Regulation by nitric oxide of prostaglandin E synthesis and spontaneous motility in rat uterine tissue

BACKGROUND: Psychological distress is frequently observed, however, it is underestimated in cancer patients. The aim of this study is to develop a simple battery for screening for psychological distress, adjustment disorder and major depressive disorder in Japanese cancer patients. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-eight cancer patients were interviewed by psychiatrists and tested using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a 14-item self-assessment questionnaire. Psychiatric diagnoses were performed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition-revised. RESULTS: Cronbach alpha values of the Japanese version of the scale were 0.77 for the subscale for anxiety and 0.79 for depression. By a receiver operating characteristic analysis, we determined that an optimal cut-off point for screening for adjustment disorder and major depressive disorder was 10/11, which gave high enough sensitivity and specificity (91.5 and 65.4%, respectively). To screen for major depressive disorder alone, 19/20 was an optimal cut-off point with 82.4% sensitivity and 96.3% specificity. The subscales of HADS (anxiety and depression) also had high screening performance. CONCLUSIONS: The Japanese version of HADS is a sensitive and specific tool for screening for psychological distress in Japanese cancer patients. This scale can be used for an early detection of patients' psychological distress which may be followed by psychiatric interventions.     

Screening instruments for depression and anxiety following stroke: experience in the Perth community stroke study

Evaluation of the relative efficacy of three screening instruments for depression and anxiety in a group of stroke patients was undertaken as part of the Perth community stroke study. Data are presented on the sensitivity and specificity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAPS), the Geriatric Depression Scale and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (28-item version) in screening patients 4 months after stroke for depressive and anxiety disorders diagnosed according to DSM-III criteria. The GHQ-28 and GDS but not the HADS depression, were shown to be satisfactory screening instruments for depression, with the GHQ-28 having an overall superiority. The performance of all 3 scales for screening post-stroke anxiety disorders was less satisfactory. The HADS anxiety had the best level of sensitivity, but the specificity and positive predictive values were low and the misclassification rate high.     

Industry''s perception and use of occupational exposure limits

OBJECTIVE: To examine posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in mothers of survivors of childhood cancer. Comorbidity of anxiety and depressive disorders, prevalence of subclinical PTSD, and the utility of a self-report measure as a screening instrument for PTSD were also investigated. METHOD: Mothers (n = 65) completed a questionnaire self-report PTSD checklist (PCL-C). Mothers were administered several modules of the SCID: nonpatient edition by telephone, including the PTSD, Generalized Anxiety, and Major Depressive Disorder modules. RESULTS: We diagnosed 6.2% of the sample with current PTSD. An additional 20% had subclinical PTSD. One of four mothers with PTSD diagnoses had a comorbid diagnosis of an anxiety and depressive disorder. The PCL-C evidenced diagnostic utility as a screening instrument. However, a moderate number of false-positives would result if the recommended cut-off on the instrument was used. CONCLUSIONS: The PCL-C had diagnostic utility in screening mothers of childhood cancer survivors. The presence of comorbid diagnoses such as anxiety and depression should be examined.     

Differentiating anxiety and depression: A test of the cognitive content-specificity hypothesis.

The development and initial psychometric properties of the Cognition Checklist (CCL), a scale to measure the frequency of automatic thoughts relevant to anxiety and depression, are described in this article. Item analyses of the responses of 618 psychiatric outpatients identified a 14-item depression and a 12-item anxiety subscale that were significantly related, respectively, to the revised Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression and Anxiety. Patients diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III; American Psychiatric Association, 1980) with anxiety disorders had higher mean CCL anxiety scores than patients with DSM-III depression disorders who, in turn, had higher mean CCL depression scores. The validity of the CCL supports the content-specificity hypothesis of the cognitive model of psychopathology (Beck, 1976). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depression screening scale validation in an elderly, community-dwelling population.

