bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Missed bipolarity and psychiatric comorbidity in women with postpartum depression
Authors: Sharma Verinder , Khan Mustaq , Corpse Cynthia , Sharma Priya 
Published: August 2008

Objective:  To investigate the diagnostic profile of women referred for postpartum depression.Methods:  Fifty‐six women seen consecutively with the referral diagnosis of postpartum depression were administered structured instruments to gather information about their DSM‐IV Axis I diagnoses.Results:  In terms of frequency of occurrence, the primary diagnoses in this sample were: major depressive disorder (46%), bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (29%), bipolar II disorder (23%), and bipolar I disorder (2%). A current comorbid disorder, with no lifetime comorbidity, occurred among 32% of the sample; by contrast, lifetime comorbidity alone (i.e., with no currently comorbid disorder) was found among 27%. Both a lifetime and a current comorbidity were found among 18% of the women, and 23% had no comorbid disorder. The most frequently occurring current comorbid disorder was an anxiety disorder (46%), with obsessive‐compulsive disorder (62%) being the most common type of anxiety disorder. For lifetime comorbidity, substance use (20%) and anxiety disorders (12%) were the two most common. Over 80% of patients who scored positive on either the Highs Scale or the Mood Disorder Questionnaire met the diagnostic criteria for a bipolar disorder.Conclusion:  The results suggest that postpartum depression is a heterogeneous entity and that misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder in the postpartum period may be quite common. The findings have important clinical implications, which include the need for early detection of bipolarity through the use of reliable and valid assessment instruments, and implementation of appropriate prevention and treatment strategies.
Double‐blind randomized controlled study comparing short‐term efficacy of bifrontal and bitemporal electroconvulsive therapy in acute mania
Authors: Hiremani Raja M , Thirthalli Jagadisha , Tharayil Biju S , Gangadhar Bangalore N 
Published: August 2008

Background: Bifrontal electrode placement is as efficacious as bitemporal placement during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depression but is associated with fewer cognitive adverse effects. There are no studies comparing these techniques in acute mania. This study compared the short‐term efficacy and adverse effects of bifrontal and bitemporal ECT in the treatment of acute mania.Method: Thirty‐six DSM‐IV mania inpatients referred for ECT were recruited for study. They were randomized to receive bifrontal (BFECT; n = 17) or bitemporal (BTECT; n = 19) ECT. None of the subjects were on mood stabilizers during the course of ECT. Severity of mania was measured on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) before beginning ECT and then on Days 3, 7, 11, 14, and 21 of treatment. Cognitive functions were assessed eight hours after the fifth ECT session using the Mini‐Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Paired Associate Learning Test, Complex Figure Test, Verbal Fluency Test (animals and fruits categories), and Trail Making Test, Part A.Results: The subjects in the two groups were comparable on sociodemographic and clinical variables, including severity of mania at baseline. They were also similar in ECT parameters, including seizure threshold and seizure duration. Mean YMRS scores showed faster decline in the BFECT than in the BTECT group. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that a greater proportion of subjects in the BFECT group responded (50% reduction in YMRS score) significantly earlier than in the BTECT group. There were no significant differences between the groups in performance on cognitive function tests.Conclusion: In this pilot study, mania patients treated with BFECT responded faster than those treated with BTECT, with comparable cognitive adverse effects. Since ECT is usually prescribed for rapid control of symptoms, BFECT may be preferred over BTECT in the treatment of acute mania.
Treatment‐emergent mania/hypomania in unipolar patients
Authors: Benvenuti Antonella , Rucci Paola , Miniati Mario , Papasogli Alessandra , Fagiolini Andrea , Cassano Giovanni B , Swartz Holly , Frank Ellen 
Published: August 2008

Objective:  The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of treatment‐emergent mania/hypomania (TEMH) and to describe the clinical characteristics of patients with major depression experiencing this event during treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and/or interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT).Methods:  Following an algorithm‐based protocol, 344 patients with major depression confirmed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV disorders were treated with an SSRI, interpersonal psychotherapy, or their combination for nine months. The emergence of mania/hypomania was carefully monitored throughout the study using the Young Mania Rating Scale and clinical assessment.Results:  Overall, eight patients experienced TEMH. The incidence of this event was 3.0% in patients treated with an SSRI and 0.9% in patients treated with IPT alone. Among patients treated with an SSRI, the difference between sites was higher than expected by chance alone (6.8% at Pisa and 0% at Pittsburgh, p = 0.002). Despite the adoption of an identical protocol at the two sites, some demographic and clinical characteristics of participants may account for this unexpected result. Alternatively, the greater number of episodes and earlier age of onset at the Pittsburgh site suggests that the unipolar course of illness was more clearly established prior to study entry.Conclusions:  TEMH is an infrequent event, occurring in 2.3% of patients treated for major depression. Nevertheless, its consequences are clinically relevant and require prompt and appropriate therapeutic interventions. For this reason, recognising those patients at risk for such an event is of paramount clinical significance. The observed difference in the incidence of TEMH between the two sites requires further investigation.
Quetiapine for the treatment of bipolar mania in older adults
Authors: Sajatovic Martha , Calabrese Joseph R , Mullen Jamie 
Published: August 2008

