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Turner A, Thomas N, Menih H, Collins A. Inner Peace: Evaluating a Complementary Program Promoting Intra-Personal Peace at Adelaide Women's Prison, Australia. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 2024:306624X241246099. [PMID: 38659298 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x241246099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The Peace Education Program, created in 2012, is a complementary program with potential to supplement official rehabilitation interventions offered in correctional centers. The program promotes "inner peace" as an innate and universal human resource, but whilst inner peace is a key concept in positive psychology and the Good Lives Model, there is a paucity of research regarding how to operationalize and evaluate this concept. The program had not previously been the subject of independent theoretically-informed research. Drawing on a mixed methods study conducted in Adelaide Women's Prison, this article explores the impact of the program on participants' learning regarding inner peace. Participants reported a greater understanding about inner peace, which they described as contributing to a stronger sense of their identity, enhanced self-esteem and increased self-regulation skills, resulting in reductions in impulsivity and reactive aggression. The quantitative data indicated there was a significant increase in participants' subjective ratings of inner peace before the program (M = 12.08) and post-program completion (M = 14.00) (p < .001). Growth in affect-regulation and anger-management skills may contribute to reductions in offending.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Turner
- La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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Rhodes CA, Thomas N, O'Hara KL, Hita L, Blake A, Wolchik SA, Fisher B, Freeman M, Chen D, Berkel C. Enhancing the Focus: How Does Parental Incarceration Fit into the Overall Picture of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)? Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1933-1944. [PMID: 37875642 PMCID: PMC11008286 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01142-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Despite the five million children in the U.S. with an incarcerated parent, there is limited research on risk and protective factors for this population. We analyzed data from the National Survey for Children's Health (2018) to: (1) examine associations among parental incarceration and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), (2) characterize the association between parental incarceration and youth mental health outcomes, (3) examine differences in positive childhood experiences (PCEs; collective socialization, community engagement, neighborhood amenities, and family problem solving) by parental incarceration status, (4) examine whether PCEs were protective against mental health problems and if there was an interaction with parental incarceration status, and (5) examine the interaction between PCEs, parental incarceration, and ACEs on mental health problems. Results revealed that children with incarcerated parents had higher odds of experiencing other ACEs, higher odds of having mental health problems, and experienced fewer PCEs compared to children without incarcerated parents. Further, although PCEs were associated with a lower odds of mental health problems for both children with and without incarcerated parents, they did not mitigate the negative impact of parental incarceration on mental health outcomes. While PCEs attenuated the association between ACEs and mental health, parental incarceration status did not significantly moderate the interaction. These results highlight vulnerabilities and potential protective factors for children with incarcerated parents and have important implications for the development of multilevel intervention strategies that seek to promote resilience and reduce risk for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - N Thomas
- Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | | | - L Hita
- Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - A Blake
- Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | | | - B Fisher
- Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - M Freeman
- Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - D Chen
- Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - C Berkel
- Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
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3
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Luque R, Osborn HP, Leleu A, Pallé E, Bonfanti A, Barragán O, Wilson TG, Broeg C, Cameron AC, Lendl M, Maxted PFL, Alibert Y, Gandolfi D, Delisle JB, Hooton MJ, Egger JA, Nowak G, Lafarga M, Rapetti D, Twicken JD, Morales JC, Carleo I, Orell-Miquel J, Adibekyan V, Alonso R, Alqasim A, Amado PJ, Anderson DR, Anglada-Escudé G, Bandy T, Bárczy T, Barrado Navascues D, Barros SCC, Baumjohann W, Bayliss D, Bean JL, Beck M, Beck T, Benz W, Billot N, Bonfils X, Borsato L, Boyle AW, Brandeker A, Bryant EM, Cabrera J, Carrazco-Gaxiola S, Charbonneau D, Charnoz S, Ciardi DR, Cochran WD, Collins KA, Crossfield IJM, Csizmadia S, Cubillos PE, Dai F, Davies MB, Deeg HJ, Deleuil M, Deline A, Delrez L, Demangeon ODS, Demory BO, Ehrenreich D, Erikson A, Esparza-Borges E, Falk B, Fortier A, Fossati L, Fridlund M, Fukui A, Garcia-Mejia J, Gill S, Gillon M, Goffo E, Gómez Maqueo Chew Y, Güdel M, Guenther EW, Günther MN, Hatzes AP, Helling C, Hesse KM, Howell SB, Hoyer S, Ikuta K, Isaak KG, Jenkins JM, Kagetani T, Kiss LL, Kodama T, Korth J, Lam KWF, Laskar J, Latham DW, Lecavelier des Etangs A, Leon JPD, Livingston JH, Magrin D, Matson RA, Matthews EC, Mordasini C, Mori M, Moyano M, Munari M, Murgas F, Narita N, Nascimbeni V, Olofsson G, Osborne HLM, Ottensamer R, Pagano I, Parviainen H, Peter G, Piotto G, Pollacco D, Queloz D, Quinn SN, Quirrenbach A, Ragazzoni R, Rando N, Ratti F, Rauer H, Redfield S, Ribas I, Ricker GR, Rudat A, Sabin L, Salmon S, Santos NC, Scandariato G, Schanche N, Schlieder JE, Seager S, Ségransan D, Shporer A, Simon AE, Smith AMS, Sousa SG, Stalport M, Szabó GM, Thomas N, Tuson A, Udry S, Vanderburg AM, Van Eylen V, Van Grootel V, Venturini J, Walter I, Walton NA, Watanabe N, Winn JN, Zingales T. A resonant sextuplet of sub-Neptunes transiting the bright star HD 110067. Nature 2023; 623:932-937. [PMID: 38030780 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06692-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Planets with radii between that of the Earth and Neptune (hereafter referred to as 'sub-Neptunes') are found in close-in orbits around more than half of all Sun-like stars1,2. However, their composition, formation and evolution remain poorly understood3. The study of multiplanetary systems offers an opportunity to investigate the outcomes of planet formation and evolution while controlling for initial conditions and environment. Those in resonance (with their orbital periods related by a ratio of small integers) are particularly valuable because they imply a system architecture practically unchanged since its birth. Here we present the observations of six transiting planets around the bright nearby star HD 110067. We find that the planets follow a chain of resonant orbits. A dynamical study of the innermost planet triplet allowed the prediction and later confirmation of the orbits of the rest of the planets in the system. The six planets are found to be sub-Neptunes with radii ranging from 1.94R⊕ to 2.85R⊕. Three of the planets have measured masses, yielding low bulk densities that suggest the presence of large hydrogen-dominated atmospheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Luque
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - H P Osborn
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A Leleu
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - E Pallé
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - A Bonfanti
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - O Barragán
- Sub-department of Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - T G Wilson
- Centre for Exoplanet Science, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - C Broeg
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Collier Cameron
- Centre for Exoplanet Science, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - M Lendl
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - P F L Maxted
- Astrophysics Group, Lennard Jones Building, Keele University, Keele, UK
| | - Y Alibert
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - D Gandolfi
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - J-B Delisle
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - M J Hooton
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - J A Egger
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - G Nowak
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Institute of Astronomy, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - M Lafarga
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - D Rapetti
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science, Universities Space Research Association, Washington, DC, USA
| | - J D Twicken
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
- SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, USA
| | - J C Morales
- Institut de Ciencies de l'Espai (ICE-CSIC), Bellaterra, Spain
- Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - I Carleo
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Pino Torinese, Italy
| | - J Orell-Miquel
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - V Adibekyan
- Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Física e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - R Alonso
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - A Alqasim
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
| | - P J Amado
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), Granada, Spain
| | - D R Anderson
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Centre for Exoplanets and Habitability, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - G Anglada-Escudé
- Institut de Ciencies de l'Espai (ICE-CSIC), Bellaterra, Spain
- Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - T Bandy
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - S C C Barros
- Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Fisica e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - W Baumjohann
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - D Bayliss
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - J L Bean
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - M Beck
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - T Beck
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - W Benz
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - N Billot
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - X Bonfils
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, Grenoble, France
| | - L Borsato
- INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - A W Boyle
- Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - A Brandeker
- Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - E M Bryant
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
| | - J Cabrera
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - S Carrazco-Gaxiola
- Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- RECONS Institute, Chambersburg, PA, USA
| | - D Charbonneau
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - S Charnoz
- Université de Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - D R Ciardi
- Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - W D Cochran
- McDonald Observatory, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
- Center for Planetary Systems Habitability, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - K A Collins
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - I J M Crossfield
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Sz Csizmadia
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - P E Cubillos
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
- INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Pino Torinese, Italy
| | - F Dai
- Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - M B Davies
- Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - H J Deeg
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - M Deleuil
- Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
| | - A Deline
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - L Delrez
- Astrobiology Research Unit, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - O D S Demangeon
- Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Fisica e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - B-O Demory
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - D Ehrenreich
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
- Centre Vie dans l'Univers, Faculté des sciences, Université de Genève, Genève 4, Switzerland
| | - A Erikson
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - E Esparza-Borges
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - B Falk
- Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A Fortier
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - L Fossati
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - M Fridlund
- Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Onsala Space Observatory, Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala, Sweden
| | - A Fukui
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - J Garcia-Mejia
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - S Gill
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - M Gillon
