2D:4D-ratios among individuals with amphetamine use disorder, antisocial personality disorder and with both amphetamine use disorder and antisocial personality disorder

BACKGROUND

There is sufficient evidence that the index-finger-to-ring-finger-ratio (2D:4D-ratio) is associated with testosterone and estrogen exposure during the fetal stage. More specifically, a lower 2D:4D-ratio (that is; a shorter index finger, compared to a longer ring finger) was associated with a prenatally higher testosterone and lower estrogen exposure during the first trimester of the fetal stage. At a behavioral level, among adults, a lower 2D:4D-ratio was associated with a higher competitive performance among both female and male professional athletes, and with personality traits such as higher scores for mental toughness, dark triad traits, and aggressive behavior, and internet use disorder. Here, we tested, if 2D:4D-ratios differed among three clinical samples of individuals with amphetamine use disorder (AUD), antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), or both AUD and ASPD (AUD + ASPD), and when compared to healthy controls.

METHOD

The sample consisted of 44 individuals (mean age: 32.95 years; 22.7% females) diagnosed either with AUD (n = 25), ASPD (n = 10) or both AUD + ASPD (n = 9), and of 36 healthy controls (mean age: 23.28; 25% females). After a thorough clinical assessment, participants provided the scans of their right-hand palm to measure the lengths of their index finger and ring finger. Further, participants with AUD, ASPD and both AUD + ASPD completed a series of self-rating questionnaires on Dark Triad traits, narcissism sensitivity, and intolerance of uncertainty.

RESULTS

Compared to healthy controls, participants with AUD, ASPD, or AUD + ASPD showed statistically significantly lower 2D:4D-ratios. Participants with AUD + ASPD showed statistically significantly lowest 2D:4D-ratios, compared to participants with AUD and compared to healthy controls. For the clinical sample, a lower 2D:4D-ratio was associated with higher Dark Triad traits. 2D:4D-ratios were unrelated to narcissism sensitivity or intolerance of uncertainty. Higher scores for Dark Triad traits were associated with higher scores for narcissism sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to healthy controls, individuals with amphetamine use disorder and concomitant antisocial personality disorder (AUD + ASPD) appeared to have been exposed to particularly high prenatal testosterone and particularly low estrogen concentrations, which, at a behavioral level, might have led to a fast life history for immediate resource acquisition.

Effect of Hypnotism on the Severity of Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Quality of Life in Individuals With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The current study aimed to determine the effects of hypnotism on the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This trial study was conducted on 100 people with IBS in Shiraz, Iran. Hypnotism of participants was performed in 1-hour sessions for the intervention group at Weeks 4 and 6. A demographic characteristic questionnaire, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, and IBS Quality of Life Index were used for data collection. The severity of gastrointestinal symptoms of participants in the intervention group significantly improved at 6 and 15 weeks after hypnotherapy. These individuals also had a significantly better quality of life after 15 weeks of hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy may be beneficial in reducing gastrointestinal symptoms and improving quality of life in individuals with IBS. Combining this method with medicinal treatments could be effective for patients and health systems. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.].

The Past Victim, the Future Abuser

BACKGROUND

Childhood trauma exerts a significant effect on psychological life of people. It is a ubiquitous phenomenon. We face a social epidemic with serious consequences that shatter the life of survivors. Victimization in early years of life entraps the individuals in the victim-rescuer-abuser triangle. Many perpetrators and criminals have had history of childhood abuse. The main objective of this study was the assessment of patients with a history of child abuse who behaved in abusive manner in adulthood.

METHODS

By reviewing the files of 3694 patients referred to my outpatient private clinic, I tried to gather data to answer the questions related to this study including history of abuse, victimization, substance abuse, and the percent of patients who were involved in abusive behaviors in adulthood.

RESULTS

In total, 1075 patients reported a history of some abuse during childhood (29.10%). Of them, 19.44% (total = 209, 78 men and 131 women) behaved as an abuser for most of their life. The prevalence of substance abuse in people with history of abuse was 36.6% compared to 28.36% in those without. The prevalence of acting as an abuser and perpetrator in adult life was 27.5%, 19.5%, 18.4% and 11.11% among the divorced, married, single and widowed respectively.

CONCLUSION

This preliminary study showed that a significant number of patients with history of childhood abuse involved in abusive behavior and victimization of others in adulthood. Paying attention to this issue by mental health practitioners and policy makers can prevent the intergenerational transmission of abuse and development of a more peaceful society.

Dissociative Symptoms and Self-Reported Childhood and Current Trauma in Male Incarcerated People with Borderline Personality Disorder - Results from a Small Cross-Sectional Study in Iran

BACKGROUND

There is evidence that incarcerated people show higher rates of symptoms of psychopathology. In the present study, we assessed male Iranian incarcerated people with borderline personality disorders (BPD) and investigated the occurrence of past and current trauma and their associations with dissociative experiences.

METHODS

A total of 69 male Iranian incarcerated people (mean age: 33.76 years) diagnosed with PBD completed questionnaires covering sociodemographic information, dissociative experiences, and past and current traumatic events.

RESULTS

Participants reporting the occurrence of childhood trauma also reported the occurrence of adulthood trauma. Dissociation and adulthood trauma were associated in a U-shaped, non-linear fashion: Low and high adulthood trauma were associated with higher dissociation. Younger age, the presence of childhood trauma, and being single or divorced predicted adulthood trauma.

CONCLUSION

The pattern of results suggests that both childhood and adulthood trauma are highly prevalent among male incarcerated people, while the association between adulthood trauma and dissociation appeared to be more complex. When treating male incarcerated people, a complex interplay between past and current traumas and dissociation should be considered.

