Increasing person-centeredness in psychosis inpatient care: staff experiences from the Person-Centered Psychosis Care (PCPC) project.

BACKGROUND: Interventions to increase person-centeredness in hospital care for persons with psychotic illness are needed. Changing care delivery is however a complex venture, requiring staff to reconsider their mindsets and ways of working. A multidisciplinary educational intervention for hospital staff at four wards was launched to increase person-centeredness in the care of patients with schizophrenia and similar psychoses. This study aims to explore staff experiences of working to increase person-centeredness. METHODS: A heterogenic sample of staff (n = 23) from all participating wards were recruited for six focus group interviews. Semi-structured questions covered staff perceptions of person-centered care and the process of increasing person-centeredness. Transcribed data was analyzed using thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke. RESULTS: Staff viewed person-centered care as an approach rather than a method. They described central aspects of person-centered care, such as recognizing the patient as a capable person who can participate in her/his care. Statements further showed how these core features were put into practice. Changes related to the intervention were presented in terms of evolving patient and staff roles, improved contact with patients, more flexible care routines, and a more positive ward climate. Neither psychotic symptoms nor involuntary status were considered barriers for person-centered care, but organizational factors beyond staff control seemed to impact on implementation. CONCLUSIONS: After implementation, participants displayed good understanding of the core concepts of person-centered care in both thinking and action. They attributed several improvements in the care milieu to an increased level of person-centeredness. Psychotic behavior and involuntary treatment did not present major barriers to person-centered care. Findings suggest person-centered care is feasible in the psychosis inpatient setting and could improve quality of care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is part of a larger study evaluating the intervention Person-Centered Psychosis Care (PCPC). It was registered retrospectively at clinicaltrials.gov , identifier NCT03182283 .

Towards ICD-11 for alcohol dependence: Diagnostic agreement with ICD-10, DSM-5, DSM-IV, DSM-III-R and DSM-III diagnoses in a Swedish general population of women.

BACKGROUND: The proposed ICD-11 classification includes major revisions of alcohol dependence. We aimed to evaluate the presence of, and concordance between the proposed ICD-11 dependence and ICD-10, DSM-5, DSM-IV, DSM-III-R and DSM-III in a general population. We also examine as aspects of validity, including longitudinal stability and how meaningful clinical correlates associated across the systems. METHODS: Longitudinal population-based study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden. Participants (n = 1,614) were sampled during 1989-2015 through double-phase stratified random sampling. Alcohol use disorders were assessed through structured diagnostic interviews (CIDI-SAM), at baseline and follow-up 5-10 years later (n = 930). Concordance was examined using contingency tables and Cohen's kappa coefficient. RESULTS: At baseline, the prevalence of lifetime alcohol dependence was 10.6 % according to ICD-11. Corresponding figures were ICD-10, 4.0 %; DSM-IV, 4.3 %; DSM-III-R, 7.5 %; and DSM-III, 12.3 %.DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder was 14.3 %. Concordance between ICD-11 and other diagnoses ranged from almost perfect agreement (with DSM-5 AUD) to substantial (with DSM-III and DSM-III-R) and moderate (with ICD-10 and DSM-IV). The broadening of the "persistent use despite problems" criteria in ICD-11 had little effect on the prevalence. ICD-11 captured a lower proportion of family history of alcohol problems and treatment-seeking compared to ICD-10 and DSM-IV and showed lower stability. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed ICD-11 algorithm yields a higher prevalence than either ICD-10 or DSM-III-R /-IV dependence, as well as lower agreement with previous diagnostic systems, lower longitudinal stability and weaker associations with clinical correlates. This is important for knowing how changes in diagnostic criteria impact prevalence estimates and related research.

Comparative analysis of swine leukocyte antigen gene diversity in European farmed pigs.

