An animal model for the study of Chamomilla in stress and depression: pilot study

The behavioral and hematological effects of treatment with Chamomilla 6cH in mice subjected to experimental stress are described. Swiss mice were randomly divided into pairs, one animal was inoculated with Ehrlich's tumor, the other was treated daily with Chamomilla 6cH or control or received no treatment. After 7 days, the animals were observed in an open-field arena and blood samples taken. Mice who cohabitated with a sick cage-mate showed a decrease in their general activity, but those treated with Chamomilla 6cH were less severely affected (p = 0.0426). No hematologicall changes were observed.In a second experiment, the forced swimming test was applied to mice pre-treated with Chamomilla 6cH, controls were: water, 10% ethanol or amitriptyline. Only the amitriptyline and ethanol treated groups showed significant excitatory behavior (p = 0.0020), Chamomilla 6cH treated animals' scores intermediate between water control and ethanol or amitriptyline. A decrease in the leukocyte count was observed in the amitriptyline and Chamomilla 6cH treated groups (p = 0.039). These data suggest that treatment with Chamomilla 6cH is related to the recovery of basal behavioral conditions in mice subjected to stressful conditions.

Double-blind comparison of venlafaxine and amitriptyline in outpatients with major depression with or without melancholia

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine and amitriptyline in outpatients with major depression with or without melancholia. This was an 8-week, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group comparison of venlafaxine and amitriptyline. Outpatients with DSM-IV major depression, a minimum score of 20 on the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and depressive symptoms for at least 1 month were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned to venlafaxine or amitriptyline, both drugs titrated to a maximum of 150 mg/day until study day 15. The primary efficacy variables were the final on-therapy scores on the HAM-D, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression severity scales. Data were evaluated on an intent-to-treat basis using the LOCF method. One hundred and 16 patients were randomized, and 115 were evaluated for efficacy. Both drugs showed efficacy in the treatment of depression with or without melancholia. No significant differences were noted between treatments for any efficacy parameter. However, significantly (p < 0.05) more patients in the amitriptyline group had at least one adverse event. These results should support the efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine in comparison with amitriptyline for treating major depression with or without melancholia.

Efficacy of hormone therapy with and without methyltestosterone augmentation of venlafaxine in the treatment of postmenopausal depression: A double-blind controlled pilot study

Objective: This study evaluated the augmentation of venlafaxine with hormone therapy in the treatment of postmenopausal depression. The hormones evaluated were estrogen (0.625 mg) in combination with medroxyprogesterone acetate (2.5 mg) and methyltestosterone (2.5 mg). Design: Seventy-two menopausal women (mean age: 53.6 ± 4.27 years) diagnosed with depression (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] scores ≥ 20) were treated with venlafaxine and one of the following hormone therapy combinations, in a double-blind regimen: estrogen + medroxyprogesterone + methyltestosterone (group 1, n = 20); estrogen + medroxyprogesterone acetate (group 2, n = 20); methyltestosterone only (group 3, n = 16); and no hormone therapy (group 4, n = 16). Study duration was 24 weeks. Primary efficacy outcome was remission according to the MADRS, whereas secondary efficacy measures included the Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Blatt-Kupperman Index, and Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ). Results: Forty-eight patients completed the study. All groups showed significant improvement from baseline. Group 3 demonstrated significant improvement on the MADRS compared with placebo (group 4) at weeks 20 (P = 0.048) and 24 (P = 0.030); effect size 8.04 (0.83; 15.26) (P = 0.029), but also had the highest dropout rate. Groups 1 and 3 had significant CGI improvement rates compared with placebo: 42.23% (P = 0.012) and 44.45% (P = 0.08), respectively. There were no differences in the WHQ or BKI scores among the groups. Conclusions: Methyltestosterone 2.5 mg had the highest effect size compared with placebo, but the high dropout rate prevented its efficacy from being determined. Estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone, combined with methyltestosterone or otherwise, demonstrated a trend toward increased efficacy of venlafaxine. Further larger-scale clinical trials are needed to elucidate the findings of this pilot study. © 2006 by The North American Menopause Society.