This study contrasted the relative effectiveness of an interviewer-rated instrument, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and 2 self-report scales, the short form of the Beck Depression Inventory and the depression scale from the Brief Symptom Inventory, in identifying cases of depression. Cases of major depression, dysthymia, and depressive disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) were identified by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III—R (SCID) in a sample of 177 elderly community-dwellers. Receiver operating curves were used to evaluate the relative abilities of the 3 screening instruments to identify cases of depression. All 3 instruments identified major depression and depressive disorder NOS. None was consistently sensitive to cases of dysthymia. The incremental utility of the interview-based instrument for screening was nonsignificant, suggesting that the increased expense in a community setting may not be justified. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Minnesota Infant Development Inventory in the developmental screening of high-risk infants at eight months.

Compared the results of a parent-completed questionnaire, the Minnesota Infant Development Inventory (MIDI), with Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BS) for 86 high-risk 8-mo-olds. Categorization of Ss as delayed or not delayed on 5 subscales of the MIDI showed good overall agreement with BS findings. Categorization of Ss based on their lowest MIDI subscale score yielded good sensitivity in detecting delay and fair specificity in identifying normal development. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the Gross Motor scale score was the strongest predictor of performance on BS items. Results suggest the potential utility of the MIDI as a screening tool in follow-up programs monitoring the development of high-risk infants. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The direct and interactive effects of neuroticism and life stress on the severity and longitudinal course of depressive symptoms.

The direct and interactive effects of neuroticism and stressful life events (chronic and episodic stressors) on the severity and temporal course of depression symptoms were examined in 826 outpatients with mood and anxiety disorders, assessed on 3 occasions over a 1-year period (intake and 6- and 12-month follow-ups). Neuroticism, chronic stress, and episodic stress were uniquely associated with intake depression symptom severity. A significant interaction effect indicated that the strength of the effect of neuroticism on initial depression severity increased as chronic stress increased. Although neuroticism did not have a significant direct effect on the temporal course of depression symptoms, chronic stress significantly moderated this relationship such that neuroticism had an increasingly deleterious effect on depression symptom improvement as the level of chronic stress over follow-up increased. In addition, chronic stress (but not episodic stress) over follow-up was uniquely predictive of less depression symptom improvement. Consistent with a stress generation framework, however, initial depression symptom severity was positively associated with chronic stress during follow-up. The results are discussed in regard to diathesis–stress conceptual models of emotional disorders and the various roles of stressful life events in the onset, severity, and maintenance of depressive psychopathology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Accuracy of a brief screening scale for lifetime major depression in cigarette smokers.

History of major depression is increasingly being measured in smoking cessation trials using brief screening scales, typically only 1–2 items, despite that their validity has not been fully established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) of a 4-item screening scale of lifetime major depressive episode (MDE). Current (n = 475), former (n = 401), and never (n = 646) smokers were asked about a history of depressed mood and anhedonia lasting several days or longer. Endorsers of either depressed mood or anhedonia were then asked about whether the symptom(s) lasted most of the day nearly every day for two weeks or longer. Symptom endorsers, regardless of symptom duration, were administered the depression module of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Eight hundred and thirty-five (54.9%) participants had no history of either screening symptom, 296 (20.9%) had a history of depressed mood and/or anhedonia     

Suspension "hypokinesia/hypodynamia" may decrease bone mass by stimulating osteoclast production in ovariectomized mice

The factorial structure of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS; A. T. Beck, A. Weissman, D. Lester, & L. Trexler, 1974) was examined in a nonclinical sample (N = 154) in Japan, and the relationships between dimensions of hopelessness and psychosocial variables were analyzed. A semistructured interview was used, as well as a questionnaire consisting of the BHS, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ; H. J. Eysenck & S. B. Eysenck, 1975), and the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI; G. Parker, H. Tupling, & L. B. Brown, 1979). A factor analysis with principal components solution after oblimin rotation yielded 2 factors--Doubt About a Hopeful Future (Factor 1) and Belief About a Hopeless Future (Factor 2). Significant, positive correlations were found between Factor 2 and (a) the number of emotional symptoms of depression in a 4-day depressive episode and (b) scores on the Neuroticism subscale of the EPQ. The Factor 1 score was significantly and negatively correlated with the Extraversion subscale of the EPQ and the Paternal Care subscale of the PBI.     