- Astrobiology Research Unit, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - E Goffo
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
- Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, Tautenburg, Germany
| | - Y Gómez Maqueo Chew
- Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - M Güdel
- Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - E W Guenther
- Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, Tautenburg, Germany
| | - M N Günther
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - A P Hatzes
- Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg, Tautenburg, Germany
| | - Ch Helling
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
| | - K M Hesse
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - S B Howell
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
| | - S Hoyer
- Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
| | - K Ikuta
- Department of Multi-Disciplinary Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - K G Isaak
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - J M Jenkins
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
| | - T Kagetani
- Department of Multi-Disciplinary Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - L L Kiss
- Konkoly Observatory, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Physics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - T Kodama
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - J Korth
- Lund Observatory, Division of Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - K W F Lam
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - J Laskar
- IMCCE, UMR8028 CNRS, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Univ., Sorbonne Univ., Paris, France
| | - D W Latham
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A Lecavelier des Etangs
- Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, UMR7095 CNRS, Université Pierre & Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - J P D Leon
- Department of Multi-Disciplinary Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - J H Livingston
- Astrobiology Center, Tokyo, Japan
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Astronomical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Tokyo, Japan
| | - D Magrin
- INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - R A Matson
- United States Naval Observatory, Washington, DC, USA
| | - E C Matthews
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C Mordasini
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Mori
- Department of Multi-Disciplinary Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - M Moyano
- Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - M Munari
- INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - F Murgas
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - N Narita
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Komaba Institute for Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Astrobiology Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - V Nascimbeni
- INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - G Olofsson
- Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - H L M Osborne
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
| | - R Ottensamer
- Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - I Pagano
- INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - H Parviainen
- Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
- Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - G Peter
- Institute of Optical Sensor Systems, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - G Piotto
- INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padova, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia "Galileo Galilei", Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - D Pollacco
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - D Queloz
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - S N Quinn
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A Quirrenbach
- Landessternwarte, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - R Ragazzoni
- INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padova, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia "Galileo Galilei", Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - N Rando
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - F Ratti
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - H Rauer
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
- Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Redfield
- Astronomy Department, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
- Van Vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
| | - I Ribas
- Institut de Ciencies de l'Espai (ICE-CSIC), Bellaterra, Spain
- Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - G R Ricker
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A Rudat
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - L Sabin
- Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ensenada, Mexico
| | - S Salmon
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - N C Santos
- Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Fisica e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - G Scandariato
- INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - N Schanche
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - J E Schlieder
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - S Seager
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - D Ségransan
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - A Shporer
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A E Simon
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - A M S Smith
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - S G Sousa
- Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - M Stalport
- Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gy M Szabó
- Gothard Astrophysical Observatory, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Szombathely, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE Exoplanet Research Group, Szombathely, Hungary
| | - N Thomas
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Tuson
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - S Udry
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - A M Vanderburg
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - V Van Eylen
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Dorking, UK
| | - V Van Grootel
- Space sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - J Venturini
- Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève, Versoix, Switzerland
| | - I Walter
- Institute of Optical Sensor Systems, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
| | - N A Walton
- Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - N Watanabe
- Department of Multi-Disciplinary Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - J N Winn
- Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - T Zingales
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia "Galileo Galilei", Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
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Zhu C, Thomas EH, Li Q, Arunogiri S, Thomas N, Gurvich C. Evaluation of the Everyday Memory Questionnaire-Revised in a menopausal population: understanding the brain fog during menopause. Menopause 2023; 30:1147-1156. [PMID: 37788429 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Brain fog (ie, memory complaints and concentration difficulties) is frequently reported during the menopausal transition. There is lack of standardized scales available to measure brain fog across the menopausal transition. This study aimed to evaluate the factor structure of the Everyday Memory Questionnaire-Revised (EMQ-R) and to determine the most commonly reported everyday cognitive symptoms in a menopausal population. METHODS Four hundred seventeen eligible women aged from 40 to 60 years (107 premenopausal, 149 perimenopausal, and 161 early postmenopausal) were recruited from the general community and were included in the analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the model fit of the bifactor structure (ie, 4-item attentional subscale ranged 0-16, 7-item retrieval subscale ranged 0-28) of the 13-item EMQ-R (ranged 0-52) in a menopausal populations. Typical items in the retrieval subscale include "difficulty finding words," the attentional subscale include "difficulty following the thread of a story," and analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of covariance were used to investigate the group differences of individual items and two subscales. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the bifactor structure of the EMQ-R has a good fit in all three groups. A significant difference was identified in the mean retrieval scores (pre: 11.8, peri: 13.6, early post: 11.7) but not in the mean attentional scores (pre: 4.53, peri: 5.01, early post: 4.65). CONCLUSIONS The EMQ-R retrieval subscale may serve as a potential instrument to assess memory retrieval symptoms that contribute to "brain fog" in menopause. Increased memory retrieval complaints reported by the perimenopausal group suggests a transition-related memory retrieval dysfunction during menopausal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhu
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hx Thomas
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Qi Li
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shalini Arunogiri
- Eastern Health Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Turning Point, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
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Sood L, Gurvich C, Lavale A, Thomas N, Kulkarni J, Thomas EH. Perceived Discrimination in Australia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Longitudinal Study. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023:10.1007/s40615-023-01798-w. [PMID: 37768538 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01798-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES There have been global reports of increased discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic relative to the pre-pandemic era, though this has not been well explored within Australia. The aim of the study was to characterise discriminatory behaviour experienced by groups previously identified as most at risk of experiencing discrimination (i.e. those of Asian descent or healthcare workers) both from pre-pandemic to pandemic and during the pandemic era in Australia. METHODS From April 2020 to September 2021, 1479 Australian adults completed the everyday discrimination scale (EDS). Initially, participants were asked to retrospectively consider discrimination experienced pre-COVID-19 pandemic and then to consider experiences in the past month during the pandemic. Participants were invited to repeat the latter every 2 months. RESULTS Collectively, there was a reduction in EDS scores from pre-pandemic to pandemic. Within the pandemic era, mean trajectory graphs across time revealed that changes in EDS scores in the 'non-Asian healthcare workers' and 'Asian healthcare workers' subgroups tended to mirror onto fluctuations in Australian COVID-19 case numbers. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest social solidarity amongst the general Australian population during the pandemic, but still highlight a need to dedicate resources towards groups with heightened risk of experiencing discrimination during future public health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lomash Sood
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexandra Lavale
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hx Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Thomas N. "The Lighthouse". J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2023; 61:56. [PMID: 37668514 DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20230726-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
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Grigg J, Peacock A, Lenton S, Salom C, Agramunt S, Thomas N, Lyons T, Sutherland R. Real or fake? Sourcing and marketing of non-prescribed benzodiazepines amongst two samples of people who regularly use illicit drugs in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2023; 42:1559-1565. [PMID: 37490407 PMCID: PMC10947514 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is concern around non-prescribed benzodiazepine use, particularly with increasing detections of counterfeit products containing high-risk novel compounds. The aims of this study were to investigate how and which non-prescribed benzodiazepines are being sourced; forms, appearance and packaging; and awareness of risks associated with non-prescribed benzodiazepines. METHODS Data were collected from a sample of Australians who inject drugs or use ecstasy and/or other illicit stimulants on a monthly or more frequent basis, and who reported past 6-month use of non-prescribed benzodiazepines (n = 235 and n = 250, respectively). Data were collected on source, diversion from a known/trusted prescription, product name and aesthetic characteristics for the last non-prescribed benzodiazepine obtained. RESULTS Amongst participants who injected drugs, 71% reported that their last non-prescribed benzodiazepines were diverted from a known/trusted prescription, compared to 59% of participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants. Sourcing via cryptomarkets was rare. Across both samples, the majority reported last obtaining substances sold/marketed as diazepam or alprazolam. Participants sourcing via non-diverted means were twice as likely to obtain alprazolam. Known sourcing of novel compounds was rare. Amongst participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants, 36% reported confidence in the content/dose of non-prescribed benzodiazepines even when the source is unknown. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Most participants obtained substances sold as classic/registered benzodiazepines, mostly via diverted prescriptions, with a substantial minority potentially unaware of counterfeits circulating. While diverted use undeniably presents risks, tightening of prescriptions in Australia could inadvertently lead to greater supply of novel benzodiazepines as seen internationally, reinforcing prioritisation of demand and harm reduction strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodie Grigg
