Search results for "tests"
showing 10 items of 3367 documents
Gender differences in C-reactive protein and homocysteine modulation of cognitive performance and real-world functioning in bipolar disorder.
2018
Background: Cognitive and psychosocial impairment has been associated with increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine in bipolar disorder, but gender differences have seldom been studied. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-four bipolar outpatients were included. Cognitive performance was assessed through the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP). Psychosocial functioning was evaluated using the Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) and the General Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Homocysteine and CRP levels were determined. Separate analyses were performed by gender. Partial correlations were calculated to test for associations between biomarkers and cognit…
IQ and the fronto-temporal cortex in bipolar disorder.
2012
AbstractCognitive changes are documented in bipolar disorder (BP). Cortical volume loss, especially in prefrontal regions, has also been reported, but associations between cognition and cortical abnormalities have not been fully documented. This study explores associations between cognitive performance and cortical parameters (area, thickness and volume) of the fronto-temporal cortex in 36 BP patients (25 BPI and 11 BPII). T1-weighted volumetric MRI images were obtained using a 1.5 Tesla scanner. Cortical parameters were measured using surface-based morphometry and their associations with estimated premorbid, current IQ, visual memory, and executive function explored. Premorbid IQ was assoc…
Factors associated with poor functional outcome in bipolar disorder: sociodemographic, clinical, and neurocognitive variables.
2018
Objective: The current investigation aimed at studying the sociodemographic, clinical, and neuropsychological variables related to functional outcome in a sample of euthymic patients with bipolar disorder(BD) presenting moderate-severe levels of functional impairment. Methods: Two-hundred and thirty-nine participants with BD disorders and with Functioning Assessment Short Test(FAST) scores equal or above 18 were administered a clinical and diagnostic interview, and the administration of mood measure scales and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Analyses involved preliminary Pearson bivariate correlations to identify sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with the FAST t…
The grey matter correlates of impaired decision-making in multiple sclerosis.
2014
Objective: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have difficulties with decision-making but it is unclear if this is due to changes in impulsivity, risk taking, deliberation or risk adjustment, and how this relates to brain pathology. \ud \ud Methods: We assessed these aspects of decision-making in 105 people with MS and 43 healthy controls. We used a novel diffusion MRI method, diffusion orientational complexity (DOC), as an index of grey matter pathology in regions associated with decision-making and also measured grey matter tissue volumes and white matter lesion volumes. \ud \ud Results: People with MS showed less adjustment to risk and slower decision-making than controls. Moreover, impa…
The effect of adjustable dosing with budesonide/formoterol on health-related quality of life and asthma control compared with fixed dosing
2004
Budesonide/formoterol in a single inhaler is an effective therapy for asthma. We investigated whether adjustable maintenance dosing with budesonide/formoterol could maintain health-related quality of life (HRQL) and asthma control.Asthma patients (n = 4025) received budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort 160/4.5 microg) 2 inhalations twice daily (b.i.d.) for 4 weeks during run-in of this open, multicentre study. Patients were randomised to adjustable dosing (budesonide/formoterol 1 inhalation b.i.d.; stepping up to 2 or 4 inhalations bid for 1 week if asthma worsened) or fixed dosing (budesonide/formoterol 2 inhalations b.i.d.), for 12 weeks. Change in HRQL (standardised Asthma Quality of Life Qu…
Neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern elicited by the comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine in nursing home residents.
2022
Immunosenescence may impact the functionality and breadth of vaccine-elicited humoral immune responses. The ability of sera to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) from Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon variants of concern (VOCs) relative to the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 strain was compared in Comirnaty COVID-19-vaccinated elderly nursing home residents, either SARS-CoV-2 naïve (n = 22) or experienced (n = 8), or SARS-CoV-2 naïve younger individuals (n = 18) and non-vaccinated individuals who recovered from severe COVID-19 (n = 19). In all groups, except that including SARS-CoV-2-experienced nursing home residents, some participants lacked NtAb against one or more VOCs, mainly the Beta vari…
Pneumonia in Febrile Neutropenic Patients and in Bone Marrow and Blood Stem-Cell Transplant Recipients: Use of High-Resolution Computed Tomography
1999
PURPOSE: To obtain statistical data on the use of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for early detection of pneumonia in febrile neutropenic patients with unknown focus of infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred eighty-eight HRCT studies were performed prospectively in 112 neutropenic patients with fever of unknown origin persisting for more than 48 hours despite empiric antibiotic treatment. Fifty-four of these studies were performed in transplant recipients. All patients had normal chest roentgenograms. If pneumonia was detected by HRCT, guided bronchoalveolar lavage was recommended. Evidence of pneumonia on chest roentgenograms during follow-up and micro-organisms detected…
Prognostic Value of Immunohistochemical Expression of Beta-1 Integrin in Pancreatic Carcinoma
1999
<i>Background: </i>Prognostically relevant factors based on the histological assessment of the resected pancreas are known. However, the knowledge of additional factors associated with the prognosis is helpful in planning the therapy for an individual patient. β<sub>1</sub> Integrin expression is known to have a prognostic influence in some malignant tumors. No data are, however, available on the prognostic value of β<sub>1</sub> integrins in pancreatic carcinoma. <i>Method: </i>We investigated paraffin-embedded specimens of 19 patients undergoing surgical treatment for periampullary carcinoma and of 42 patients for ductal pancreatic carcinoma…
BCL6: somatic mutations and expression in early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia
2009
BCL6 somatic mutations affect normal and tumoral post germinal center B-lymphocytes. Our objective was to analyse expression, mutations and polymorphisms in the BCL6 gene and to correlate those variables with the clinical outcome in early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL samples were used for characterisation of the mutational status of BCL6/ immunoglobulin variable heavy chain (IGHV) genes, and expression of BCL6 was determined by real time PCR and immunoblot. Out of 68 cases, 29% show somatic mutations on BCL6 which occur exclusively in IGHV mutated cases. They are single nucleotide substitutions located mainly in two short mutational hot spots. CLL cells express different le…
Sensing gastric cancer via point‐of‐care sensor breath analyzer
2021
Background Detection of disease by means of volatile organic compounds from breath samples using sensors is an attractive approach to fast, noninvasive and inexpensive diagnostics. However, these techniques are still limited to applications within the laboratory settings. Here, we report on the development and use of a fast, portable, and IoT-connected point-of-care device (so-called, SniffPhone) to detect and classify gastric cancer to potentially provide new qualitative solutions for cancer screening. Methods A validation study of patients with gastric cancer, patients with high-risk precancerous gastric lesions, and controls was conducted with 2 SniffPhone devices. Linear discriminant an…