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Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome with multifactorial etiopathogenesis. It can be seen in patients with alcohol dependence in the context of withdrawal in the presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders (substance induced or independent) or as a consequence of medications used to treat dependence. This is a case of an elderly patient with alcohol dependence, and a prior episode of psychosis, who developed acute psychosis with catatonia following the concurrent use of disulfiram and baclofen.

Abstract: The magnetization curves of K0.8Fe2Se2 were studied by the extended critical state model. The K0.8Fe2Se2 sample was prepared by solid-state reaction. In the magnetization measurements by SQUID magnetometer, the external magnetic fields were applied perpendicular to c-axis of the sample at 5 ∼ 50 K. The FC and ZFC M-T curves showed the discrepancy below 50 K. The critical current density Jc rapidly decreased at 20 K, but kept small finite values up to 45 K. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, to search for novel preeclampsia (PE) biomarkers, we focused on microRNA expression and function in the human placenta complicated with PE. By comprehensive analyses of microRNA expression, we identified 22 microRNAs significantly upregulated in preeclamptic placentas, 5 of which were predicted in silico to commonly target the mRNA encoding hydroxysteroid (17-β) dehydrogenase 1 (HSD17B1), a steroidogenetic enzyme expressed predominantly in the placenta. In vivo HSD17B1 expression, at both the mRNA and protein levels, was significantly decreased in preeclamptic placentas. Of these microRNAs, miR-210 and miR-518c were experimentally validated to target HSD17B1 by luciferase assay, real-time PCR, and ELISA. Furthermore, we found that plasma HSD17B1 protein levels in preeclamptic pregnant women reflected the decrease of its placental expression. Moreover, a prospective cohort study of plasma HSD17B1 revealed a significant reduction of plasma HSD17B1 levels in pregnant women at 20 to 23 and 27 to 30 weeks of gestation before PE onset compared with those with normal pregnancies. The sensitivities/specificities for predicting PE at 20 to 23 and 27 to 30 weeks of gestation were 0.75/0.67 (cutoff value=21.9 ng/mL) and 0.88/0.51 (cutoff value=30.5 ng/mL), and the odds ratios were 6.09 (95% CI: 2.35-15.77) and 7.83 (95% CI: 1.70-36.14), respectively. We conclude that HSD17B1 is dysregulated by miR-210 and miR-518c that are aberrantly expressed in preeclamptic placenta and that reducing plasma level of HSD17B1 precedes the onset of PE and is a potential prognostic factor for PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Natural Killer (NK) cell activity was examined in a 16-month-old Japanese boy with Shwachman syndrome associated with severe vitamin E deficiency. As evaluated by 51Cr-release assay from K562 cells, NK cell activity was constantly decreased. After 8 weeks of oral alpha-tocopherol (alpha-Toc) supplementation (100 mg/day), NK cell activity had normalised. When alpha-Toc supplementation was interrupted for 16 weeks. NK cell activity again decreased. Flow cytometry of peripheral lymphocytes revealed a lowered number of CD16+ CD 56- fraction, which has the most potent NK cell activity. Single cell-in-agarose assay, to investigate the binding and cytolytic activity of NK cell at the single cell level, revealed that the number of NK cells which bind to K562 cell was decreased, but that the cytolytic activity of the individual binding cell was relatively unaffected. A second supplementation of alpha-Toc for 8 weeks successfully restored NK cell activity, the number of cells expressing NK cell markers and the number of K562-binding cells as compared to the age-matched normal range.Conclusion: These results indicate that severe vitamin E deficiency caused impaired NK cell activity due to a decrease in the number of CD16+ CD56- NK cells and that this abnormality is reversible with alpha-Toc supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The intrinsic pinning properties of FeSe0.5Te0.5, which is a superconductor with a critical temperature T c of approximately 14K, were studied through the analysis of magnetization curves obtained using an extended critical state model. For the magnetization measurements carried out with a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), external magnetic fields were applied parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis of the sample. The critical current density J c under the perpendicular magnetic field of 1 T was estimated using the Kimishima model to be equal to approximately 1.6×104, 8.8×103, 4.1×103, and 1.5×103 A/cm2 at 5, 7, 9, and 11K, respectively. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of J c was fitted to the exponential law of J c(0)×exp(−αT/T c) up to 9K and the power law of J c(0)×(1− T/T c) n near T c. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Older adults are at disproportionate risk of serious disease and mortality due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Further, the global response to the lockdown has rendered older adults particularly vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation due to the physical distancing and shelter in place mandate. We hypothesized that both these factors would lead to an increase in geriatric mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: We undertook a clinical audit of all geriatric patients (above 60 years of age) attending the psychiatry emergency services at a tertiary care hospital. This audit was conducted over a period of 52 days dating from the cessation of non-essential services at the hospital as part of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic (lockdown). We used descriptive statistics to summarize the number, age, sex, presenting complaint and diagnoses of our patients. We further compared the average number of geriatric patients attending the psychiatry emergency services in the hospital during the lockdown to that of geriatric patients attending the same in the year before the lockdown. Results: A total of 112 geriatric patients attended the psychiatry emergency services during the lockdown period. Of these, 62 were male and 50 female. The average number of geriatric patients attending the emergency services daily during this period (μ1 2.15) was significantly higher (z 5.36, p ≤ 0.01) than the average number of patients attending the emergency services in the year preceding the lockdown (μ2 1.34). The most common presenting complaint was agitation in the preceding weeks. The most common diagnoses were late onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders followed by affective disorders and major neurocognitive disorders. Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic and the global response to the same constitute life events for older adults. They may contribute to biological, psychological and social risk factors for mental health problems in older adults during this period. The increase in geriatric patients attending our emergency services, despite an increase in restrictions on mobility which act as barriers in the pathway to care, is worrying. Under stimulation in older adults during this period may contribute to an increase in agitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 15-month-old girl with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), Letterer-Siwe disease, was referred to our hospital in 1984. Whilst on treatment with cytotoxic drugs, a perirenal mass was detected and hydronephrosis became evident when she was 29 months old. Percutaneous nephrostomy tubes were placed in the pelvis, bilaterally and replaced every 6 months. The mass was not completely controlled and chronic pyelonephritis continued. Biopsy of the mass convoluted kidney hilus revealed histiocytic invasion. Although multiple organ systems are involved in LCH and abdominal malignant tumours may be accompanied by hydronephrosis, to our knowledge, this is the first case report of abdominal LCH and the ensuing hydronephrosis. Percutaneous nephrostomy tubes proved useful, but more convenient, less painful and infection-limited approaches need to be designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]