Dissociative Experiences In Iranian Depressed Patients

In the present study, 229 major depressive disorder (MDD) patients (57.6% female; 42.4% male) were selected by convenience sampling and examined for rate of dissociative experiences. Research tools were Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and demographic questionnaire. Group difference examinations were performed for gender, settlement region (place of residence), and chief complaints using standard t-test, analysis of variance, and Chi-square tests as appropriate. Ordinal regression was implemented for model building. The average age of the sample was 36.78 ± 10.73. Of which, 150 (65.5%) lived in the urban and 79 (34.5%) in the rural areas. The chief complaint of the 146 patients (63.8%) was psychiatric symptoms specific to MDD, and the remaining 83 patients (36.2%) had physical symptoms. The average DES score was 10.59 ± 13.59; and a significant mean DES score differences (P < 0.01) between patients' referred to physician for physical versus psychological complaints (physical: 23.61 ± 14.39; psychological: 3.19 ± 4.5) and geographic settlements (rural: 19.58 ± 15.13; urban: 5.86 ± 9.86) were observed. This study highlights the presence of subtype within MDD patients with significant dissociative tendencies. Given the relationship between trauma history and dissociation, this subgroup could be considered as probable cases with childhood history of abuse, lending to use dissociation as a defense mechanism. Given the evidence for promising results of trauma-focused psychotherapy in treating such patients, paying proper attention to childhood history of depression especially with somatization may minimize pain and suffering of these individuals overtime.

Effects of Herbal combination (Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse) on insomnia severity, anxiety and depression in insomniacs: Randomized placebo controlled trial

Background

Insomnia is a prevalent disorder leading to psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.

Methods

This study investigates the effect of a combination of herbs (Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse) on anxiety and depression for insomniacs and on insomnia severity. This study is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total number of 67 participants met the inclusion criteria who were diagnosed as cases of insomnia. The patients were randomized into the herbal treatment or placebo groups. The herbal treatment group received a combination of Melissa officinalis and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse. The primary outcomes were insomnia, depression and anxiety. We used per-protocol analysis.

Results

The all outcomes of herbal treatment were significantly improved compared with placebo in the ISI, BAI and BDI scores after four weeks' treatment (p value: 0.008, 0.005 and <0.001 respectively).

Conclusion

A combination of Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse may improve insomnia and its comorbid depression and anxiety.

Effect of Adjuvant Electroconvulsive Therapy Compared to Antipsychotic Medication Alone on the Brain Metabolites of Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia: A Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study

Objective: Schizophrenia is a common psychiatric disease and is characterized by changes in several brain metabolites detectable by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a general method of management for most severe psychiatric conditions that may play a role in changing the brain metabolites. This study examined the effectiveness of adjuvant ECT with oral medication compared to that of oral second generation antipsychotic medication alone on brain metabolites in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Method : This study was conducted on 20 patients with chronic schizophrenia who were admitted to a hospital; of them, 10 underwent ECT as an adjuvant therapy with oral medication at least 8 times, and 10 patients were given a second- generation antipsychotic therapy drug (risperidone and olanzapine) without ECT for at least 4 weeks. MRS was used to assess brain metabolites, including N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), myoinositol (MI), and Glx (glutamate [Glu] and glutamine [Gln]), in the left prefrontal cortex, left thalamus, left hippocampus, and left occipital cortex. Differences between the 2 groups were not significant, except for method of treatment. Results: The NAA/Cr ratio in the left prefrontal cortex was significantly higher in ECT-treated patients (P = 0.035). In addition, the Cho/Cr ratios in the left prefrontal cortex and left thalamus were statisticaly lower in the ECT-treated patients than those treated with oral antipsychotic drugs alone (P = 0.019). No statistically significant changes were observed between the 2 groups in other sites of the brain. In addition, no statistically significant differences were detected between the 2 groups in SAPS and DES scores. Conclusion: Compared to oral antipsychotic drug treatment, ECT had improving effects on at least 2 metabolites in the brains of patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, ECT may have a neuroprotective effect in these patients.

Efficacy of a Combination of Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta Menthoides Boiss. & Buhse on Insomnia: A Triple-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that has not been well managed thus far. There are numerous medicaments for treatment of insomnia, but they have undesirable side effects that make herbal medicine a more viable option.

OBJECTIVES

The effectiveness of a combination of Melissa officinalis L. (dry powder) and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse (freeze-dried aqueous extract) on insomnia was evaluated.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Insomniacs who met the entry criteria participated in a triple-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial at the Persian Medicine (PM) clinic in Tehran.

INTERVENTIONS

The subjects received either 1000 mg of M. officinalis plus 400 mg N. menthoides or a placebo nightly for four weeks in accordance with prescriptions from the pharmaceutical manuscripts on PM and the results of previous studies.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), sleep diary, and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were used for assessment of insomnia.

RESULTS

Comparison of the treatment and placebo groups showed a significant decrease in the mean difference of ISI (4.97 ± 4.69 vs. 1.60 ± 3.70; p =; 0.002) and total PSQI (4.14 ± 3.69 vs. 1.42 ± 2.81; p = 0.001) scores in the treatment group. A significant increase was also observed in total sleep time of treatment group (p < 0.001) based on the sleep diary.

CONCLUSIONS

A combination of M. officinalis and N. menthoides Boiss. & Buhse could be an alternative sleep improvement therapy.

The psychological morbidity in the long term after war related bilateral lower limb amputation

Background

To determine the psychological morbidity in the long term after war related bilateral lower limb amputation.

