Use of the Dermatology Life Quality Index work/study domain to estimate overall work productivity loss among patients with psoriasis: an analysis based on real-world data

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that is associated with substantial economic burden related to work productivity loss (WPL). WPL is commonly measured using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire. However, WPAI does not measure outcomes among unemployed patients, and may therefore underestimate the burden of psoriasis. This study evaluated the relationship between the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire work/study domain and WPL using the WPAI, as DLQI assesses the impact of psoriasis on the ability to work/study regardless of employment status, but does not estimate WPL. Data were drawn from the Adelphi Psoriasis Disease Specific Programme survey. A positive linear relationship was observed between DLQI work/study scores and WPAI results, showing that higher DLQI scores were associated with greater percent WPL. These findings suggest that the DLQI work/study domain can be used to estimate overall WPL among patients with psoriasis, including those who cannot work because of their disease.     

Trajectories of social support in pregnancy and early postpartum: findings from the All Our Families cohort

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology - Low social support during the perinatal period can increase the risk of postpartum depression and anxiety after giving birth but little is known...     

Physical activity and movement skills proficiency of young Filipino children

Recent reports indicate an increasing prevalence of overweight among Filipino children. Considering the known association of physical activity (PA) with obesity, this study reports the findings of an objective monitoring of PA in a sample of Filipino children. The study also explores the relationship of PA with fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency. Thirty‐two children (6.54 ± 2.45 years old) wore an accelerometer for 7 days of PA monitoring and were assessed on five FMS (throw, catch, kick, run, jump). The children met the World Health Organization's recommendation of 60 min of PA per day, with more active time being accrued during weekdays than weekends. Children with greater FMS proficiency were found to spend more time in PA than those who were less skillful during weekends. Further research is recommended to examine PA and FMS proficiency associations, exploring the role of social interactions on weekends and weekdays.     

Reduced GABA/glutamate in the thalamus of individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis

Youth at clinical high risk (CHR) are a unique population enriched for precursors of major psychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia (SCZ). Recent neuroimaging findings point to abnormalities in the thalamus of patients with SCZ, including chronic and early course patients, as well as in CHR individuals relative to healthy comparison groups, thus suggesting that thalamic dysfunctions are present even before illness onset. Furthermore, modeling data indicate that alteration between excitatory and inhibitory control, as reflected by alteration in GABAergic and glutamatergic balance (i.e., GABA/Glu), may underlie thalamic deficits linked to the risk and development of psychosis. There is, however, a lack of in vivo evidence of GABA/Glu thalamic abnormalities in the CHR state. Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) 7 Tesla (7 T) provides enhanced resolution to quantify GABA and Glu levels in the thalamus of CHR individuals. In this study, we performed 7 T MRSI in 15 CHR and 20 healthy control (HC) participants. We found that GABA/Glu was significantly reduced in the right medial anterior and right medial posterior thalamus of CHR relative to HC groups. The GABA/Glu reduction was negatively correlated with general symptoms in the right medial anterior thalamus, as well as with disorganization symptoms in the right medial posterior thalamus. Altogether, these findings indicate that GABA/Glu abnormalities are present in the thalamus before the onset of full-blown psychosis and are associated with symptom severity, thus providing putative molecular and neuronal targets for early interventions in youth at CHR.Subject terms: Predictive markers, Psychosis, Neuroscience, Risk factors     

Review

Abstract

Neuroanatomical and functional studies in the eating disorders (ED) are reviewed. Typically, anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with cerebral spinal fluid spaces enlargement which generally recover as a function of re-feeding. However, specific cortical areas fail to correct in weight restored anorectic patients suggesting trait-related abnormalities. Functional changes in AN associated with starvation reverse with weight recovery, however, reduced 5-HT2A receptor binding may be fundamental to the pathophysiology of AN since this remains after long term weight restoration. Structural studies of bulimia nervosa (BN) provide evidence of brain atrophy, in the absence of significant weight loss but potentially related to chronic dietary restriction. Functional investigations reveal reduced thalamic and hypothalamic serotonin transporter availability in BN which increases with longer illness duration. Thus, BN is associated with substantial structural and functional alterations despite normal weight. Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques and their interpretation are increasing our understanding of normal processes in the control of food intake including neuroanatomical correlates of hunger and satiety. Taken together with the structural and functional changes observed in the ED, neuroimaging provides a powerful platform to identify the underlying trait-related pathophysiological mechanisms in the aetiology and maintenance of AN and BN.     

The long-term benefits of a multi-component exercise intervention to balance and mobility in healthy older adults

We examined the long-term effects of a multi-component exercise program on balance, mobility and exercise behavior. The benefits of a community-based resistance and flexibility exercise intervention in a group of healthy older (60-75 years) individuals were recorded 12 months after completion of the randomized control intervention. Differences between those participants who continued to exercise and those who discontinued were investigated. Significant improvements from baseline in sit to stand (p < 0.001), timed up and go (p = 0.001), and sway (p < 0.001) remained at follow up in the exercise intervention group, with a control group unchanged. Participants who continued exercising had significantly greater improvements in strength immediately after the intervention, compared to those who discontinued (p = 0.004). Those who continued regular resistance training performed better in the step test at 12-month follow up (p = 0.009) and believed that the program was of more benefit to their physical activity (p < 0.001) than those who discontinued exercising. Benefits to balance and mobility persist 1 year after participation in a multi-component exercise program, due in part to some continuing participation in resistance training. Motivation to continue resistance training may be related real and perceived benefits attained from the intervention as well as the environmental context of the intervention.     

IN VITRO DISSOLUTION STUDIES ON PHENYLBUTAZONE TABLETS

The study was performed to compare the dissolution rates of six of the popular brands of 100 mg phenylbutazone tablets available on the British market. The standard USP dissolution method was used for evaluation. The USP requires 60% of the labelled amount to dissolve in not more than 30 min. On this basis the performance of three brands was satisfactory, that of one brand marginal and two brands did not meet the USP requirements.     

Cross-reactive cytotoxic responses. H-2 restricted are more specific than anti-H-2 responses

Cross-reactive T-cell cytotoxicity is seen when cytotoxic responses are generated in mixed lymphocyte cultures either between mouse strans which differ at the major histocompatibility complex, H-2, or between H-2b mutant strains and the strain from which they were derived. This cross-reactivity can be measured with [51Cr] labeled target cells from a number of different H-2 haplotypes, and the pattern of cross-reaction indicates that the target antigens are unlikely to be any of the serologically defined public specificities. In contrast, the specificity of H-2 restricted cytotoxic responses, such as that to the male-specific antigen, H-Y, is exquisite, and male cells from strains of mice carrying H-2 haplotypes other than the responder have never been found to act as appropriate targets. The contrast between the specificity of anti-H-2 and H-2 restricted responses may argue for a greater idiotypic homogeneity of the cells makiing H-2 restricted responses, and the greater specificity of these responses may be necessary for their biological function.