Depression severity levels and cognitive functions in institutionalized elderly patients

Depression is a highly prevalent illness among institutionalized aged and assumes peculiar characteristics such as the risk for progressing to dementia. The aims of this study was to assess the cognitive functions of institutionalized elderly with clinical diagnosis of depression and compare the severity of depressive symptoms with cognitive performance. From 120 residents at a nursing home in Rio Claro, Brazil, we study 23 individuals (mean age: 74.3 years; mean schooling: 4.0 years) with diagnosis of depression. At first, a clinical diagnosis of depression and measurement of its symptoms using the Geriatric Depression Scale were performed. The patient then underwent a neuropsychological assessment based on the following tests: Mini-Mental Examination, Verbal Fluency, Visual Perception, Immediate Memory, Recent Memory, Recognition, Clock Drawing Test. The patients were divided into two groups: those with less severe depression symptoms (Group 1: N=9) and more severe symptoms (Group 2: N=14). The significant difference between symptom severity of the two groups was p=0.0001. Patients with more severe symptoms revealed a slightly inferior cognitive performance in most of the tests when compared to those with less severe symptoms (p>0.05). In relation to Verbal Fluency, patients with more severe depression symptoms presented a significantly inferior cognitive performance when compared to those with less severe symptoms (p=0.0082). Verbal Fluency revealed to be a more sensitive test for measuring early cognitive alterations in institutionalized aged with depression, and appears to be a useful resource in monitoring the cognitive functions of patients faced with the risk of dementia. © Copyright Moreira Jr. Editora.

Childhood trauma in substance use disorder and depression: An analysis by gender among a Brazilian clinical sample

Objective: In this study, we compared the frequency and intensity of childhood traumas in alcohol- or other drug-dependent patients, in patients with depression, and in a control group without psychiatric diagnoses. Methods: The study had a retrospective design of a clinical sample of men and women from the groups listed above. They were evaluated by the same standardized instrument: the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.. Results: A higher frequency and intensity of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse were found in alcohol- and other drug-dependent patients than in patients with depression, who, in turn, presented significantly higher proportions than the control group. In all of the cases, the frequency was higher among women than men. Conclusion: Because of the high frequency and intensity of childhood traumas among alcohol- or other drug-dependent patients and depressed patients, the assessment of problems due to childhood traumas among these patients is essential to a better understanding of the etiology of those disorders and to their treatment. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comorbid major depression in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients

Although major depressive disorder (MDD) has been consistently considered the most frequent complication of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), little is known about the clinical characteristics of patients with both disorders. This study assessed 815 Brazilian OCD patients using a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Clinical and demographic variables, including OCD symptom dimensions, were compared among OCD patients with and without MDD. Our findings showed that prevalence rates of current MDD (32%) and lifetime MDD (67.5%) were similar for both sexes in this study. In addition, patients with comorbid MDD had higher severity scores of OCD symptoms. There was no preferential association of MDD with any particular OCD symptom dimension. This study supports the notion that depressed OCD patients present more severe general psychopathology. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inbreeding depression on production and reproduction traits of buffaloes from Brazil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of inbreeding depression on traits of buffaloes from Brazil. Specifically, the traits studied were body weight at 205 and 365 days of age, average daily gain from birth to 205 days (ADG_205), average daily gain between 205 and 365 days (ADG205_365) in Mediterranean buffaloes, and milk yield, lactation length, age of first calving and calving intervals in Murrah buffaloes. Inbreeding effects on the traits were determined by fitting four regression models (linear, quadratic, exponential and Michaelis-Menten) about the errors generated by the animal model. The linear model was only significant (P<0.05) for growth traits (exception of ADG205_365). The exponential and Michaelis-Menten models were significant (P<0.01) for all the studied traits while the quadratic model was not significant (P>0.05) for any of the traits. Weight at 205 and 365 days of age decreased 0.25kg and 0.39kg per 1% of increase in inbreeding, respectively. The inbred animals (F=0.25) produced less milk than non-inbred individuals: 50.4kg of milk. Moreover, calving interval increased 0.164 days per 1% of increase in inbreeding. Interestingly, inbreeding had a positive effect on age at first calving and lactation length, decreasing age of first calving and increasing lactation length. © 2012 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Phylogeographic Structure And Outbreeding Depression Reveal Early Stages Of Reproductive Isolation In The Neotropical Orchid Epidendrum Denticulatum

