higher. The internal consistency of the scales ranges from 0.73 to 0.91 and the scales appear to be measuring independent constructs. Twenty‐five out of the 35 items have an inter‐rater correspondence of 90% or higher and 30 out of 35 items have an inter‐rater correspondence of 87.5% or higher. The inter‐rater reliability on the scale level, however, was somewhat less satisfying with correlations ranging from 0.50 to 0.69.

Discussion

It is argued that training the observers on a more regular basis will improve the inter‐rater reliability. There is some evidence for the convergent validity of the FIOS. The FIOS has some advantages over existing inpatient scales in that it is developed specifically for forensic patients, it does not particularly focus on axis 1 symptoms but includes oppositional behaviour and attitudes to offending. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
What is problem solving? A review of theory, research and applications
Authors: Mcguire James
Published: March 2006

Introduction

Structured training or therapy programmes designed to develop cognitive problem‐solving skills are now widely used in criminal justice and mental health settings.

Method

This paper describes the conceptual origins and theoretical models on which such programmes are based, and provides a historical overview of their development. Theoretical formulations of problem‐solving deficits have also been used to inform the design of intervention programmes, and a number of studies and evaluations of such interventions are reviewed, with particular reference to criminal and other antisocial behaviour.

Discussion

In recent years there has been steadily growing supportive evidence for the benefits of this approach. However, there are also several aspects of its application that require further investigation, and some of the remaining questions are identified. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
What are adolescent antecedents to antisocial personality disorder?
Authors: Loeber Rolf , Burke Jeffrey D. , Lahey Benjamin B.
Published: March 2006

Background

This paper fills a gap because there are very few studies that prospectively predict antisocial personality disorder (APD) from psychopathology earlier in life in clinic‐referred samples of young males.

Method

The paper addresses the continuity between conduct disorder (CD) and other forms of psychopathology during ages 13–17 and modified APD at ages 18 and 19 (modified to remove the DSM‐IV requirement of pre‐existing CD by age 15) in the Developmental Trends Study.

Results

The results show that 82–90% of APD cases met criteria for CD at least once during ages 13–17, and very few youths who met criteria for ODD during this period progressed to APD without intermediate CD. While CD is a strong predictor of modified APD, when other factors were accounted for in regression analyses, the best predictors were callous/unemotional behaviour, depression and marijuana use. ADHD during ages 13–17 was not significant in the final model. Males with CD during adolescence who progressed to APD tended to commit more violence, as evident from their court records.

Conclusions

Implications are discussed for the conceptualization of developmental models leading to APD, the strengthening of relevant symptoms of CD predictive of APD, and preventive and remedial interventions. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
A question for DSM‐V: which better predicts persistent conduct disorder – delinquent acts or conduct symptoms?
Authors: Burke Jeffrey D. , Loeber Rolf , Mutchka John S. , Lahey Benjamin B.
Published: March 2006

Background

Conduct disorder (CD), a psychiatric index of antisocial behaviour, shares similarities with delinquency, a criminological index. This study sought to examine which factors in childhood predict a repeated diagnosis of CD in adolescence, and whether self‐reported delinquent acts enhance the utility of symptoms of CD in predicting later persistent CD.

Method

Longitudinal data used in this paper come from a clinic‐referred sample of 177 boys, along with their parents and teachers, who were assessed using a structured clinical interview. The boys also reported on their delinquent behaviours, as well as a broad range of other family and life events.

Results

Before age 13, 77 boys met criteria for CD according to their parent, 69 according to their own report, and 36 reported three or more delinquent acts. Forty‐eight boys (29%) met criteria for CD three or more times between 13 and 17. In childhood, delinquency overlapped, but was distinct from CD. Both were present in 28 cases, while 41 cases had CD without delinquency, and eight had delinquency without CD. When tested as predictors of later persistent CD, child‐reported CD was the strongest predictor of later persistent CD, but self‐reported delinquency was stronger than parent‐reported CD. A final model of significant predictors included child‐reported CD, delinquency, poor child communication with parents, and maternal prenatal smoking.

Conclusions

It appears that delinquency does add uniquely to the prediction of persistent CD. It may be useful to expand the diagnostic criteria for CD accordingly. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Lost opportunities for intervention: undetected markers for the development of serious juvenile delinquency
Authors: Stouthamer‐Loeber Magda , Loeber Rolf
Published: March 2006

Introduction

Persistent serious delinquency in young males rarely starts without a history of problem behaviour in childhood. This paper addresses the following questions: (1) At what age does persistent serious offending emerge for the first time? (2) What proportion of persistent serious delinquent boys qualifies for a diagnosis of a disruptive behaviour disorder? (3) What proportion of persistent serious delinquent boys receive help for their behavioural or educational problems, either from mental health professionals or from personnel at school?