- National Drug Research Institute and enAble InstituteCurtin UniversityPerthAustralia
| | - Amy Peacock
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
- School of PsychologyUniversity of TasmaniaHobartAustralia
| | - Simon Lenton
- National Drug Research Institute and enAble InstituteCurtin UniversityPerthAustralia
| | - Caroline Salom
- Institute for Social Science ResearchUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Seraina Agramunt
- National Drug Research Institute and enAble InstituteCurtin UniversityPerthAustralia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Institute for Social Science ResearchUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Tom Lyons
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Rachel Sutherland
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW SydneySydneyAustralia
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Gurvich C, Thomas N, Hudaib AR, Van Rheenen TE, Thomas EHX, Tan EJ, Neill E, Carruthers SP, Sumner PJ, Romano-Silva M, Bozaoglu K, Kulkarni J, Rossell SL. The relationship between cognitive clusters and telomere length in bipolar-schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Psychol Med 2023; 53:5119-5126. [PMID: 35920237 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722002148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are complex mental illnesses that are associated with cognitive deficits. There is considerable cognitive heterogeneity that exists within both disorders. Studies that cluster schizophrenia and bipolar patients into subgroups based on their cognitive profile increasingly demonstrate that, relative to healthy controls, there is a severely compromised subgroup and a relatively intact subgroup. There is emerging evidence that telomere shortening, a marker of cellular senescence, may be associated with cognitive impairments. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between cognitive subgroups in bipolar-schizophrenia spectrum disorders and telomere length against a healthy control sample. METHODS Participants included a transdiagnostic group diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 73) and healthy controls (n = 113). Cognitive clusters within the transdiagnostic patient group, were determined using K-means cluster analysis based on current cognitive functioning (MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery scores). Telomere length was determined using quantitative PCRs genomic DNA extracted from whole blood. Emergent clusters were then compared to the healthy control group on telomere length. RESULTS Two clusters emerged within the patient group that were deemed to reflect a relatively intact cognitive group and a cognitively impaired subgroup. Telomere length was significantly shorter in the severely impaired cognitive subgroup compared to the healthy control group. CONCLUSIONS This study replicates previous findings of transdiagnostic cognitive subgroups and associates shorter telomere length with the severely impaired cognitive subgroup. These findings support emerging literature associating cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders to accelerated cellular aging as indexed by telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gurvich
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Abdul-Rahman Hudaib
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tamsyn E Van Rheenen
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Elizabeth H X Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Eric J Tan
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Erica Neill
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sean P Carruthers
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Philip J Sumner
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marco Romano-Silva
- Department Saude Mental, Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Kiymet Bozaoglu
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Susan L Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Thomas N. "The Cloud" by Natalie Thomas. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2023; 61:52. [PMID: 37261973 DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20230510-03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
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10
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Pryor J, Agarwal N, Randhawa S, Thomas N, Steele M, Gray A, Smith J. Treating 2 Birds with 1 Stone: Lobectomy for Diagnosis of Lung Cancer and Lung Volume Reduction Surgery Post-Transplant. J Heart Lung Transplant 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.02.1428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
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Sauvage E, Gehanno J, Thomas N, Rollin L. Prévalence du SARS-CoV-2, étude sérologique en France chez des salariés non confinés et confinés. ARCH MAL PROF ENVIRO 2023. [PMCID: PMC9892330 DOI: 10.1016/j.admp.2023.101798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Objectifs: Evaluer rétrospectivement le taux de salariés, confinés (en télétravail) et non confinés, infectés par le SARS-CoV-2 après le 1er confinement (Avril à Mai 2020). Méthode: Un dépistage sérologique des anticorps anti-SARS-CoV-2, IgG et IgM, et un questionnaire sur leurs symptômes a été proposé aux 2090 salariés d’une même entreprise. Résultats: La sérologie était positive pour 5,6% des 786 salariés inclus entre fin avril et juillet 2020 : 4,05% chez les non confinés, et 6,72%, chez les confinés (p=NS). Parmi les positifs, 86,4% avaient présenté des symptômes, sans différence significative entre confinés et non confinés. Enfin, 1.7% des asymptomatiques étaient positifs. Les symptômes n’étaient pas significativement différents entre les 2 groupes sauf pour l’anosmie-agueusie significativement plus fréquente dans le groupe des confinés. Les symptômes significativement associés à une sérologie positive étaient l’anosmie-agueusie, la fièvre-sensation de fièvre-frissons, les courbatures, la fatigue malaise, un syndrome grippal et des symptômes respiratoires. Ce faible taux de contamination peut être le résultat des mesures de prévention renforcées mises en place pour les salariés dès fin janvier 2020 par le Médecin du Travail pour limiter le risque de contamination au sein des locaux. Conclusion: La prévalence du SARS-CoV-2 dans l’entreprise de fin avril à juillet 2020 était inférieure de moitié au taux rapporté dans la population d’Ile de France à la même période sans différence entre les salariés ayant poursuivi leur activité en présentiel par rapport aux confinés.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Sauvage
- CMPC-Thalie Santé, service interentreprise de médecine du travail, CMPC-Thalie Santé 62 bis av André Morizet, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - J.F. Gehanno
- Institute of Occupational Health, Rouen University Hospital, France,Inserm, U1142, LIMICS, laboratoire d’informatique médicale et d’ingénierie des connaissances en e-Santé, Sorbonne université, Paris, France,Université de Rouen - Normandie, Rouen, France
| | - N. Thomas
- Observatoire régional de la Santé et du Social, Amiens, France
| | - L. Rollin
- Institute of Occupational Health, Rouen University Hospital, France,Inserm, U1142, LIMICS, laboratoire d’informatique médicale et d’ingénierie des connaissances en e-Santé, Sorbonne université, Paris, France,Université de Rouen - Normandie, Rouen, France,Nom et adresse de l’auteur de correspondance: Service de Médecine du Travail et de pathologie professionnelle CHU de Rouen, 1 rue de Germont, 76031 Rouen cedex, France
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Thomas N, Stankard A, Cosgrave N, Conlon B, Monahan P, Halpin T, Britton D, Byrne P, McShane S, Sohail I, Grogan AM, Reilly A, Thapa A, Alsubaie N, Rane P, O'Connor J, Gray S, Kaja A, Gehani K, Kovalyshyn V, O'Brien H. 92 CONTINUING TO ‘BE HIP’: ORTHOGERIATRIC SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS IN 2021. Age Ageing 2022. [PMCID: PMC9620584 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac218.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scotland first demonstrated that adherence to nationally agreed hip fracture standards improve patient survival, reduces the duration of admission, and reduces the need for high dependency care. Our study aims to assess adherence to the Irish Hip Fracture Standards (IHFS) in our hospital for 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, translating to improved clinical outcomes for our patients. Methods The IHF database was retrospectively analysed, comparing quarters 1-4 in 2021 with our 2020 results. Results IHFS1, patient time to the ward < 4hours, was maintained at 67% in 2021 versus 71% overall in 2020. There was improvement in IHFS2, time to surgery within 48 hours, up to 73% in 2021 versus 66% in 2020. IHFS3 was 4% in 2021 versus 3% overall in 2020. Further improvements were noted for IHFS4, with 95% of patients reviewed by a Geriatrician in 2021 versus 87% in 2020. IHFS5 also improved with 97% of patients receiving a bone health assessment in 2021 versus 87% in 2020. Moreover, IHFS6, improved with 97% of patients undergoing a specialised falls assessment in 2021 versus 87% in 2020. Conclusion The improvement in 2021 figures is reflective of the return of redeployed services during the COVID-19 pandemic inclusive of the Orthogeriatric Service, the Fracture Liaison Service Advanced Nurse Practitioner, the Trauma Co-ordinator, and the specialist Orthopaedic ward complete with its Orthopaedic nurses and Multi-Disciplinary Team, and improved Emergency Department pathways. These continued improvements in the IHFS further emphasise that success is dependent on a team that is joined at the hip
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Affiliation(s)
- N Thomas
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - A Stankard
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - N Cosgrave
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - B Conlon
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - P Monahan
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - T Halpin
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - D Britton
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - P Byrne
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - S McShane
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - I Sohail
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - AM Grogan
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - A Reilly
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - A Thapa
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - N Alsubaie
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - P Rane
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - J O'Connor
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - S Gray
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - A Kaja
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - K Gehani
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - V Kovalyshyn
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - H O'Brien
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
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Stankard A, Thomas N, Cosgrave N, Conlon B, Monaghan P, Halpin T, English D, Byrne P, McShane S, Sohail I, Grogan AM, Reilly A, Thapa A, Alsubaie N, Rane P, O'Connor J, Gray S, Kaja A, Gehani K, Kovalyshyn V, O'Brien H. 258 RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: ORTHOGERIATRIC SERVICE IMPROVEMENT AND COVID-19. Age Ageing 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac218.227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Nationally agreed hip fracture standards have contributed to the improvement of outcomes in hip fracture patients. In 2020, our hospital was awarded “The Golden Hip” for achieving highest compliance with Irish Hip Fracture Standards (IHFS) nationally for 2019.
Methods
Data from the Irish Hip Fracture Database (IHFD)was retrospectively analysed to assess our performance in 2020 versus 2019 in hip fracture patients over sixty. Multiple quality improvement interventions were put in place throughout 2019 to ensure improvement in IHFS1-6 compliance: Creation of the Hip Fracture Pathway Subgroup, IHFS 1 Breaches Audit, Orthogeriatric input at Orthopaedic inductions, weekly Multi-disciplinary Team meetings, a Nutritional Hip Fracture Pathway and addition of the Fracture Liaison Service Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
Results
There were 239 hip fracture patients in 2020 vs 249 in 2019. IHFS1 compliance improved with the percentage of patients admitted to the Orthopaedic ward within 4 hours increasing to 71% in 2020 from 56% in 2019. There was improvement in IHFS2-time to surgery <48 hours- 66% in 2020 vs 60% in 2019. IHFS3-pressure ulcer rate-was at the national average, 3% in 2020 vs 2% in 2019. IHFS4 (reviewed by a Geriatrician), IHFS5 (received a bone health assessment) and IHFS6 (received a specialised falls assessment) were lower overall; 87% in 2020 vs 98% in 2019. For all quarters (Q),43% of patients met all IHFS in our hospital in 2020 vs 32% in 2019, resulting in €90,000 in Best Practice Tariff funding.