Phylogeographic studies provide an important framework for investigating the mechanisms operating during the earliest stages of speciation, as reproductive barriers can be examined among divergent lineages in a geographic context. We investigated the evolution of early stages of intrinsic postmating isolation among different populations and lineages of Epidendrum denticulatum, a Neotropical orchid distributed across different biomes in South America. We estimated genetic diversity and structure for both nuclear and plastid markers, using a haplotype network, differentiation tests, Bayesian assignment analysis, and divergence time estimates of the main lineages. Reproductive barriers among divergent lineages were examined by analyzing seed viability following reciprocal crossing experiments. Strong plastid phylogeographic structure was found, indicating that E. denticulatum was restricted to multiple refuges during South American forest expansion events. In contrast, significant phylogeographic structure was not found for nuclear markers, suggesting higher gene flow by pollen than by seeds. Large asymmetries in seed set were observed among different plastid genetic groups, suggesting the presence of polymorphic genic incompatibilities associated with cytonuclear interactions. Our results confirm the importance of phylogeographic studies associated with reproductive isolation experiments and suggest an important role for outbreeding depression during the early stages of lineage diversification. © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Health-related quality of life and depression in patients with dentofacial deformity

Introduction: Patients with dentofacial deformities present difficulties at work and in social adaptation. At the same time, they often appear depressed, and as a consequence, the psychosocial aspects of surgery play an important role. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects that depression causes in the quality of life of patients with dentofacial deformity. Material and methods: Filthy patients were recruited 1 year before undergoing orthognathic surgery and correlated oral and general health with the presence and absence of depression. In order to accomplish this, these patients received an adapted questionnaires of quality of life and Beck Depression Inventory to fill out. Fisher's test was applied, with a significance level of 5 %. Intercooled Stata version 9.0 was used to analyze data. Results: Among the eight domains of quality of life, there were three associated with depression status: vitality (p < 0.001), social aspects (p = 0.011), and mental health (p = 0.008). Discussion: There is growing interest in the impact of dentofacial deformity conditions on patients' quality of life. The scientific literature has discussed the social aspects of these deformities and showed that untreated patients had low self-esteem and suffered social restrictions before making the orthodontic and surgical treatments. This study concluded that the depression interferes significantly in vitality, social aspects of the individual, and mental health and, at the same time, emphasizes that the orthognathic surgery aims to not only restore esthetics and function to the patient but also improve the quality of life. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Belize: Macro socio-economic assessment of the damage and losses caused by tropical depression 16

Tropical Depression 16 (TD16) crept up on disparate populations in Belize over a period 8-16 October 2008. TD16 struck less than five months after the first named tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic season, Arthur. The storm had been forecasted to dump up to 10 inches of rain over Belize and up to 15 inches in isolated areas. Arthur had devastating effects on Belize, particularly the southern regions where bridges collapsed and lives were lost. It was in the aftermath of such devastation that Belize faced TD16. The consequence of TD16 is what falls under the purview of this assessment.

Argentina’s quarter century experiment with neoliberalism: from dictatorship to depression

Em 2002, a Argentina atingiu um novo marco histórico, ao experimentar o maior default da dívida externa, não somente pela sua própria história, mas também do mundo. Para compreender como a Argentina deixou de ser um país mais desenvolvido de terceiro mundo até experimentar a crise de 2001, entrando depois numa depressão em 2002, com mais da metade da população abaixo da linha de pobreza, precisamos fazer uma avaliação das políticas econômicas durante o último quarto de século na Argentina. A virada ao neoliberalismo começou durante a ditadura no ano 1976, tendo se aprofundado no governo Menem e sempre apoiada pelo FMI. Este trabalho tentará identificar porque a crise ocorreu naquele momento, e também, compreender as mudanças subjacentes na economia política durante duas décadas na Argentina, as quais que desencadearam duas ondas de desindustrialização, uma explosão da dívida externa e uma deterioração bem marcante no padrão de vida para a maioria dos argentinos.

