scholarly journals Co-occuring Toxoplasma Infection and Psychotic Symptoms : Case Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla R Marchira ◽  
Andrian F Kusumadewi ◽  
Patricia Wulandari

Abstract   Introduction Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disease that is global and is experienced by 1% of the population in the United States and Europe. This study raises awareness of the role of infectious agents in the initiation of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. Case Presentation A 20-year-old man is taken by the family to the emergency department because he has decreased consciousness, and the body suddenly stiffens. Patients begin to experience changes in behavior in the form of difficulty sleeping, when invited to talk quietly, laughing alone and whispering without the other person. TORCH examination found an increase in anti-toxoplasma IgM and IgG. This patient is then given basic life support in the form of ABC (airway, breathing, circulation support) and seizure management. Also given risperidone 2 mg / 12 hours, pyrimethamine 1-II (1x200 mg), pyrimethamine day III-XXI (1x 25 mg), intravenous Cefotaxim 2g / 8 hours, Clindamycin 500 mg / 8 hours. The patient experienced improvement after the second week of treatment. Conclusion Toxoplasmosis causes lesions in the brain that cause changes in brain neurotransmitter pathways, which lead to changes in patient behavior.

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin L. Pall

Abstract Millimeter wave (MM-wave) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are predicted to not produce penetrating effects in the body. The electric but not magnetic part of MM-EMFs are almost completely absorbed within the outer 1 mm of the body. Rodents are reported to have penetrating MM-wave impacts on the brain, the myocardium, liver, kidney and bone marrow. MM-waves produce electromagnetic sensitivity-like changes in rodent, frog and skate tissues. In humans, MM-waves have penetrating effects including impacts on the brain, producing EEG changes and other neurological/neuropsychiatric changes, increases in apparent electromagnetic hypersensitivity and produce changes on ulcers and cardiac activity. This review focuses on several issues required to understand penetrating effects of MM-waves and microwaves: 1. Electronically generated EMFs are coherent, producing much higher electrical and magnetic forces then do natural incoherent EMFs. 2. The fixed relationship between electrical and magnetic fields found in EMFs in a vacuum or highly permeable medium such as air, predicted by Maxwell’s equations, breaks down in other materials. Specifically, MM-wave electrical fields are almost completely absorbed in the outer 1 mm of the body due to the high dielectric constant of biological aqueous phases. However, the magnetic fields are very highly penetrating. 3. Time-varying magnetic fields have central roles in producing highly penetrating effects. The primary mechanism of EMF action is voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) activation with the EMFs acting via their forces on the voltage sensor, rather than by depolarization of the plasma membrane. Two distinct mechanisms, an indirect and a direct mechanism, are consistent with and predicted by the physics, to explain penetrating MM-wave VGCC activation via the voltage sensor. Time-varying coherent magnetic fields, as predicted by the Maxwell–Faraday version of Faraday’s law of induction, can put forces on ions dissolved in aqueous phases deep within the body, regenerating coherent electric fields which activate the VGCC voltage sensor. In addition, time-varying magnetic fields can directly put forces on the 20 charges in the VGCC voltage sensor. There are three very important findings here which are rarely recognized in the EMF scientific literature: coherence of electronically generated EMFs; the key role of time-varying magnetic fields in generating highly penetrating effects; the key role of both modulating and pure EMF pulses in greatly increasing very short term high level time-variation of magnetic and electric fields. It is probable that genuine safety guidelines must keep nanosecond timescale-variation of coherent electric and magnetic fields below some maximum level in order to produce genuine safety. These findings have important implications with regard to 5G radiation.


Author(s):  
Lingfeng Qin ◽  
Haifeng Zhang ◽  
Busu Li ◽  
Quan Jiang ◽  
Francesc Lopez ◽  
...  