Correction to Lennox and Wolfe.

In the article, "Revision of the Self-Monitoring Scale," by Richard D. Lennox and Raymond N. Wolfe (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1984, Vol. 46, No. 6, 1349-1364), an error appears on p. 1358, left-hand column, line 6 of text. The word Neuroticism is incorrect; it should be Extraversion. Thus the first full sentence on p. 13S8 should read as follows: But ability to modify self-presentation yields a pattern different from that of the other two subscales: It is significantly related to EPQ Extraversion, whereas the other two are not, and it is not significantly related to EPQ Neuroticism or to fear of negative evaluation, whereas the other two are. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1984-27678-001) The 1st of 4 studies using a total of 732 undergraduates revealed that M. Snyder's (see record 1975-03047-001) self-monitoring scale exhibits a stable factor structure that does not correspond to the 5-component theoretical structure he presents. Sets of face-valid items that better approximate the theoretical structure are described (Studies 2-4). Correlations between these sets of items and measures of other constructs revealed that 4 of the 5 components are positively related to social anxiety. Effective social interaction is supposedly the high self-monitor's forte, and social anxiety appears to be incompatible with this. The correlational results therefore question the entire theory and indicate the need for a narrower definition of the construct. Adopting such a definition from Synder's review article (1979), the authors present a 13-item revised self-monitoring scale that measures only sensitivity to the expressive behavior of others and ability to modify self-presentation. A 20-item concern for appropriateness scale is also described, which measures 2 variables that are directly associated with social anxiety--cross-situational variability and attention to social comparison information. Both scales had acceptable internal consistency, and both yielded 2 subscale scores as well as a total score. Prospective users of either scale are advised to treat the 3 scores separately. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The latent symptom structure of the Beck Depression Inventory–II in outpatients with major depression.

The Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI–II) is a self-report instrument frequently used in clinical and research settings to assess depression severity. Although investigators have examined the factor structure of the BDI–II, a clear consensus on the best fitting model has not yet emerged, resulting in different recommendations regarding how to best score and interpret BDI–II results. In the current investigation, confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate previously identified models of the latent symptom structure of depression as assessed by the BDI–II. In contrast to previous investigations, we utilized a reliably diagnosed, homogenous clinical sample, composed only of patients with major depressive disorder (N = 425)—the population for whom this measure of depression severity was originally designed. Two 3-factor models provided a good fit to the data and were further evaluated by means of factor associations with an external, interviewer-rated measure of depression severity. The results contribute to a growing body of evidence for the Ward (2006) model, including a General (G) depression factor, a Somatic (S) factor, and a Cognitive (C) factor. The results also support the use of the BDI–II total scale score. Research settings may wish to model minor factors to remove variance extraneous to depression where possible. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship of self-reported distress to depressive disorders and other psychopathology.

The relationship between self-reported depression and a clinical diagnosis of depression was investigated. Within 2 wks of completing the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a stratified sample of 425 primary medical care patients received the structured interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III-Revised (DSM-III-R). In the weighted data set, the CES-D was significantly related to a diagnosis of depression but also to other Axis I disorders. Most distressed subjects were not depressed, a fifth of the patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) had low distress, and the CES-D performed as well in detecting anxiety as in detecting depression. MDD, other depression diagnoses, and anxiety and substance use disorders were all significant predictors of CES-D score. Differences in demographic variables, treatment history, and impairment highlight the nonequivalence of the self-report scale and diagnosable depression. The use of a self-report in place of an interview-based diagnostic measure in the study of depression, as well as the use of such a report as a screening device, is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in a gastro-intestinal clinic