Hydromorphic Soil, Topographic Depression and Vegetation Development History by Using 13c and 14c In Rondônia State (sw Brazilian Amazon)

13C e 14C obtidos da matéria orgânica do solo foram usados para diferenciar fases de flutuação da vegetação em transição floresta-savana. A região apresenta baixos platôs com depressões topográficas imperfeitamente drenadas na superfície. Na topossequência estudada foram analisados solos de cinco perfis localizados sob floresta (F), transição floresta-savana (S1), borda da depressão sob savana (S2) e centro da depressão sob savana (S3). Os valores de 13C e idades evidenciam que a ~ 200cm de profundidade, com idades entre ~ 12.000 e 10.000 A.P., valores de -27‰ a -27,7‰ indicam vegetação de floresta (C3) em todos os perfis. Na profundidade de 100 cm, com idades entre ~ 6.000 e 5.000 A.P., houve enriquecimento de – 20,2‰ a -22,3‰, indicando regressão da floresta e expansão da savana. Valores entre -15,9 e -18,7‰ a 50-60 cm, estimado entre ~ 4.700 a 3.800 A.P., sugere máxima expansão da vegetação C4 em resposta às condições climáticas mais secas, exceto no perfil S3 com valores mais empobrecidos (-20,9‰), sugerindo que na depressão, o desenvolvimento da hidromorfia possibilitou a presença de espécies de gramíneas C3 e C4 da savana em resposta as mudanças das condições ambientais.

Oxoisoaporphine nanocapsules for treating depression

Oxoisoaporphine nanocapsules for treating depression. Nanocapsule systems are described that incorporate compounds of formula I or II that allow controlled, timed release of said compounds. Also described are the production method, the pharmaceutical compositions and the use for preparing a drug.

Painful temporomandibular disorders, self reported tinnitus, and depression are highly associated

Objetivo Investigar a associação entre disfunção temporomandibular (DTM) dolorosa, auto-relato de zumbido e níveis de depressão. Método A amostra foi composta por 224 indivíduos com idades de 18 a 76 anos. O Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders , eixo I, foi usado para classificar a DTM e o eixo II para obtenção do auto-relato de zumbido e dos níveis de depressão. Para a análise dos dados, foi aplicado o teste odds ratio (OR) com intervalo de confiança (IC) de 95%. Resultado Somente a presença de DTM dolorosa estava significativamente associada aos níveis de depressão moderado/severo (OR=9,3, 95%; IC: 3,44-25,11). A presença concomitante de DTM dolorosa e auto-relato de zumbido aumentaram a magnitude da associação com os níveis de depressão moderado/severo (OR=16,3; 95% IC: 6,58-40,51). Conclusão Disfunção temporomandibular dolorosa, altos níveis de depressão e auto-relato de zumbido estão fortemente associados. Entretanto, o desenho do estudo não permite estabelecer uma relação causal entre essas três entidades.

Cardiovascular risk and mortality in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing dialysis: sleep study, pulmonary function, respiratory mechanics, upper airway collapsibility, autonomic nervous activity, depression, anxiety, stress and quality of life: a prospective, double blind, randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most serious public health problems. The increasing prevalence of CKD in developed and developing countries has led to a global epidemic. The hypothesis proposed is that patients undergoing dialysis would experience a marked negative influence on physiological variables of sleep and autonomic nervous system activity, compromising quality of life.Methods/Design: A prospective, consecutive, double blind, randomized controlled clinical trial is proposed to address the effect of dialysis on sleep, pulmonary function, respiratory mechanics, upper airway collapsibility, autonomic nervous activity, depression, anxiety, stress and quality of life in patients with CKD. The measurement protocol will include body weight (kg); height (cm); body mass index calculated as weight/height(2); circumferences (cm) of the neck, waist, and hip; heart and respiratory rates; blood pressures; Mallampati index; tonsil index; heart rate variability; maximum ventilatory pressures; negative expiratory pressure test, and polysomnography (sleep study), as well as the administration of specific questionnaires addressing sleep apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life.Discussion: CKD is a major public health problem worldwide, and its incidence has increased in part by the increased life expectancy and increasing number of cases of diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Sleep disorders are common in patients with renal insufficiency. Our hypothesis is that the weather weight gain due to volume overload observed during interdialytic period will influence the degree of collapsibility of the upper airway due to narrowing and predispose to upper airway occlusion during sleep, and to investigate the negative influences of haemodialysis in the physiological variables of sleep, and autonomic nervous system, and respiratory mechanics and thereby compromise the quality of life of patients.