In Europe, swine represent economically important farm animals and furthermore have become a preferred preclinical large animal model for biomedical studies, transplantation and regenerative medicine research. The need for typing of the swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) is increasing with the expanded use of pigs as models for human diseases and organ-transplantation experiments and their use in infection studies and for design of veterinary vaccines. In this study, we characterised the SLA class I (SLA-1, SLA-2, SLA-3) and class II (DRB1, DQB1, DQA) genes of 549 farmed pigs representing nine commercial pig lines by low-resolution (Lr) SLA haplotyping. In total, 50 class I and 37 class II haplotypes were identified in the studied cohort. The most common SLA class I haplotypes Lr-04.0 (SLA-1*04XX-SLA-3*04XX(04:04)-SLA-2*04XX) and Lr-32.0 (SLA-1*07XX-SLA-3*04XX(04:04)-SLA-2*02XX) occurred at frequencies of 11.02 and 8.20% respectively. For SLA class II, the most prevalent haplotypes Lr-0.15b (DRB1*04XX(04:05/04:06)-DQB1*02XX(02:02)-DQA*02XX) and Lr-0.12 (DRB1*06XX-DQB1*07XX-DQA*01XX) occurred at frequencies of 14.37 and 12.46% respectively. Meanwhile, our laboratory has contributed to several vaccine correlation studies (e.g. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus, Classical Swine Fever Virus, Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus and Swine Influenza A Virus) elucidating the immunodominance in the T-cell response with antigen specificity dependent on certain SLA-I and SLA-II haplotypes. Moreover, these SLA-immune response correlations could facilitate tailored vaccine development, as SLA-I Lr-04.0 and Lr-32.0 as well as SLA-II Lr-0.15b and Lr-0.12 are highly abundant haplotypes in European farmed pigs.

Epidemiology of suicidal feelings in an ageing Swedish population: from old to very old age in the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies.

AIMS: The first aim of this study was to provide prevalence suicidal feelings over time (past week, past month, past year and lifetime) in a population-based sample of old to very old adults without dementia. Does prevalence change with rising age? The second aim was to examine the fluctuation of suicidal feelings over time. How does this coincide with depression status? METHODS: Data were derived from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies (the H70 studies) which are multidisciplinary longitudinal studies on ageing. A representative sample of adults in Gothenburg, Sweden with birth years 1901-1944 were invited to take part in a longitudinal health study on ageing and participated at one or more occasions during 1986-2014. The sample consisted of 6668 observations originating from 3972 participants without dementia between the ages of 70 and 108, including 1604 participants with multiple examination times. Suicidal feelings were examined during a psychiatric interview using the Paykel questions (life not worth living, death wishes, thoughts of taking own life, seriously considered taking life, attempted suicide). RESULTS: Prevalence figures for suicidal feelings of any severity were as follows: past week 4.8%, past month 6.7%, past year 11.2% and lifetime 25.2%. Prevalence rates increased with age in the total group and in women but not in men. Suicidal feelings were common in participants with concurrent major or minor depression, but over a third of the participants who reported suicidal feelings did not fulfil criteria for these diagnoses nor did they present elevated mean depressive symptom scores. The majority of participants consistently reported no experience of suicidal feelings over multiple examination times, but fluctuation was more common in women compared with men. CONCLUSION: Suicidal feelings in late-life are uncommon in individuals without depression indicating that such behaviour is not a widespread, normative phenomenon. However, such feelings may occur outside the context of depression.

Depression and neuroticism decrease among women but not among men between 1976 and 2016 in Swedish septuagenarians.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated birth-cohort differences in depressive symptom burden, prevalence of depression diagnoses, and neuroticism, among Swedish 70-year-olds examined between 1976 and 2016. METHODS: We used a repeated cross-sectional design examining four representative population samples of Swedish 70-year-olds (total n = 2279) with identical methods in 1976-77 (n = 392), 1992-93 (n = 226), 2000-02 (n = 487), and 2014-16 (n = 1166). Depressive symptom burden was rated with the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Major depression was diagnosed according to DSM-5, and minor depression according to DSM-IV-TR research criteria. Neuroticism was rated with the Eysenck Personality Inventory. RESULTS: For women in 2014-16, MADRS score (4.4 vs. 6.1 vs. 5.8; P < 0.05) and neuroticism (6.6 vs. 7.7 vs. 9.2; P < 0.05) were lower compared with 1992-93 and 1976-77, and the prevalence of any depression was lower compared with 2000-02 and 1992-93 (10.9% vs. 16.9% vs. 18.1%; P < 0.05). For men, we observed no birth-cohort differences in depression, while neuroticism was found to be lower in 2014-16 compared with 1976-77 among men without depression (5.1 vs. 5.9; P < 0.01). The sex difference for MADRS and neuroticism declined between 1976-77 and 2014-16 (cohort*sex P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Depressive burden and neuroticism decreased in 70-year-old women between 1976 and 2016.

