OBJECTIVE: Visual search is an important attention process that precedes the information processing. Visual search also mediates the relationship between cognition function (attention) and social cognition (such as facial expression identification). However, the association between visual attention and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia remains unknown. The purposes of this study were to examine the differences in visual search performance and facial expression identification between patients with schizophrenia and normal controls, and to explore the relationship between visual search performance and facial expression identification in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Fourteen patients with schizophrenia (mean age=46.36+/-6.74) and 15 normal controls (mean age=40.87+/-9.33) participated this study. The visual search task, including feature search and conjunction search, and Japanese and Caucasian Facial Expression of Emotion were administered. RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia had worse visual search performance both in feature search and conjunction search than normal controls, as well as had worse facial expression identification, especially in surprised and sadness. In addition, there were negative associations between visual search performance and facial expression identification in patients with schizophrenia, especially in surprised and sadness. However, this phenomenon was not showed in normal controls. CONCLUSION: Patients with schizophrenia who had visual search deficits had the impairment on facial expression identification. Increasing ability of visual search and facial expression identification may improve their social function and interpersonal relationship.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Automatic Data Processing ; Cognition ; Facial Expression* ; Humans ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVE: Low heart rate variability (HRV) has been confirmed in heroin users, but the effects of heart-rate-variability-biofeedback in heroin users remain unknown. This study examined (1) correlations between depression and HRV indices; (2) group differences in HRV indices among a heroin-user group, a group with major depressive disorder but no heroin use, and healthy controls; and (3) the effects of heart-rate-variability-biofeedback on depressive symptoms, HRV indices, and respiratory rates within the heroin group. METHODS: All participants completed a depression questionnaire and underwent electrocardiogram measurements, and group differences in baseline HRV indices were examined. The heroin group underwent electrocardiogram and respiration rate measurements at baseline, during a depressive condition, and during a happiness condition, before and after which they took part in the heart-rate-variability-biofeedback program. The effects of heart-rate-variability-biofeedback on depressive symptoms, HRV indices, and respiration rates were examined. RESULTS: There was a negative correlation between depression and high frequency of HRV, and a positive correlation between depression and low frequency to high frequency ratio of HRV. The heroin group had a lower overall and high frequency of HRV, and a higher low frequency/high frequency ratio than healthy controls. The heart-rate-variability-biofeedback intervention increased HRV indices and decreased respiratory rates from pre-intervention to post-intervention. CONCLUSION: Reduced parasympathetic and increased sympathetic activations were found in heroin users. Heart-rate-variability-biofeedback was an effective non-pharmacological intervention to restore autonomic balance.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Depression* ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Electrocardiography ; Happiness ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Heroin* ; Respiratory Rate

PURPOSE: Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure may increase the risk of asthma. Genetic polymorphisms of oxidative stress-related genes, glutathione S-transferases (GSTM1, GSTP1), manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, myeloperoxidase, and microsomal epoxide hydrolase may be related to BPA exposure. The aim is to evaluate whether oxidative stress genes modulates associations of BPA exposure with asthma. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study comprised of 126 asthmatic children and 327 controls. Urine Bisphenol A glucuronide (BPAG) levels were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, and genetic variants were analyzed by a TaqMan assay. Information on asthma and environmental exposure was collected. Analyses of variance and logistic regressions were performed to determine the association of genotypes and urine BPAG levels with asthma. RESULTS: BPAG levels were significantly associated with asthma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.29 per log unit increase in concentration; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.081.55). Compared to the GG genotype, children with a GSTP1 AA genotype had higher urine BPAG concentrations (geometric mean [standard error], 12.72 [4.16] vs 11.42 [2.82]; P=0.036). In children with high BPAG, the GSTP1 AA genotype was related to a higher odds of asthma than the GG genotype (aOR, 4.84; 95% CI, 1.0223.06). CONCLUSIONS: GSTP1 variants are associated with urine BPA metabolite levels. Oxidative stress genes may modulate the effect of BPA exposure on asthma.
Asthma* ; Case-Control Studies ; Catalase ; Child ; Environmental Exposure ; Epoxide Hydrolases ; Genotype ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mass Spectrometry ; Odds Ratio ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxidase ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Superoxide Dismutase