Objectives:  A post hoc analysis of pooled data from two quetiapine monotherapy clinical trials was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of quetiapine therapy (twice daily, 400–800 mg/day) among bipolar manic adults aged 55 years and older. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) total score at Day 21. A secondary endpoint was change from baseline in YMRS score at Day 84.Methods:  A total of 407 patients made up the safety population, consisting of 59 older adults (aged ≥55 years) and 348 younger adults. A total of 403 patients made up the efficacy population, consisting of 59 older adults and 344 younger adults. Efficacy outcomes were analyzed using covariance models (ANCOVA); descriptive statistics are presented for safety outcomes.Results:  Both older and younger individuals treated with quetiapine had significant improvement from baseline on YMRS scores compared with placebo‐treated patients. The older adult group demonstrated a sustained reduction in YMRS score compared with placebo that was apparent by Day 4 of treatment. For the quetiapine treatment groups, the most common adverse effects (at a frequency ≥10%) were dry mouth, somnolence, postural hypotension, insomnia, weight gain, and dizziness in older adults, and dry mouth, somnolence, and insomnia in younger adults. For the placebo treatment groups, insomnia was the most common adverse event in both older and younger adults.Conclusions:  This secondary analysis suggests that quetiapine represents a potentially useful treatment option among older adults with bipolar I mania. Studies with a primary focus of geriatric bipolar mania, and including larger patient numbers, are needed to confirm these findings.
Regional brain changes in bipolar I depression: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Altshuler Lori , Bookheimer Susan , Townsend Jennifer , Proenza Manuel A , Sabb Fred , Mintz Jim , Cohen Mark S 
Published: August 2008

Objective:  To investigate neural activity in prefrontal cortex and amygdala during bipolar depression.Methods:  Eleven bipolar I depressed and 17 normal subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing a task known to activate prefrontal cortex and amygdala. Whole brain activation patterns were determined using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) when subjects matched faces displaying neutral or negative affect (match condition) or matched a geometric form (control condition). Contrasts for each group for the match versus control conditions were used in a second‐level random effects analysis.Results:  Random effects between‐group analysis revealed significant attenuation in right and left orbitofrontal cortex (BA47) and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (BA9) in bipolar depressed subjects. Additionally, random effects analysis showed a significantly increased activation in left lateral orbitofrontal cortex (BA10) in the bipolar depressed versus control subjects. Within‐group contrasts demonstrated significant amygdala activation in the controls and no significant amygdala activation in the bipolar depressed subjects. The amygdala between‐group difference, however, was not significant.Conclusions:  Bipolar depression is associated with attenuated bilateral orbitofrontal (BA47) activation, attenuated right DLPFC (BA9) activation and heightened left orbitofrontal (BA10) activation. BA47 attenuation has also been reported in mania and may thus represent a trait feature of the disorder. Increased left prefrontal (BA10) activation may be a state marker to bipolar depression. Our findings suggest dissociation between mood‐dependent and disease‐dependent functional brain abnormalities in bipolar disorder.
Brain lithium, N‐acetyl aspartate and myo‐inositol levels in older adults with bipolar disorder treated with lithium: a lithium‐7 and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study
Authors: Forester Brent P , Finn Chelsea T , Berlow Yosef A , Wardrop Megan , Renshaw Perry F , Moore Constance M 
Published: August 2008