Methods

Mental health status was determined by the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and a structured psychiatrist interview using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders-IV (SCID-IV) in 327 male amputees. The survey was 22.3 (SD = 3.9) years after amputation. A one-sample t-test was conducted to compare our results with a survey carried out in a rural Iranian population.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 42 years (SD = 6.3). Only 22 persons had psychiatric diagnosis and were under treatment. The most common problems on SCL-90-R were somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, and depression. Global severity index (GSI) of the bilateral lower limb amputees (BLLA) (0.88 ± 0.63) was significantly higher than Iranian population (0.35 ± 0.28) (p < 0.001). BLLA had significantly higher scores in all subscales of Scl-90-R compared with general population (p < 0.001). Of the total amputees about 39.1% (128 out 327) diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder in psychiatrist interview. About 83.9% (N = 115) of the psychiatrist diagnosed disorders were new cases. Mood disorders 37.3% (depression 28.7%) and anxiety disorders 12.2% (obsessive compulsive disorder 9.8%) were the most common disorders in the study group. There was not any relationship between demographic variables and mental disorder (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The high prevalence and especially the large proportion of undiagnosed mental disorders high-light the need for targeted and appropriate psychological interventions in this vulnerable population.

Efficacy of N-Acetylcysteine Augmentation on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Multicenter Randomized Double Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective: Glutamate is considered a target for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The efficacy and safety of the nutritional supplement of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) as an adjuvant to serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for treating children and adolescents with OCD has never been examined. Method: This was a 10-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial with 34 OCD outpatients. The patients received citalopram plus NAC or placebo. Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) were used. Adverse effects were monitored. Results: YBOCS score was not different between the two groups at baseline, but the score was different between the two groups at the end of this trial (P<0.02). The YBOCS score of NAC group significantly decreased from 21.0(8.2) to 11.3(5.7) during this study. However, no statistically significant decrease of YBOCS was found in the placebo group. The Cohen's d effect size was 0.83. The mean change of score of resistance/control to obsessions in the NAC and placebo groups was 1.8(2.3) and 0.8(2.1), respectively (P = 0.2). However, the mean score of change for resistance/control to compulsion in the NAC and placebo groups was 2.3(1.8) and 0.9(2.3), respectively. Cohen's d effect size was 0.42. The score of three domains of quality of life significantly decreased in N-Acetylcysteine group during this trial. However, no statistically significant decrease was detected in the placebo group. No serious adverse effect was found in the two groups. Conclusion: This trial suggests that NAC adds to the effect of citalopram in improving resistance/control to compulsions in OCD children and adolescents. In addition, it is well tolerated.

Efficacy of Nepeta Menthoides Boiss and Buhse Freeze-Dried Aqueous Extract on Anxiety of Patients with Depression: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of Nepeta menthoides freeze-dried aqueous extract were assessed on the anxiety of patients suffering from depression.

METHOD

Patients received either N. menthoides formulation (400 mg/BID) or Sertraline (50 mg/BID) for 4 weeks. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scales were used to assess the anxiety in two-week intervals (2^nd, 4^th, and 6^th weeks). Folin-Ciocalteu and Dowd methods were used to determine the formulation of total phenol and flavonoid contents.

RESULTS

Compared with Sertraline, N. menthoides showed a higher reduction in BAI scores in the 2^nd (16.52±8.07 vs. 21.38±10.98, P<0.05) and 4^th week (11.55±6.74 vs. 20.47±11.53, P<0.05) along with a reduction in the recurrence rate and side effects. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents revealed in the presence of 127.09±0.43 mg GAE/g and 16.93±0.09 mg Q/g of extract.

CONCLUSION

N. menthoides could be effective in the control and introducing a delay in recurrence of anxiety in patients with depression.

Effectiveness of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in Major Depression

Background.

Depression is one the most common mental disorders that can be seen all over the world. In traditional Persian medicine, some medicinal herbs are recommended for depression treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Cuscuta planiflora Ten. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse in patients with major depression.

Methodology.

This study is a randomized triple-blind controlled clinical trial conducted in the year 2010 in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences on patients with major depression. Pharmaceutical capsules of Cuscuta planiflora (500 mg) and Nepeta menthoides (400 mg) were prepared by a pharmacist. Patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups: group A (treated with Nepeta menthoides capsules and conventional drugs), group B (treated with Cuscuta planiflora capsules and conventional drugs), and group C (treated only with conventional drugs). The study period was 8 weeks and depression was measured before and after the study by Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton Depression Inventory. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 and the P < .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results.

A total of 43 subjects participated in this study, of whom 81.4% were females (n = 35) and 18.6% were males (n = 8). The mean ± standard deviation of age of the participants was 38 ± 10.9 years. The majority of patients (65.1%, n = 28) were married. There were 15 patients (34.9%) in group A, 13 (30.29%) in group B, and 15 (34.9%) in group C. There was a significant decrease in mean scores of Beck and Hamilton depression inventories in the 3 groups after treatment ( P < .01); moreover, there was more decrease in scores of the Beck and Hamilton depression inventories in groups A and B compared with group C after treatment ( P < .01).

Conclusion.

Despite the paucity of the population under study, the findings showed that Cuscuta planiflora and Nepeta menthoides capsules could be effective, affordable herbal medicines with improved cost–benefit in treatment of major depression and it is worth designing further and more extensive studies to get to a more accurate conclusion.

Psychometric characteristics of the persian (farsi) version of attachment style questionnaire

BACKGROUND

Attachment relationship provides a secure base for the infants from which to explore the environment and a safe haven to return to in times of danger. Attachment style shapes the behavior of individuals in adulthood. There are many different measures of attachment and a lot of controversy about what they measure and how they relate to each other. Hence, we tried to evaluate the psychometric properties of one of such questionnaires on a sample of the Iranian population.