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive virtual reality (VR) play intervention including instructional play and emotional catharsis play sessions in reducing children's pain and fear during intravenous placement. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with parallel groups was conducted. The sample consisted of 134 hospitalized children aged 6–12 years (intervention group: n = 69; comparison group: n = 65). The intervention involved one immersive intravenous scene in VR before the actual intravenous placement and one emotional catharsis VR play after injection. The comparison group received an educational photo book about intravenous placement before receiving intravenous placement. The children and their caregivers rated their pain and fear by using the Wong–Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale and the Children's Fear Scale. The time required for successful intravenous insertion was also compared between the two groups. Results: Children's pain (p = .028) and fear scores (p = .004) were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the comparison group. Their caregivers' pain and fear scores (both p < .001) were significantly lower in the intervention group. The time required for successful intravenous insertion did not differ significantly between the intervention and comparison groups. Conclusions The interactive play intervention with VR effectively reduced children's levels of pain and fear during the intravenous placement procedure. The results of this study can serve as a reference for the implementation of a feasible, child-friendly care practice for clinical intravenous placement in school-aged children.

We have previously demonstrated the expression of GATA-DNA-binding protein (GATA)-3, a transcription factor, in osteoblasts and have verified its function in transducing cell survival signaling. This translational study was further designed to evaluate the roles of GATA-3 in regulating bone healing and to explore its possible mechanisms. A metaphyseal bone defect was created in the left femurs of male ICR mice. Analysis by micro-computed topography showed that the bone volume, trabecular bone number and trabecular thickness were augmented and that the trabecular pattern factor decreased. Interestingly, immunohistological analyses showed specific expression of GATA-3 in the defect area. In addition, colocalized expression of GATA-3 and alkaline phosphatase was observed at the wound site. As the fracture healed, the amounts of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated GATA-3 concurrently increased. Separately, GATA-3 mRNA was induced during bone healing, and, levels of Runx2 mRNA and protein were also increased. The results of confocal microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation showed an association between nuclear GATA-3 and Runx2 in the area of insult. In parallel with fracture healing, Bcl-XL mRNA was significantly triggered. A bioinformatic search revealed the existence of a GATA-3-specific DNA-binding element in the promoter region of the bcl-x(L) gene. Analysis by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays further demonstrated transactivation activity by which GATA-3 regulated bcl-x(L) gene expression. Therefore, this study shows that GATA-3 participates in the healing of bone fractures via regulating bcl-xL gene expression, owing to its association with Runx2. In the clinic, GATA-3 may be used as a biomarker for diagnoses/prognoses or as a therapeutic target for bone diseases, such as bone fractures.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone Diseases ; Cell Survival ; Chromatin Immunoprecipitation ; Computational Biology ; Femur ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Bone ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunoprecipitation ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Osteoblasts ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; RNA, Messenger ; Transcription Factors ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation* ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of CD4CD29regulatory T cells (Treg) with tumor recurrence and survival time in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSFifty-nine patients with NSCLC treated with radical surgery were followed up for 5 years. Blood Treg cells were examined during the follow-up using flow cytometry (FCM). The sensitivity and specificity of Treg cells to predict recurrence of NSCLC were analyzed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and compared with those of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin21-1 (Cyfra21-1). The influences of gender, age, occupation and radiotherapy on survival time of the patients were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTSAmong the 59 patients, the shortest survival time was 23 months while the longest time was over 67 months. Nineteen patients had NSCLC recurrence, and 17 (28.81%) of them died of metastasis during the follow-up. The frequencies of blood Treg cells in patients who did not receive radiotherapy and in patients with tumor recurrence were significantly higher than those in patients receiving radiotherapy and in patients free of recurrence (P=0.000). ROC curves showed that the area under curve (AUC) lowered in the order of Treg cells, Cyfra21-1, CEA (P=0.002, 0.006 and 0.013, respectively) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.649-0.981, 0.621-0.936 and 0.584-0.944, respectively. At the cut-off value of 7.53%, the sensitivity and specificity of Treg cells to predict NSCLC recurrence was 91.42% and 87.59%, respectively. The five-year survival rate of the 59 patients was 71.18% (42/59), and Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a longer survival time in female patients (P=0.038), in patients below 50 years of age (P=0.013), in patients not engaging in mental work (P=0.029), and in patients receiving radiotherapy (P=0.003).