Conclusion
Lower results for IHFS 4,5 and 6 reflect the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to redeployment of the Orthogeriatric Service and redeployment of the MDT from end of Q1 to Q3. When services in 2020 were preserved,1 in 2 hip fracture patients met all IHFS, vs 1 in 3 patients in 2019. Despite the pandemic, we continued to achieve the highest level of IHFS compliance nationally, being awarded a second consecutive “Golden Hip” for 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Stankard
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - N Thomas
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - N Cosgrave
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - B Conlon
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - P Monaghan
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - T Halpin
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - D English
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - P Byrne
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - S McShane
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - I Sohail
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - AM Grogan
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - A Reilly
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - A Thapa
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - N Alsubaie
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - P Rane
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - J O'Connor
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - S Gray
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - A Kaja
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - K Gehani
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - V Kovalyshyn
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
| | - H O'Brien
- Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital , Drogheda, Ireland
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Capelo HL, Kühn J, Pommerol A, Piazza D, Brändli M, Cerubini R, Jost B, Bodénan JD, Planchet T, Spadaccia S, Schräpler R, Blum J, Schönbächler M, Mayer L, Thomas N. TEMPus VoLA: The timed Epstein multi-pressure vessel at low accelerations. Rev Sci Instrum 2022; 93:104502. [PMID: 36319368 DOI: 10.1063/5.0087030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The field of planetary system formation relies extensively on our understanding of the aerodynamic interaction between gas and dust in protoplanetary disks. Of particular importance are the mechanisms triggering fluid instabilities and clumping of dust particles into aggregates, and their subsequent inclusion into planetesimals. We introduce the timed Epstein multi-pressure vessel at low accelerations, which is an experimental apparatus for the study of particle dynamics and rarefied gas under micro-gravity conditions. This facility contains three experiments dedicated to studying aerodynamic processes: (i) the development of pressure gradients due to collective particle-gas interaction, (ii) the drag coefficients of dust aggregates with variable particle-gas velocity, and (iii) the effect of dust on the profile of a shear flow and resultant onset of turbulence. The approach is innovative with respect to previous experiments because we access an untouched parameter space in terms of dust particle packing fraction, and Knudsen, Stokes, and Reynolds numbers. The mechanisms investigated are also relevant for our understanding of the emission of dust from active surfaces, such as cometary nuclei, and new experimental data will help interpreting previous datasets (Rosetta) and prepare future spacecraft observations (Comet Interceptor). We report on the performance of the experiments, which has been tested over the course of multiple flight campaigns. The project is now ready to benefit from additional flight campaigns, to cover a wide parameter space. The outcome will be a comprehensive framework to test models and numerical recipes for studying collective dust particle aerodynamics under space-like conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- H L Capelo
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J Kühn
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Pommerol
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - D Piazza
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Brändli
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - R Cerubini
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - B Jost
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - J-D Bodénan
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - T Planchet
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - S Spadaccia
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - R Schräpler
- Institut fur Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 3, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - J Blum
- Institut fur Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 3, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - M Schönbächler
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - L Mayer
- Center for Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology, Institute for Computational Science, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - N Thomas
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Smith LC, Mariegaard L, Vernal DL, Christensen AG, Albert N, Thomas N, Hjorthøj C, Glenthøj LB, Nordentoft M. The CHALLENGE trial: the effects of a virtual reality-assisted exposure therapy for persistent auditory hallucinations versus supportive counselling in people with psychosis: study protocol for a randomised clinical trial. Trials 2022; 23:773. [PMID: 36100943 PMCID: PMC9468536 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06683-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many patients suffering from schizophrenia spectrum disorders continue having distressing auditory hallucinations in spite of treatment with antipsychotic medication. The aim of this trial is to examine the effect of a targeted virtual reality therapy for persistent auditory hallucinations in individuals with psychosis. The trial explores whether this type of therapy can decrease the severity, frequency and distress of auditory hallucinations and, additionally, whether it can reduce clinical symptoms and enhance daily functioning in individuals with psychosis. Methods The study is a randomised, assessor-blinded parallel-group superiority clinical trial, allocating a total of 266 patients to either the experimental intervention or supportive counselling. The participants will be randomised to either (1) seven sessions of virtual reality therapy or (2) seven sessions of supportive counselling to be delivered within the first 12 weeks after inclusion in the study. All participants will be assessed at baseline and 12 and 24 weeks post-baseline. Independent assessors blinded to the treatment allocation will evaluate the outcome. The primary outcome is the level of auditory hallucinations measured with the Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scales (PSYRATS-AH) total score at the cessation of treatment at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes are frequency of auditory hallucinations, the distress caused by auditory hallucinations, perceived voice power, patient acceptance of voices, patients’ ability to respond to voices in an assertive way and social and daily function. Discussion Promising evidence of the efficacy of this immersive virtual reality-based therapy for auditory hallucinations exist, but evidence needs to be established in a large, methodological rigorous trial. If the therapy proves to be beneficial in reducing the severity of refractory auditory hallucinations, a large group of patients with schizophrenia and related disorders could be the target group of this short-term psychotherapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C Smith
- Research Unit (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark.
| | - L Mariegaard
- Research Unit (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark
| | - D L Vernal
- Psychiatry, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, North Denmark Region, Denmark
| | - A G Christensen
- Mental Health Center Esbjerg, Esbjerg, Region of South Denmark, Denmark
| | - N Albert
- Research Unit (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark
| | - N Thomas
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - C Hjorthøj
- Research Unit (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark.,Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - L B Glenthøj
- Research Unit (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark.,Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - M Nordentoft
- Research Unit (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark
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Jordan T, Chen J, Li N, Burette S, Culton D, Geng S, Googe P, Thomas N, Diaz L, Liu Z. 050 Eotaxin-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 are critical in anti-BP180 IgE-induced experimental bullous pemphigoid. J Invest Dermatol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2022.05.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Thomas N, Gurvich C, Huang K, Gooley PR, Armstrong CW. The underlying sex differences in neuroendocrine adaptations relevant to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:100995. [PMID: 35421511 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.100995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex multisystem disease characterised by severe and disabling new-onset symptoms of post-exertional malaise (PEM), fatigue, brain fog, and sleep dysfunction that lasts for at least six months. Accumulating evidence suggests that sex and endocrine events have a significant influence on symptom onset and moderation of ME/CFS, with female sex being one of the most consistent and credible predictive risk factors associated with diagnosis. Such sex differences suggest sex chromosomes and sex steroids may play a part in the development of the condition or moderation of symptoms, although this has yet to be explored in detail. METHODS/AIMS This narrative review outlines sex differences in ME/CFS in terms of vulnerability factors and clinical phenotype and explores the known sex differences in neuroendocrine systems affected in ME/CFS and how this may relate to disease risk, onset, pathophysiology, and potential treatment avenues. CONCLUSIONS There is clear evidence of a sex dimorphism with regards to prevalence (3:1 female preponderance), clinical phenotypes, and aetiological triggers prior to symptom onset of ME/CFS. Endocrinological events, particularly those throughout the female lifespan, are associated with ME/CFS and include reproductive menstrual cycle fluctuations, pregnancy, post-partum and perimenopause. Further, there is evidence for gonadal sex, adrenal stress and renal neuroendocrine systems as implicated in ME/CFS, including changes in estrogen, progesterone compounds, aldosterone, and cortisol levels, of which there are established sex differences. The broad effects of steroid hormones on the physiological systems may also speak to the diversity of ME/CFS symptomatology observed in patients. Further attention must be paid to sex, age, and steroid biology in ME/CFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Australia
| | - Katherine Huang
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul R Gooley
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christopher W Armstrong
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
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Zhu C, Thomas N, Arunogiri S, Gurvich C. Systematic review and narrative synthesis of cognition in perimenopause: The role of risk factors and menopausal symptoms. Maturitas 2022; 164:76-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Davey C, Luqmani B, Thomas N, McAdam E. Transforming wastewater ammonia to carbon free energy: Integrating fuel cell technology with ammonia stripping for direct power production. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.120755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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20
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Davis SR, Ward HE, Kelly V, Palmer D, Ankersmit-Udy AE, Lopdell TJ, Berry SD, Littlejohn MD, Tiplady K, Adams LF, Carnie K, Burrett A, Thomas N, Snell RG, Spelman RJ, Lehnert K. Screening for phenotypic outliers identifies an unusually low concentration of a β-lactoglobulin B protein isoform in bovine milk caused by a synonymous SNP. Genet Sel Evol 2022; 54:22. [PMID: 35296234 PMCID: PMC8925192 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-022-00711-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Milk samples from 10,641 dairy cattle were screened by a mass spectrometry method for extreme concentrations of the A or B isoforms of the whey protein, β-lactoglobulin (BLG), to identify causative genetic variation driving changes in BLG concentration. Results A cohort of cows, from a single sire family, was identified that produced milk containing a low concentration of the BLG B protein isoform. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of BLG B protein isoform concentration in milk from AB heterozygous cows, detected a group of highly significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within or close to the BLG gene. Among these was a synonymous G/A variation at position + 78 bp in exon 1 of the BLG gene (chr11:103256256G > A). The effect of the A allele of this SNP (which we named B’) on BLG expression was evaluated in a luciferase reporter assay in transfected CHO-K1 and MCF-7 cells. In both cell types, the presence of the B’ allele in a plasmid containing the bovine BLG gene from -922 to + 898 bp (relative to the transcription initiation site) resulted in a 60% relative reduction in mRNA expression, compared to the plasmid containing the wild-type B sequence allele. Examination of a mammary RNAseq dataset (n = 391) identified 14 heterozygous carriers of the B’ allele which were homozygous for the BLG B protein isoform (BB’). The level of expression of the BLG B’ allele was 41.9 ± 1.0% of that of the wild-type BLG B allele. Milk samples from three cows, homozygous for the A allele at chr11:103,256,256 (B’B’), were analysed (HPLC) and showed BLG concentrations of 1.04, 1.26 and 1.83 g/L relative to a mean of 4.84 g/L in milk from 16 herd contemporaries of mixed (A and B) BLG genotypes. The mechanism by which B’ downregulates milk BLG concentration remains to be determined. Conclusions High-throughput screening and identification of outliers, enabled the discovery of a synonymous G > A mutation in exon 1 of the B allele of the BLG gene (B’), which reduced the milk concentration of β-lactoglobulin B protein isoform, by more than 50%. Milk from cows carrying the B’ allele is expected to have improved processing characteristics, particularly for cheese-making. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12711-022-00711-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R Davis
- Research & Development, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Ruakura Road, Hamilton, New Zealand. .,ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Hamish E Ward
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Van Kelly
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - David Palmer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alexandra E Ankersmit-Udy
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Thomas J Lopdell
- Research & Development, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Ruakura Road, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Sarah D Berry
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Mathew D Littlejohn
- Research & Development, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Ruakura Road, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Kathryn Tiplady
- Research & Development, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Ruakura Road, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Linda F Adams
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Katie Carnie
- Research & Development, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Ruakura Road, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Alayna Burrett
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Natalie Thomas
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Russell G Snell
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard J Spelman
- Research & Development, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Ruakura Road, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Klaus Lehnert
- ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd., a subsidiary (now closed) of Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd., Fanshawe Street, Auckland, New Zealand
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Sampathkumar G, Valiyaparambil PP, Kumar H, Bhavani N, Nair V, Menon U, Menon A, Abraham N, Chapla A, Thomas N. Low genetic confirmation rate in South Indian subjects with a clinical diagnosis of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) who underwent targeted next-generation sequencing for 13 genes. J Endocrinol Invest 2022; 45:607-615. [PMID: 34741762 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-021-01698-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To screen for maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) variants in subjects with an early age of onset and positive family history of diabetes mellitus. METHODS 60 subjects with onset of diabetes between 3 and 30 years of age and parental history (onset < 35 years) of diabetes were recruited after excluding autoimmune, pancreatic and syndromic forms of diabetes. Detailed pedigree chart and clinical data were recorded. MODY genetic testing (MODY 1-13) was performed and variant classification was done adhering to the ACMG guidelines. RESULTS Baseline characteristics of subjects were as follows: mean age of onset of diabetes 19.9 ± 7 years, mean duration of diabetes 6.3 ± 6.8 years, BMI 23.3 ± 3 kg/m2 and C-peptide 1.56 ± 1.06 nmol/l. Four out of sixty (6.6%) were positive for variants classifiable as pathogenic/likely pathogenic: one patient with HNF4Ac.691C > T, (p.Arg231Trp), two with HNF 1A c.746C > A(p.Ser249Ter) and c.1340C > T(p.Pro447Leu), and one with ABCC8 c.4544C > T (p.Thr1515Met). MODY 1 and MODY 3 variants were documented in the paediatric age group (< 18 years). CONCLUSION A genetic diagnosis of MODY could be confirmed in only 6.6% (4/60) of patients clinically classifiable as MODY. This is less than that reported in clinically diagnosed MODY subjects of European descent. Newly published population data and more stringent criteria for assessment of pathogenicity and younger age of onset of type 2 diabetes in Indians could have contributed to the lower genetic confirmation rate. Apart from variants in the classical genes (HNF1A, HNF4A), a likely pathogenic variant in a non-classical gene (ABCC8) was noted in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Sampathkumar
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India
| | - P P Valiyaparambil
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India.