METHODS

"Attachment style questionnaire" designed by Van Oudenhoven measures four dimensions: secure, preoccupied, fearful and dismissing. Psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated in a cross sectional study on 730 adults in Isfahan, Iran. Statistical analysis of data was performed by the explanatory factor analysis with the principal component method, Cronbach's alpha, Pearson correlation coefficients, and the multiple analysis of variance (MANCOVA).

RESULTS

The Cronbach's alpha for all items was 0.704. As a whole, the internal consistency was good. There was a high inter-scale correlation between preoccupied and fearful, also the secure style correlated negatively with fearful and preoccupied. The stability coefficient of the attachment scales were 0.625, 0.685, 0.777 and 0.605 for secure, fearful, preoccupied and dismissing styles respectively (P<0.001). Regarding construct validity, factor analysis showed that some items require iterations to fit the Iranian population.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the Persian version of ASQ has a reasonable reliability and validity in general and the questionnaire is appropriate for use among the Iranian population in future studies.

Habit Reversal versus Object Manipulation Training for Treating Nail Biting: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVE

This is a parallel, three group, randomized, controlled clinical trial, with outcomes evaluated up to three months after randomization for children and adolescents with chronic nail biting. The current study investigates the efficacy of habit reversal training (HRT) and compares its effect with object manipulation training (OMT) considering the limitations of the current literature.

METHOD

Ninety one children and adolescents with nail biting were randomly allocated to one of the three groups. The three groups were HRT (n = 30), OMT (n = 30), and wait-list or control group (n = 31). The mean length of nail was considered as the main outcome.

RESULTS

The mean length of the nails after one month in HRT and OMT groups increased compared to the waiting list group (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). In long term, both OMT and HRT increased the mean length of nails (P < 0.01), but HRT was more effective than OMT (P < 0.021). The parent-reported frequency of nail biting did show similar results as to the mean length of nails assessment in long term. The number of children who completely stopped nail biting in HRT and OMT groups during three months was 8 and 7, respectively. This number was zero during one month for the wait-list group.

CONCLUSION

This trial showed that HRT is more effective than wait-list and OMT in increasing the mean length of nails of children and adolescents in long terms.

A symptom profile analysis of depression in a sample of Iranian patients

BACKGROUND

In some cultures, including ours, direct explanation of inner psychic world is inhibited and stigmatized, therefore finding alternative modes of expression. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the frequency of somatization in the depressed patients.

METHODS

The present study comprised 500 patients referred to the outpatient clinic of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, and diagnosed with major depressive disorders based on DSM-IV-TR. The presenting complaints of these patients were assessed through psychiatric interview. The presenting symptoms were divided into three main categories including mental symptoms, pain, and physical symptoms without pain. Statistical analysis (chi-square and logistic regression) were performed to determine the relationship between presenting symptoms and some demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, educational level and cultural background (urban or rural).

RESULTS

Physical symptoms other than pain, mental symptoms, and pain were found in 193 (38.6%), 186 (37.2%), and in 121 (24.2%) patients respectively. Pain and physical complaints were more common in patients with rural cultural background, lower education, women and the married individuals. Headache (15.2%), irritability (10.6%) and pain in different parts of the body (10.4%) were the most frequent chief complaints of the patients. Hypochondriasis, suicidal idea, crying, irritability and insomnia were significant symptoms associated with the complaint of somatization.

CONCLUSION

Somatic symptoms, especially pain, have a significant weight in the chief complaints of depressed patients. Physicians need to pay particular attention to this important issue in order to better understand these patients.

Types of headache and those remedies in traditional persian medicine

The history of headache, as a common neurological complication, goes back to almost 9000 years ago. Many ancient civilizations present references to headaches and the coherent treatment strategies. Accordingly, several documents comprising headache complications embodying precise medical information stem from Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) that can provide useful opportunities for more comprehensive treatment. We conducted a survey on headache through original important pharmacopeias and other important medical manuscripts of TPM which were written during 9(th) to 19(th) centuries and have derived all headache categories and herbal remedies. An extensive search of scientific data banks, such as Medline and Scopus, has also been exercised to find results relating to the anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, and analgesic effects of denoted medicinal herbs. The concept of headache and treatments in TPM covers over 20 various types of headache and more than 160 different medicinal plants administered for oral, topical, and nasal application according to 1000 years of the subject documents. Nearly, 60% of remarked medicinal herbs have related anti-inflammatory or analgesic effects and some current headache types have similarities and conformities to those of traditional types. Beside historical approaches, there are many possible and available strategies that can lead to development of new and effective headache treatment from medicinal plants so that this study can provide beneficial information on clinical remedies based on centuries of experience in the field of headache which can stand as a new candidate for further investigations.

A review of somatoform disorders in DSM-IV and somatic symptom disorders in proposed DSM-V

Psychiatric care providers should be trained to use current changes in the somatoform disorders criteria. New diagnostic criteria for Somatic Symptom disorders in the proposed DSM-V is discussed and compared with its older counterpart in DSM-IV. A new category called Somatic Syndrome Disorders is suggested. It includes new subcategories such as "Complex Somatic Symptom Disorder" (CSSD) and "Simple Somatic Symptom Disorder" (SSSD). Some of the subcategories of DSM-IV derived disorders are included in CSSD. While there are some changes in diagnostic criteria, there are concerns and limitations about the new classification needed to be more discussed before implementation. Functional somatic disturbance, the counterpart of converion disorder in DSM-IV, can be highly dependet on the developmental level of children. However, the role of developmental level needs to be considered.

