Affective Temperaments and Somatization Among Unipolar Depression Patients and Healthy Controls

Introduction Literature describes important comorbidity rates between somatization and mood disorders. Furthermore, there are data suggesting an association between affective temperament and somatization traits in healthy subjects. Objective In the present observational study, we investigated affective temperaments and somatization aspects in clinical and healthy samples. Aim The study focused on differences between unipolar depressive inpatients (DEP) and controls (C). Method We administered to 20 DEP and 20 C following questionnaires: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), 17-item Self Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Hypomania check list 32(HCL-32), Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), DCPR diagnostic criteria for psychosomatic research, Brief TEMPS-A, Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire (MSPQ), Somatosensory Amplification Scale-SSAS. DEP and C were matched for age, sex and marital status. Result About temperaments, ANOVA showed that DEP were more cyclothymic (p Conclusion Our data suggest that DEP present an important affective temperamental dysregulation. Relative to somatization aspects, DEP show a greater vulnerability than C

A multi-purpose control and power electronic architecture for active magnetic actuators

This paper shows the results related with the design and implementation of a multi-purpose electronic architecture used to drive magnetic actuators by means of a three-phase independent-legs module in place of the commonly used H-bridge modules. The typical application is the magnetic actuators drive used in active magnetic bearings. The architecture is composed of a control unit with a floating point Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a power board with six independent phase legs and a carrier board to interconnect them. When more than one module is required by the application, the communication between them is guaranteed by means of CAN bus interconnection. The proposed system allows to drive two pairs of opposite electromagnets, such as those typically used to control active magnetic bearings. The study is motivated by the opportunity of reducing the amount of power and control electronic components resulting in a more straightforward, efficient and cost reduction design

Long term evaluation of mental fatigue by Maastricht Questionnaire in patients with OSAS treated with CPAP

Background. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) suffer from disrupted sleep. Impaired nightly sleep leads to increase physical and mental fatigue. The effect of long term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on mental fatigue in OSAS patients, assessed by Maastricht Questionnaire (MQ), has not been investigated yet. Methods. In order to evaluate the role of CPAP in improving mental fatigue of patients with OSAS, we studied 35 patients (26 males, age <65 years at the time of the diagnosis) affected by OSAS, established by polysomnography (PSG). Patients were divided into two groups; 19 subjects (15 males), who refused CPAP therapy, and 16 patients (11 males) well matched for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), neck circumference, duration of follow up, and severity of disease, who had been treated with CPAP for at least two years. Results. All patients had severe OSAS with Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI), of 48±20.9 (range 22-90) and 61.48±18.6 (range 34-101) respectively, for group one (untreated patients) and group two (CPAP treatment). In addition, all patients had severe impairment of mental fatigue and of daytime sleepiness, demonstrated by high values of MQ score (32.17±15.33 and 37.36±12.4, respectively) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) (14.21±4.77 and 15.06±6.07 respectively). There was no statistical significant difference in the group one at baseline and after follow- up, in terms of BMI, MQ score, ESS, and RDI. In the CPAP group (group two), the patients reported a significant improvement of the quality of their mental health (MQ 37.36±12.4 vs. 16.41±9.02; p<0.0001) and sleepiness (ESS 15.06±6.07 vs. 4.13±3.93; p<0.0001) with a stable BMI. There was significant correlation between the severity of sleep apnoea, expressed as RDI, and MQ at admission compared to at the end of follow-up (r=0.4, p<0.05). Conclusions. This study demonstrates an evident deterioration of mental fatigue in patients with OSAS, directly correlated to the severity of nocturnal disorder breathing; however supports the hypothesis that long term CPAP therapy significantly improves sleepiness and mental fatigue

Serum thyroglobulin and 131I whole body scan after recombinant human TSH stimulation in the follow-up of low-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