| | - H Kumar
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India
| | - N Bhavani
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India
| | - V Nair
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India
| | - U Menon
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India
| | - A Menon
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India
| | - N Abraham
- Department of Endocrinology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Ponnekara P.O, Cochin, 682041, Kerala, India
| | - A Chapla
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - N Thomas
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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Brand J, Lansigan RK, Thomas N, Emond J, Gilbert-Diamond D. Completing a Sustained Attention Task Is Associated With Decreased Distractibility and Increased Task Performance Among Adolescents With Low Levels of Media Multitasking. Front Psychol 2022; 12:804931. [PMID: 35197886 PMCID: PMC8859153 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.804931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To assess distracted attention and performance on a computer task following completion of a sustained attention and acute media multitasking task among adolescents with varying self-reported usual media multitasking. Methods Ninety-six 13- to 17-year-olds played the video game Tetris following completion of a Go/No-go paradigm to measure sustained attention in the presence of distractors, an acute media multitasking, or a passive viewing condition. Adolescents completed the conditions on separate visits in randomized order. Sustained attention was measured within the Go/No-go task by measuring errors of omission. Distracted attention while playing the Tetris task was measured by computing eye tracking measures of attention (first fixation duration, cumulative fixation duration) to irrelevant distractor images that bordered the Tetris game. Participants also self-reported their daily media multitasking. Results The Go/No-go task revealed important qualitative differences in sustained attention among low and high usual media multitaskers. There was a uniform improvement in sustained attention among low usual media multitaskers, demonstrated by a consistent linear decrease in omission errors (β = −0.01; P < 0.05). Among high usual media multitaskers, there was initially a decrease in sustained attention (β = −0.01; P = 0.05) followed by an increase (β = 0.16; P < 0.001). Completing the Go/No-go task also statistically significantly reduced distractibility and increased performance while playing Tetris compared to the passive viewing condition, but only among those with low usual media multitasking (all Ps ≤ 0.05). There was a non-statistically significant trend that completing the acute media multitask increased subsequent distractibility and performance while playing Tetris among high media multitaskers. Conclusion In this sample of adolescents, practicing a sustained attention task reduces distractibility and improves task performance among those who have low levels of usual media multitasking.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Brand
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- *Correspondence: John Brand,
| | - Reina Kato Lansigan
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Jennifer Emond
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Diane Gilbert-Diamond
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
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Dahl JM, Thomas N, Tracy MA, Hearn BL, Perera L, Kennedy SR, Herr AJ, Kunkel TA. Probing the mechanisms of two exonuclease domain mutators of DNA polymerase ϵ. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:962-974. [PMID: 35037018 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the properties of two mutations in the exonuclease domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA polymerase ϵ. One, pol2-Y473F, increases the mutation rate by about 20-fold, similar to the catalytically dead pol2-D290A/E290A mutant. The other, pol2-N378K, is a stronger mutator. Both retain the ability to excise a nucleotide from double-stranded DNA, but with impaired activity. pol2-Y473F degrades DNA poorly, while pol2-N378K degrades single-stranded DNA at an elevated rate relative to double-stranded DNA. These data suggest that pol2-Y473F reduces the capacity of the enzyme to perform catalysis in the exonuclease active site, while pol2-N378K impairs partitioning to the exonuclease active site. Relative to wild-type Pol ϵ, both variants decrease the dNTP concentration required to elicit a switch between proofreading and polymerization by more than an order of magnitude. While neither mutation appears to alter the sequence specificity of polymerization, the N378K mutation stimulates polymerase activity, increasing the probability of incorporation and extension of a mismatch. Considered together, these data indicate that impairing the primer strand transfer pathway required for proofreading increases the probability of common mutations by Pol ϵ, elucidating the association of homologous mutations in human DNA polymerase ϵ with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Dahl
- Genome Integrity Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Genome Integrity Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Maxwell A Tracy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, UW Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Brady L Hearn
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, UW Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Lalith Perera
- Genome Integrity Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Scott R Kennedy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, UW Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alan J Herr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, UW Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Thomas A Kunkel
- Genome Integrity Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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Price O, Man N, Bruno R, Dietze P, Salom C, Lenton S, Grigg J, Gibbs D, Wilson T, Degenhardt L, Chan R, Thomas N, Peacock A. Changes in illicit drug use and markets with the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions: findings from the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, 2016-20. Addiction 2022; 117:182-194. [PMID: 34159666 PMCID: PMC8441814 DOI: 10.1111/add.15620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To describe (i) self-reported changes in drug use and (ii) trends in price, perceived availability, and perceived purity of illicit drugs, among people who regularly use ecstasy/ 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and other illicit stimulants in Australia following COVID-19 and associated restrictions. DESIGN Annual interviews with cross-sectional sentinel samples conducted face-to-face in 2016-19 and via video conferencing or telephone in 2020. Data were collected via an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. SETTING Australian capital cities. PARTICIPANTS Australians aged 16 years or older who used ecstasy/MDMA and other illicit stimulants on a monthly or more frequent basis and resided in a capital city, recruited via social media and word-of-mouth (n ~ 800 each year). MEASUREMENTS Key outcome measures were self-reported illicit drug market indicators (price, purity and availability) and, in 2020 only, perceived change in drug use (including alcohol and tobacco) since March 2020 and reasons for this change. FINDINGS For most drugs, participants reported either no change or a reduction in their use since COVID-19 restrictions were introduced. Ecstasy/MDMA was the drug most frequently cited as reduced in use (n = 552, 70% of those reporting recent use), mainly due to reduced opportunities for socialization. While market indicators were largely stable across most drugs, the odds of perceiving MDMA capsules as 'high' in purity decreased compared with 2016-19 [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.53-0.99], as did perceiving them as 'easy' to obtain (aOR = 0.42, CI = 0.26-0.67). The odds of perceiving cocaine and methamphetamine crystal as 'easy' to obtain also decreased (aOR = 0.67, CI = 0.46-0.96 and aOR = 0.12, CI = 0.04-0.41, respectively). CONCLUSIONS After COVID-19-related restrictions were introduced in Australia, use of ecstasy/MDMA, related stimulants and other licit and illicit drugs mainly appeared to remain stable or decrease, primarily due to impediments to socialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Price
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
| | - Nicola Man
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
| | - Raimondo Bruno
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia,School of Psychological SciencesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartAustralia
| | - Paul Dietze
- Behaviours and Health RisksBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia
| | - Caroline Salom
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia,Institute for Social Science ResearchUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Simon Lenton
- National Drug Research InstituteCurtin UniversityPerthAustralia
| | - Jodie Grigg
- National Drug Research InstituteCurtin UniversityPerthAustralia
| | - Daisy Gibbs
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
| | - Tanya Wilson
- School of Psychological SciencesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartAustralia
| | - Louisa Degenhardt
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
| | - Roanna Chan
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Institute for Social Science ResearchUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Amy Peacock
- National Drug and Alcohol Research CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia,School of Psychological SciencesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartAustralia
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Thomas N, Armstrong CW, Hudaib AR, Kulkarni J, Gurvich C. A network meta-analysis of stress mediators in suicide behaviour. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 63:100946. [PMID: 34481858 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Stress homeostatic mediators are the most consistently anomalous biomarkers observed in suicide and may therefore point to a common 'core biology' of stress susceptibility, and suicidal behaviour. Previously reported meta-analyses have demonstrated aberrant levels of stress cortisol and inflammatory cytokines in suicide patients compared to controls, and significant associations between the stress regulator FK506-binding protein 51 (FKBP5) gene and suicidal behaviour. Although these independent studies were investigated as separate entities in suicide, stress mediators interact in a dynamic system, collectively giving rise to system changes physiologically, and ultimately psychologically and behaviourally. It is therefore important to study the dynamic network these stress mediators. Network meta-analysis allows for the simultaneous comparison of more than two biological mediators, and for comparisons to be made between mediators that have not been directly compared before, using previously reported, pooled meta data. Such network approaches may help study the complex biological phenomena of suicide and may provide better prediction of biological risk of suicidal states. METHODS This study aimed to establish the comparative relationships between key stress mediators in suicidal patients compared to non-suicidal controls using a random-effects network meta-analysis approach.. The key stress mediators included cortisol, six inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-α), interferon (IFN-y) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and the FKBP5 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) allele. Data was derived from three previously published meta-analysis. The study population comprised of 1348 suicidal patients, defined as suicide attempters, completers, or patients with severe suicidal ideation, and 1750 non-suicidal controls, defined as healthy controls and psychiatric patients without suicidal ideation or previous attempts. RESULTS Pair-wise indirect effects of stress mediators in suicide compared to controls demonstrated that relative to the effect of the FKBP5 risk SNP allele on suicide risk, the magnitude of differences (suicide vs control) for the levels of IL-2 (SMD -0.72; 95% CI, -0.135 to -0.09 and IL-4 (SMD -0.71; 95% CI, -1.34 to -0.08) were significantly smaller (with 95% confidence intervals not crossing the null). The comparative relationships between stress mediators in suicidal behaviour demonstrates that the dynamic stress network relationship is dysregulated in suicide patients when compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS This model suggests that a genetic stress susceptibility with downstream abnormal cortisol stress axis functioning, together with anomalous interactions between the inflammatory system, may be one of the neurobiological correlates of suicide behaviour. This biological state may leave the individual physiologically susceptible and unable to cope with environmental stressors, which is consistent with the stress-diathesis hypothesis of suicide behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia; Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Australia.