Glutathione-related factors and oxidative stress in autism, a review

Autism spectrum disorders are complex neuro-developmental disorders whose neurobiology is proposed to be associated with oxidative stress which is induced by reactive oxygen species. The process of oxidative stress can be a target for therapeutic interventions. In this study, we aimed to review the role of oxidative stress, plasma glutathione (GSH), and related factors as the potential sources of damage to the brain as well as the possible related factors which reduce the oxidative stress. Methylation capacity, sulfates level, and the total glutathione level are decreased in autism. On the other hand, both oxidized glutathione and the ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione are increased in autism. In addition, the activity of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, as a part of the antioxidative stress system are decreased. The current literature suggests an imbalance of oxidative and anti-oxidative stress systems in autism. Glutathione is involved in neuro-protection against oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation in autism by improving the anti-oxidative stress system. Decreasing the oxidative stress might be a potential treatment for autism.

Birth order and sibling gender ratio of a clinical sample of children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

OBJECTIVE

It is not clear whether sibling's gender ratio is associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study examines whether inattentiveness severity and hyperactivity/impulsivity severity are associated with birth order of children with ADHD.

METHOD

Participants are a clinical sample of 173 children and adolescents with ADHD and 43 ones without ADHD. Diagnoses were made using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders forth edition-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), diagnostic criteria according to face-to-face interview with the children and their parents. ADHD DSM-IV checklist was used to measure inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity scores.

RESULTS

The association of birth order and diagnosis of ADHD was not statistically significant after adjusting for covariate factors. The gender ratio of siblings is not associated with ADHD.

CONCLUSION

Birth order and siblings gender ratio are independent of ADHD diagnosis. The results of this study support the fact that genetic factors rather than environmental factor of birth order is associated with ADHD. Moreover, contrary to autism, the current results do not suggest the androgen theory for ADHD.

FC24-04 - Authoritarian personality traits in Iranian medical students

Introduction

Adorno and his colleagues made an attempt to describe the behavior of people in the pre-war era in Germany. Their research led to the introduction of F-scale which is used as a measurement for conservative and authoritarian attitudes.

Objective

By the use of F-scale, we tried to evaluate authoritarian traits in a group of Iranian medical students in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Socio-economic status of the present-day Iran is comparable to pre-war era in Germany.

Method

80 medical students (40 men and 40 women) in different years of education were randomly selected and evaluated by the questionnaire. By statistical analysis, authoritarian traits were compared between male and female students and also in different years of education (First year, 3rd year and internship).

Results

Female students showed a higher score than the male students. Also, we found a trend for male students to become more authoritarian over time. For the female students an opposite trends was found.

Conclusion

These results could be representative of different attitudes of male and female students toward authority related issues. Also, it could be in favor of different effects of education on authoritarian traits among the male and female.

Reliability and validity of the Padua Inventory in an Iranian population

In order to study the reliability and validity of the Padua Inventory (PI), its items were translated into Persian and then back-translated into English as suggested by Brislin, Lonner, Thorndike, Cross-cultural research methods, Wiley, New York, 1973. Using the translated version of the PI, two studies were carried out. The first study included 219 healthy participants selected from Shiraz city in Iran to examine the reliability and factorial structure of the PI via test-retest, internal consistency and principal component analysis methods. The results of this study showed good reliability for the PI and confirmed its factorial structure reported by previous studies. The second study included four groups of participants as follows: patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), patients with anxiety disorders, patients with depressive disorder and normal individuals. The PI scores were able to differentiate between OCD patients and normal individuals, but failed to differentiate between neurotic and OCD patients. Two subscales of PI-R version of the PI (precision and washing) differentiated depressive and OCD patients.

Compositional Modelling of Two-Phase Hydrocarbon Reservoirs

Abstract

Compositional modelling of saturated two-phase hydrocarbon reservoirs is a difficult task. When both oil and gas phases are present, the characterization of one phase may not be the same as the other phase. Proper characterization will, therefore, become an issue. In this paper, we examine the compositional data of four two-phase hydrocarbon reservoirs. An attempt is made to characterize the reservoir fluids in both the gas cap and the oil column. In addition to the characterization of the plus fractions, we also review reservoir fluid sampling and validation.

Introduction

Equations of state are commonly used in compositional modelling of both gas condensate and oil reservoirs. A key to the successful application of an equation of state (EOS) is the proper characterization of the heavier hydrocarbons.

Traditionally, the characterization has focussed on one single hydrocarbon phase, either oil or gas. For oil reservoirs, the effect of injected gas on the mass transfer with the in situ oil for the characterization is accounted for by including laboratory swelling data in the match between calculated values from the EOS and measurements. Similarly, for gas condensate reservoirs, the constant composition expansion, constant volume depletion, and the mixing of injected lean gas and the in situ gas condensate PVT experiments are believed to be adequate for the characterization.

When a reservoir contains both the oil column and the gas cap, the characterization of the reservoir fluid for the EOS should describe the phase behaviour of both the oil and the gas phases. Generally, there is a significant difference in the molecular weight (and other properties) of the plus fractions of the oil and the gas phases that are in equilibrium. Therefore, different characterizations may become necessary for each phase. In other words, one may need to characterize the heptane-plus fraction of the oil column to be different from that of the gas cap.

In this paper, we will study the fluid characterization of four different two-phase hydrocarbon reservoirs of significant size. The main objective is to develop a simple practical approach for the study of two-phase reservoirs. A large number of PVT samples for the gas cap and the oil column of these four reservoirs will be used in this study. Since many PVT samples may not be representative, we will present a discussion on sampling and its validity.

Reservoir Fluid Sampling and Validity

Reservoir fluids, whether sampled at the bottomhole or at the wellhead, should be representative of the fluid in the reservoir. The procedures to obtain representative samples have been addressed in the literature. In 1954 and later, Reudelhuber(1-3) emphasized the need for proper well conditioning to ensure representativeness of samples from oil reservoirs. He recommended minimizing the differential pressure for bottomhole samples by restricting the flow rate. This procedure applies to undersaturated reservoirs with high permeability. In saturated reservoirs and in reservoirs with high drawdown, the flowing pressure may be less than the bubblepoint pressure. Therefore, the in situ reservoir fluid has to be reconstituted from the wellhead samples; the well producing gas-oil ratio (GOR) should be stabilized.

