Dysfunctional personality beliefs and psychopathology in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess dysfunctional personality beliefs associated with specific personality disorders (PD), as well as psychopathological symptoms and psychological distress levels in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included acute and chronic CSC patients and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Dysfunctional personality beliefs and psychopathological symptoms assessed with Personality Belief Questionnaire-Short Form and Symptom Check List-90 Revised (SCL-90-R), respectively, were compared between CSC patients and healthy volunteers and between acute and chronic CSC patients. MAIN RESULTS: Of the 55 CSC patients included in the study analysis, 21 (38.2%) had acute and 34 (61.8%) chronic CSC. Avoidant PD (13.92±3.79 vs. 12.03±3.98, P=0.012) and obsessive-compulsive PD (13.94±3.95 vs. 12.27±3.75, P=0.025) scores on the PBQ-SF were significantly higher in CSC patients than in healthy volunteers. The PBQ-SF scores were similar between acute and chronic CSC patients. CSC patients scored significantly higher on the general severity index (GSI) and all symptom dimensions except phobic anxiety and psychoticism on the SCL-90-R. In addition, scores for obsessive-compulsive, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid ideation, and GSI were significantly higher in acute than in chronic CSC patients. CONCLUSIONS: This first study investigating the relationship between CSC and dysfunctional personality beliefs indicates that CSC patients have higher levels of dysfunctional beliefs related to avoidant and obsessive-compulsive PD than healthy volunteers. These findings present a new aspect of the personality profile of CSC patients and point to a target for intervention, i.e., dysfunctional beliefs, through a cognitive-psychiatric approach.

Epidemiological and Molecular Studies on Lumpy Skin Disease Outbreaks in Turkey during 2014-2015.

This study was carried out to explore epidemiological and molecular features of lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) in the Aegean, Central Anatolian and Mediterranean regions of Turkey, to evaluate the risk factors associated with LSDV infection and to investigate the financial impact of LSD and potential role of the Culicoides spp. in the transmission of LSDV. Samples were obtained from 611 cattle, each from different farms, and each clinically suspected to be infected with LSDV during the months of July 2014 and June 2015. Culicoides spp. were trapped from April to June 2015. Genetic characterization of the local LSDV field isolates was conducted by sequencing G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor gene segment. Real-time PCR high-resolution melting analysis was used for distinguishing each type of capripoxviruses. Viral DNA was detected in 448 of the 611 animals and Culicoides midges. Three hundred and ninety-three of the 448 affected farms were surveyed. The morbidity and mortality rates detected were 12.3% and 6.4%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the field isolates in this study were clustered together with other Africa and Middle East isolates. Genotyping of isolates from infected cattle has revealed the presence of LSDV. A generalized mixed linear model showed that there were positive associations between LSDV infection, European breeds, small-sized family-type farms and nearness of farm to a lake. The financial cost of disease presence in surveyed cattle farms was estimated to be 72.75 GBP per head. The sequence analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene showed that the species of Culicoides in LSDV-positive pools was Culicoides punctatus. Detection of LSDV in Culicoides punctatus suggests that it may have played a role in transmitting LSDV. Furthermore, movement of infected animals into disease-free areas increases the risk of the transmission of LSD. Control strategies for LSDV infection should include consideration of the risk factors identified in this study.

Viruses Infecting Cucurbits in Samsun, Turkey.

To detect cucurbit viruses and determine their incidence, surveys were conducted in 45 fields in 18 villages in Samsun province, Turkey from July to October in 1999 and 2000. Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were detected in cucurbits after analyzing 165 samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. WMV, ZYMV, and CMV were detected in 53.9, 38.8, and 20.6% of samples tested, respectively. ZYMV and WMV infections were detected in all cucurbit species, but CMV was not detected in any samples of watermelon and pumpkin.

In vitro microtubule-nucleating activity of spindle pole bodies in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: cell cycle-dependent activation in xenopus cell-free extracts.

The spindle pole body (SPB) is the equivalent of the centrosome in fission yeast. In vivo it nucleates microtubules (MTs) during mitosis, but, unlike animal centrosomes, does not act as a microtubule organizing center (MTOC) during interphase. We have studied the MT-nucleating activity of SPBs in vitro and have found that SPBs in permeabilized cells retain in vivo characteristics. SPBs in cells permeabilized during mitosis can nucleate MTs, and are recognized by two antibodies: anti-gamma-tubulin and MPM-2 which recognizes phosphoepitopes. SPBs in cells permeabilized during interphase cannot nucleate MTs and are only recognized by anti-gamma-tubulin. Interphase SPBs which cannot nucleate can be converted to a nucleation competent state by incubation in cytostatic factor (CSF)-arrested Xenopus egg extracts. After incubation, they are recognized by MPM-2, and can nucleate MTs. The conversion does not occur in Xenopus interphase extract, but occurs in Xenopus interphase extract driven into mitosis by preincubation with exogenous cyclin B. The conversion is ATP dependent and inhibited by protein kinase inhibitors and alkaline phosphatase. Purified, active, cdc2 kinase/cyclin B complex in itself is not effective for activation of MT nucleation, although some interphase SPBs are now stained with MPM-2. These results suggest that the ability of SPBs in vitro to nucleate MTs after exposure to CSF-arrested extracts is activated through a downstream pathway which is regulated by cdc2 kinase.