Background Mood disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, imposing a substantial medical and economic burden. Existing diagnostic methods for mood disorders often result in a delay until accurate diagnosis, exacerbating the challenges of these disorders. Advances in digital tools for psychiatry and understanding the biological basis of mood disorders offer the potential for novel diagnostic methods that facilitate early and accurate diagnosis of patients. Objective The Delta Trial was launched to develop an algorithm-based diagnostic aid combining symptom data and proteomic biomarkers to reduce the misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) as a major depressive disorder (MDD) and achieve more accurate and earlier MDD diagnosis. Methods Participants for this ethically approved trial were recruited through the internet, mainly through Facebook advertising. Participants were then screened for eligibility, consented to participate, and completed an adaptive digital questionnaire that was designed and created for the trial on a purpose-built digital platform. A subset of these participants was selected to provide dried blood spot (DBS) samples and undertake a World Health Organization World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen to maximize the safety of a trial population that was both relevant to the trial objectives and generalizable. To provide statistical power and validation sets for the primary and secondary objectives, 840 participants were required to complete the digital questionnaire, submit DBS samples, and undertake a CIDI. Results The Delta Trial is now complete. More than 3200 participants completed the digital questionnaire, 924 of whom also submitted DBS samples and a CIDI, whereas a total of 1780 participants completed a 6-month follow-up questionnaire and 1542 completed a 12-month follow-up questionnaire. The analysis of the trial data is now underway. Conclusions If a diagnostic aid is able to improve the diagnosis of BD and MDD, it may enable earlier treatment for patients with mood disorders. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/18453

Background Web-based assessments of mental health concerns hold great potential for earlier, more cost-effective, and more accurate diagnoses of psychiatric conditions than that achieved with traditional interview-based methods. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a comprehensive web-based mental health assessment on the mental health and well-being of over 2000 individuals presenting with symptoms of depression. Methods Individuals presenting with depressive symptoms completed a web-based assessment that screened for mood and other psychiatric conditions. After completing the assessment, the study participants received a report containing their assessment results along with personalized psychoeducation. After 6 and 12 months, participants were asked to rate the usefulness of the web-based assessment on different mental health–related outcomes and to self-report on their recent help-seeking behavior, diagnoses, medication, and lifestyle changes. In addition, general mental well-being was assessed at baseline and both follow-ups using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). Results Data from all participants who completed either the 6-month or the 12-month follow-up (N=2064) were analyzed. The majority of study participants rated the study as useful for their subjective mental well-being. This included talking more openly (1314/1939, 67.77%) and understanding one’s mental health problems better (1083/1939, 55.85%). Although most participants (1477/1939, 76.17%) found their assessment results useful, only a small proportion (302/2064, 14.63%) subsequently discussed them with a mental health professional, leading to only a small number of study participants receiving a new diagnosis (110/2064, 5.33%). Among those who were reviewed, new mood disorder diagnoses were predicted by the digital algorithm with high sensitivity (above 70%), and nearly half of the participants with new diagnoses also had a corresponding change in medication. Furthermore, participants’ subjective well-being significantly improved over 12 months (baseline WEMWBS score: mean 35.24, SD 8.11; 12-month WEMWBS score: mean 41.19, SD 10.59). Significant positive predictors of follow-up subjective well-being included talking more openly, exercising more, and having been reviewed by a psychiatrist. Conclusions Our results suggest that completing a web-based mental health assessment and receiving personalized psychoeducation are associated with subjective mental health improvements, facilitated by increased self-awareness and subsequent use of self-help interventions. Integrating web-based mental health assessments within primary and/or secondary care services could benefit patients further and expedite earlier diagnosis and effective treatment. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/18453

OBJECTIVE: Voluntary asphyxiation among children, preteens, and adolescents by hanging or other means of inducing hypoxia/anoxia to enhance sexual excitement is not uncommon and can lead to unintended death. This study addresses autoerotic asphyxiation (AEA) with the intent of increasing pediatricians' knowledge of the syndrome and awareness of its typical onset among young patients. AEA is characteristically a clandestine and elusive practice. Provided with relevant information, pediatricians can identify the syndrome, demonstrate a willingness to discuss concerns about it, ameliorate distress, and possibly prevent a tragedy. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken of published cases both fatal and nonfatal and included personal communications, referenced citations, clinical experience, and theoretical formulations as to causation. Characteristic AEA manifestations, prevalence, age range, methods of inducing hypoxia/anoxia, and gender weighting are presented. All sources were used as a basis for additional considerations of etiology and possibilities for intervention. RESULTS: AEA can be conceptualized as a personalized, ritualized, and symbolic biopsychosocial drama. It seems to be a reenactment of intense emotional feeling-states involving an identification and sadomasochistic relationship with a female figure. Inept AEA practitioners can miscalculate the peril of the situation that they have contrived and for numerous reasons lose their gamble with death. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatricians should be alert to the earliest manifestations of AEA. Awareness of choking games among the young and, of those, a subset who eventually progress to potentially fatal AEA is strongly encouraged among all primary care professionals who may be able to interrupt the behavior.

A novel general protocol for the construction of hydantoins and thiohydantoins on a solid support has been developed. Using this novel methodology, the synthesis of a diverse 96-compound library has been achieved. Resin-bound dipeptides are cyclised via the formation of an intermediate isocyanate or isothiocyanate on resin as the key step in the strategy.

Physicians are not only called upon to deal with biological, but also with psychosocial issues and concerns in the treatment of the terminally ill. Their training, however, usually does not prepare them to value palliative care, or help them cope with personal feelings about death and possible grief over a patient's loss. The authors describe what one medical school is doing regarding the challenge of preparing medical students to deal more competently and confidently with end-of-life scenarios they will encounter as primary care practitioners in underserved areas of a rural state.