Experiments and Modelling of Water Injection in Water-wet Fractured Porous Media

Abstract

For predicting the performance of water injection in naturally fractured reservoirs, scale-up of the recovery data from immersing an oil-saturated core into water is commonly used. Oil recovery from some of the naturally fractured reservoirs of the North Sea has been better than what was predicted using the immersion laboratory experiments. In the field, the matrix blocks do not become surrounded by water at once; they experience an advancing fracture-water level (FWL).

In this paper, the results of experiments of water injection in fractured porous media comprising a number of water-wet matrix blocks are reported for the first time. The blocks experienced an advancing fracture-water level (FWL). Immersion-type experiments were performed for comparison; the dominant recovery mechanism changed from co-current to counter-current imbibitions when the boundary conditions changed from advancing FWL to immersion-type. We performed single block experiments of co-current and counter-current imbibitions and found that co-current imbibitions led to more efficient recovery.

Kansas chalk and Berea sandstone were investigated. A column of three blocks of Berea sandstone (Φ = 0.22, k = 0.62 µm2, pore volume (PV) = 8,800 ? 10−6 m3) and a stack of 12 blocks (four rows and three columns) of an outcrop Kansas chalk (Φ = 0.30, k = 0.002 - 0.005 µm2, PV = 13,900 ? 10−6 m3) were used. Breakthrough recoveries were 0.2 - 0.4 for the Berea and 0.2 - 0.6 of PV for the chalk experiments. Corresponding ultimate recoveries were around 0.5 and 0.65 of PV; oil recovery from low permeability chalk was better than that of high permeability Berea. Fracture apertures in all the above experiments were in the range of 150 - 200 µm.

An approximate mathematical model was developed for counter-current imbibition. It was found that the late-time matrix-fracture transfer function simplifies to an exponential function. Hence, the physical significance of the empirical transfer function of Aronofsky et al. was demonstrated. The exponential transfer function was incorporated in a model, which was used to match the water injection experiments performed on a stack of very low permeability Austin chalk (Φ = 0.05, k = 0.00001 - 0.00005 µm2, PV = 287 ? 10−6 m3). These experiments were dominated by counter-current imbibition.

Introduction

Water injection is known as an important method for oil recovery from some fractured reservoirs. In water-wet fractured reservoirs, the capillary pressure contrast between the fracture and the matrix media provides the main driving force for water imbibition which can be an efficient recovery mechanism(1). Field application of water injection in fractured reservoirs has been implemented since the early fifties(2). Many issues, however, remain unresolved in the understanding of this process. Since the early studies, it was understood that recovery behaviour from a block totally covered by water is different than the same block in contact with water from some faces and with oil from other faces(2). However, the majority of studies have centred on immersion-type boundary conditions(3). Intuitively, if a block is surrounded by water, oil is forced to flow in the opposite direction of water flow, hence by counter-current imbibition.

Solution-gas Drive In Heavy Oil Reservoirs

Abstract

Different hypotheses have been made to explain the highly favourable behaviour of some of the heavy oil reservoirs under solution-gas drive. The main reasons however remain unclear. Using experiments in an unconsolidated sandpack, we examined the solution-gas drive process in a light oil and a heavy oil. Pressure and volume measurements and visual observation of the flowing fluid at the in situ pressure for the heavy oil system revealed that: critical gas saturation was low (5% or less), the gas phase was not made of microbubbles flowing with the oil stream, liquid mobility did not improve upon nucleation or growth of the gas bubbles, and supersaturation effects were not dominant. The experimental and simulation results indicate that gas mobility in solution-gas drive in heavy oil is much less than in light oil, leading to improved recovery performance of the former.

Introduction

Production from some of the heavy oil reservoirs in Canada and Venezuela has led to unexpectedly high oil rates and recoveries under solution-gas drive. In an early paper, Smith(1) reported this behaviour in the heavy oil reservoirs of the Lloydminster area, Canada. Analysis of the field data showed production rates much in excess of that predicted by the Darcy law(1). Similarly, Loughead and Saltuklaroglu(2) and Metwally and Solanki(3) reported solution-gas drive oil recoveries as high as 14% and flow rates of one order of magnitude greater than the predictions of the Darcy radial flow. These and other authors reported coproduction of large volumes of sand and the delayed liberation of gas from the wellhead crude samples in open vessels. More recently, similar behaviour was reported in some of the heavy oil reservoirs in Venezuela. Mirabal et al.(4) presented examples of high flow rates under solution-gas drive from one of the heavy oil reservoirs of the Orinoco Belt. In addition to the unexpectedly high production rates, the reservoir pressure was nearly maintained in the 12 years of production history.

The economic advantages of the initial development of many of these reservoirs under solution-gas drive are clear; the high costs involved in the traditional thermal methods are avoided(5–7).

To explain the above behaviour, a number of mechanisms have been suggested which can be divided into two main categories; geomechanical effects such as sand dilation and development of wormholes comprise the first category. The second category, which is the subject of the current research, suggests that the special properties of the flowing fluids, the gas and the heavy oil are the main reasons for high production performance.

The effect of many of the pressure maintenance mechanisms such as an active aquifer and the reservoir compaction have been found small in these reservoirs(1,2,4). Due to production, the pore pressure drops below the bubblepoint pressure to a critical supersaturation pressure, and then gas evolves in the porous medium. Kraus, McCaffrey, and Boyd(8) proposed that below bubblepoint, the evolved gas is retained in the porous media until the pressure reduces to a lower pressure called pseudo-bubblepoint pressure.