Objectives:  We investigated the relationship between brain lithium levels and the metabolites N‐acetyl aspartate (NAA) and myo‐inositol (myo‐Ino) in the anterior cingulate cortex of a group of older adults with bipolar disorder (BD).Methods:  This cross‐sectional assessment included nine subjects (six males and three females) with bipolar I disorder and currently treated with lithium, who were examined at McLean Hospital’s Geriatric Psychiatry Research Program and Brain Imaging Center. The subjects’ ages ranged from 56 to 85 years (66.0 ± 9.7 years) and all subjects had measurements of serum and brain lithium levels. Brain lithium levels were assessed using lithium magnetic resonance spectroscopy. All subjects also had proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to obtain measurements of NAA and myo‐Ino.Results:  Brain lithium levels were associated with higher NAA levels [df = (1, 8), Β = 12.53, t = 4.09, p < 0.005] and higher myo‐Ino levels [df = (1, 7), F = 16.81, p < 0.006]. There were no significant effects of serum lithium levels on any of the metabolites.Conclusion:  Our findings of a relationship between higher brain lithium levels and elevated NAA levels in older adult subjects with BD may support previous evidence of lithium’s neuroprotective, neurotrophic, and mitochondrial function‐enhancing effects. Elevated myo‐Ino related to elevated brain lithium levels may reflect increased inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) activity, which would lead to an increase in myo‐Ino levels. This is the first study to demonstrate alterations in NAA and myo‐Ino in a sample of older adults with BD treated with lithium.
Evolution of grasping among anthropoids
Authors: POUYDEBAT E. , LAURIN M. , GORCE P. , BELS V. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThe prevailing hypothesis about grasping in primates stipulates an evolution from power towards precision grips in hominids. The evolution of grasping is far more complex, as shown by analysis of new morphometric and behavioural data. The latter concern the modes of food grasping in 11 species (one platyrrhine, nine catarrhines and humans). We show that precision grip and thumb‐lateral behaviours are linked to carpus and thumb length, whereas power grasping is linked to second and third digit length. No phylogenetic signal was found in the behavioural characters when using squared‐change parsimony and phylogenetic eigenvector regression, but such a signal was found in morphometric characters. Our findings shed new light on previously proposed models of the evolution of grasping. Inference models suggest that Australopithecus, Oreopithecus and Proconsul used a precision grip.
The stimulation of immune defence accelerates development in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum)
Authors: ROTH O. , KURTZ J. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThe timing of the transition between life stages is of key importance for an organism. Depending on the environmental conditions, maturing earlier at a smaller size or maturing later at a larger size can be advantageous for fitness. Exposure to parasites and subsequent immune activation may lead to alterations in development. Immune defence often comes at a cost, such as energy drain towards immune function, which is likely to delay development. On the other hand, animals may react to an anticipated risk of infection with a phenotypically plastic shift in life history, which may more likely lead to accelerated development and earlier maturation. We tested these alternatives in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Young larvae were exposed to a non‐infectious immune challenge with heat‐killed bacteria (either Escherichia coli or Bacillus thuringiensis) and they were followed up for their development, survival, adult size and reproduction. We found that animals that had experienced a bacterial challenge developed into adults earlier than sham‐treated beetles, while they did not differ significantly in survival or adult size. Beetles exposed to E. coli produced fewer offspring, while exposure to B. thuringiensis did not affect offspring number. Taken together, our results indicate that T. castaneum is able to speed up its development when facing a risk of infection.
Maternal allocation strategies and differential effects of yolk carotenoids on the phenotype and viability of yellow‐legged gull (Larus michahellis) chicks in relation to sex and laying order
Authors: ROMANO M. , CAPRIOLI M. , AMBROSINI R. , RUBOLINI D. , FASOLA M. , SAINO N. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractEgg quality may mediate maternal allocation strategies according to progeny sex. In vertebrates, carotenoids have important physiological roles during embryonic and post‐natal life, but the consequences of variation in yolk carotenoids for offspring phenotype in oviparous species are largely unknown. In yellow‐legged gulls, yolk carotenoids did not vary with embryo sex in combination with egg laying date, order and mass. Yolk lutein supplementation enhanced the growth of sons from first eggs but depressed that of sons from last eggs, enhanced survival of daughters late in the season, and promoted immunity of male chicks and chicks from small eggs. Lack of variation in egg carotenoids in relation to sex and egg features, and the contrasting effects of lutein on sons and daughters, do not support the hypothesis of optimal sex‐related egg carotenoid allocation. Carotenoids transferred to the eggs may rather result from a trade‐off between opposing effects on sons or daughters.
Premating isolation is determined by larval rearing substrates in cactophilicDrosophila mojavensis. VIII. Mating success mediated by epicuticular hydrocarbons within and between isolated populations
Authors: ETGES W. J. , TRIPODI A. D. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractWe tested the hypothesis that intrademic sexual selection has caused sexual isolation between populations of geographically isolated populations of cactophilicDrosophila mojavensis, and was mediated by epicuticular hydrocarbons (EHCs), contact pheromones in this system. Sexual selection and sexual isolation were estimated using a Baja California and mainland population by comparing the number of mated and unmated males and females in each of four pairwise population mating trials. EHC profiles were significantly different in mated and unmated males in the interdemic (Baja♀ × Mainland♂ and Mainland♀ × Baja♂), but not the intrademic mating trials. A small number of EHCs was identified that best discriminated among mated and unmated males, mostly alkadienes with 34 and 37 carbons. Females showed population‐specific preferences for male EHC profiles. However, EHC profiles between mated and unmated males in the intrademic mating trials were not significantly different, consistent with undetectable sexual selection estimated directly from numbers of copulating pairs vs. unmated adults. Thus, sexual isolation among populations was much stronger than sexual selection within these populations ofD. mojavensis.
Progress in large‐scale purification of factor VIII/von Willebrand factor concentrates using ion‐exchange chromatography
Authors: Mori F. , Nardini I. , Rossi P. , Nardini C. , Farina C. 
Published: August 2008

