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Family studies in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) indicate higher rates of psychosis among their first-degree relatives (FDRs). However, the etiological and clinical relationships between the two disorders remain unclear. We compared the clinical characteristics and pharmacological treatment response in patients diagnosed with OCD with a family history of psychosis (OCD-FHP), with a family history of OCD (OCD-FHO) and those with sporadic OCD (OCD-S).A total of 226 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for OCD (OCD-FHP = 59, OCD-FHO = 112, OCD-S = 55) were included for analysis. All patients were evaluated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI 6.0.0), Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), and the Family Interview for Genetic Studies (FIGS). Treatment response was characterized over naturalistic follow-up.The three groups did not differ across any demographic or clinical variables other than treatment response. Patients in the OCD-FHP group were found to have received a greater number of trials with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRI) [F (2,223) = 7.99, p 0.001], were more likely to have failed ≥2 trials of SRIs (χ

BackgroundHigh-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) is a potential add-on treatment for persistent auditory hallucinations (AH). However, the lack of evidence from methodical studies implores the need for a systematic evaluation to ascertain its effectiveness.AimTo examine the clinical and neurobiological role of HD-tDCS in the alleviation of persistent AH and the persistence of its effects in patients with schizophrenia in a double-blinded, sham-controlled study with concurrent resting state fMRI data.MethodsThirty-four patients with persistent AH were randomized into a TRUE or SHAM arm for five days of the RCT phase (with concurrent resting state fMRI imaging data at baseline and post-RCT), followed by an open-label extension phase of 5 days of TRUE HD-tDCS. In the RCT phase, patients received -2mA current in the TRUE arm and feeble current mimicking sensory effects in the SHAM arm using the 4 × 1 montage at the left temporo-parietal junction (l-TPJ) using subject-specific neuro-navigation. AH severity was assessed using the PSYRATSAuditory Hallucination Rating Scale(AHS) at baseline, after RCT, after the end of the open-label, and then by 1stand 3rd-month following the last HD-tDCS session. The electric field (EF) was estimated at the region of interest using a simulation technique to further explore the neurobiological effects between the TRUE versus the SHAM group,ResultsA significant difference in the neuro-modulatory effect was seen in the neuroimaging analysis at the l-TPJ secondary to the TRUE compared to SHAM HD-tDCS after five days of RCT. At the follow-up, subjects in the SHAM who crossed over to TRUE HD-tDCS significantly improved in AH scores compared to patients who received ten days of TRUE HD-tDCS (T=2.95, pConclusionsFive days of TRUE cathodal HD-tDCS administered to alleviate AH causes cortical effects of interest. Neuromodulatory effects preceded by clinical effects suggest possible clinical latency. Significant improvement in SHAM succeeding TRUE HD-tDCS compared to the ten days of TRUE HD-tDCS suggests the possibility of long-term effects of HD-tDCS acting through mechanisms like homeostatic meta-plasticity. Additional evidence in support of the probable priming effects is the ROI-based electric field simulation showing the generation of local electric field secondary to feeble current in the SHAM arm. Hence sham current with low EF when followed by TRUE current with higher magnitude EF showed enhanced inhibition as compared to the group that followed 10 days of TRUE current further supporting homeostatic meta-plasticity mechanisms.

Silk fibroin nanofibers find broader applications in skin tissue engineering as wound dressings. In this study, we have prepared biocompatible collagen-coated silk fibroin nanofibers with two small molecules: sinomenine hydrochloride (SH) and kaempferol hydrate (KH) with bioactive properties for wound healing applications. The prepared nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized

Environmental factors such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may affect neurocognition, an endophenotype for several mental illnesses. This study examines the effect of ACEs on neurocognitive performance in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with severe mental illness to determine whether familial risk has a moderating effect on the relationship between ACEs and neurocognition. Unaffected FDRs from multiplex families with severe mental illnesses (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or alcohol use disorder) (n = 324) and healthy controls (with no familial risk) (n = 188) underwent neurocognitive tests for processing speed, new learning, working memory and Theory of Mind. ACEs were measured using the WHO ACE-International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ). Regression models were done to predict each neurocognitive domain by the effect of familial risk, ACE-IQ Score and their interaction (familial risk*ACE-IQ score). The main effect of familial risk predicted poor performance in all domains of neurocognition (p 0.01), and the interaction had a negative association with global neurocognition (β = -0.093, p = 0.009), processing speed (β = -0.109, p = 0.003) and working memory (β = -0.092, p = 0.01). Among the ACEs sub-domains, only maltreatment (specifically the main effect of physical neglect and the interaction effect of sexual abuse with familial risk) predicted poorer neurocognition. In FDRs of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, only the main effects of familial risk were significantly associated with poorer neurocognition. We conclude that there is a relationship between ACEs (especially maltreatment) and neurocognitive functioning, which is moderated by the familial risk of mental illnesses. Genetic/familial vulnerability may have a stronger association with neurocognition in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Leather making process necessitates the effective utilization of potential waste from the meat industry through tanning. This results in the generation of solid wastes leading to serious environmental concerns. Fleshing waste is considered to be one of the major solid wastes, which contains proteins and fat. The current disposal methods of fleshing wastes have various challenges and limitations. In order to overcome these drawbacks/limitations, we propose a novel approach for converting fleshing waste into a value-added material for acoustics application. Herein, protein hydrolysate was prepared from the fleshing waste through acid hydrolysis and was blended with polyvinyl (alcohol) (PVA) to produce nanofibers through the electrospinning process by optimizing the electrospinning parameters. Acid hydrolysis was done at varying conditions and its effect on the properties of the nanofibers was studied. Nanofibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The experimental observations indicated that the nanofibers produced with fleshing hydrolysate- PVA showed enhanced thermal stability than neat PVA nanofibers. The prepared nanofibrous membrane was placed on the natural sound absorbing material coir and the sound absorbing potential of this bilayer material was characterized. The sound absorption studies revealed that the bilayer material, which consisted of fleshing hydrolysate- PVA nanofibers with coir disc has better sound absorbing potential in the lower frequencies when compared to pure coir and PVA nanofibers with coir material. This gives new insights into the potential use of fleshing waste derived nanofibers as sound absorbing layer in acoustic applications.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in neuroplasticity underlying cognitive deficits, including working memory deficits (WMD), in schizophrenia. Methodological challenges and inconsistencies are reported with peripheral BDNF levels. Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is proposed to underlie WMD, though inconsistently. We aimed to explore the correlations between brain activation during working memory task-based functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and BDNF gene expression in schizophrenia patients with WMD.26 patients with schizophrenia with established WMD were recruited for the study. Blood samples were collected to study lymphocyte BDNF gene expression. Patients underwent task-based fMRI to examine the working memory performance and related brain activation. Whole-brain analysis was performed with 2-back 0-back and 2-back rest contrast. The peak intensity values of the activation were used for correlation analysis.Whole brain analysis with 2-back rest contrast revealed maximum activation in left DLPFC, Brodmann area 9 (t = 10.54, FWE corrected p 0.05). The baseline BDNF gene expression correlated positively with the peak intensity of brain activation in left DLPFC (r = 0.365, p = 0.033). Negative symptom score negatively correlated with BDNF gene expression (r = -0.499, p = 0.005) and left DLPFC fMRI activation (r = -0.393, p = 0.023) respectively.We found a significant positive association between BDNF gene expression and the activation of the DLPFC during the working memory task. This novel observation needs further systematic evaluation to establish the potential role of peripheral BDNF expression in WMD in schizophrenia.

Auditory Signal Detection (ASD) theory postulates that auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) result from an aberrant association of meaningful connection to abstract noises. In this study, schizophrenia (SZ) patients with persistent AVH (N = 17) and matched controls (N = 25) performed an ASD task with concurrent functional near-infrared spectroscopy recording targetting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) and left temporoparietal junction (L-TPJ). During the task, discriminability index had a significant negative correlation, and early deoxyhemoglobin (HbR) latency at L-TPJ positively correlated with AVH scores. Also, patients had significantly lower discriminability, early HbR latency at L-TPJ, and delayed latency at L-DLPFC. This finding suggests the presence of ASD abnormalities and impaired auditory processing in SZ patients with AVH supporting ASD-based pathogenesis.

The present work reports a new route for preparing tunable multifunctional biomaterials through the combination of synthetic biology and material chemistry. Genetically encoded catechol moiety is evolved in a nanofiber mat with defined surface and secondary reactive functional chemistry, which promotes self-assembly and wet adhesion property of the protein. The catechol moiety is further exploited for the controlled release of boric acid that provides a congenial cellular microenvironment for accelerated wound healing. The presence of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in the nanofiber mat act as a stimulus to trigger cell proliferation, migration, and vascularization to accelerate wound healing. Electron paramagnetic resonance, NMR, FTIR, and circular dichroism spectroscopy confirm the structural integrity, antioxidant property, and controlled release of boric acid. Fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy reveals the 3D architecture of nanofiber mat, which favors fibroblast growth, endothelial cell attachment, and tube formation, which are the desirable properties of a wound-healing material. Animal studies in the murine wound healing model assert that the multifunctional biomaterial significantly improve re-epithelialization and accelerate wound closure.