Objective: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) can happen anywhere in the body, although they most commonly produce symptoms in the brain. The role of CCM genes in other vascular beds outside the brain and retina is not well-examined, although the 3 CCM-associated genes ( CCM1 , CCM2 , and CCM3 ) are ubiquitously expressed in all tissues. We aimed to determine the role of CCM gene in lymphatics. Approach and Results: Mice with an inducible pan–endothelial cell (EC) or lymphatic EC deletion of Ccm3 ( Pdcd10 ECKO or Pdcd10 LECKO ) exhibit dilated lymphatic capillaries and collecting vessels with abnormal valve structure. Morphological alterations were correlated with lymphatic dysfunction in Pdcd10 LECKO mice as determined by Evans blue dye and fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-dextran transport assays. Pdcd10 LECKO lymphatics had increased VEGFR3 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3)-ERK1/2 signaling with lymphatic hyperplasia. Mechanistic studies suggested that VEGFR3 is primarily regulated at a transcriptional level in Ccm3-deficient lymphatic ECs, in an NF-κB (nuclear factor κB)–dependent manner. CCM3 binds to importin alpha 2/KPNA2 (karyopherin subunit alpha 2), and a CCM3 deletion releases KPNA2 to activate NF-κB P65 by facilitating its nuclear translocation and P65-dependent VEGFR3 transcription. Moreover, increased VEGFR3 in lymphatic EC preferentially activates ERK1/2 signaling, which is critical for lymphatic EC proliferation. Importantly, inhibition of VEGFR3 or ERK1/2 rescued the lymphatic defects in structure and function. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that CCM3 deletion augments the VEGFR3-ERK1/2 signaling in lymphatic EC that drives lymphatic hyperplasia and malformation and warrant further investigation on the potential clinical relevance of lymphatic dysfunction in patients with CCM.


Author(s):  
Daniel Alexis Tovar-Montalvo ◽  
Monserrat Medina-Acevedo ◽  
Miguel Angel García-Bielma ◽  
Jesús Jaime Guerra-Santos

Resumen: Antecedentes y Objetivos: La avena de mar, Uniola paniculata, se distribuye en el Caribe, los Estados Unidos de América y México. El objetivo de este trabajo es reportar su presencia y registro en el estado de Campeche, México. Métodos: Se colectaron ejemplares de la familia Poaceae creciendo en una duna frontal al suroeste del estado de Campeche, específicamente en la Isla del Carmen. Las colectas fueron procesadas y herborizadas, para su conservación e identificación.Resultado clave: Con la identificación de ejemplares, y después de hacer una revisión de su distribución, se registra por primera vez la presencia de Uniola paniculata (Poaceae) en la Península de Yucatán, representando una contribución al conocimiento florístico de la región y a la flora de México.Conclusiones: Esta especie solo había sido reportada para la costa del Golfo de México, en los estados de Tamaulipas, Veracruz y Tabasco. Este registro adquiere relevancia por el papel ecológico de este pasto en las dunas costeras.Palabras clave: avena de mar, conocimiento florístico, dunas costeras, flora de Campeche.Abstract: Background and Aims: The oat sea grass, Uniola paniculata, is distributed in the Caribbean, the United States of America and Mexico. The aim of this work is to report its occurrence and record in the state of Campeche, Mexico.Methods: Individuals of the family Poaceae were collected growing in a coastal dune in the southwest of the state of Campeche, particularly on the Isla del Carmen. The collections were processed and herborized for their conservation and classification.Key results: With the individuals’ identification and after reviewing its distribution, this is the first report of the presence of Uniola paniculata (Poaceae) on the Yucatan Peninsula, representing a contribution to the floristic knowledge of the region and the flora of Mexico.Conclusions: This species had only been reported from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Tabasco. This record is relevant because of the ecological role of this oat sea grass in the coastal dunes.Key words: Campeche flora, coast dunes, floristic knowledge, sea oat.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroko Sugawara ◽  
Junpei Takamatsu ◽  
Mamoru Hashimoto ◽  
Manabu Ikeda

Abstract Background: Catatonia is a psychomotor syndrome that presents various symptoms ranging from stupor to agitation, with prominent disturbances of volition. Its pathogenesis is poorly understood. Benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are safe and effective standard treatments for catatonia; however, alternative treatment strategies have not been established in cases where these treatments are either ineffective or unavailable. Here, we report a case of catatonia associated with late paraphrenia classified as very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis, which was successfully treated with lithium. Case presentation: A 66-year-old single man with hearing impairment developed hallucination and delusions and presented with catatonic stupor after a fall. He initially responded to benzodiazepine therapy; however, his psychotic symptoms became clinically evident and benzodiazepine provided limited efficacy. Blonanserin was ineffective, and ECT was unavailable. His catatonic and psychotic symptoms were finally relieved by lithium monotherapy.Conclusions: Catatonic symptoms are common in patients with mood disorders, suggesting that lithium may be effective in these cases. Moreover, lithium may be effective for both catatonic and psychotic symptoms, as it normalizes imbalances of excitatory and inhibitory systems in the brain, which underlies major psychosis. Cumulative evidence from further cases is needed to validate our findings.