Background and Objectives  We investigated and optimized the parameters of a chromatographic process suitable for industrial scale to obtain a highly purified factor VIII (FVIII)/von Willebrand factor (VWF) concentrate.Materials and Methods  Several chromatographic runs were performed on the same production intermediate using different anion‐exchange supports. The best matrix was selected and the final product was characterized. Once the chromatographic medium was chosen, the other parameters were evaluated to obtain the highest purified product and to modulate the VWF content in the FVIII/VWF complex.Results  Fractogel EMD TMAE was the best support among those tested. It was the only one maintaining good results either with standard or double loading and flow rate conditions with respect to a typical industrial process. The chromatographic recovery of FVIII co‐purified with VWF was at least 86% with a specific activity not lower than 140 IU/mg. The FVIII/VWF complex obtained is highly pure and, with the exception of immunoglobulin M (IgM), all investigated contaminant proteins are under the detection limit. Different concentrates characterized by variable FVIII/VWF ratios were purified by varying the chromatographic conditions.Conclusions  Several highly purified products, suitable for haemophilia A and von Willebrand disease management, can be obtained, through the same chromatographic process, on an industrial scale.
A new gene conferring resistance to anthracnose in Andean common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar ‘Jalo Vermelho’
Authors: Gonçalves‐Vidigal M. C. , Lacanallo G. F. , Vidigal Filho P. S. 
Published: August 2008

Abstract‘Jalo Vermelho’ is a large seeded Andean landrace of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) that constitutes an important source of anthracnose resistance, disease caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. This landrace has different resistance spectrum, when compared with cultivars of Andean origin, indicating the presence of an anthracnose‐resistant gene different from Co‐1 locus. This anthracnose resistance was characterized by inheritance and allelism tests were carried out on the following genes: Co‐1, Co‐12, Co‐13, Co‐15, Co‐2, Co‐3, Co‐4, Co‐5, Co‐6, Co‐7, Co‐9, Co‐10, Co‐11 and Co‐13. Resistance to races 23, 55, 89 and 453 in ‘Jalo Vermelho’ was conditioned by a single dominant gene. Allelism tests in F2 populations demonstrated that ‘Jalo Vermelho’ carries a dominant gene located at a distinct locus, differing from previously characterized genes. Based on its independence from previously described loci, the authors propose that the ‘Jalo Vermelho’s gene should be named Co‐12. This new gene is a valuable source of resistance to anthracnose which can be transferred to commercial cultivars to enhance the effectiveness of resistance gene pyramiding in bean breeding programmes.
Correlation of hepatocyte expression of hepatitis B viral antigens with histological activity and viral titer in chronic hepatitis B virus infection: An immunohistochemical study
Authors: Ramakrishna Banumathi , Mukhopadhya Ashis , Kurian George 
Published: August 2008

AbstractBackground and Aim:  The localization of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen to the nucleus or cytoplasm of hepatocytes has biological implications for viral packaging and persistence. This study examined the relationship between the localization of hepatitis B virus antigens, histological activity, and viral titer in patients with chronic HBV infection.Methods:  Liver biopsies from 110 patients with chronic HBV infection were studied. Ishak's scoring system was used for the histological analysis. The localization of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and the percentage of hepatocytes stained positive by immunohistochemistry were correlated with viral titer, histological activity, and fibrosis indices using Spearman rank correlation.Results:  In 88 hepatitis B e‐antigen (HBeAg)‐positive individuals, the nuclear localization of HBcAg correlated significantly with DNA titer (r = 0.435, P = 0.001) and negatively with fibrosis (r = −0.297, P = 0.005). The cytoplasmic localization correlated significantly with histological activity (r = 0.211, P = 0.049). In 22 HBeAg‐negative individuals, the nuclear localization of HBcAg correlated significantly with histological activity (r = 0.625, P = 0.002), DNA titer (r = 0.651, P = 0.009), and fibrosis (r = 0.447, P = 0.042). The cytoplasmic localization correlated significantly with DNA titer (r = 0.524, P = 0.045) and fibrosis (r = 0.528, P = 0.012). There was no correlation of HBsAg expression with DNA titer, histological activity index, or fibrosis in both groups. HBeAg‐positive patients presented at a younger age.Conclusion:  In HBeAg‐positive individuals, nuclear core antigen correlated with DNA titer, and cytoplasmic localization with histological activity, whereas in HBeAg‐negative individuals, nuclear localization correlated with DNA titer, histological activity, and fibrosis, and cytoplasmic localization correlated with DNA titer and fibrosis, but not with histological activity. These observations suggest biological differences between HBeAg‐positive and ‐negative disease.