Supplementary motor area (SMA) volume is associated with psychotic aberrant motor behaviour of patients with schizophrenia

We aimed to investigate whether aberrant motor behavior in schizophrenia was associated with structural alterations in the motor system. Whole brain voxel based morphometry of patients with different severity of motor symptoms identified altered gray matter volume in the supplementary motor area (SMA), a key region of the motor system.

Self-reported attenuated psychotic-like experiences in help-seeking adolescents and their association with age, functioning and psychopathology

OBJECTIVE Self-rated attenuated psychotic-like experiences (APLEs) are increasingly used to screen for ultra-high-risk (UHR) across all ages. However, self-rated psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), in particular perception-related ones, were more frequent in children and adolescents, in which they possessed less clinical significance. We therefore explored the prevalence of different factors of APLEs in help-seeking adolescents, and their relationship with age, functioning and psychopathology METHOD As a part of the "Liberiamo il Futuro" project, help-seeking adolescents (N=171; 11-18years, 53% male) were screened with the 92-item Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ-92). A factor analysis was performed on the PQ-92 positive items (i.e., APLEs) to identify different APLE-factors. These were assessed for their association with age, functioning and psychopathology using regression analyses. RESULTS APLEs were very common in help-seeking adolescents, and formed four factors: "Conceptual Disorganization and Suspiciousness", "Perceptual Abnormalities", "Bizarre Experiences", and "Magical Ideation". Associations with age and functioning but not psychopathology were found for "Perceptual Abnormalities" that was significantly more severe in 11-12-year-olds, while "Conceptual Disorganization and Suspiciousness" was significantly related to psychopathology. CONCLUSION In line with findings on PLEs, prevalence and clinical significance of APLEs, especially perception-related ones, might depend on age and thus neurodevelopmental stage, and may fall within the normal spectrum of experience during childhood. This should be considered when screening for UHR status in younger age groups

Radiocarbon Analysis of Elemental and Organic Carbon in Switzerland during Winter-Smog Episodes from 2008 to 2012 – Part I: Source Apportionment and Spatial Variability

While several studies have investigated winter-time air pollution with a wide range of concentration levels, hardly any results are available for longer time periods covering several winter-smog episodes at various locations; e.g., often only a few weeks from a single winter are investigated. Here, we present source apportionment results of winter-smog episodes from 16 air pollution monitoring stations across Switzerland from five consecutive winters. Radiocarbon (14C) analyses of the elemental (EC) and organic (OC) carbon fractions, as well as levoglucosan, major water-soluble ionic species and gas-phase pollutant measurements were used to characterize the different sources of PM10. The most important contributions to PM10 during winter-smog episodes in Switzerland were on average the secondary inorganic constituents (sum of nitrate, sulfate and ammonium = 41 ± 15%) followed by organic matter (OM) (34 ± 13%) and EC (5 ± 2%). The non-fossil fractions of OC (fNF,OC) ranged on average from 69 to 85 and 80 to 95% for stations north and south of the Alps, respectively, showing that traffic contributes on average only up to ~ 30% to OC. The non-fossil fraction of EC (fNF,EC), entirely attributable to primary wood burning, was on average 42 ± 13 and 49 ± 15% for north and south of the Alps, respectively. While a high correlation was observed between fossil EC and nitrogen oxides, both primarily emitted by traffic, these species did not significantly correlate with fossil OC (OCF), which seems to suggest that a considerable amount of OCF is secondary, from fossil precursors. Elevated fNF,EC and fNF,OC values and the high correlation of the latter with other wood burning markers, including levoglucosan and water soluble potassium (K+) indicate that residential wood burning is the major source of carbonaceous aerosols during winter-smog episodes in Switzerland. The inspection of the non-fossil OC and EC levels and the relation with levoglucosan and water-soluble K+ shows different ratios for stations north and south of the Alps (most likely because of differences in burning technologies) for these two regions in Switzerland.

Towards Using Microstate-Neurofeedback for the Treatment of Psychotic Symptoms in Schizophrenia. A Feasibility Study in Healthy Participants