Method

Eight waves of assessments from the oldest sample (ages 13 to 18.5) of the Pittsburgh Youth Study were used to classify boys as persistent serious violent offenders, persistent serious property offenders, persistent non‐serious offenders, and non‐offenders based on their self‐reports. Juvenile court records, diagnostic information and information about help for mental health problems were used.

Results

Almost half of the boys who eventually become a persistent serious offender already have an onset of their serious delinquent behaviour by age 12. Two‐thirds of the boys who come to the attention of the juvenile court already had behaviour problems for at least five years, and one‐third were diagnosed as having a disruptive behaviour disorder by age 13. However, less than half of the persistent serious delinquents had received any help from either mental health professionals or from personnel in schools.

Conclusions

Early behaviour problems and a diagnosis of disruptive behaviour disorder constitute targets for intervention. The relatively low rate of interventions for boys with these problems and who later become persistent serious offenders indicates a high under‐utilization of opportunities to prevent serious delinquency by parents and professionals. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Characteristics of girls with early onset disruptive and antisocial behaviour
Authors: Hipwell Alison E. , Loeber Rolf , Stouthamer‐Loeber Magda , Keenan Kate , White Helene R. , Kroneman Leoniek
Published: March 2006

Background

Crime, particularly among juvenile females, has increased in recent years. Little is known, however, about the development and precursors in childhood of female delinquent behaviour. This is primarily due to a lack of consensus on how to define and assess female antisocial behaviour, and a lack of studies using sufficiently large samples.

Method

A community sample of 2451 girls between the ages of five and eight years were recruited into a longitudinal study following the enumeration of 103 238 households in the city of Pittsburgh. Data on disruptive and antisocial behaviours were collected from parents, teachers and children during the first wave of the study.

Results

Prevalence rates of disruptive disorders varied by choice of informants and measurement thresholds. The prevalence of most disruptive behaviours was similar across the four age cohorts. Where there were differences, parents of younger girls tended to report fewer problematic behaviours compared with parents of older girls. Teachers reported more disruptive behaviours than parents and, by their reports, older girls were more likely to show oppositional/defiant behaviour and relational aggression than younger girls. Girls scoring highly on several domains relative to their peers were over‐represented in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

Conclusions

A range of disruptive disorders are present among a subgroup of females at an early age, particularly among girls in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Longitudinal follow‐up is required to examine the developmental trajectories and predictive utility of these behaviours. The implications for clinical interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Offence typology and the interpersonal octagon: an exploratory analysis
Authors: Shine John , Birtchnell John
Published: March 2006

The PROQ2 is based on the interpersonal octagon. It has 96 items on eight scales. The mean score for Grendon prisoners has been found to be between that of a Student sample and that of a psychotherapy patient sample. This study found that among the prisoners sex offenders had the highest mean scores. This may suggest that sex offenders have a diminished capacity to form relationships with others. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
The voice of detainees in a high security setting on services for people with personality disorder
Authors: Ryan Sue , Moore Estelle , Taylor Pamela J , Wilkinson Eric , Lingiah Tony , Christmas Michelle
Published: March 2006

Background

British government Home and Health Departments have been consulting widely about service development for people with ‘dangerous severe personality disorder’ (DSPD). There has, however, been no consultation with service users, nor is there any user view literature in this area.

Methods

All people detained in one high security hospital under the legal classification of psychopathic disorder were eligible but those on the admission or intensive care wards were not approached. Views of service were elicited using a purpose designed semi‐structured interview. The principal researcher was independent of all clinical teams. Confidentiality about patients' views was assured.

Aims

To establish views on services from one subgroup of people nominated by the government department as having ‘DSPD’.

Results

Sixty‐one of 89 agreed to interview. With security a given, about half expressed a preference for a high security hospital setting, 20% prison and 25% elsewhere, generally medium secure hospitals. Participants most valued caring, understanding and ‘experience’ among staff. An ideal service was considered to be one within small, domestic living units, providing group and individual therapies. Some found living with people with mental illness difficult, but some specified not wanting segregated units. Views were affected by gender and comorbidity.

