Comparative Phenomenology of Ataques de Nervios,Panic Attacks,and Panic Disorder

This article examines a clinicalsample of 66 Dominican and Puerto Ricansubjects who reported ataques de nerviosand also psychiatric disorder, and disentanglesthe phenomenological experiences of ataquede nervios, panic attacks, and panic disorder. In-depth cultural interviews assessed thesymptomatic phenomenology of ataqueepisodes from the local perspective as well asin terms of key panic features, such asrecurrence, rapid peaking of symptoms, and lackof provocation. Independent diagnosticassessments of panic attacks and disorder werealso used to establish the phenomenologicaloverlap between ataque and panic. Ourfindings indicate that 36 percent ofataques de nervios fulfill criteria for panicattacks and between 17 percent and 33 percentfor panic disorder, depending on the overlapmethod used. The main features distinguishingataques that fulfill panic criteria fromataques that do not include whether theepisodes were provoked by an upsetting event inthe person's life and the rapidity of crescendoof the actual attack. A key finding is thatataques often share individualphenomenological features with panic episodes,but that these features usually do not ``runtogether' during the ataque experience.This confirms previous findings thatataque is a more inclusive construct thanpanic disorder. The importance of thesefindings for the clinical diagnosis andtreatment of persons with ataques isdiscussed.     

天然酚类色素的研究与应用进展

植物花色素的研究已经非常广泛和深入,多酚类化合物作为重要的天然食用色素越来越受到人们的重视.本文结合近年来的最新研究成果,从酚类色素的种类与结构、理化性质、提纯与鉴定、稳定性及影响因素、生物功能和应用价值等方面进行了综述,并对酚类的研究热点进行了展望,对人们全面认识和开发利用酚类色素具有一定的参考文献:价值.     

Structural basis of the rind disorder oleocellosis in Washington navel orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck)

Oleocellosis, a physiological rind disorder of citrus fruit, is an unattractive surface blemish caused by phytotoxic effects of released rind oils. The development of oleocellosis in Washington navel orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) was examined by following a time sequence of surface symptoms and microscopic rind changes. The two natural causes of oleocellosis were simulated: mechanical damage to the fruit and transfer of rind oil between fruit. Mechanical fruit injury resulted in rupture of the epidermis above oil glands. Released surface oil appeared to infiltrate the rind via the ruptured epidermis resulting in rapid degeneration of cortical, but not epidermal, cell contents. Oil application to the rind surface produced a more severe blemish than did mechanical damage. The oil appeared to diffuse through the cuticle causing degeneration of the contents of all cell layers, including the epidermis. Loss of membrane integrity was detected within 30 min, followed by cell content degeneration and cell collapse. The resulting blemish, characterized by rind collapse and darkening, developed substantially within 3 d and was attributed to the cellular damage.     

A neurodevelopmental disorder with a nonsense mutation in the Ox-2 antigen domain of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene

We report a patient, an infant with a neurodevelopmental disorder manifesting intractable complex partial epilepsy, bull's eye maculopathy, microcephaly, bilateral cataracts, truncal hypotonia, and spasticity of all four extremities. Sequencing of genomic DNA revealed mutations in (a) exon 8 (Ox-2 antigen domain) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene: c.1075C>T, p.Arg359^* (b) exon 8 of the senataxin (SETX) gene: c.4738C>T, p.Arg1580Cys, and (c) exon 2 of the ceroid-lipofuscinosis, neuronal 8 (CLN8) gene: c.685C>G, p.Pro229Ala. Using a quantitative method for measurement of various APP-mRNA isoforms, we found that the APP-mRNA isoform of 624 bp with a deletion starting after 49 bp of the 5′ end of exon 3 followed by a complete deletion of exons 4–15, mutations in exon 1: c.22C>T, p.L18F, and exon 3: c.269A>G, p.Q90R encoding APP₂₀₇ isoform was the most abundant one, and would appear to be responsible for the clinical manifestations. This is the first example that may underline the role of the epigenetic regulation in the expression of APP gene leading to a neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from a nonsense mutation in the Ox-2 antigen domain.     

Differences in Body Image and Depression Among Obese Women With and Without Binge Eating Disorder

Obese individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) differ from obese non-binge eating (NBE) individuals in a number of clinically relevant ways. This study examined attitudinal responses to various measures of body image in women seeking obesity treatment, by comparing NBE participants (n=80) to those with BED (n=48). It was hypothesized that women with BED would demonstrate greater attitudinal disturbance of body image compared to NBE individuals. It was further hypothesized that significant differences between groups would remain after statistically controlling for degree of depression. Consistent with the primary hypothesis, BED participants reported significantly increased attitudinal disturbance in body dissatisfaction and size perception compared to NBE participants. Although shared variance was observed between measures of depression and body image on some items, several aspects of increased body image disturbance remained after statistically controlling for depression. Treatment implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.     

Valproic acid inhibits substance P-induced activation of protein kinase C epsilon and expression of the substance P receptor

The neuropeptide substance P (SP) has been hypothesized to be involved in the etiopathology of affective disorders. This hypothesis is based on the findings that neurokinin-1-receptor antagonists have antidepressant effects in depressed patients and that SP may worsen mood. In this study, we investigated the effect of the mood-stabilizing agents valproic acid (VPA), carbamazepine, and lithium on SP-induced gene expression. As a model system, we used primary rat astrocytes and human astrocytoma cells, which both express functional SP-receptors and, upon stimulation with SP, synthesize interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine which has been shown to be elevated during the acute depressive state. We found that VPA dose-dependently inhibited SP-induced IL-6 synthesis which was seen with pre-incubation periods of 30 min, 3, 7 and 14 days, whereas carbamazepine and lithium showed no inhibitory effect. The inhibitory effect of VPA was not mediated by inhibition of the stress-regulated kinases p38 and p42/44 (Erk1/2) but by inhibition of protein kinase C epsilon activation. Furthermore, VPA down-regulated the expression of the substance P receptor (neurokinin(NK)-1-receptor) as assessed by real-time PCR. Whether both mechanisms contribute to the mood-stabilizing properties of VPA has to be evaluated in further studies.     

Purification of the blue-green pigment “marennine” from the marine tychopelagic diatom Haslea ostrearia (Gaillon/Bory) Simonsen

The diatom Haslea ostrearia that lives in oyster ponds has the distinctive feature of synthesizing “marennine”, a blue-green pigment of which the chemical nature still remains unknown. This pigment is responsible for the greening of oyster gills. Here, we report a new method for extraction and purification of intracellular (accumulated in the apex of the cell) and extracellular (released into the external medium) forms of the pigment. Intracellular marennine is obtained by extraction from blue algal pellets with a carbonate buffer. The extract is then centrifuged and filtered. Extracellular marennine is obtained by clarification of blue-coloured culture medium. Both extracts are then purified by a semi-preparative process, using ultrafiltration through membranes and anion-exchange chromatography. This procedure allows us to produce native pigment displaying the degree of purity required to enter upon the molecular characterisation of marennine. By this process, about 35% of the initial amount of pigment can be recovered. If necessary, this method could be easily scaled up to a larger production system to accommodate potential industrial applications.