Relative Permeabilities From Centrifuge Data

Abstract

The drainage of a wetting phase (say oil) by a non-wetting phase (say gas) may be simulated in the centrifuge by two liquids. Such experiments were conducted on a number of cores and they are discussed in a paper by Firoozabadi, et al.(1). In this paper we consider two of the cores with available capillary pressure data. Two forms of the relative permeability models are selected and the parameters of these models are obtained by history matching with a numerical simulator developed for this study that properly accounts for the capillary pressure and the boundary conditions in centrifuge experiments. It is shown that:recoveries can be matched with two — and maybe even more — very different sets of relative permeability curves;recoveries are sensitive to the parameters of each relative permeability model; andlate time predictions can be improved by using a linear relationship for the wetting phase relative permeability below some arbitrary value of the wetting phase saturation.

It is concluded that both wetting and non-welling phase permeabilities can be estimated from a least-squares history match of the recovery data. However, for the oil-water system examined in this paper, the history match technique leads to a non-unique set of relative permeabilities.

Introduction

Relative permeability curves for a given rock sample may be measured from the steady-state or unsteady-state core displacement experiments. The steady-state(2) method requires simple calculations to derive relative permeabilities from experimental data. Either explicit or implicit approaches can be used to calculate relative permeabilities from the unsteady-state core flooding experiments. The Johnson, Bossler and Naumann(3) (JBN) or its modification(4) are explicit techniques. In the implicit method, relative permeability curves are adjusted so that the response simulated by a numerical model of the displacement process matches the measured quantities(5,6).

The explicit JBN approach relates phase permeabilities and saturations at the effluent-end or some other point in the core. Relative permeabilities derived from the JBN method normally cover only a part of the saturation range over which both phases are mobile. The application of this method may yield anomalous relative permeability curve shapes for typical heterogeneous carbonate core samples and for strongly water-wet homogeneous cores(5,6). The JBN technique, however, seems to be valid for the conditions assumed in its development. A basic assumption of this method is that the capillary pressure and hence the capillary pressure end effects can be ignored. This is realized in practice by conducting experiments at sufficiently high flow rates. However, for many field scale calculations the flow rates are such that the inclusion of the capillary pressure is necessary. Also in heterogeneous cores, effective average relative permeabilities may be rate sensitive(7) and therefore the standard JBN method cannot be used.

Archer and Wong(5) suggested that the use of a reservoir simulator to model laboratory tests can smooth the anomalous relative permeability curves obtained from the JBN method. They agreed that the smoothed curves reflect properties that are more consistent with the bulk behavior of the core sample than the results obtained from the standard JBN method.

EOS Predictions of Compressibility and Phase Behavior in Systems Containing Water, Hydrocarbons, and CO2

EOS Predictions of Compressibility and Phase Behavior in Systems Containing Phase Behavior in Systems Containing Water, Hydrocarbons, and CO2

Summary.

Two cubic equations of state (EOS) have been adopted to compute multicomponent two-phase compressibility, CO2/water and hydrocarbon/water phase behavior, and gas- and liquid-phase densities. The equations used in phase behavior, and gas- and liquid-phase densities. The equations used in this paper are the Schmidt-Wenzel (SW) EOS and the Peng-Robinson (PR) EOS, While these cubic equations have the same form, the SW is reported to be more accurate for predicting hydrocarbon gas- and liquid-phase densities. Density predictions are compared with experimental data to confirm the superiority of the SW EOS. The use of EOS to predict equilibrium phase compositions of water/hydrocarbon and water/CO2 systems is discussed. For the water/hydrocarbon systems, the aqueous-phase interaction coefficient between water and the dissolved component shows a strong temperature dependency, while in the gas phases, a constant value of interaction coefficient is adequate. In the case of the CO2/water systems, the interaction coefficients for both the aqueous and gas phases show temperature dependency.A scheme to compute the two-phase compressibility of multicomponent reservoir fluid systems is also introduced. Our results show the expected sharp change in the compressibility during phase change. Such computations are required in some reservoir simulators.