| | - Christopher W Armstrong
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Abdul-Rahman Hudaib
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Australia
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Robertson E, Thew C, Thomas N, Karimi L, Kulkarni J. Pilot Data on the Feasibility And Clinical Outcomes of a Nomegestrol Acetate Oral Contraceptive Pill in Women With Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:704488. [PMID: 34630323 PMCID: PMC8498579 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.704488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Up to 80% of reproductive-aged women experience premenstrual symptoms. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe form, affecting 2-5% of women. Combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs) are used in the treatment of PMDD. Clinical practice suggests that a newer COCP containing nomegestrol acetate (2.5mg) and 17-beta estradiol (1.5mg), may be a suitable treatment for mood symptoms in PMDD. Materials and Methods This was a clinical follow-up feasibility study of women who had attended the Monash Alfred Psychiatry research centre, Women's Mental Health Clinic, with a diagnosis of PMDD. 67% of the sample also had concurrent cPTSD, 29% co-morbid anxiety, and 20% depression. They were recommended treatment with nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol. Eligible women were contacted by telephone to answer a questionnaire to assess women's subjective response to nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol, acceptability and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) after being recommended nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol. The paired-sample t-test was used to determine if there were any statistically significant differences in the DASS-21 scores over the study observation period (before and after taking nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol). Results 35 (74.5%) women reported a subjective positive mood response to nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol, 31 (63.3%) adhered to the medication, and only 10 (20.4%) women reported side effects as the main reason for discontinuing nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol. There were statistically significant reductions (p<0.05) in the overall DASS-21 scores from before women commenced nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol and after commencement of treatment. Conclusions This preliminary study supports the acceptability and effectiveness of nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol as a treatment for mood symptoms in PMDD. Further research, particularly a randomized controlled trial, is required to elucidate the effect of nomegestrol acetate/17-beta estradiol treatment on mood in PMDD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Smith L, Thomas N, Arnold A, Bell R, Zayed H, Tyrrell M, Padayachee S. A Comparison of Computed Tomography Angiography and Colour Duplex Ultrasound Surveillance Post Infrarenal Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Financial Implications and Impact of Different International Surveillance Guidelines. J Vasc Surg 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.07.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Paul J, Devarapalli V, Johnson JT, Cherian KE, Jebasingh FK, Asha HS, Kapoor N, Thomas N, Paul TV. Do proximal hip geometry, trabecular microarchitecture, and prevalent vertebral fractures differ in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus? A cross-sectional study from a teaching hospital in southern India. Osteoporos Int 2021; 32:1585-1593. [PMID: 33502560 DOI: 10.1007/s00198-021-05855-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED This study from southern India showed that the trabecular microarchitecture and proximal hip geometry were significantly impaired in postmenopausal women with diabetes as compared to age and BMI matched non-diabetic controls. This is despite there being no significant difference in bone mineral density at the femoral neck and hip not between both groups. One-third of the study subjects with type 2 diabetes had prevalent vertebral fractures. Bone mineral density assessment as a standalone tool may not adequately reflect bone health in subjects with diabetes. INTRODUCTION There is limited information with regard to bone health in Indian postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes. We studied the bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone score (TBS), prevalent vertebral fractures (VF), proximal hip geometry, and bone mineral biochemistry in ambulatory postmenopausal women with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS This was a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care center. BMD, TBS, prevalent vertebral fractures, and hip structural analysis (HSA) were assessed using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner. Bone mineral biochemical profiles were also studied. RESULTS A total of 202 ambulatory postmenopausal women known to have type 2 diabetes mellitus with mean (SD) age of 65.6 (5.2) years and 200 age and BMI matched non-diabetic controls with mean (SD) age of 64.9 (4.7) years were recruited from the local community. Although the prevalence of lumbar spine osteoporosis was significantly lower among cases (30.7%) as compared to controls (42.9%), the prevalence of degraded bone microarchitecture (TBS < 1.200) was significantly higher among cases (51%) than in controls (23.5%); P < 0.001. Prevalent vertebral fractures were not significantly different in cases and controls. The various geometric indices of the proximal hip were significantly impaired in subjects with diabetes as compared to controls. CONCLUSION This study may highlight the utility of the trabecular bone score and hip structural analysis in subjects with diabetes, where the bone mineral density tends to be paradoxically high, and may not adequately predict fracture risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Paul
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - V Devarapalli
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - J T Johnson
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - K E Cherian
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - F K Jebasingh
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - H S Asha
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - N Kapoor
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - N Thomas
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
| | - T V Paul
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
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Gurvich C, Thomas N, Thomas EH, Hudaib AR, Sood L, Fabiatos K, Sutton K, Isaacs A, Arunogiri S, Sharp G, Kulkarni J. Coping styles and mental health in response to societal changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2021; 67:540-549. [PMID: 33016171 DOI: 10.1177/0020764020961790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosocial responses to infectious disease outbreaks have the potential to inflict acute and longstanding mental health consequences. Early research across the globe has found wide ranging psychological responses to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how different coping styles can be effective in mitigating mental ill health would enable better tailored psychological support. AIMS The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of psychosocial responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including depression, anxiety and distress, as well as effective coping styles in an Australian sample. METHOD A sample of 1,495 adults, residing in Australia between April 3rd and May 3rd 2020, completed an online survey which measured psychological distress (Impact of Events Scale-Revised), depression, anxiety, stress (DASS-21), as well as coping strategies (Brief COPE). RESULTS 47% of the respondents were experiencing some degree of psychological distress. Females experienced higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress than males. Coping strategies associated with better mental health were positive reframing, acceptance and humour. Conversely, self-blame, venting, behavioural disengagement and self-distraction were associated with poorer mental health. CONCLUSION Rates of psychological symptoms amongst the Australian population are similar to those reported in other countries. Findings add to the growing literature demonstrating a gender disparity in the mental health impacts of COVID-19. Positive emotion focused coping strategies may be effective for reducing psychological symptoms. Understanding psychosocial responses including beneficial coping strategies are crucial to manage the current COVID-19 situation optimally, as well as to develop mental health response plans for future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hx Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Abdul-Rahman Hudaib
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lomash Sood
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kali Fabiatos
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Keith Sutton
- Department of Rural Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anton Isaacs
- Department of Rural Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shalini Arunogiri
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gemma Sharp
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Thomas N. A comprehensive investigation of the Galilean moon, Io, by tracing mass and energy flows. Exp Astron (Dordr) 2021; 54:791-807. [PMID: 36915621 PMCID: PMC9998583 DOI: 10.1007/s10686-021-09768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Io is the most volcanically-active object in the solar system. The moon ejects a tonne per second of sulphur-rich gases that fill the vast magnetosphere of Jupiter and drives million-amp electrical currents that excite strong auroral emissions. We present the case for including a detailed study of Io within Voyage 2050 either as a standalone mission or as a contribution to a NASA New Frontiers mission, possibly within a Solar System theme centred around current evolutionary or dynamical processes. A comprehensive investigation will provide answers to many outstanding questions and will simultaneously provide information on processes that have formed the landscapes of several other objects in the past. A mission investigating Io will also study processes that have shaped the Earth, Moon, terrestrial planets, outer planet moons, and potentially extrasolar planets. The aim would be simple - tracing the mass and energy flows in the Io-Jupiter system.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Thomas
- Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Orem J, Martin M, Mbulaiteye SM, Mullighan CG, Mungall AJ, Mungall K, Namirembe C, Noy A, Petrello H, Ogwang MD, Martin J, Reynolds SJ, Swerdlow SH, Traverse‐Glehen A, Wilson WH, Marra MA, Staudt LM, Scott DW, Morin RD, Timothy G, Dryer M, Dreval K, Gerhard DS, Hilton LK, Abramson JS, Bartlett NL, Bethony J, Bowen J, Bryan A, Casper C, Thomas N, Gastier‐Foster JM, Grande BM, Griner NB, Gross TG, Harris NL, Irvin JD, Jaffe E, Leal F. KEY GENETIC AND MOLECULAR ABERRATIONS IDENTIFIED IN BOTH ADULT AND EBV‐POSITIVE BURKITT LYMPHOMA PATIENTS. Hematol Oncol 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/hon.68_2879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Dreval K, Thomas N, Gerhard DS, Hilton LK, Wong J, Abramson JS, Bartlett NL, Bethony J, Bowen J, Bryan AC, Casper C, Dyer M, Gastier‐Foster JM, Grande BM, Greiner T, Griner NB, Gross TG, Harris NL, Irvin JD, Jaffe E, Leal F, Martin JP, Martin M, Mbulaiteye SM, Mullighan CG, Mungall AJ, Mungall K, Namirembe C, Noy A, Ogwang MD, Orem J, Petrello H, Reynolds SJ, Swerdlow SH, Traverse‐Glehen A, Wilson WH, Marra MA, Staudt LM, Scott DW, Morin RD. COPY NUMBER VARIATION ANALYSIS IDENTIFIES DISTINCT GENOMIC FEATURES IN ADULT BURKITT LYMPHOMA. Hematol Oncol 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/hon.67_2879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Abstract
Introduction Pi and colleagues reviewed eight case-control studies comparing the oral health (decayed, missing and filled teeth [DMFT], Plaque Index [PI], Gingival Index [GI] and salivary pH) of children with autism (n = 475) to children without autism (n = 565).Method The search strategy involved the use of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and Chinese Scientific and Technological Journal (VIP) to find case-control studies which met pre-defined inclusion criteria and were published before September 2018. The quality of each study was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottowa Scale and only high-quality studies were included. Means and standard deviations for outcomes measured by each included study were presented. Data were pooled using the random-effects model via Review Manager 5.3, and presented as mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. Consistency was measured using I2. Sensitivity analysis was performed by removing one study with a large sample to explore effects on heterogeneity.Results The authors found eight eligible case-control studies conducted in Asia (n = 7) or South America (n = 1). Six of the eight compared DMFT of children with autism to those without and three of the eight compared PI, GI and/or salivary pH. While a meta-analysis is presented for each of the oral health outcome areas, there are discrepancies in the reporting. The included studies in each of the meta-analysis do not correspond with the characteristics of the studies provided.Conclusions The authors suggest from their meta-analyses that children with autism experience a higher prevalence of dental disease than children without autism. However, as currently presented, the study lacks internal validity and findings are not reliable.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Thomas
- Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, UK.
