New 2,4-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-selones and 3,3'-di(4H-1,2,4-triazolyl)diselenides. Synthesis, biological evaluation, and in silico studies as antibacterial and fungicidal agents.

The reaction of aromatic ring-substituted isoselenocyanates with 2-thiopheacetic and 4-pyridinecarboxylic acid hydrazides yielded selenosemicarbazides which were further converted into previously unknown 1,2,4-triazole-3-selones and 3,3'-di(4H-1, 2,4-triazolyl)diselenides. The structures of the obtained compounds were studied by NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HR-MS). The bactericidal and fungicidal activity of some obtained compounds was evaluated in molecular modeling studies such as docking and simulation studies. The compound 3ba was reported as the most promising compound to show robust binding energy with different antibacterial and antifungal compounds. The compounds were observed in strong hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions and remained in stable binding conformation with the receptor enzymes. Furthermore, the interatomic interaction energies were dominated by Van der Waals and electrostatic energies indicating the formation of stable complexes.

Perceptual defense mechanisms in Crohn's disease and panic disorder.

The defense organization of Crohn's disease and Panic Disorder was studied with a well-validated tachistoscopic paradigm, the Defense Mechanism Test. Three sex- and age-matched groups of 34 subjects (Crohn, Panic, and Nonclinical) were compared on the main codings of defense. Crohn patients were characterized by stereotypy and lack of recognition of the threat. The Panic group presented clearly higher frequencies of protocols with repression, isolation, and disappearance of the threat. Especially was the strongest variant of isolation, barrier-isolation, typical of the defensive substructure of panic patients.

Perceptual defenses and self-rated personality disorders: a multivariate analysis.

The relationships between defense mechanisms and personality disorders were explored by means of the Defense Mechanism Test and Millon's Inventory-II in a group of 100 psychiatric nonpsychotic outpatients. Only few significant positive nonparametric correlations were found, concerning barrier isolation, intro-aggression, and lateness of the threat. Also multiple regression analysis evidenced few significant results and mostly in the negative direction. The unpredicted findings may have been partly determined by a general elevation of personality scale scores (due to the emotional distress of psychiatric), leading to a loss of interindividual differences.

Percept-genesis of the mother-child separation theme among panic and asthma patients.

A stimulus portraying a mother figure who is leaving a baby alone on the floor (Separation Theme) was presented tachistoscopically at increasing exposure times, according to the method of the Defense Mechanism Test, to three sex-matched groups of 31 normal subjects, 31 patients with bronchial asthma, and 31 patients with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. The frequency of several codings was significantly higher in both clinical groups compared with normal controls. Asthma patients were characterized by reports of the child seen as a statue and of contact or fusion between mother and child. Agoraphobic patients employed different strategies, centered on the mother rather than on the child and mainly represented by the denial of mother's action, e.g., she is not leaving, she is entering. The findings support the hypothesis of a difference in defensive organization between neurotic and psychosomatic patients.

A multivariate study of the Serial Color-Word Test.

Patterns of adaptation to a conflict situation (the Stroop task) were assessed with the Serial Color-Word Test. A cluster analysis was performed on 859 protocols, adopting a six-cluster solution. A subsequent discriminant function analysis cross-validated the usefulness of the test's variables in predicting the cluster assignments. The distribution of 3 different diagnostic groups (psychotic, neurotic-psychosomatic, and general population) showed significant differences across the 6 clusters, thereby contributing to the external validation of the test. The 6 new complex patterns of adaptation described may now be employed in clinical research, alongside the traditional ones.

General cognitive abilities and patterns of adaptation: for Serial Color-Word Test norms based on reading times.

In a pool of 859 clinical and nonclinical Serial Color-Word Test protocols, significant positive correlations were observed between reading times on the Stroop task and measures of linear and nonlinear change. Especially nonlinear change, both within and between the five subtests, showed high correlations with reading times. To derive new time-related norms, the sample was divided into five time groups of the same size and stratified medians were calculated for each of the variables of the test. The new classification procedure should permit an assessment of patterns of adaptation less dependent on the general level of perceptual-cognitive functioning.

Foulds' hierarchy: validation of predictions in psychiatric and dermatological patients.

Foulds' inclusive non-reflexive law of symptom formation has been hitherto confirmed only on psychiatric or non-clinical persons. Given that respectively a yes-bias and a high frequency of non-classified patients may have inflated the rate of confirming protocols in these groups, a validation study was conducted with the Delusions-Symptoms-States Inventory (DSSI) on 188 psychiatric and 295 dermatological patients. Although non-classified patients were not included in the study (thus lowering the number of conforming patterns), both samples showed percentages of patterns conforming to Foulds' law which were above 85 per cent. No significant intergroup difference was found. The rate of conforming patterns in both groups was lower for members of the two psychotic classes (61-77 per cent). Foulds further hypothesized that the number of pathological sets within a given class grows if there is allocation into a superordinate class. This assumption was confirmed in both groups and for most of the inter-class comparisons. Suggestions were advanced to clarify the issue of the time span to be covered by Foulds' pyramid, to refine the instructions and the response format of the DSSI, and to include into the pyramid further relevant disturbances.

Further comments on psoriasis and personality disorders.

Fukunishi and Berger have recently criticized a paper on psoriasis by Rubino, Sonnino, Pezzarossa, Ciani, and Bassi. Their criticisms are analyzed and further data are presented, showing significantly higher frequencies of elevated scores on personality scales in patients with psoriasis, also when another dermatologic disfiguring condition (chronic urticaria) is taken as control.

Styles of regulation in the bipolar spectrum.

Styles of regulation were assessed with the Serial Color-Word Test in a group of 35 compensated DSM-III--R bipolar patients (Bipolar) and in 3 control groups: Major Depression (n = 35), Schizophrenia (n = 50), and self-rated Personality Disorder (n = 40). On several measures of nonlinear change (V), patients in the Bipolar group had mean scores between those of the Personality Disorder and the Schizophrenic groups, and overlapped with those of the Major Depression group. Patients in the Bipolar group with clearcut temperaments (hyperthymic or depressive) were significantly more dissociative and less stabilized than other patients in the same group. A further group of nonclinical subjects with hyperthymic temperament (n = 20) was significantly more dissociative than the Personality Disorder group.

Personality disorders and regulative styles of patients with temporo-mandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome.

A sample of 42 women patients with Temporo-mandibular Joint Pain Dysfunction Syndrome was given the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II and the Serial Color-Word Test. Compared with sex- and age-matched nonclinical controls, temporo-mandibular patients had significantly (1) higher scores on the Obsessive-Compulsive scale, (2) lower scores of ITa (a pattern concerned with initial times of response), and (3) higher scores of R (linear increase in reading times during the trials). The latter intergroup difference concerned mainly the first subtest, i.e., temporo-mandibular patients were characterized by higher scores of R from the very beginning of the process of adaptation.

Microgenetic styles in histrionic and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.

Microgenetic styles of regulation of subjects with (n = 46) and without (n = 44) psychometric evidence of personality disorders were assessed by means of the Serial Color-Word Test. The disordered group were characterized by the primary Dissociative pattern and by very low values of the initial strategy called ITa. Subjects with psychometric evidence of Histrionic (n = 21) and Obsessive-Compulsive (n = 21) Personality Disorders were then compared. Histrionic personality corresponded most often to a primary Stabilized style, with a progressive slight increase of dissociation over time (Cv type). The compulsive trait was instead associated with high primary cumulation (and moderately elevated dissociation), concomitantly with secondary dissociative patterns (CDr and Dv/CDv). These results seem to encourage further clinical research with the Serial Color-Word Test.