Impulsive suicide attempts among young people-A prospective multicentre cohort study in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the prevalence of impulsive suicide attempts (ISA) among young adults and those over 25 who present at hospital in connection with attempted suicide. We also aimed to identify factors associated with ISA in young adults and to assess medical severity as well as the probability of repeated suicide attempts in this age group. METHOD: A prospective multicentre cohort study included hospital known cases of suicide attempt (N = 666). The prevalence of ISA was compared between young adults (18-25) and adults aged > 26. We used logistic regression models to identify factors associated with ISA, associations of ISA with high medical severity and prediction of new fatal or non-fatal suicide attempts within 6 months. RESULTS: 43.7% of the young patients had made an ISA, and 30.2% among those aged > 26 (p = 0.001). Among the young, substance use disorder was associated with ISA; crude odds ratio (OR) 2.0 (1.0-4.2), and adjusted OR 2.1 (0.99-4.4). Affective disorder and unemployment/ sickness absence implied lower odds of ISA. ISA resulted in injuries of high medical severity as often as more planned attempts and non-fatal or fatal repetition within 6 months was equally common (30%) in both groups. LIMITATIONS: The study was set in psychiatric emergency services, which limits the generalizability. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should acknowledge that suicide attempts among youth often occur without previous planning and may result in medically severe injuries. The probability of new fatal or non-fatal suicide attempts should be kept in mind also after an impulsive suicide attempt.

Cardiovascular fitness in late adolescent males and later risk of serious non-affective mental disorders: a prospective, population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular fitness in late adolescence is associated with future risk of depression. Relationships with other mental disorders need elucidation. This study investigated whether fitness in late adolescence is associated with future risk of serious non-affective mental disorders. Further, we examined how having an affected brother might impact the relationship. METHOD: Prospective, population-based cohort study of 1 109 786 Swedish male conscripts with no history of mental illness, who underwent conscription examinations at age 18 between 1968 and 2005. Cardiovascular fitness was objectively measured at conscription using a bicycle ergometer test. During the follow-up (3-42 years), incident cases of serious non-affective mental disorders (schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like disorders, other psychotic disorders and neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders) were identified through the Swedish National Hospital Discharge Register. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the influence of cardiovascular fitness at conscription and risk of serious non-affective mental disorders later in life. RESULTS: Low fitness was associated with increased risk for schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like disorders [hazard ratio (HR) 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-1.61], other psychotic disorders (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.27-1.56), and neurotic or stress-related and somatoform disorders (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.37-1.54). Relationships persisted in models that included illness in brothers. CONCLUSIONS: Lower fitness in late adolescent males is associated with increased risk of serious non-affective mental disorders in adulthood.

CSF YKL-40 and GAP-43 are related to suicidal ideation in older women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate possible relationships between suicidal ideation and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of glial markers YKL-40 (also known as chitinase-3-like protein 1), growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and myelin basic protein (MBP). METHOD: The sample was obtained from the Prospective Population Study of Women and included 86 women without dementia who underwent both psychiatric examinations and lumbar puncture (LP). Eight of these women reported past-month suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Significantly, higher CSF levels of both YKL-40 and GAP-43 were detected in women with past-month suicidal ideation. Associations with suicidal ideation remained for both YKL-40 and GAP-43 in regression models adjusted for smoking status, BMI and age. CSF levels of YKL-40, GAP-43 and MBP did not differ by depression status. Higher levels of CSF GAP-43 were associated with feelings of worthlessness; a strong relationship was demonstrated in the fully adjusted model (OR 5.95 CI [1.52-23.20], P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings of elevated CSF concentrations of both YKL-40 and GAP-43 in women with suicidal ideation, compared to those without, suggest that a disrupted synaptic glial functioning and inflammation may be related to the aetiology of suicidal ideation in older adults.