This study examined the validity of the Japanese version of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD) in a gastro-intestinal outpatient clinic. One hundred and twenty-three men and 142 women consulting a gastro-intestinal outpatient clinic at a primary care hospital in Kyoto during 1995 were surveyed. Item-remainder correlation and internal consistency were examined for reliability. Concurrent validities were examined using the stait-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) and Zung's self-rating depression scale (SDS). The prevalence of psychiatric disorder in this population ranged from 27% to 39%. Cronbach's coefficients were greater than 0.8 for the anxiety subscale and more than 0.7 for the depression subscale. Spearman's correlation of the anxiety subscale scores and the STAI were r = 0.678 for men, and r = 0.717 for women. The correlation of depression subscale scores and SDS were r = 0.457 for men, and r = 0.565 for women. It is suggested that the use of the HAD to general hospital outpatients clinic would facilitate detecting emotional disorders in outpatients.     

A predictive screening index for posttraumatic stress disorder and depression following traumatic injury.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive episode (MDE) are frequent and disabling consequences of surviving severe injury. The majority of those who develop these problems are not identified or treated. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a screening instrument that identifies, during hospitalization, adults at high risk for developing PTSD and/or MDE. Hospitalized injury patients (n = 527) completed a pool of questions that represented 13 constructs of vulnerability. They were followed up at 12 months and assessed for PTSD and MDE. The resulting database was split into 2 subsamples. A principal-axis factor analysis and then a confirmatory factor analysis were conducted on the 1st subsample, resulting in a 5-factor solution. Two questions were selected from each factor, resulting in a 10-item scale. The final model was cross-validated with the 2nd subsample. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were then created. The resulting Posttraumatic Adjustment Scale had a sensitivity of .82 and a specificity of .84 when predicting PTSD and a sensitivity of .72 and a specificity of .75 in predicting posttraumatic MDE. This 10-item screening index represents a clinically useful instrument to identify trauma survivors at risk for the later development of PTSD and/or MDE. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Emotional conflict and neuroticism: Personality-dependent activation in the amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate": Correction to Haas, Omura, Constable, and Canli (2007).

Reports an error in "Emotional Conflict and Neuroticism: Personality-Dependent Activation in the Amygdala and Subgenual Anterior Cingulate" by Brian W. Haas, Kazufumi Omura, R. Todd Constable and Turhan Canli (Behavioral Neuroscience, 2007[Apr], Vol 121[2], 249-256). There was an error in the text of Figure 1 on p. 250. Above the image of the third person, "×?6repetitions" should have appeared as "× 6 repetitions." The corrected figure is provided in the erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-04812-002.) The amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate (AC) have been associated with anxiety and mood disorders, for which trait neuroticism is a risk factor. Prior work has not related individual differences in amygdala or subgenual AC activation with neuroticism. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate changes in blood oxygen level-dependent signal within the amygdala and subgenual AC associated with trait neuroticism in a nonclinical sample of 36 volunteers during an emotional conflict task. Neuroticism correlated positively with amygdala and subgenual AC activation during trials of high emotional conflict, compared with trials of low emotional conflict. The subscale of neuroticism that reflected the anxious form of neuroticism (N1) explained a greater proportion of variance within the observed clusters than the subscale of neuroticism that reflected the depressive form of neuroticism (N3). Using a task that is sensitive to individual differences in the detection of emotional conflict, the authors have provided a neural correlate of the link between neuroticism and anxiety and mood disorders. This effect was driven to a greater extent by the anxious relative to the depressive characteristics of neuroticism and may constitute vulnerability markers for anxiety-related disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal attachment cognitions and prediction of symptomatic responses to interpersonal stress.

