Several lines of evidence indicate that cytokine-mediated communication pathways between the immune system and the brain are involved in the pathophysiology of depression: (1) Depression is highly prevalent in various medical conditions, including infectious, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. This clinical association cannot be attributed solely to psychological distress, and it probably reflects direct activation of illness-induced physiological processes. (2) Experiments in humans and in animals demonstrate that exposure to cytokines induces depressive-like mood and behavioural alterations. (3) Cytokine immunotherapy in cancer and hepatitis patients elicits a major depressive episode in a large percentage of the patients. (4) Several types of depression that are not directly associated with a physical disease (e.g. major depression, melancholia, dysthymia) were also associated with cytokine hypersecretion. (5) Antidepressant drugs possess anti-inflammatory characteristics, which may partly account for their therapeutic effect. Congruently, antidepressants were found to reverse cytokine-induced major depression in humans and depressive-like behaviours in animals. (6) Cytokines affect brain systems that were implicated in the aetiology of depression, including the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis and monoaminergic systems. These conclusions strongly suggest that during medical conditions elevated levels of cytokines directly contribute to the induction of depression. Therefore, illness-associated depression should not be underestimated (in terms of prevalence and severity), and should be treated with antidepressant drugs, which may act on the specific physiological mechanisms of this disorder.

Cytokine-induced changes in mood and behaviour: implications for 'depression due to a general medical condition', immunotherapy and antidepressive treatment.

One embodiment of the present subject matter includes a battery mounted to a vehicle, with a charge state circuit located in the electric vehicle and coupled to the battery, the charge state circuit configured to provide a charge state signal indicative of the charge state of the battery. The embodiment includes a charging coupler port located proximate to a user accessible exterior of the electrical vehicle and coupled to the battery, the charging coupler port to conduct charging energy to the battery and to provide a charger connection signal indicative of a connection to an external power source. The embodiment also includes a lighting circuit coupled to the charging coupler port and the charge state circuit to control the brightness and color of an illuminated indicator responsive to the charge state signal and the charger connection signal.

Charge state indicator for an electric vehicle

Relationships between depression, alcohol and illicit drug use, adherence behaviors, and blood pressure (BP) were examined in 190 urban hypertensive Black men enrolled in an ongoing hypertension control clinical trial. More than one fourth (27.4%) of the sample scored greater than 16 on the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), indicating a high risk of clinical depression. Depression was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence (odds ratio = 5.2; 95% confidence interval = 1.897-14.214). The level of depression was significantly correlated with poor medication (r =.301) and poor dietary compliance (r =.164). Both alcohol intake and illicit drug use were significantly correlated with poor dietary compliance (r =.195 and.185, respectively) and smoking (r =.190 and.269, respectively). Although no direct relationship between depression and the level of BP was substantiated by multivariate analysis, findings of descriptive analyses revealed statistically significant associations among depression, substance use, poor adherence, and poor BP outcomes. Given the harsh environment in which a large number of young urban Black men live, the high prevalence of substance abuse might be an attempt to fight off depression. Further in-depth investigation is needed to identify the role of depression and BP control in urban young Blacks in order to construct effective interventions that address their unique needs.

Depression, substance use, adherence behaviors, and blood pressure in urban hypertensive black men

Background Although a diagnosis of cancer today may no longer be considered to be the equivalent of a death sentence, many previous studies in Western countries have revealed that such a diagnosis places many kinds of emotional burden on a patient. However, few studies have focused on the nature of psychiatric disorders in Japanese cancer patients. Methods We investigated the characteristics, reason for psychiatric consultation and psychiatric diagnosis of cancer patients by analyzing the database of patients referred to the Psychiatry Divisions at the National Cancer Center Hospital and the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan. Results Among a total of 1721 referrals, most of the cancer patients (78%) were inpatients. Patients with lung cancer (19%) were the most common, followed by patients with breast cancer (13%) and with head and neck cancer (10%). More than half of the patients had recurrent and/or metastatic cancer and 60% of the patients had pain. The most common reason for the consultation was psychiatric evaluation (35%), followed by sleep disorders (19%), anxiety or fear (18%) and depression (18%). Regarding the psychiatric diagnosis, adjustment disorders were the most common (34%), followed by delirium (17%) and major depression (14%). The diagnosis of cancer had been disclosed to more than 99% of the patients. Conclusion The common psychiatric disorders observed in Japanese cancer patients were similar to those in the Western countries provided the cancer diagnosis is disclosed.

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Psychiatric Disorders in Cancer Patients: Descriptive Analysis of 1721 Psychiatric Referrals at Two Japanese Cancer Center Hospitals

A method, computer-readable medium, system, and apparatus for improving energy transfer with a vehicle are disclosed.