Future marginalisation and mortality in young Swedish men with non-psychotic psychiatric disorders and the resilience effect of cognitive ability: a prospective, population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: Large-scale studies examining future trajectories of marginalisation and health in adolescents with mental illness are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine if non-psychotic psychiatric disorders (NPDs) were associated with future indicators of marginalisation and mortality. We also aimed to determine whether these associations might be mediated by education level and attenuated by high cognitive ability. DESIGN: This is a prospective cohort study with baseline data from the Swedish Conscription register. SETTING: The study was carried out in Sweden from 1969 to 2005. PARTICIPANTS: All of the participants were 18-year-old men at mandatory conscription in Sweden between 1969 and 2005 (n=1 609 690). MEASURES: NPDs were clinically diagnosed at conscription. Cognitive ability was measured by a standardised IQ test at conscription. National register data covered information on welfare support, long-term unemployment, disability pension (DP) and mortality over a period of 1-36 years. RESULTS: NPD at the age of 18 years was a predictor of future welfare support, OR 3.73 (95% CI 3.65 to 3.80); long-term unemployment, OR 1.97 (95% CI 1.94 to 2.01); DP, HR 2.95 (95% CI 2.89 to 3.02); and mortality, HR 2.45 (2.33-2.52). The adjusted models suggested that these associations were not confounded by fathers' educational level, cognitive ability had only a minor attenuating effect on most associations and the mediating effect of own educational level was small. CONCLUSIONS: The present study underlines a higher prevalence of future adversities in young men experiencing NPDs at the age of 18 years. It also indicates that higher cognitive ability may work as a potential resilience factor against future marginalisation and mortality.

Longitudinal associations between physical activity and depression scores in Swedish women followed 32 years.

OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is negatively associated with depressive symptoms. However, few studies consider dynamic associations of changes in physical activity and reciprocal relationships. This study aimed to perform comprehensive evaluations of relationships between physical activity and depression scores in women followed from mid- to late life. METHOD: The Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg, Sweden, provided repeated measures of self-reported physical activity and depressive symptoms between 1974 and 2005 (baseline N = 676, 84.5% response rate). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and physical activity was evaluated by the Saltin-Grimby Physical Activity Level Scale. Latent growth curve analyses were used to evaluate associations of change, and cross-lagged models were used to study the reciprocal relationship between physical activity and depression scores. RESULTS: At baseline, lower levels of physical activity were related to higher depression scores. Individuals with decreasing physical activity over time evidenced higher depression scores at 32-year follow-up. Higher average baseline depression score was related to declining levels of physical activity at subsequent examinations. CONCLUSION: Reduced physical activity may be a long-term consequence of depression. It is important to address individual changes in physical activity and not merely absolute levels of physical activity in relationship to depression.

Percutaneously inserted long-term central venous catheters in pigs of different sizes.

Pigs are used for long-term biomedical experiments requiring repeated injections, infusions and collections of blood samples. Thus, it is necessary for vascular catheters to be indwelling to avoid undue stress to the animals and the use of restraints. We propose a refined model of percutaneous insertion of long-term central venous catheters to minimize the surgical trauma and postoperative complications associated with catheter insertion. Different sizes of needles (18 Ga versus 21 Ga) for initial puncture of the veins were compared. In conventional pigs weighing less than 30 kg, catheter insertion may be facilitated by using a microintroducer set with a 21 Ga needle. In pigs weighing 50 kg, a standard 18 Ga needle may be preferable.