The authors tested a cognitive-interpersonal hypothesis of depression by examining the role of interpersonal cognitions in the prediction of depression associated with interpersonal stressors. A measure of adult attachment assessed interpersonal cognitions about ability to be close to others and to depend on others and anxiety about rejection and abandonment. Participants were women who had recently graduated from high school; they were followed for 1 year with extensive interview evaluation of life events, depression, and other symptomatology. Generally, cognitions, interpersonal events, and their interactions contributed to the prediction of interview-assessed depressive symptoms, but the effects were not specific to depression and predicted general symptomatology measured by diagnostic interviews as well, and results also varied by attachment subscale. Results were discussed in terms of a developmental psychopathology approach to disorders in young women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive screening examinations for silent cerebral infarcts in sickle cell disease

OBJECTIVE: In children with sickle cell disease (SCD), silent cerebral infarcts are the most frequent cause of neurologic injury. We determined the sensitivity and specificity of selective neurocognitive measures when separating children with silent cerebral infarcts and SCD from sibling controls. Additionally, we tested the validity of the same cognitive measures to identify patients with overt strokes. METHODS: We examined performance on a neuropsychologic battery containing measures of attention/executive, spatial, language, memory, and motor functioning for seven children with SCD and silent cerebral infarct, 21 children with SCD and overt stroke, and 17 normal siblings. Diagnosis of cerebral infarct was based on results of MRI. RESULTS: Measures from the attention and executive domains were the most useful for identifying children with silent cerebral infarct. The Test of Variables of Attention was the most robust measure and yielded a sensitivity rate of 86% and a specificity rate of 81%. This measure also showed a sensitivity rate of 95% in identifying overt stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Brief cognitive screening measures, if properly constructed, may be an effective means of identifying children with silent cerebral infarct. Future prospective studies should be pursued to assess the utility of cognitive screening for silent cerebral infarcts in SCD.     

Short-term stability of NEO–PI–R personality trait scores in opioid-dependent outpatients.

The present study examined the short-term stability of personality trait scores from the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO–PI-R) among 230 opioid-dependent outpatients. The NEO–PI-R is a 240-item empirically developed measure of the five-factor model of personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness). Participants completed the NEO–Pl-R at admission and again approximately 19 weeks later. Results indicated fair to good stability for all NEO–PI-R factor domain scores, with coefficients ranging from .68 to .74. Stability of NEO–PI-R scores was decreased among potentially invalid response patterns but was not significantly affected by drug-positive versus drug-negative status at follow-up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Subdural hygromas after bone marrow transplantation: results of a prospective study

Postnatal depression occurs in 10-15% of women. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a 10-item self-report scale designed specifically as a screening instrument for the postnatal period. It was initially validated for use in the UK, but has subsequently been validated for other communities. It has not been validated for an African community. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the EPDS is a valid screening scale for depression in a Johannesburg community cohort. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 103 women attending the postnatal clinic at Coronation Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa. METHOD: The EPDS was validated against the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) criteria for depression. It was administered verbally to participants and translated into one of six South African languages where necessary. RESULTS: A threshold of 11/12 on the EPDS identified 100% of women with major depression and 70.6% of women with minor depression. For major and minor depression combined, sensitivity was 80%, specificity 76.6%, positive predictive value 52.6% and negative predictive value 92.2%. CONCLUSION: The EPDS, administered verbally, is a valid screening instrument in this urban South African community.     

Child growth during weaning depends on whether mother is pregnant again

Excessive mydriatic response to dilute tropicamide has been suggested as a possible non-invasive diagnostic test in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). To further evaluate the sensibility and specificity of this test we studied the pupillary response to tropicamide in 24 patients with AD, 30 age-matched controls, 7 patients with dementia other than AD and 13 patients with extrapyramidal disorders (EXD). Maximum dilatation response over baseline was much higher in AD with significant differences compared to controls (p < 0.001) and to EXD (p < 0.05). However, there was a quite wide range of overlap between AD and controls and no cut-off point was found with a high enough specificity to consider this a conclusive diagnostic test. Lower dilatation response in the overlapping range (13%), however, may be useful because of its negative predictive value (93.5%) and as a screening tool due to its sensitivity (87.5%).