Spontaneous EEG signal can be parsed into sub-second periods of stable functional states (microstates) that assumingly correspond to brief large scale synchronization events. In schizophrenia, a specific class of microstate (class "D") has been found to be shorter than in healthy controls and to be correlated with positive symptoms. To explore potential new treatment options in schizophrenia, we tested in healthy controls if neurofeedback training to self-regulate microstate D presence is feasible and what learning patterns are observed. Twenty subjects underwent EEG-neurofeedback training to up-regulate microstate D presence. The protocol included 20 training sessions, consisting of baseline trials (resting state), regulation trials with auditory feedback contingent on microstate D presence, and a transfer trial. Response to neurofeedback was assessed with mixed effects modelling. All participants increased the percentage of time spent producing microstate D in at least one of the three conditions (p < 0.05). Significant between-subjects across-sessions results showed an increase of 0.42 % of time spent producing microstate D in baseline (reflecting a sustained change in the resting state), 1.93 % of increase during regulation and 1.83 % during transfer. Within-session analysis (performed in baseline and regulation trials only) showed a significant 1.65 % increase in baseline and 0.53 % increase in regulation. These values are in a range that is expected to have an impact upon psychotic experiences. Additionally, we found a negative correlation between alpha power and microstate D contribution during neurofeedback training. Given that microstate D has been related to attentional processes, this result provides further evidence that the training was to some degree specific for the attentional network. We conclude that microstate-neurofeedback training proved feasible in healthy subjects. The implementation of the same protocol in schizophrenia patients may promote skills useful to reduce positive symptoms by means of EEG-neurofeedback.

Stimulant medication and psychotic symptoms in offspring of parents with mental illness

BACKGROUND: Stimulants, such as methylphenidate, are among the most commonly used medications in children and adolescents. Psychotic symptoms have been reported as rare adverse reactions to stimulants but have not been systematically inquired about in most previous studies. Family history of mental illness may increase the vulnerability to drug-induced psychotic symptoms. We examined the association between stimulant use and psychotic symptoms in sons and daughters of parents with major mood and psychotic disorders. METHODS: We assessed psychotic symptoms, psychotic-like experiences, and basic symptoms in 141 children and youth (mean ± SD age: 11.8 ± 4.0 years; range: 6–21 years), who had 1 or both parents with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, and of whom 24 (17.0%) had taken stimulant medication. RESULTS: Psychotic symptoms were present in 62.5% of youth who had taken stimulants compared with 27.4% of participants who had never taken stimulants. The association between stimulant use and psychotic experiences remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders (odds ratio: 4.41; 95% confidence interval: 1.82–10.69; P = .001) and was driven by hallucinations occurring during the use of stimulant medication. A temporal relationship between use of stimulants and psychotic symptoms was supported by an association between current stimulant use and current psychotic symptoms and co-occurrence in cases that were assessed on and off stimulants. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotic symptoms should be monitored during the use of stimulants in children and adolescents. Family history of mood and psychotic disorders may need to be taken into account when considering the prescription of stimulants.

THE CLINICAL AND PARASITOLOGIC COURSES OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM AND PLASMODIUM VIVAX INFECTIONS IN HUMANS: AN ANALYSIS OF 432 EPISODES OF INDUCED MALARIA IN THE JESSUP VOLUNTEER STUDIES, 1966-1975

The clinical records of 432 P. falciparum and P. vivax infected volunteer male inmates of the Maryland House of Corrections in Jessup, Maryland, were studied to determine (1) the clinical and parasitologic courses of infections in both parasite species, and (2) the influence of previous homologous and/or heterologous strain exposures on subsequent infections. The clinical and parasitologic courses of infection with both P. falciparum and P. vivax species indicated that: (a) there were characteristic strain related differences between P. falciparum and P. vivax. P. falciparum strains were more apt to cause severe infections than P. vivax strains. (b) Blood-induced infections produced significantly shorter prepatent and incubation periods than mosquito-induced. (c) Blacks tolerated the infections better than whites and, (d) homologous and heterologous strain immunities persisted with previous malaria history. In previously exposed cases, clinical manifestations were moderate, peak fever lowered, and peak parasitemias limited. (e) Anti-malarial drugs were effective in reducing sexual and asexual forms of the malaria parasite, and limiting peak fevers, irrespective of method of induction, race, parasite strain and species, and drug type used.^ Given these findings, and the current worldwide resurgence of malaria, this study has major implications in terms of setting malaria control and public health policies in both developed and developing countries.^

Changes in learning-resource use across physicians' learning episodes*

Introduction: This study explores the numbers of learning resources physicians use at each stage in self-directed learning episodes addressing general problems.

An Investigation of Ozone Related Data and Development of a Model to Evaluate Ozone Episodes for Exceptional Event Criteria

The EPA promulgated the Exceptional Events Rule codifying guidance regarding exclusion of monitoring data from compliance decisions due to uncontrollable natural or exceptional events. This capstone examines documentation systems utilized by agencies requesting data be excluded from compliance decisions due to exceptional events. A screening tool is developed to determine whether an event would meet exceptional event criteria. New data sources are available to enhance analysis but evaluation shows many are unusable in their current form. The EPA and States must collaborate to develop consistent evaluation methodologies documenting exceptional events to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the new rule. To utilize newer sophisticated data, consistent, user-friendly translation systems must be developed.

Episodes of French history.

Mode of access: Internet.

The cankerworm : being episodes of a woman's life.

Mode of access: Internet.

The romance of the ranks; or, Anecdotes, episodes, and social incidents of military life.

Mode of access: Internet.

Episodes of insect life.

In three series.