Highlights • Binocular rivalry rate is slow in patients with depression. • Rivalry rate during depressive episodes was slower than during remission. • No significant correlation between the changes of HAMD scores and the rivalry rates. ABSTRACT Binocular rivalry refers to a phenomenon in which, when different images are presented to each eye simultaneously, perception alternates spontaneously between monocular views rather than being a superposition of the two images. Recently, the involvement of serotonin systems has been reported to be related to the phenomenon. There is abundant evidence for abnormalities of the serotonin systems in depression and the antidepressants that enhance 5-HT transmission, which in turn improves mood and behavior. However, the available data with respect to rivalry rates in depression are less clear. Therefore, we aimed to explore whether perceptual rivalry was affected by a dysfunctional serotonin system in patients with depression and whether there was a rivalry rate difference between episode and remission states in depression patients. Twenty-eight patients with depression and 30 healthy controls were recruited in the study. We assessed the rivalry rate and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) in patients with depression during clinical episode and remission states. The results suggested that alternation rates for patients during episodes were significantly slower than during remission and than in healthy controls. Also, alternation rates for patients during remission were slower than in healthy controls. These results may provide further clues to serotonergic neural systems contributing to the dynamics of perception rivalry and may foster enlightenment regarding the field of binocular rivalry in psychiatric disorders other than bipolar disorder.

The multiferroics of collinear ↑↑↓↓ magnetism driven ferroelectricity is one type of the magnetically driven ferroelectrics, which attracts much attentions due to their strong magnetoelectric coupling. Here, we summarize the recent progress in this multiferroics with double-perovskite crystal structure, besides Y2CoMnO6, Lu2CoMnO6, Y2NiMnO6 and In2NiMnO6 etc.. It is revealed that there are also many uncertainties in present research, making this field fulling of challenges and opportunities.

Background/Aims: Treatment strategies for abnormal mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease are largely based on achieving target ranges of biomarkers that vary considerably over time, yet determinants of their variability are poorly defined. Methods: Observational study including 162 patients of three dialysis cohorts (peritoneal dialysis, n = 78; hemodialysis, n = 49; hemodiafiltration, n = 35). Clinical and biochemical determinants of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) variability were analyzed in the peritoneal dialysis cohort. All cohorts were used for comparison of PTH and FGF23 intra-subject variability (intra-class correlation), and their intra-subject variability in different modes of dialysis was explored. Results: High PTH variability was independently associated with lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and factors of lipid and glucose metabolism, whereas high FGF23 variability was mainly associated with lower baseline serum phosphorous. These results were consistent in multivariate and sensitivity analyses. The intra-subject variability of FGF23 was lower than for PTH irrespective of dialysis mode. Conclusions: Baseline vitamin D status and serum phosphorous are independent determinants of the longitudinal variation in PTH and FGF23, respectively. The clinical utility of FGF23 measurement remains unknown, yet it appears favorable based on its greater temporal stability than PTH in dialysis patients. Copyright (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel

\0