| | - S Blake
- Child Health, University of Exeter Medical School, UK
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Thomas N, Gurvich C, Hudaib AR, Gavrilidis E, de Castella RA, Thomas EH, Kulkarni J. Serum estradiol as a blood-based biomarker predicting hormonal treatment outcomes in women with schizophrenia. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 126:105165. [PMID: 33609856 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia display substantial heterogeneity in terms of their clinical presentations, and treatment response. Accumulating research suggests that such high diversity may reflect distinct biological subtypes with differentially affected underlying neurobiology. Novel treatments, including sex hormone estradiol treatments, provide alternative efficacious treatment avenues but also should be studied within the context of potential heterogeneity. This repeated-measures study characterised the association between hormone levels (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin, FSH, LH, DHEA) and symptom treatment outcomes (defined by The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)) across a 56-day study of 200 ug adjunctive estradiol treatment in women with schizophrenia. Group-based trajectory models was used to account for potential heterogeneity (subgroups). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were evaluated to define the predictive value of endogenous estradiol levels as a treatment-response biomarker of estradiol treatment. The results generated two subgroups; a treatment-responder group who demonstrated decreasing PANSS scores across time, and a treatment non-responder group, demonstrating stable PANSS scores across time. The treatment-responder subgroup was significantly negatively predicted by estradiol blood level (b= -2.34, SE= 1.17, p = 0.047), while FSH blood level was positively associated with the treatment non-responders (b= 7.14, SE= 2.54, p = 0.008). ROC for day 28, 56 time points yielded area under the curve of 0.52 and 0.55, respectively. Harrell's C-statistic = 0.59. This is the first study to identify endocrine markers in blood serum predicting response to estradiol treatment in female schizophrenia patients, highlighting the existence of heterogeneity of response, indicative of molecular subtypes. Characterising the differential underlying biology of the subgroups may lead to better targeted, specific treatments in the future.(ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00357006). https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00357006.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, 4/607 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia.
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, 4/607 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia
| | - Abdul-Rahman Hudaib
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, 4/607 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia
| | - Emmy Gavrilidis
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, 4/607 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia
| | - Rolet Anthony de Castella
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, 4/607 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hx Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, 4/607 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, 4/607 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004, VIC, Australia
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Gurvich C, Thomas N. Hormones and Cognition. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11030318. [PMID: 33802267 PMCID: PMC7998363 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11030318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia;
- Correspondence:
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia;
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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Thomas N, Myall N, Sun F, Patil T, Mushtaq R, Yu C, Pollom E, Nagpal S, Camidge R, Rusthoven C, Braunstein S, Wakelee H, Mccoach C. P76.14 Time to First Progression in Patients with NSCLC with Brain Metastases Receiving 3rd Generation TKI alone vs TKI + Brain Radiation. J Thorac Oncol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2021.01.1071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
Hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis that regulate reproductive function are also potent neurosteriods that have multiple effects on the development, maintenance and function of the brain. There is a growing body of evidence linking sex hormones to cognitive functioning across the lifespan. Both subjective and objective cognitive changes can occur with aging. For women, cognitive complains are commonly associated with the menopause transition-a time of significant hormone flux. Sex differences in neurodegenerative conditions associated with cognitive dysfunction, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, suggest a potential link between sex hormones and cognitive decline. Evidence for the effects of hormone therapy on cognition is growing, but remains inconclusive. This chapter provides an overview of sex hormones and cognition in association with healthy aging, including a focus on the menopause transition, as well as reviewing findings linking sex hormones to cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. An overview of hormone therapy and cognition is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University Central Clinical School and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Jessica Le
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University Central Clinical School and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University Central Clinical School and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Elizabeth H X Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University Central Clinical School and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University Central Clinical School and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Shabeer MP, Abiramalatha T, Gibikote S, Rebekah G, Thomas N. Bedside sonography performed by neonatology residents to confirm central vascular catheter position in neonates - A Prospective Diagnostic Evaluation study. J Neonatal Perinatal Med 2021; 14:101-107. [PMID: 32310193 DOI: 10.3233/npm-200409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and utility of bedside ultrasound (US) by neonatology residents to confirm position of umbilical venous catheter (UVC), umbilical arterial catheter (UAC), and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). METHODS In this prospective study, we included neonates who required UVC, UAC or PICC insertion. Two neonatology residents performed all bedside US examinations after a short period of training. Plain radiograph was taken as gold standard. Time taken for confirmation of catheter position by US and radiograph was recorded. RESULTS We recruited 71 neonates for UVC and UAC, and 40 neonates for PICC. Sensitivity and specificity of US in identifying a malpositioned catheter was good for UVC (94% and 66.7% respectively) and UAC (86.7% and 94.5%). Agreement between radiograph and US was good for UVC [0.718 (0.512, 0.861); p < 0.001] and UAC [0.857 (0.682, 0.953); p < 0.001]. Sensitivity (47.8%) of US in identifying a malpositioned PICC was low, though specificity (82.4%) was good. Agreement between radiograph and US in identifying PICC position was poor [0.25 (-0.084, 0.545); p 0.024]. This was due to incorrect interpretation of catheter position on radiograph in some infants, which was confirmed by the radiologist. The median time taken for US was significantly less than time taken for radiograph in confirming the position of UVC (50 vs. 155 minutes; p < 0.001)), UAC (45 vs. 128 minutes; p < 0.001), and PICC (60 vs. 136 minutes; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION US examination byneonatology residents has good diagnostic accuracy in confirming the position of UAC and UVC, and possibly PICC in neonates. The time taken to confirm catheter position by US is significantly less than radiograph.
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Shabeer
- Department of Neonatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - T Abiramalatha
- Department of Neonatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.,Department of Neonatology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER), Chennai, India
| | - S Gibikote
- Department of Radiology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - G Rebekah
- Department of Biostatistics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - N Thomas
- Department of Neonatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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Abstract
Biological sex and psychosocial gender both play a role in many disease outcomes, and the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is no different. Clinical observations in COVID-19 patient data delineate clear disparities between males and females, indicating males are at a higher risk for poorer disease outcomes. Although we are yet to understand the sex and gender-based disparities specific to COVID-19, there is evidence for sex-based differences in the endocrine, immune and renin-angiotensin system, all systems implicated in COVID-19 outcomes. Such disparities are largely thought to be driven by sex chromosomes and modulating sex hormones, which are known to vary between sex, and across the reproductive lifespan. Understanding and exploiting these driving factors are critical to understanding the pathobiology of SARS-CoV-2 virus and may lead to the development of novel therapies and increase the efficacy of preventative vaccine strategies currently under development. This chapter focuses on the endocrine, immune and renin-angiotensin system and genetic sex-based differences that could account for the meaningful differences observed in the outcomes of the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia. .,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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Giddey T, Thomas N, Hudaib AR, Thomas EH, Le J, Gray P, Gurvich C. Peak saccadic eye velocity across menstrual phases in naturally cycling women; A pilot study. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 4:100009. [PMID: 35755630 PMCID: PMC9216255 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2020.100009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Peak saccadic eye velocity (pSEV) has been investigated in studies that characterise the pathophysiology of menstrual cycle related mood disorders, such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). pSEV is a stable and sensitive measure of gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor function. Dysregulation of the GABA pathway has been associated with the onset of PMDD. Despite a growing number of studies utilising pSEV as an outcome measure in interventional drug studies for menstrual cycle related mood disorders, there are no reported studies that have investigated whether pSEV is sensitive to hormone fluctuations across the natural menstrual cycle. To address this gap, this pilot study aimed to characterise pSEV in women across the menstrual cycle. Participants were monitored across two menstrual cycles and saccadic eye movements were measured in both luteal and follicular phases. Seven participants completed the full study and were included in the final analysis. Results revealed luteal phase pSEV was significantly less than follicular phase pSEV. This finding is novel and forms a stepping-stone for further understanding the associations between menstrual hormone profiles and GABAA receptors. Peak saccadic eye velocity is used as a proxy measure of GABAA function. Peak saccadic eye velocity was measured in the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Median peak saccadic eye velocity was significantly lower in luteal phase. Saccadic eye velocity is sensitive to hormone fluctuations across menstrual cycle.
