No abstract

Alpha-synuclein is largely, but not entirely, expressed in the central nervous system. A high concentration of alpha-synuclein in presynaptic terminals can mimic the normal function of endogenous alpha-synuclein in regulating synaptic vesicle mobilization at nerve terminals. Beta-synuclein protein is seen primarily in brain tissue and it is suggested that beta-synuclein acts as an inhibitor of alpha-synuclein aggregation, which occurs in neurodegenerative diseases. With respect to the role of synucleins in neurologic diseases such as Parkinson's disease, we decided to study the changes of alpha- and beta-synucleins in schizophrenia patients in relation to a control group. For this purpose, total RNA was extracted from the lymphocytes of patients and controls and then cDNA was synthesized and used for real-time polymerase chain reaction. Calculation of the relative expression of alpha- and beta-synucleins showed downregulation in patients in comparison to the control group. Independent two-tailed t-test showed that beta-synuclein mRNA expression in the control group was significantly higher than that in the patient group (p < 0.01), but downregulation of alpha-synuclein gene was not significant. Therefore, a significant downregulation of beta-synuclein mRNA expression appears to be a suitable biomarker for the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Adjunctive treatment with gabapentin is effective for controlling symptoms of acute mania.

Background With increasing frequencies of non-fatal overdose in people who inject drugs (PWID), it is essential to improve our knowledge about associated risk factors for overdose to inform overdose prevention and assistance programs. The aim of present study was to determine the prevalence of non-fatal overdose and the associated risk factors among PWID in Tehran, Iran. Methods Snowball sampling was used to collect data from 465 participants in Tehran using a cross-sectional survey. Consenting participants who reported drug injecting in the past month and were able to speak and comprehend Farsi enough to respond to survey questions were interviewed. The endpoint of interest was non-fatal overdose in the previous 6 months, or answering “Yes” to the question: “In the last six months, have you ever overdosed by accident? (at least once)”. We used STATA v. 14 for this analysis. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05 for all analyses. Results Of 465 PWIDs who participated in this study, all were male, and about half had less than a high school education. The prevalence of self-reported non-fatal overdose in the past 6 months was 38% (CI95%: 34, 43%). Our findings indicate that characteristics and behaviors that were associated with an increased risk of experiencing an overdose in the past 6 months were drug use initiation under 22 years (AOR =2.2, P < 0.05), using methamphetamine (AOR =2.8, P < 0.05), and using multiple drugs at the same time (AOR =2.1, P < 0.05). Also, more recent initiates to injecting (< 2 years) had an increased risk of experiencing an overdose in the past 6 months. The odds of experiencing a non-fatal overdose among PWIDs who regularly attended NSP were 0.6 times less than for those who did not attend regularly (OR = 0.6,95% CI: 0.2–0.9). Conclusion Methamphetamine and alcohol use were the most significant association for non-fatal overdose among PWIDs. Our results indicate that intervention and prevention initiatives seeking to reduce overdoses among PWIDs should not only be focused on the primary drug used but also the use of alcohol and poly-drug use.

Background: Coping with negative emotions are of the everyday life challenges that all individuals encounter constantly. Employing efficient Emotion Regulation [ER] strategies could significantly influence individuals’ quality of life and wellbeing. ER has also been targeted as a core process in the research and treatment of psychopathology. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the effects of an ER skills training program on mental health, happiness, and organizational performance in employees. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest and a control group design. The statistical population of the present study consisted of the employees of the central offices of Bank Mellat [all of which are located in Tehran City, Iran] in April and May 2017 [N=2107]. According to Morgan’s table for sample size, 40 individuals were calculated as the study participants. The experimental group received training for four weeks [two 90-min sessions per week]. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance [MANCOVA] was used to compare the two groups of control and training and eliminate the effect of the pretest. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS at the significance level of p<0.05. Results: A total of 40 individuals completed the intervention course. The age of the study subjects ranged between 28 and 50 years. The mean±SD age of the study participants in the training and control groups was 26.67±0.49 and 26.89±0.57 years, respectively. The Independent Samples t-test results indicated no significant difference in terms of age between the study groups. Furthermore, the MANCOVA data suggested that after controlling the pretest scores as a covariate variable, the provided emotion regulation training significantly improved the posttest scores of the study subjects [p<0.05, F9.20=-3.295]. Conclusion: ER training could play an essential role in reducing physical symptoms, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions by informing a person about positive and negative emotions, as well as accepting and expressing them in a timely manner. The present research findings highlighted the effectiveness of ER skills training on mental health, happiness, and organizational performance of the investigated employees. Accordingly, the significance of ER skills training should be considered in improving mental health, happiness, and organizational performance among employees.