A prospective study on self-assessed mental well-being and work capacity as determinants of all-cause sickness absence.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to estimate whether self-assessed mental well-being and work capacity determines future sickness absence (SA). METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to employed individuals (n = 6,140), aged 19-64 years, who were registered as sick-listed with a new sick-leave spell in 2008. The response rate was 54 %. In this study we included individuals with a single sick-leave spell in 2008 (n = 2,502). The WHO (Ten) Well-Being Index and four dimensions of self-assessed work capacity (knowledge, mental, collaborative, physical) were used as determinants. Future sickness absence was identified through national register in 2009. Outcome was defined as no sickness benefit compensated days (no SBCD) and at least one sickness benefit compensated day (SBCD). Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the likelihood of SBCD. RESULTS: In 2009, 28 % of the women and 22 % of the men had SBCD; the median was 59 and 66 benefit days, respectively. Individuals with low mental well-being had higher odds for SBCD with OR 1.29 (95 % CI 1.01-1.65) in the fully adjusted model. Participants reporting low work capacity in relation to knowledge (OR 1.55, 95 % CI 1.13-2.13), collaborative (OR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.03-1.79) and physical (OR 1.50, 95 % CI 1.22-1.86) demands at work had higher odds for SBCD after adjustments for all covariates; no relation was demonstrated with mental work capacity (OR 0.99, 95 % CI 0.76-1.27). CONCLUSION: Mental well-being and work capacity emerged as determinants of future SA. Screening in health care could facilitate early identification of persons in need of interventions to prevent future SA.

Insulin treatment of streptozotocin-induced diabetes re-establishes the patterns in carbohydrate, fat and amino acid metabolisms in growing pigs.

The effects of streptozotocin (STZ) were studied in eight high-health herd-certified Yorkshire × Swedish Landrace pigs (32.5 ± 2.6 kg initial body weight [BW]), and an insulin treatment protocol was developed to re-establish their metabolisms. A single intravenous dose of 150 mg STZ/kg BW successfully induced hyperglycaemia and alterations in their fat and protein metabolisms. Within 13 h post-STZ treatment blood glucose concentration had fallen to a range of 1.3 to 4.7 mmol/L. Hypoglycaemia was promptly treated with 0.5 g glucose/kg BW intravenously. All the pigs became hyperglycaemic with blood glucose concentrations >23 mmol/L within 48 h post-STZ. Two days post-STZ serum C-peptide concentrations fell below 60 ρmol/L in all the pigs and remained below 96 ρmol/L for five weeks until the end of the study. The pigs were left untreated for one week after STZ injection. At the end of this week 13-fold and nine-fold increases in serum concentrations of triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids, respectively, were observed. Also, at this time-point a three-fold increase in the concentration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) was observed, and alanine and taurine were decreased by approximately 70% and 40%, respectively. During the week when the pigs were untreated, a reduced weight gain was observed, but after the onset of insulin treatment the daily weight gain was at least as good as that of conventional high-health pigs. Then a subcutaneous treatment with short-acting insulin was initiated. The initial dose of 2/3 IU/kg BW daily, divided between two doses, was gradually increased to 1 IU/kg BW. Within three weeks, the insulin treatment restored the metabolic changes in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolisms produced by the STZ. In conclusion, the results underscore the usefulness of this animal model in translational research as insulin treatment re-establishes the changes in carbohydrate, fat and amino acid metabolisms observed in STZ-diabetic pigs and resolves clinical signs of disease similar to those in humans.

Cardiovascular fitness in early adulthood and future suicidal behaviour in men followed for up to 42 years.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular fitness influences many aspects of brain function. However, the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and suicidal behaviour is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether cardiovascular fitness at age 18 years is associated with future risk of suicide attempt/death. METHOD: We performed a population-based Swedish longitudinal cohort study of male conscripts with no previous or ongoing mental illness (n = 1,136,527). The conscription examination, which took place during 1968-2005, included the cycle ergonometric test and tests of cognitive performance. Future risk of suicide attempt/death over a 5- to 42-year follow-up period was calculated with Cox proportional hazards models controlling for several confounders including familial factors. RESULTS: At least one suicide attempt was recorded for 12,563 men. Death by suicide without a prior attempt was recorded in 4814 additional individuals. In fully adjusted models low cardiovascular fitness was associated with increased risk for future attempt/death by suicide [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64-1.94]. The HR changed only marginally after exclusion of persons who received in-patient care for depression (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.61-1.94). Poor performance on both the cardiovascular fitness and cognitive tests was associated with a fivefold increased risk of suicide attempt or suicide death (HR 5.46, 95% CI 4.78-6.24). CONCLUSIONS: Lower cardiovascular fitness at age 18 years was, after adjustment for a number of potential confounders, associated with an increased risk of attempt/death by suicide in adulthood. It remains to be clarified whether interventions designed to improve fitness in teens can influence the risk of suicidal behaviour later in life.