Conclusions

As the sample were all in hospital, the emphasis on treatment may reflect a placement bias. All but five participants, however, had had experience of both health and criminal justice services, so were well placed to talk with authority about preferences. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Increased deep sleep in a medication‐free, detoxified female offender with schizophrenia, alcoholism and a history of attempted homicide: effect of concomitant administration of quetiapine and citalopram
Authors: Lindberg Nina , Tani Pekka , Takala Pirjo , Sailas Eila , Putkonen Hanna , Eronen Markku , Virkkunen Matti
Published: March 2006

Background An increased amount of deep sleep has been shown to be associated with antisocial personality disorder. This phenomenon has also been observed in a habitually violent female offender with schizophrenia and alcohol dependence.

Aim To evaluate sleep patterns in this patient and compare them with those of healthy, pro‐social women of similar age, and in the same patient over time after treatment.

Method Multiple measures of sleep were taken over two consecutive nights with the presenting patient and with three age‐matched healthy women. One year after the patient was established on atypical antipsychotic (quetiapine), and antidepressant (SSRI) medication (citalopram) her sleep evaluation was repeated. In each case only the second night's recordings were used in analyses.

Results The patient differed significantly from the three healthy women on most sleep measures. After a year on the medication, the patient's sleep had improved and the non‐REM sleep measures had come into the normal range. She had also shown a sustained clinical and behavioural improvement.

Discussion and implications The literature suggests that both drugs had a part to play in the improvements in sleep, symptomatology and behaviour. The possibility that improvement in deep sleep is secondary to citalopram and that it is this that was specifically associated with violence reduction seems worthy of further study. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Women with antisocial behaviour: long‐term health disability and help‐seeking for emotional problems
Authors: Pajer Kathleen , Stouthamer‐Loeber Magda , Gardner William , Loeber Rolf
Published: March 2006

Background Previous studies have reported that women who display antisocial behaviour (ASB) as adults or adolescents are at increased risk of poor mental and physical health, but have not tested effects of sociodemographics, or used only incarcerated samples.

Aims The authors sought first to test associations between ASB and emotional or physical health problems in non‐incarcerated women, and second whether any such association could be explained by sociodemographic factors.

Method The sample was 1218 mothers, aged 22–59, of boys randomly selected from grades 1, 4 and 7 (aged about 7, 10 and 13 respectively) in US urban public schools in 1987 and 1988. The 30% of boys designated most antisocial on initial examin‐ation and a 30% random sample of the remainder entered the longitudinal study. Demographics for the mothers, data on their lifetime ASB, help‐seeking for emotional and/or physical health problems were collected at interview with them. A history of adolescent conduct problems and/or lifetime police contacts led to classification as antisocial for this study.

Results A total of 214 (17.6 %) of the mothers met our criteria for ASB. Compared with the women without such history, the women with ASB were younger, less well educated, of lower socioeconomic status, had a higher rate of unemployment and more of them were single mothers. They more often sought help for emotional problems and reported higher rates of long‐term physical health problems, even when the effects of sociodemographic factors were taken into account.

Conclusions Although the findings rule out many sociodemographic factors as simple explanations for the association between ASB and poor emotional and physical health, more work is needed on the nature and extent of such disorder, and of temporal relationships between the key events: poor health and ASB. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Controlling alcohol‐related violence: a treatment programme
Authors: McMurran Mary , Cusens Bryany
Published: March 2006

Introduction

Control Of Violence for Angry Impulsive Drinkers (COVAID) is a structured, cognitive‐behavioural treatment programme for people in the community. The importance of the programme is that it addresses the link between two major problems areas – drinking and aggression – while emphasizing the reduction of the latter.

Aim

To conduct a pilot study of the effectiveness of COVAID.

Method

Six COVAID participants were assessed using psychometric measures and self‐reported alcohol consumption and aggression, before and after a 10‐session COVAID programme. They and 10 other men regarded as potentially suitable but who had not completed COVAID were compared for reconviction over a period of 18 weeks from referral.

Results

Six of the 17 referrals to COVAID completed the programme; one was not accepted for the programme, one is still in treatment, three became unavailable for COVAID, three did not attend the first interview, and three dropped out of treatment. The six completers showed improvement on alcohol‐related aggression beliefs, social problem solving, anger control and impulsiveness. Improvements in alcohol consumption were not uniformly observed, although self‐reported aggression was low. Reconvictions for violence were lower in the COVAID group (one reconvicted out of six men) compared with those referred but who did not participate in COVAID (three reconvicted out of 10 men).

Discussion

This preliminary information shows that COVAID holds promise as an intervention for alcohol‐related aggression and violence. While the indicators are positive, given the small numbers, the short follow‐up period and the lack of an adequate control group, further evaluation is necessary. Given the difficulties in recruiting suitable candidates, a multi‐centre study is recommended. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd.