Sites of origin and developmental dynamics of the neurons in the core and shell regions of torus semicircularis in the Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)

To know the embryogenesis of the core and shell regions of the midbrain auditory nucleus, a single dose of [(3)H]-thymidine was injected into the turtle embryos at peak stages of neurogenesis in the shell and core of the torus semicircularis. Following sequential survival times, labeled neurons and the dynamics of cell proliferation were examined. The expression of vimentin (VM), reelin, calbindin, parvalbumin, and substance P were also studied. The results showed that: 1) progenitor cells for the core and shell regions were generated in different sites of the ventricular zone; 2) the length of the cell cycle or S-phase for the shell region were both longer than those for the core region (4.7 and 3.2 hours longer, respectively), suggesting that mitotic activity in the core region is higher than it is in the shell region; 3) the elongated cell bodies of the labeled core and shell cells had close apposition to VM fibers, suggesting that the migration of these cells is guided by VM fibers; 4) the germinal sites of the core and shell constructed by projecting the orientation of radial VM fibers back to the ventricular zone was consistent with those obtained by short and sequential survival [(3)H]-thymidine radiography; and 5) the beginning of positive staining for parvalbumin in the core region was interposed between those for calbindin and substance P in the shell regions. This study contributes to the understanding of how auditory nuclei are organized and how their components developed and evolved.     

Cigarette smoking in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia in China

This study examined the prevalence of cigarette smoking and its socio-demographic and clinical characteristics in Chinese schizophrenia patients. A sample of 540 community-dwelling patients (female/male: 50.4% vs. 49.6%) with schizophrenia was interviewed using standardized assessment instruments. The patients’ basic socio-demographic and clinical data including smoking were collected. The prevalence of cigarette smoking was 28.5% in the whole sample, and 53.6% and 4.0% for men and women, respectively. In univariate analyses, male sex, use of first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with smoking. In multiple logistic regression analysis, male sex, alcohol consumption, older age and lower level of education were independently associated with smoking. The prevalence of smoking in Chinese schizophrenia patients is considerably lower than most figures reported from Western settings. The dramatic differences between males and females underscore the influence of cultural norms on smoking.     

Generalized Anxiety Disorder in China: Prevalence, Sociodemographic Correlates, Comorbidity, and Suicide Attempts

PURPOSE.  This study aims to determine the 12-month and lifetime prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and its sociodemographic correlates.
DESIGN AND METHODS.  A total of 5,926 subjects were randomly selected and interviewed.
FINDINGS.  The overall 12-month and lifetime prevalence of GAD was 0.8%, and 1.2%, respectively. Being older than 25 years and female, lower education level, unemployed status, and lower ( < RMB500/month) or higher ( > RMB2000/month) monthly income were associated with increased risk of GAD.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.  The low percentage of subjects treated for GAD indicates a major public health problem that should be addressed.     

Impact of the priority follow-up system on quality of life in Chinese schizophrenia patients

OBJECTIVE: Priority follow up (PFU) is a particular aspect of mental health care in Hong Kong whereby psychiatric patients with a history of violence or suspected proclivity to violence are identified and their management is closely monitored. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of a PFU system on quality of life (QOL) in schizophrenia patients. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-seven clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia were randomly selected and interviewed in Hong Kong using standardized assessment instruments that covered their clinical condition and QOL. RESULTS: Patients with PFU status constituted 8.2% of the sample. PFU patients were more likely to be men, have a history of violence, and were poorer in the physical, psychological, social and environmental QOL domains than their non-PFU counterparts even after controlling for the effects of potential confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: More effective measures should be taken to improve QOL in PFU schizophrenia patients who are prone to violent behavior.     

Prevalence and Correlates of Insomnia and its Impact on Quality of Life in Chinese Schizophrenia Patients

Study Objectives:

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of insomnia in Chinese schizophrenia outpatients and its impact on patients'' quality of life (QOL).

Design:

Two hundred fifty-five clinically stable schizophrenia outpatients were randomly selected in Hong Kong and their counterparts matched according to sex, age, age at onset, and length of illness were recruited in Beijing, China. All subjects at both sites were interviewed by the same investigator using standardized assessment instruments.

Setting:

Hong Kong and Beijing, China.

Patients or Participants:

Clinically stable schizophrenia outpatients.

Interventions:

N/A.

Measurements and Results:

In the combined Beijing-Hong Kong sample the frequency of at least one type of insomnia over the previous 12 months was 36.0%; the rates of difficulty initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS), and early morning awakening (EMA) were 21.2%, 23.6%, and 11.9%, respectively. Poor sleep was significantly associated with advanced age, older age at onset, fewer psychiatric admissions, severity of positive symptoms, anxiety, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and depressive symptoms, less frequent use of atypical antipsychotic medications (AP), and more frequent use of benzodiazepines (BZD) and hypnotics. Poor sleepers had significantly poorer QOL in all domains than patients without insomnia. After controlling for the potential confounding effects of sociodemographic and clinical factors, a significant difference remained between the 2 groups with regard to the physical QOL domain. A multiple logistic regression analysis found that advanced age, fewer psychiatric admissions, severity of depressive symptoms and use of hypnotics were significant contributors to poor sleep.

Conclusion:

Insomnia is independently associated with poor QOL. More attention should be paid in clinical practice to the high rate of insomnia in Chinese schizophrenia patients.

Citation:

Xiang YT; Weng YZ; Leung CM; Tang WK; Lai KYC; Ungvari GS. Prevalence and correlates of insomnia and its impact on quality of life in Chinese schizophrenia patients. SLEEP 2009;32(1):105-109.     

Relationships of sleep duration with sleep disturbances,basic socio-demographic factors,and BMI in Chinese people

ObjectiveThis study aimed at determining the mean total sleep time (TST) and the relationship between sleep duration and basic socio-demographic factors and BMI sleep problems in Chinese subjects.MethodA total of 5926 subjects were randomly selected and interviewed using standardized assessment tools.ResultsThe reported mean TST was 7.76 h. Short sleepers were significantly older than medium and long sleepers. There were more urban residents who were short sleepers than medium and long sleepers. Short sleepers reported more sleep problems than medium and long sleepers. Short and long sleepers reported more psychiatric disorders than medium sleepers in both sexes, and short sleepers also had more major medical conditions in women. Short sleepers had a lower BMI than medium and long sleepers after controlling for the effects of age and psychiatric disorders in women.ConclusionsNationwide epidemiologic surveys in China are needed to further explore the relationship between sleep duration and sleep problems.     

CT-detected extramural venous invasion is corelated with presence of lymph node metastasis and progression-free survival in gastric cancer

Objective:This study aimed to investigate if CT-detected extramural venous invasion (ctEMVI) was associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (LNM) and survival outcomes in patients with gastric cancer.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed 105 patients with pathologically proved gastric cancer who underwent pre-operative CT examinations and received radical gastrectomy with extended lymphadenectomy. Differences in CT characteristics between the LNM-positive and -negative groups were assessed by two observers. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. Progression-free survival analysis was performed by Kaplan–Meier method.Results:Two observers reached good inter-reader agreements in ctEMVI and ctN status with κ values of 0.711 and 0.751, respectively. The frequency of ctEMVI-positive status was 58.1% (61/105) in patients with gastric cancer. The LNM-positive group showed higher possibility of ctEMVI-positive status (81.7% vs 26.7%, p＜0.001), larger tumor volume (mean volume, 40.77 vs 22.09 mL, p＜0.001), poor tumor margin (45.0% vs 26.7% , p = 0.054) and high enhancement on arterial phase (43.3% vs 26.7%, p = 0.023) and venous phase (60.0% vs 44.4%, p = 0.048), than LNM-negative group. In multivariate analysis, ctEMVI status and tumor volume were identified as independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis with odds ratio (OR) of 9.804 (95% CI, 3.076－31.246; p＜0.001) and 1.030 (95% CI, 1.001－1.060; p = 0.044). CT-detected EMVI presented better diagnostic efficiency for lymph node metastasis than CT-defined N status, with sensitivity (81.7% vs 70.0%), specificity (73.3% vs 71.1%), accuracy (78.1% vs 70.5), PPV (80.3% vs 76.4%), and NPV (75.0% vs 64.0%), respectively. Kaplan–Meier curves showed that patients with positive ctEMVI findings has lower PFS rate than patients with negative ctEMVI findings (Log-rank test, p = 0.007).Conclusion:CT-detected EMVI was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and progression free survival in patients with gastric cancer. Compared to CT-defined N status, ctEMVI provided superior diagnostic performance to predict pathologic Nstatus.Advances in knowledge:Our study proved that CT-detected EMVI is a promising imaging marker to predict lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis, which may contribute to the precise evaluation of gastric cancer before surgery.