A 37-year prospective study of neuroticism and extraversion in women followed from mid-life to late life.

OBJECTIVE: Personality traits are presumed to endure over time, but the literature regarding older age is sparse. Furthermore, interpretation may be hampered by the presence of dementia-related personality changes. The aim was to study stability in neuroticism and extraversion in a population sample of women who were followed from mid-life to late life. METHOD: A population-based sample of women born in 1918, 1922 or 1930 was examined with the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) in 1968-1969. EPI was assessed after 37 years in 2005-2006 (n = 153). Data from an interim examination after 24 years were analysed for the subsample born in 1918 and 1922 (n = 75). Women who developed dementia at follow-up examinations were excluded from the analyses. RESULTS: Mean levels of neuroticism and extraversion were stable at both follow-ups. Rank-order and linear correlations between baseline and 37-year follow-up were moderate ranging between 0.49 and 0.69. Individual changes were observed, and only 25% of the variance in personality traits in 2005-2006 could be explained by traits in 1968-1969. CONCLUSION: Personality is stable at the population level, but there is significant individual variability. These changes could not be attributed to dementia. Research is needed to examine determinants of these changes, as well as their clinical implications.

Cartilage repair of experimentally 11 induced osteochondral defects in New Zealand White rabbits.

Articular cartilage has a limited capacity for self-repair in adult humans, and methods used to stimulate regeneration often result in re-growth of fibrous cartilage, which has lower durability. No current treatment option can provide complete repair. The possibility of growth factor delivery into the joint for cartilage regeneration after injury would be an attractive treatment option. A full thickness osteochondral defect of 4 mm in diameter and 2 mm deep was created by mechanical drilling in the medial femoral condyle in 20 female adult New Zealand White rabbits. In an attempt to improve regeneration a hyaluronic hydrogel system, with or without bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) was delivered intraarticularly. The contralateral joint defect was treated with saline as control. Throughout the study, rabbits were clinically examined and after 12 (n = 6) or 24 (n = 9) weeks, the rabbits were euthanized and the joints evaluated by histology. The defects healed with fibrocartilage like tissue, and the filling of the defects ranged from less than 25% to complete. The healing of the defects varied both inter- and intra-group wise. Treatment with hyaluronan gel with or without BMP-2 had no effect on cartilage regeneration compared with controls. Instead, severe ectopic bone formation was found in seven joints treated with BMP-2. In conclusion, the present study shows that neither treatment with hyaluronic gel alone, nor in combination with BMP-2, improves the healing of an induced cartilage defect in rabbits. It further shows that BMP-2 can induce ectopic bone formation, which severely affects the functionality of the joint.

Secular trends in the prevalence of dementia and depression in Swedish septuagenarians 1976-2006.

BACKGROUND: It is not clear whether the prevalence of dementia and depression among the elderly has changed during the past 30 years. METHOD: Population-based samples from Gothenburg, Sweden were examined with identical psychiatric and neuropsychiatric examinations at age 70 years in 1976-1977 (n = 404, response rate 78.8%) and 2000-2001 (n = 579, response rate 66.4%), and at age 75 in 1976-1977 (n = 303, response rate 78%) and 2005-2006 (n = 753, response rate 63.4%). Depression was diagnosed according to DSM-IV and dementia according to Kay's criteria. General linear models (GLMs) were used to test for differences between groups. RESULTS: Dementia was related to age but not to birth cohort or sex. Major depression was related to sex (higher in women) but not to birth cohort or age. Minor depression was related to birth cohort, sex (higher in women), age (higher at age 75) and the interaction effect of birth cohort × age; that is, the prevalence of minor depression increased with age in the 2000s but not in the 1970s. Thus, the prevalence of minor depression was higher in 2005-2006 than in 1976-1977 among 75-year-olds for both men (12.4% v. 3.7%) and women (19.1% v. 5.6%) whereas there were no birth cohort differences at age 70. CONCLUSIONS: Secular changes were observed only for minor depression, which is considered to be related more to psychosocial factors than major depression. The high prevalence of minor depression in later-born birth cohorts emphasizes the importance of detecting minor depression in the elderly.