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Delara R, Islam M, Thomas N, Mi L, Lim E, Yi J. Shared Decision Making in Opioid Prescribing in Gynecologic Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2020.08.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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42
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Thomas N, Hudaib AR, Romano-Silva M, Bozaoglu K, H X Thomas E, Rossell S, Kulkarni J, Gurvich C. Influence of cortisol awakening response on telomere length: Trends for males and females. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 55:2794-2803. [PMID: 33012014 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Although telomere attrition is associated with the process of normal ageing, shorter telomere length (TL) has been associated with acute and chronic stressors. A neurobiological factor hypothesised to be responsible for this accelerated attrition is the dysregulation of the cortisol stress response, which can induce DNA damage affecting DNA telomeric caps. Marked sex differences are reported in both the cortisol stress response and telomere dynamics, yet no explicit investigation of sex specificity on the relationship between cortisol and TL exists. This study used mathematical equation modelling to describe the relationship between diurnal cortisol levels and telomere length within the context of sex, in a healthy population. Cortisol awakening responses (CAR) were measured via ELISA methodology in fifty-one healthy participants (28 males, 23 females). qPCRs determined TL from genomic DNA extracted from saliva. To assess the effect of free cortisol on relative TL ratio, a semi-log regression plot of the two variables trended for sex were fitted using spline curves. Results demonstrated significant differences between males and females in the relationship defining CAR and TL association (p = 0.03). These results suggest the relationship is not linear and can be represented as a complex arcsin function, and that the patterns are opposite in males and females. Males demonstrate a positive correlation, with higher levels of CAR being associated with longer telomere sequences. Females demonstrated a negative correlation. Future studies must carefully take into consideration moderating factors such as sex, and sex hormones across the lifespan when investigating telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Abdul-Rahman Hudaib
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Marco Romano-Silva
- Department of Saude Mental, Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Kiymet Bozaoglu
- Neurogenetic Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Department of Paediatrics University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Elizabeth H X Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Susan Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Vic, Australia
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University and the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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Thomas N, Saraswathy G. PRO13 In-Silico Determination of Therapeutic Possibilities for Type-1 Gaucher Disease: A GENE Database Linked Analysis. Value Health Reg Issues 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2020.07.508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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44
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Thomas N. "The Butterflies" by Natalie Thomas. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2020; 58:60. [PMID: 32744644 DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20200801-03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Lim MH, Penn DL, Thomas N, Gleeson JFM. Is loneliness a feasible treatment target in psychosis? Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2020; 55:901-906. [PMID: 31127348 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-019-01731-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Loneliness is a challenge for individuals with psychosis; however, interventions rarely target loneliness in this group. METHOD We developed a pilot positive psychology group intervention designed to reduce loneliness in psychosis and examined its feasibility and acceptability. RESULTS Sixteen participants attended 5.38 (SD = 0.70) out of six sessions, with a dropout rate of 10%. Participants were significantly less lonely at post-treatment (p < 0.001, d = 1.51), and maintained their improvements from post-treatment to follow-up (p = 0.81, d = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS Loneliness may be a feasible and acceptable treatment target within psychosocial treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Lim
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia. .,Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia.
| | - D L Penn
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.,School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - N Thomas
- Centre for Mental Health, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia
| | - J F M Gleeson
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Australia
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Shivakumar G, Thomas N, Sollychin M, Takács A, Kolamunna S, Melgar P, Connally F, Neil C, Bousman C, Jayaram M, Pantelis C. Protocol for Clozapine Rechallenge in a Case of Clozapine-Induced Myocarditis. Can J Psychiatry 2020; 65:448-453. [PMID: 31818135 PMCID: PMC7298578 DOI: 10.1177/0706743719892709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Protocol for clozapine rechallenge in patients with a history of clozapine-induced myocarditis. METHOD Clozapine-related cardiovascular adverse effects including myocarditis and cardiomyopathy have limited its widespread use in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Here, we present a case of clozapine-induced myocarditis and successful cautious rechallenge. Ms. AA, a young female patient with severe psychosis developed myocarditis during her initial clozapine titration phase, which was thus discontinued. Subsequent response to other medications was poor, and she remained significantly disabled. We reviewed blood-based biomarkers identified during the emergence of her index episode of myocarditis and developed a successful clozapine rechallenge protocol, based on careful monitoring of changes in these indices and a very slow clozapine re-titration. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS This protocol may have utility in the management of patients with a history of clozapine-induced myocarditis.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Shivakumar
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - N Thomas
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.,Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Western Centre for Health, Research & Education, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - M Sollychin
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - A Takács
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - S Kolamunna
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - P Melgar
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - F Connally
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - C Neil
- Western Health, Department of Cardiology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - C Bousman
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - M Jayaram
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Western Centre for Health, Research & Education, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
| | - C Pantelis
- Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, North Western Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Western Health, Sunshine Hospital, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.,Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Western Centre for Health, Research & Education, St Albans, Victoria, Australia
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Abstract
Chronic heavy metal exposure and the health hazards that ensue are important public-health problems. We highlight the occurrence of hypophosphataemic osteomalacia due to chronic cadmium exposure in the silver industry in India. Three silversmiths presented similarly with clinical, biochemical and radiological evidence of hypophosphataemic osteomalacia. Considering their occupation, their blood samples were screened for heavy metals and were found to have toxic levels of cadmium. They were initiated on neutral phosphate and calcitriol. On follow-up, they reported significant reduction in severity of symptoms. It is essential to maintain a high index of suspicion in diagnosing this condition. A thorough knowledge of the occupational background of patients, as well as ambient conditions at the workplace is of utmost importance in contemplating the possibility of such rare occurrences. Moreover, regulatory agencies and policy makers ought to survey the silver industry and ensure that the metals used are within permissible safe limits of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Paul
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - K E Cherian
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - N Thomas
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - T V Paul
- Department of Endocrinology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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Lascurain MB, Camuñas-Palacín A, Thomas N, Breadon C, Gavrilidis E, Hudaib AR, Gurvich C, Kulkarni J. Improvement in depression with oestrogen treatment in women with schizophrenia. Arch Womens Ment Health 2020; 23:149-154. [PMID: 30903287 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-019-00959-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Women with schizophrenia are often noted to suffer with comorbid depression. Many studies have shown associations between fluctuating oestrogen levels in the brain and mental illness. This study investigates the effect of oestradiol treatment on comorbid depressive symptoms in women with schizophrenia. This study is an 8-week, three-arm, double-blind, randomised-controlled trial. The 180 female participants were aged between 18 and 45, with schizophrenia and ongoing symptoms of psychosis Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score > 60 despite a stable dose of antipsychotic medication. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Montgomery Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS) with a mean score of 73.77 at baseline. Participants received transdermal oestradiol 200 μg or transdermal oestradiol 100 μg or an identical placebo patch. The a priori outcome measure was the change in PANSS score measured at baseline and days 7, 14, 28 and 56, but in this study, we focused on the change in MADRS score at the same time points. Data were analysed by using Quade's rank analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) (Huitema 1980) with baseline MADRS score as a covariate. We found a fluctuating but overall trend towards improvement of comorbid depressive symptoms in women with schizophrenia taking transdermal oestrogen 200 mcg compared with oestrogen 100 mcg or placebo. The stronger 'antidepressant' effect of 200 mcg transdermal oestradiol was found at day 28 (p = 0.03). Our study suggests that adjunctive oestradiol treatment for depression may be a promising treatment for women with comorbid depression and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A Camuñas-Palacín
- Parc Sanitari Sant Joan De Deu (PSSJD), Sant Boi De Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Thomas
- The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - C Breadon
- The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - E Gavrilidis
- The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - A R Hudaib
- The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - C Gurvich
- The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - J Kulkarni
- The Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred and Monash University Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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Le J, Thomas N, Gurvich C. Cognition, The Menstrual Cycle, and Premenstrual Disorders: A Review. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10040198. [PMID: 32230889 PMCID: PMC7226433 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10040198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones, such as estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone, have a significant influence on brain, behavior, and cognitive functioning. The menstrual cycle has been a convenient model to examine how subtle fluctuations of these hormones can relate to emotional and cognitive functioning. The aim of the current paper is to provide a narrative review of studies investigating cognitive functioning in association with the menstrual cycle in biological females, with a focus on studies that have investigated cognitive functioning across the menstrual cycle in females with premenstrual mood disorders, such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). In line with previous reviews, the current review concluded that there is a lack of consistent findings regarding cognitive functioning across the menstrual cycle. Most studies focused on changes in levels of blood estrogen, and neglected to explore the role of other hormones, such as progesterone, on cognitive functioning. Cognitive research involving premenstrual disorders is in its infancy, and it remains unclear whether any cognitive disturbances that are identified may be attributed to negative experience of mood and psychological symptoms or be a more direct effect of hormonal dysregulation or sensitivity. Suggestions for future research are provided.
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Gurvich C, Warren AM, Worsley R, Hudaib AR, Thomas N, Kulkarni J. Effects of Oral Contraceptive Androgenicity on Visuospatial and Social-Emotional Cognition: A Prospective Observational Trial. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10040194. [PMID: 32218215 PMCID: PMC7226060 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10040194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral contraceptives (OCs) containing estrogen and progesterone analogues are widely used amongst reproductive-aged women, but their neurocognitive impact is poorly understood. Preliminary studies suggest that OCs improve verbal memory and that OCs with greater androgenic activity may improve visuospatial ability. We sought to explore the cognitive impact of OCs by assessing performance of OC users at different stages of the OC cycle, and comparing this performance between users of different OC formulations according to known androgenic activity. We conducted a prospective, observational trial of OC users, evaluating cognitive performance with CogState software on two occasions: days 7-10 of active hormonal pill phase, and days 3-5 of the inactive pill phase (coinciding with the withdrawal bleed resembling menstruation). Thirty-five OC users (18 taking androgenic formulations, 17 taking anti-androgenic) were assessed. Analysis by androgenic activity showed superior performance by users of androgenic OCs, as compared to anti-androgenic OCs, in visuospatial ability and facial affect discrimination tasks. A growing understanding of cognitive effects of OC progestin androgenicity may have implications in choice of OC formulation for individuals and in future OC development.
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