Energy transfer with vehicles

An apparatus for displaying the charging of the battery of an electric vehicle has a charging connector mounted on an outer panel of a vehicle body of the electric vehicle, a lid openably mounted on the panel in covering relation to the charging connector and a cavity defined in the outer panel, and a display panel disposed in the cavity for displaying a period of time required until the battery is fully charged and/or a charged capacity of the battery. The driver of the electric vehicle can easily recognize the remaining time required until the battery is fully charged and a percentage of the fully charged capacity of the battery to which the battery is presently charged, from outside of the electric vehicle. The driver is not required to confirm the state of charge of the battery with an indicator on a battery charger or within the passenger's compartment of the electric vehicle, but can easily confirm the state of charge of the battery from outside of the electric vehicle.

Apparatus for displaying battery charging of electric vehicle

This study was carried out to demonstrate the prevalence of depression among physically ill patients and to investigate its effects on the length of hospital stay. Out of 65 inpatients (44 male, 21 female; 51 with benign and 14 with malignant diseases), 14 (21.5%) met the criteria for major depression in the DSM-IV. The average length of hospital stay was compared according to the comorbidity with major depression. Among the patients with benign diseases, those with major depression stayed longer (P<0.05) at the hospital than those without it (82.2 vs. 36.0 days). Likewise, among the cancer patients, those with major depression stayed longer than those without it (83.8 vs. 51.4 days), although this was not significantly different. The duration of hospitalization needs to be shortened because of the reduction in national medical costs, the economics of hospital administration and the quality of life of patients and their families. Further research is needed to demonstrate the role of consultation-liaison psychiatry in the shortening of hospitalization.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1440-1819.1999.00580.x

Comorbidity of depression among physically ill patients and its effect on the length of hospital stay.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging-state displaying device for electric vehicles whereby the charging state of a battery can be grasped in detail by an easy means from the outside of a vehicle. SOLUTION: A charging-state displaying device for electric vehicles comprises a battery charging connector 20 provided on the outer surface of the body of an electric car, a lid 22 provided openably in the position to cover the battery charging connector 20, and a display panel 24 provided in a chamber 18 covered with the lid 22 and for displaying the time required to charge fully the foregoing battery and/or its charged-off capacity. Also, in the displaying device, there is provided with a selecting means for selecting the displaying contents of the displaying panel 24 to display in the panel 24 according to the purpose either one of the time required to charge the battery or its capacity to be charged.

Charging display device for electric vehicle

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of consultation–liaison (C-L) psychiatry from the perspective of medical economics, by comparing a part-time and full-time psychiatric department. One full-time (5 days per week) psychiatrist began work at a general hospital (GH-A), and one part-time (once per week) psychiatrist had been working at another general hospital (GH-B). Both general hospitals are teaching hospitals of the same size. The number of patients and the medical reimbursements were investigated each month and compared. This study demonstrated that the establishment of C-L psychiatry was economically profitable in contrast with what was the common belief among general hospital administrators. Also, the differences in the total number of patients (GH-A : GH-B = 500 : 35–50 patients/month) and the total reimbursement (GH-A : GH-B = 3 million : 2–300 000 yen/month) was not explained by the number of working days (GH-A : GH-B = 5 : 1 day/week). The full-time model of C-L psychiatry has also indirect effects (i.e. educational and relieving effects) on the hospital staff. Promoting the establishment of C-L psychiatry requires many evidence-based studies that demonstrate the necessity for C-L psychiatry and can directly persuade hospital directors.

General hospital psychiatry from the perspective of medical economics.

To clarify changes in mental disorder distribution in suicide attempters, a comparison was made between the period when an economic recession started (1992, 1993) and the period when the recession became serious (2000). The subjects were 212 suicide attempters admitted to the Emergency Medical Center of Tokai University Hospital during a 2-year period between 1992 and 1993 (group A) and 255 suicide attempters admitted during a 1-year period between January and December 2000 (group B). Mental disorders were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (10th revision; ICD-10). Distribution was compared between groups A and B and significant differences were observed in mental disorder distribution (P < 0.001). The percentages of subjects with depression, those with neurotic disorders, and those with other disorders were higher in group B than in group A. Conversely, the percentage of subjects with schizophrenia was lower in group B than in group A. Mental disorder distribution in suicide attempters significantly changed. However, it was not certain that this change was related to the economic recession and increased unemployment in Japan.

Toshiyuki Watanabe

Papers

Apparatus for displaying battery charging of electric vehicle

Comorbidity of depression among physically ill patients and its effect on the length of hospital stay.

Charging display device for electric vehicle

General hospital psychiatry from the perspective of medical economics.

Changes in mental disorder distribution among suicide attempters in mid-west area of Kanagawa.