OBJECTIVE: The 'standard' postoperative follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has been based upon serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement and (131)I whole body scan ((131)I-WBS) after thyroid hormone (T(4)) treatment withdrawal. However, (131)I-WBS sensitivity has been reported to be low. Thyroid hormone withdrawal, often associated with hypothyroidism-related side effects, may now be replaced by recombinant human thyroid stimulating hormone (rhTSH). The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of (131)I-WBS and serum Tg measurement obtained after rhTSH stimulation and of neck ultrasonography in the first follow-up of DTC patients. DESIGN: Ninety-nine consecutive patients previously treated with total thyroidectomy and (131)I ablation, with no uptake outside the thyroid bed on the post-ablative (131)I-WBS (low-risk patients) were enrolled. METHODS: Measurement of serum Tg and (131)I-WBS after rhTSH stimulation, and ultrasound examination (US) of the neck. RESULTS: rhTSH-stimulated Tg was 1 ng/ml (Tg+) in 21 patients, including 6 patients with Tg levels >5 ng/ml. (131)I-WBS was negative for persistent or recurrent disease in all patients (i.e. sensitivity = 0%). US identified lymph-node metastases (confirmed at surgery) in 4/6 (67%) patients with stimulated Tg levels >5 ng/ml, in 2/15 (13%) with Tg>1<5 ng/ml, and in 2/78 (3%) who were Tg-negative. CONCLUSIONS: (i) diagnostic (131)I-WBS performed after rhTSH stimulation is useless in the first follow-up of DTC patients; (ii) US may identify lymph node metastases even in patients with low or undetectable serum Tg levels

Cervical lymph node metastasis in high-grade transformation of head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma: a collective international review

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is among the most common malignant tumors of the salivary glands. It is characterized by a prolonged clinical course, with frequent local recurrences, late onset of metastases and fatal outcome. High-grade transformation (HGT) is an uncommon phenomenon among salivary carcinomas and is associated with increased tumor aggressiveness. In AdCC with high-grade transformation (AdCC-HGT), the clinical course deviates from the natural history of AdCC. It tends to be accelerated, with a high propensity for lymph node metastasis. In order to shed light on this rare event and, in particular, on treatment implications, we undertook this review: searching for all published cases of AdCC-HGT. We conclude that it is mandatory to perform elective neck dissection in patients with AdCC-HGT, due to the high risk of lymph node metastases associated with transformation

Notes on the fossil chitons. 3. A new species of Leptochiton (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from the Pleistocene of South Italy

Leptochiton serenae n.sp. is described from Early Pleistocene clayey deposits at Cutrufiano and Isola del Campo,near Lecce (Southern Italy). The new species has a distinctive sculpture on the tegmentum. It was compared with the five species of Leptochiton known from the Pleistocene of Southern Italy, and with two living North Atlantic species, Leptochiton asellus (Gmelin , 1791) and Leptochiton arcticus 8G.O.Sars, 1878), sharing some similarities with the new species

Intertidal chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from southern Madagascar

This paper focuses on five species of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) collected from Lavanono, southern Madagascar. Ischnochiton sirenkoi is described as a new species and is compared with the two Ischnochiton species known from Madagascar, I. yerburyi (E.A. Smith, 1891) and I. sansibarensis Thiele, 1909, and with all known Indian Ocean Ischnochiton species. Findings for the other species here discussed provide a significant extension of previously known geographical range. Chaetopleura chelazziana Ferreira, 1983 is reported for the first time in the chiton fauna of Madagascar. The taxonomic status of Callistochiton ashbyi (Barnard, 1963), previously considered a synonym of C. crosslandi Sykes, 1907, is discussed. This taxon, which was described from a unique intermediate valve from South Africa, is re-evaluated and recognized as a valid species, differing from C. crosslandi in several significant characters. We also present an unusual feature detected in almost all the specimens of Cryptoplax dupuisi Ashby, 1931, which are characterized by the absence of dorsal girdle spicules on the first four valves, a feature never reported in other chiton species. Type material of Callistochiton madagassicus Thiele, 1909, Chiton ashbyi (Barnard, 1963) is figured

A new species of Callochiton (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from southern Madagascar.

Callochiton cupreus n. sp. is described from Lavanono, southern Madagascar. The new species is compared with the three Callochiton species known from Madagascar, C. vanninii Ferreira, 1983, C. clausadeae Kaas & Van Belle, 1985, and C. levatus Kaas & Van Belle, 1998, and all others known from the Indian Ocean