Secular changes in personality: study on 75-year-olds examined in 1976-1977 and 2005-2006.

OBJECTIVE: In order to study secular changes in personality factors neuroticism and extroversion, representative population samples of non-demented 75-year-olds underwent psychiatric examinations in 1976-1977 (total n = 223, 138 women, 85 men) and 2005-2006 (total n = 556, 322 women and 234 men). METHODS: Eysenck Personality Inventory was used at both occasions. Demographic factors (educational level, marital status, having children) were registered. RESULTS: Seventy-five-year-olds examined in 2005-2006 had higher values on extroversion and lower values on the Lie scale compared with those examined in 1976-1977. Neuroticism did not differ between the two birth cohorts. Neuroticism scores were higher in women than in men both in 1976-1977 and 2005-2006, and Lie score was higher in women than in men in 2005-2006. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that present cohorts of 75-year-olds are more extroverted and less prone to respond in a socially desirable manner than those born three decades earlier. Neuroticism levels remained unchanged, suggesting this trait may be less influenced by environmental factors than the other traits studied.

Oral immunosuppressive medication for growing pigs in transplantation studies.

Immunosuppressive (IS) medication is needed to avoid graft rejection in porcine transplantation models. An ideal IS therapy should have no side-effects, but increased susceptibility to infections, disturbed intestinal microflora and toxic effects on organs and tissues are commonly reported. The aim of the present study was to design an IS protocol with tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid to be used for maintenance therapy in the post-transplant period. An eligible whole blood trough value for tacrolimus was 5-15 µg/L. Conventional specific pathogen-free pigs were fitted with an indwelling catheter under general anaesthesia, and after the acclimatization period three groups were formed: group A (n= 4) received 0.15 mg/kg body weight (BW) twice daily tacrolimus and 500 mg twice daily mycophenolic acid; group B (n= 4) received 0.3 mg/kg BW twice daily tacrolimus and 500 mg twice daily mycophenolic acid; group C (n= 2) did not receive any medication. Daily clinical examinations and analyses of blood concentrations of tacrolimus and glucose were performed. Total and differential white blood cell counts, enzyme activities, bilirubin and electrolyte concentrations were measured every fourth day. At the end of the experiment, the pigs were killed with an overdose of pentobarbital intravenously and a necropsy was performed immediately. All animals seemed to tolerate the IS treatment well. No alterations in their clinical state of health were observed throughout the study and daily weight gain was similar for the three groups. The necropsy did not reveal any pathological findings related to medication. The study showed that 0.25 mg/kg BW twice daily tacrolimus and 500 mg twice daily mycophenolic acid would be an appropriate maintenance dosage for conventional pigs.

Sense of coherence and suicidality in suicide attempters: a prospective study.

The usefulness of the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale in the nursing setting is well-established, and an association between SOC and suicidality has been suggested. The aim was to test whether low SOC at index attempt is an independent predictor of suicidality at 2-month follow-up and of risk for repeat attempt. The study, which had a prospective cross-sectional design, included patients admitted to hospital after a suicide attempt. They were interviewed by means of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Participants (n=155) completed the SOC scale and the Comprehensive Psychopathological Self-rating Scale for Affective Syndromes. Suicidality was rated with the Suicide Assessment Scale. Instruments were employed again at follow-up. Non-fatal/fatal repetition within 3 years was determined by review of hospital records. Low SOC at baseline predicted high suicidality at follow-up. The association remained after adjustment for major depression and affective symptom burden. Repeat attempts were made by 54 persons. Low baseline SOC was associated with repeat attempt, but the association did not remain after adjustment for major depression and symptom burden. Low SOC ratings could be a marker of risk for high suicidality in the aftermath of a suicide attempt. The SOC scale could be incorporated in nursing assessments of suicide attempters.