CONCLUSIONTreg cells has a better efficiency than Cyfra21-1 and CEA to predict tumor recurrence in patients with NSCLC following radical surgery. The male gender, an age beyond 50 years, an occupation of mental work, and failure to receive radiotherapy are all risk factors for recurrence of NSCLC.

OBJECTIVE: Altered event-related potential (ERP) performances have been noted in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients and reflect neurocognitive dysfunction. Whether these ERP alterations and correlated dysfunctions exist in healthy parents with ADHD offspring is worth exploring. METHODS: Thirteen healthy parents with ADHD offspring and thirteen healthy controls matched for age, sex and years of education were recruited. The auditory oddball paradigm was used to evaluate the P300 wave complex of the ERP, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and continuous performance test were used to measure neurocognitive performance. RESULTS: Healthy parents with ADHD offspring had significantly longer auditory P300 latency at Fz than control group. However, no significant differences were found in cognitive performance. CONCLUSION: The presence of a subtle alteration in electro-neurophysiological activity without explicit neurocognitive dysfunction suggests potential candidate of biological marker for parents with ADHD offspring.
Adult ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; Biomarkers ; Cognition ; Education ; Evoked Potentials ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Parents ; Wisconsin

Objective: Weight gain is an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality among patients with schizophrenia. We speculated that positive symptoms, related to dopaminergic hyperactivity and altered mesolimbic function, are associated with weight gain. Methods: Twenty-two antipsychotic-naïve, first-episode patients with schizophrenia were enrolled. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was completed at enrollment and follow-up. Body mass index (BMI) was also measured. Results: The increase in BMI, after 6.04 ± 2.16 years of follow-up, was associated with positive symptoms, but not negative symptoms, before treatment with antipsychotics in antipsychotic-naïve patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion This finding implied that dopaminergic hyperactivity could be an important factor to predict the treatment outcome. Body weight control is important for the health management of patients with schizophrenia with more severe positive symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: Autonomic imbalance is considered a psychopathological mechanism underlying major depressive disorder (MDD). Heart rate variability (HRV) is an index for autonomic activation. Poor sleep quality is common among patients with MDD. HRV biofeedback (BF) has been used for regulating autonomic balance among patients with physical illness and mental disorders. The purpose of present study was to examine the effects of HRV-BF on depressive symptoms, sleep quality, pre-sleep arousal, and HRV indices, in patients with MDD and insomnia. METHODS: In this case-controlled study, patients with MDD and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score higher than 6 were recruited. The HRV-BF group received weekly 60-minute protocol for 6 weeks, and the control group who have matched the age and sex received medical care only. All participants were assessed on Beck Depression Inventory-II, Back Anxiety Inventory, PSQI, and Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale. Breathing rates and electrocardiography were also performed under resting state at pre-testing, and post-testing conditions and for the HRV-BF group, also at 1-month follow-up. RESULTS: In the HRV-BF group, symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep quality, and pre-sleep arousal were significantly improved, and increased HRV indices, compared with the control group. Moreover, in the HRV-BF group, significantly improved symptoms of depression and anxiety, decreased breathing rates, and increased HRV indices were detected at post-testing and at 1-month follow-up, compared with pre-testing values. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that HRV-BF is a useful psychosocial intervention for improving autonomic balance, baroreflex, and symptoms of depression and insomnia in MDD patients.
Anxiety ; Arousal ; Baroreflex ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; Case-Control Studies ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Rate ; Heart ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Respiration ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

The title should be corrected as follows: Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Increased Autonomic Activation and Improved Symptoms of Depression and Insomnia among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.