Casein, a major protein content in the milk has been extensively used in drug delivery due to its unique structural features. Fabrication of nanofibers from casein along with nanoparticles for tissue engineering applications has been explored in this study. Nanofibers fabrication is achieved by co-electrospinning of casein with poly (ethylene oxide) in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) aqueous solution. Stabilization of silver nanoparticles has been achieved by the presence of SDS in the nanofiber matrix. The influence of conductivity on the nanofiber fabrication has also been studied. The nanofibrous mats have been characterized using techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high resolution-transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM). Antimicrobial properties of the nanofibers have been assessed and the cellular biocompatibility of the material has been evaluated using cultured fibroblast (NIH-3T3) cells. Silver nanoparticles incorporated nanofibers showed good antimicrobial property against both gram negative and gram positive bacteria. In addition, the nanofiber matrix exhibited good biocompatibility for the fibroblast cell proliferation. These results pave the way for extending the use of casein based nanofibers in the skin care applications.

Developing value-added material from industrial waste is one of the sustainable ways of recycling solid waste produced from the leather industry. Noise which makes a considerable negative impact in the day to day life of people needs immediate attention where the sound absorbers play a vital role. Nanofibers can be used as sound absorbers due to their properties like porosity and high surface area. In this study, collagen hydrolysate extracted from waste leather trimmings was utilized to produce multilayer hybrid sound-absorbing material. Collagen hydrolysate was electrospun along with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and the layer was sandwiched between polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous layers. The hierarchical structure of the composite is more porous on outer layers than medium porous inner collagen hydrolysate- PVA layer. The hybrid material was characterized using various experimental techniques and the sound absorption was measured using two-microphone impedance tube method. From acoustic measurements, it was revealed that the composite showed improved sound absorption in the frequency range of 800–2500 Hz due to its varying pore size. Hence, the leather trimmings as a component of sound-absorbing material creates an innovative solution for discarded leather waste and they can be used in practical applications like room acoustics.

Free radicals are generated by various biochemical pathways in the living system, causing severe oxidative damage to the biomolecules leading to adverse disease conditions. Hence, there is an increasing interest in antioxidant studies for preventing the effects of these free radicals. Herein, we propose a novel electrospun scaffold with antioxidant properties that can be used as wound healing material. Fenugreek, a natural antioxidant incorporated silk fibroin nanofiber, was prepared in four different ratios by the co-electrospinning method. The biocompatibility of the nanofibers and its antioxidant activity were evaluated through 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay, respectively. The experimental observations indicate that the incorporation of fenugreek increases the thermal and mechanical properties of silk fibroin nanofibers. DPPH assay proves that the antioxidant property is enhanced with increasing concentration of fenugreek in nanofiber mats, and the Swiss albino 3T6 fibroblasts show better proliferation on the nanofibrous scaffolds. Further, the wound healing efficiency of fenugreek incorporated silk fibroin nanofibrous scaffolds was evaluated using full thickness excisional wounds in rat model. Wound healing was accelerated in silk fibroin-fenugreek nanofibers treated wounds with complete re-epithelialization and enhanced collagen deposition. The present study validates the use of fenugreek incorporated silk fibroin nanofiber mats as antioxidant scaffolds in wound healing applications.

Despite being a favorable candidate in wound dressing, collagen based biomaterials possess inferior mechanical properties which limit their usage. Collagen based hybrid nanofibers with other polymers can enhance their mechanical strength as well as their biological properties. Herein, we report collagen-silk fibroin hybrid nanofibers incorporated with fenugreek, an antioxidant, as a bioactive wound dressing material. The nanofiber mats were characterized using various experimental techniques. From the results, it was found that an increase in silk fibroin content in nanofibers improves the fiber diameter and tensile strength. The nanofibers also showed good antioxidant properties estimated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay. Presence of collagen in the nanofibers enhanced the biocompatibility of the nanofibers. Fenugreek released from the matrix enhanced the migration of fibroblasts in vitro. In vivo studies showed that collagen-silk fibroin-fenugreek nanofibers enhanced the wound closure via minimal inflammation and early epithelialization than the untreated and silk fibroin-fenugreek nanofibers treated wounds. Our study suggests that the fenugreek incorporated collagen-silk fibroin nanofibers is a potential candidate for wound dressings in clinical applications.