Introduction

Much progress has been made in predicting the phase behavior of reservoir fluid systems since cubic EOS were first used. In the earliest two papers published on the subject, the emphasis was on phase equilibrium ratios (K values) of hydrocarbons, nitrogen, and CO2 components of crude systems. Later it was recognized that while the phase-density predictions by the PR EOS were superior to those by the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation (SRK EOS), further improvements were needed. In the area of waterphase behavior with hydrocarbons and nonhydrocarbons, the conventional use of cubic EOS showed large deviations between measured and computed solubility of hydrocarbons and CO2 in water. Several investigators have proposed procedures to improve both the density and the water/hydrocarbon and water/CO2 phase-behavior predictions by the PR and SRK equations. phase-behavior predictions by the PR and SRK equations. Peneloux et al. introduced a third parameter (in addition to the a and b parameters) to the SRK EOS to improve phase-density predictions. The third parameter, however, does not influence K-value predictions. The third parameter, however, does not influence K-value predictions. Peneloux et al. showed that the additional parameter predictions. Peneloux et al. showed that the additional parameter improves volumetric prediction of single-component liquids, liquid and gas phases of binary systems, and pipeline condensates. Later Jhaveri and Youngren applied the same method to the PR EOS. They demonstrated that the third parameter enhances the volumetric predictions of crude oil and gas-condensate systems. Some predictions of crude oil and gas-condensate systems. Some investigators have proposed the use of cubic equations other than the commonly used PR and SRK equations. Still another group has suggested more complicated mixing rules for the a and b parameters of the PR and SRK equations. For example, Lawal et al. parameters of the PR and SRK equations. For example, Lawal et al. presented results of density predictions made with a four-parameter presented results of density predictions made with a four-parameter EOS. With this EOS, these authors reported an average absolute deviation of 6% between the computed and measured densities of 140 reservoir fluid systems. Schmidt and Wenzel proposed a three-parameter cubic EOS (the SW EOS), which yields a component-dependent critical compressibility factor. This EOS has the same data requirements as the PR and SRK equations: the critical temperatures and pressures and the acentric factors of all components. Schmidt and Wenzel demonstrated that their EOS predicted the density of pure components more accurately than either the PR or SRK equations. Clancy et al. have shown that the SW EOS prediction of natural gas density is in excellent agreement with prediction of natural gas density is in excellent agreement with experimental data. Recently, cubic EOS have also been used to predict the phase behavior of water/hydrocarbon and water/CO2 systems. Li et al. have shown that aqueous-phase-behavior predictions made with standard cubic EOS deviate substantially from measured data. They showed that the computed component solubilities in the aqueous phase could be an order of magnitude lower than the corresponding phase could be an order of magnitude lower than the corresponding experimental values. These authors used a fixed hydrocarbon/water interaction coefficient to make their predictions. Robinson et al. made two modifications to the PR EOS to improve phase-behavior predictions for systems containing water. One modification was to predictions for systems containing water. One modification was to calculate (see Eq. A-7) for the water component with a different equation than is normally used for the PR EOS. This in turn changes the a parameter in the EOS. The other change was to use temperature-dependent interaction coefficients for the aqueous-phase components. These modifications resulted in drastic improvements in the phase behavior of water/methanol and water/methane systems examined by Robinson et al. In a recent paper, Enick et al. discussed making substantial modifications to both pure-component and mixture a and b parameters of the PR EOS. One of the changes involved the use of different values for interaction coefficients and for various binary pairs. Another change was to introduce two new variables in the conventional definition of the a and b parameters for pure components, which were suggested to be parameters for pure components, which were suggested to be temperature-dependent for water. The purpose of these changes was to improve predictions of water/hydrocarbon and water/CO2 phase behavior and phase densities. Enick et al. did not, however, compare predicted and measured CO2/water and hydrocarbon/water phase predicted and measured CO2/water and hydrocarbon/water phase behavior in their paper. In this paper, we examine the use of cubic EOS, and in particular the SW EOS, to predict reservoir fluid densities and the phase behavior of water/CO2 and water/hydrocarbon systems. In addition, we introduce a scheme for predicting multi-component two-phase compressibility with cubic EOS. These compressibilities arise naturally in some reservoir models and well-test 15 equations.

SPERE

P. 673

Predicting Phase Behavior of Condensate/Crude-Oil Systems Using Methane Interaction Coefficients

Introduction

This paper extends the Peng-Robinson-AGA procedure for computing phase behavior to include gas-condensate and crude-oil systems at reservoir conditions. Interaction coefficients from methane to the C6+ groups were correlated with liquid density. With these coefficients, the behavior of gas condensate systems may be predicted reliably.

Introduction

Prediction of phase behavior of complex hydrocarbon Prediction of phase behavior of complex hydrocarbon systems has improved gradually. Recent papers using equations of state for predicting phase fugacities of constituents have extended their usefulness to higher boding components. Using extended analysis with boiling points of higher boiling hydrocarbon groups and their points of higher boiling hydrocarbon groups and their densities and molecular weights provides a basis for improvement when predicting phase behavior. At the high pressure of reservoir conditions, properties of these C6+ groups are important.

Using the Peng-Robinson equation of state has the advantage of improving accuracy when calculating liquid density. When used by Bergman et al. with extended gas analyses, the equation gave good prediction of dew points and liquid yield at pipeline conditions. Bergman et points and liquid yield at pipeline conditions. Bergman et al. used interaction coefficients but did not completely explore their usage since phase behavior of condensates at pipeline conditions appeared rather insensitive to the C6+ interaction coefficients.

This paper reports the extension of the Peng-Robinson-AGA procedure for phase prediction of Peng-Robinson-AGA procedure for phase prediction of condensates and natural-gas/crude-oil systems at reservoir conditions. New interaction coefficients were found necessary for methane and C6+ constituents (especially the highest boding group, such as C20+) so that experimental behavior could be matched by prediction. Steps for developing interaction parameters are presented. Then, agreement between measured and predicted phase behavior up to pressures of 64 121 kPa (9,300 psia) is shown for several crude oil and condensate systems.

Calculations of Phase Behavior

The equation of state, using the relationship of fugacity to partial molal volumes, is used to compute the fugacity of partial molal volumes, is used to compute the fugacity of each component in both liquid and gaseous phases. At equilibrium the fugacity of each component in liquid equals its fugacity in the gaseous state.

Basic parameters for each constitutent are the critical properties, normal boding point or vapor pressure. For properties, normal boding point or vapor pressure. For hexane and heavier groups present in natural-gas and crude-oil systems, average normal boiling point, liquid density, and molecular weight are used instead of measured properties available for pure components.

For systems containing various molecular families, the interaction coefficients between the primary constituents must be included to account for the degree of compatibility. Here methane and higher boiling C6+ groups are the principal components for which interaction coefficients principal components for which interaction coefficients appear significant.

Since properties of C6+ groups in crude oil and condensates are needed here, generalized properties are given in the absence of measured values.

Properties of Hexanes and Heavier Groups Properties of Hexanes and Heavier Groups Average boiling points, liquid densities, and molecular weights were reported by Bergman et al. from C6 through C15, based on analysis of 26 condensates and naturally occuring liquid hydrocarbons.

JPT

P. 1649