The Association Between Dyslipidemia and Lethality of Suicide Attempts: A Case-Control Study

Evidence supports the existence of an association between dyslipidemia, psychiatric disorders, and suicide risk due to the effects of altered lipid profiles on serotoninergic neuron membranes. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in c-reactive protein (CRP), thyroid functioning, total cholesterol, high lipoprotein density cholesterol (HDL-c), low-lipoprotein density cholesterol (LDL-c), and triglycerides (TG) serum levels in low lethality (LLSA) vs. high lethality suicide attempters (HLSA) within 24 h from the suicide attempt and inpatients who never attempted suicide (NAS). After attempting suicide, subjects were admitted to the emergency ward of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino and later to the section of Psychiatry from 1st August 2013 to 31st July 2018. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, serum lipids profile, CRP, and thyroid functioning were collected. The sample consisted of 133 individuals with a HLSA, 299 subjects with LLSA, and 200 patients NAS. HLSA subjects were more likely to be males and diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder. Furthermore, HLSA subgroup showed significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL-c levels and higher CRP serum levels compared to LLSA and control group, respectively. LLSA subgroup showed higher HDL-c levels compared to HLSA subgroup (no differences between HLSA and control group were observed). Additionally, the control group reported higher triglycerides levels compared to patients admitted to psychiatric ward for a suicide attempt. Only male gender, having a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, lower total cholesterol, and higher CRP serum levels predicted HLSA. Investigating the relation between dyslipidemia and the severity of suicide attempts may contribute to reveal the complex determinants underlying at-risk behaviors such as suicide, thus playing a relevant role in the possible prevention of this disabling phenomenon

The importance of a taste. A comparative study on wild food plant consumption in twenty-one local communities in Italy

A comparative food ethnobotanical study was carried out in twenty-one local communities in Italy, fourteen of which were located in Northern Italy, one in Central Italy, one in Sardinia, and four in Southern Italy. 549 informants were asked to name and describe food uses of wild botanicals they currently gather and consume. Data showed that gathering, processing and consuming wild food plants are still important activities in all the selected areas. A few botanicals were quoted and cited in multiple areas, demonstrating that there are ethnobotanical contact points among the various Italian regions (Asparagus acutifolius, Reichardia picroides, Cichorium intybus, Foeniculum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, Silene vulgaris, Taraxacum officinale, Urtica dioica, Sonchus and Valerianella spp.). One taxon (Borago officinalis) in particular was found to be among the most quoted taxa in both the Southern and the Northern Italian sites

A simplified model to predict the tensile and shear stress-strain behaviour of fibreglass/aluminium laminates

Mechanical tests were carried out on a fibreglass/aluminium hybrid laminate, made of 0/90 S2-glass/epoxy laminae and Al 2024 T3 sheets, in order to find its tensile stress–tensile strain curve, residual tensile strain in correspondence of predetermined normal stress lev- els, and shear stress–shear strain curve. The basic layers were also suitably characterized, and a moderate anisotropy, reflecting the fab- rication process, was found in the metal sheets. To theoretically predict the laminate response, classical lamination theory was modified to account for the inelastic behaviour of aluminium, which was substituted by an ‘‘equivalent’’ material governed by a simple constitutive law. Final failure conditions were calculated by assuming the maximum strain criterion and Tsai-Hill criterion for aluminium and fibre- glass, respectively. Comparing the theoretical predictions with experimental results, it was concluded that the model adopted describes with sufficient accuracy the overall tensile stress–tensile strain curve, as well as the residual strains and the shear stress–shear strain response. The aluminium anisotropy influenced the tensile behaviour, markedly affecting the yield stress value, as also predicted by the analysis. Because of the complex phenomena occurring during final failure, the agreement between theory and data was only fair when the calculation of the tensile strength and failure strain was attempted. The material shear strength could not be determined, since the Iosipescu device used proven inadequate to result in material failure