2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Phillips ◽  
S. Brungardt ◽  
S. E. Lesko ◽  
N. Kittle ◽  
J. E. Marker ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Anne Weigle ◽  
Laura McAndrews

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate Generation Z's physical expectations of being pregnant and their outlook for maternity wear shopping.Design/methodology/approachFemales in this cohort (n = 207) participated in an online survey that included questions about perceptions of pregnancy, physical self-concept and forecasted shopping behaviors.FindingsResults indicated that this group is concerned with physical changes of pregnancy and expect to treat each area of the body in a different way. Women's expected physical concerns of pregnancy predict how much they anticipate accentuating their pregnant body. Gen Z anticipates wearing loose maternity garments and they envision a thoughtful, in-store shopping experience for styles that are equally fashionable and comfortable, such as dresses.Research limitations/implicationsThis study should be extended to future generational cohorts like Generation Alpha, along with Gen Z outside of the United States and women in the United States who are non-white. Further studies should take a longitudinal approach to gauge changes in this cohort's expectations as they progress through pregnancy.Practical implicationsThis paper provides maternity wear retail brands and designers a foundation for product development and marketing geared toward this large cohort.Originality/valueThe study is the first to inquire about Gen Z's outlook on pregnancy, specifically their envisioned changes to each body area and the role of maternity garments to fulfill needs and concerns.


Author(s):  
Jennifer B. Saunders

This chapter provides information about the significant contexts of the Hindu American community’s narrative performances. Reviewing reasons behind why people immigrate, it begins with general theories of immigration and then concentrates on the specific reasons why Indians left India during the period after 1947. The chapter then shifts its focus to the context in the United States as a receiving site for immigrants from India with particular attention to race and religion, two dominant themes in American immigration that have contributed to the Guptas’ experiences and the dynamics of their community-making activities. This leads to a discussion of the significance of religion for migrants in the United States before introducing the more specific religious context of the Guptas’ community. Finally, the chapter expands its lens to their transnational extended family with family trees, a description of their social community, and a specific history of key players in the family.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 107602961985942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Sarecka-Hujar ◽  
Izabela Szołtysek-Bołdys ◽  
Ilona Kopyta ◽  
Barbara Dolińska ◽  
Andrzej Sobczak

Epilepsy is a disease arising from morphological and metabolic changes in the brain. Approximately 60% of patients with seizures can be controlled with 1 antiepileptic drug (AED), while in others, polytherapy is required. The AED treatment affects a number of biochemical processes in the body, including increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). It is indicated that the duration of AED therapy with some AEDs significantly accelerates the process of atherosclerosis. Most of AEDs increase levels of homocysteine (HCys) as well as may affect concentrations of new, nonclassical risk factors for atherosclerosis, that is, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and homoarginine (hArg). Because of the role of these parameters in the pathogenesis of CVD, knowledge of HCys, ADMA, and hArg concentrations in patients with epilepsia treated with AED, both pediatric and adult, appears to be of significant importance.


2002 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. SELLWOOD ◽  
N. TARRIER ◽  
J. QUINN ◽  
C. BARROWCLOUGH

Background. A variety of factors are related to compliance with medication in schizophrenia, but little attention has been paid to the role of families. Carers' knowledge or expressed emotion (EE) may be related to compliance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relevance of these two factors, as well as their relationships with other variables for the prediction of compliance.Method. A sample of patient–carer pairs (N=79) involved in a family intervention for schizophrenia trial was recruited. Compliance, symptoms, social functioning and attitudes to their carers were assessed in patients. Carers' EE, knowledge and psychopathology were also evaluated.Results. A number of factors were related to compliance, including carers' EE and patients' psychotic symptoms, which contributed independently to not taking medication. Carers' knowledge about schizophrenia and other groups of symptoms was not related to compliance.Conclusions. EE may be an important factor to account for in the understanding of patients' compliance and the direction of the relationship between EE and compliance should be the subject of further study.


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