Acute abdomen for omental volvulus

A 38-year-old man was admitted to our unit with right inferior quadrant pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever (temperature 38.5°C). His clinical history was positive for medically treated gastritis. No previous surgical operations were referred. The physical examination was remarkable for diffuse tenderness and small right reducible inguinal hernia. The white blood cell count was 15.1 ×109 L, hemoglobin was 14.4 g/dL. The biochemical tests were within the normal limits, in particular lactate dyhydrogenase was 351 UI/L and creatinine kinase was 106 UI/L. Abdominal plain X-ray films revealed no abnormalities. The ultrasonography was negative for free fluid, mass, and signs of cholecistitis. The patient was observed for 12 hours with no improvement and, for persisting pain and increasing white blood cell count (up to 20.8 ×109 L), he underwent surgical operation. Under general anesthesia and complete myorelaxation, a right inferior abdominal mass was noted, and the surgeon decided for a median laparotomy. Signs and symptoms suggested an intrabdominal localized abscess for acute appendicitis. A partial laparotomy was performed, and immediately a moderate amount of intraperitoneal serohemorragic fluid was evident. At the intraperitoneal exploration a hemorragic mass (Fig. 1) with apparent omental adhesion was found in the lower right quadrant. When the incision was extended and an omental volvulus was documented, the complete omental resection was performed. The macroscopic examination showed an omental twist with eight complete clockwise rounds (Fig. 2). The histologic workup reported aspects of infarction and chronic inflammation. The recovery was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on the fifth postoperative day

Effectiveness of interferon beta treatment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: an Italian cohort study.

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have provided evidence for the efficacy of interferon beta (IFNbeta) in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of IFNbeta treatment in clinical practice.This was a national, multicentre, observational study of patients with confirmed RRMS. Demographic, clinical and therapeutic data were retrospectively collected for each patient enrolled in the study.The study cohort consisted of 427 patients exposed to and 245 never exposed to IFNbeta treatment during the study period (for a total 2297 patient-years of follow-up). Among the exposed patients, 215 were initially untreated and then began IFNbeta later in the follow-up period; 137 of these patients were exposed to IFNbeta for more than 2 years. In these patients, IFNbeta treatment reduced the mean relapse rate by 24.2\%[95\% confidence interval (CI): 5.8-42.5\%]. For 640 of the 672 patients enrolled in the study, it was possible to calculate the area under the disability/time curve compared to that present at baseline. A total of 117 (18.3\%) patients displayed disability progression. Adjustment of the disability progression rates for potential confounders and/or for propensity scores by Poisson regression model resulted in relative risks for patients exposed to IFNbeta treatment compared to those never exposed to IFNbeta of 0.87 (95\% CI: 0.56-1.34) after an exposure of 2 years.These findings suggest that the evidence from RCTs on the treatment of RRMS with IFNbeta has been effectively translated into routine clinical practice

The personal experience of severe suicidal behaviour leads to negative attitudes towards self- and other's suicidal thoughts and behaviours: A study of temperaments, coping strategies, and attitudes towards suicide among medical students

The attitudes individuals have towards suicidal behaviour, be it their own or others', and their capacity for developing specific coping strategies are influenced by affective temperaments that play a significant role in emotional regulation. However, few studies have investigated these specific patterns with a view to stratify them according to the severity of suicidal behaviours in medical students. The Pearson \u3c72 test for the comparison of categorical variables, the t-test for independent samples of continuous variables and logistic regression analysis were used to compare the association among temperaments, coping strategies, and attitudes towards suicide in a sample of medical students who attend the School of Medicine, Genoa. Severe suicidal thoughts and behaviours relative to those who were not at risk for suicide were also revealed. The severe suicidal thought and behaviour group had significantly more anxious and cyclothymic temperaments together with a higher use of dis-adaptive, lower emotional focus coping strategies, and higher self-reproaching, criticizing, and judgemental attitudes towards suicidality compared to the no severe suicidal thought and behaviour group. The identified pattern suggests the need for clinicians to carefully consider the complex interplay of clinical features which characterize severely at risk for suicide young adults in order to develop effective and comprehensive prevention strategies