Aripiprazole Improves Depressive Symptoms and Immunological Response to Antiretroviral Therapy in an HIV-Infected Subject with Resistant Depression

Aripiprazole is the first medication approved by the FDA as an add-on treatment for MDD. The impact of aripiprazole on the response to HIV is unknown. The patient we report on was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1997 and has been treated with antiretroviral therapy since then. In 2008, we diagnosed resistant major depression, hypochondria, and panic disorder. On that occasion, blood tests showed a significantly reduced CD4 count and a positive viral load. We treated this patient with aripiprazole and citalopram. Mood, somatic symptoms, and occupational functioning progressively improved. The last blood examination showed an increase in the CD4 count and a negative viral load. On the basis of the present case study and the review of the literature concerning the effects of psychotropic agents on viral replication, we suggest that the use of aripiprazole in HIV-infected subjects warrants further research

The Ramsey numbers of squares of paths and cycles

The square G 2 of a graph G is the graph on V (G) with a pair of vertices uv an edge whenever u and v have distance 1 or 2 in G. Given graphs G and H, the Ramsey number R(G, H) is the minimum N such that whenever the edges of the complete graph K N are coloured with red and blue, there exists either a red copy of G or a blue copy of H. We prove that for all sufficiently large n we have (Formula presented). We also show that for every γ > 0 and ∆ there exists β > 0 such that the following holds: If G can be coloured with three colours such that all colour classes have size at most n, the maximum degree of G is at most ∆, and G has bandwidth at most βn, then R(G, G) ≤ (3 + γ)n

On product Schur triples in the integers

Schur's theorem states that in any $k$-colouring of the set of integers $[n]$ there is a monochromatic solution to $a+b=c$, provided $n$ is sufficiently large. Abbott and Wang studied the size of the largest subset of $[n]$ such that there is a $k$-colouring avoiding a monochromatic $a+b=c$. In other directions, the minimum number of $a+b=c$ in $k$-colourings of $[n]$ and the probability threshold in random subsets of $[n]$ for the property of having a monochromatic $a+b=c$ in any $k$-colouring were investigated. In this paper, we study natural generalisations of these streams to products $ab=c$, in a deterministic, random, and randomly perturbed environments.Comment: 13 page

MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO, NUOVO CENTRO PER LO SPORT - MOLINA DI QUOSA (PI)

La tesi in esame affronta la riqualificazione ed ampliamento di un'area sportiva in località Molina di Quosa del comune di San Giuliano Terme (PI), con l'obiettivo di creare una nuova centralità urbana in armonia con il territorio. L'intervento è guidato dalle indicazioni del P.R.G. e da un attento studio del luogo e delle sue necessità, che ha portato alla realizzazione di un nuovo e funzionale centro per lo sport. Al suo interno trovano spazio aree ad uso libero per lo sport, una grande piazza polivalente, un parco giochi per bambini, un parco urbano, uno skate park, strutture di servizio, un centro sportivo e un palazzetto dello sport polifunzionale

Storia dello spettacolo e architettura. La restituzione virtuale della macchina del mare del teatro barocco

The aim of this article is to propose a hypothesis of virtual restitution of the “maritime machine” of Renaissance and Baroque theatre based on the specific case of the opening performance of the Farnese Theatre in Parma (1628). The celebrations of the wedding of Odoardo Farnese and Margherita de’ Medici culminate in the opera-tournament Mercurio e Marte, written by Claudio Achillini, set to music by Claudio Monteverdi, with scenes and machinery by Giovan Battista Aleotti and Francesco Guitti. It is a composite performance, with a strong symbolic value, conceived to celebrate the patrons and in which the main elements of the Renaissance “intermezzo” (music, dance, stage wonder) merge. The first part of the article – by Benedetta Colasanti – highlights the extent of the stage machinery, the phenomenon of technological precipitation from the construction site to the stage and the role of the state technician, tracing the story from a historical perspective and the analysis and intersection of sources (treatises, notebooks, correspondence, iconography), an operation aimed at providing the necessary data for the virtual restitution process. The second part – by Beatrice Cecchelli – describes the process of virtual restitution from a more technical point of view, illustrating the role of digital technologies and their application to the history of the performing arts.The aim of this article is to propose a hypothesis of virtual restitution of the “maritime machine” of Renaissance and Baroque theatre based on the specific case of the opening performance of the Farnese Theatre in Parma (1628). The celebrations of the wedding of Odoardo Farnese and Margherita de’ Medici culminate in the opera-tournament Mercurio e Marte, written by Claudio Achillini, set to music by Claudio Monteverdi, with scenes and machinery by Giovan Battista Aleotti and Francesco Guitti. It is a composite performance, with a strong symbolic value, conceived to celebrate the patrons and in which the main elements of the Renaissance “intermezzo” (music, dance, stage wonder) merge. The first part of the article – by Benedetta Colasanti – highlights the extent of the stage machinery, the phenomenon of technological precipitation from the construction site to the stage and the role of the state technician, tracing the story from a historical perspective and the analysis and intersection of sources (treatises, notebooks, correspondence, iconography), an operation aimed at providing the necessary data for the virtual restitution process. The second part – by Beatrice Cecchelli – describes the process of virtual restitution from a more technical point of view, illustrating the role of digital technologies and their application to the history of the performing arts

A large-scale electrophoresis- and chromatography-based determination of gene expression profiles in bovine brain capillary endothelial cells after the re-induction of blood-brain barrier properties

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) form the physiological basis of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The barrier function is (at least in part) due to well-known proteins such as transporters, tight junctions and metabolic barrier proteins (e.g. monoamine oxidase, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase and P-glycoprotein). Our previous 2-dimensional gel proteome analysis had identified a large number of proteins and revealed the major role of dynamic cytoskeletal remodelling in the differentiation of bovine BCECs. The aim of the present study was to elaborate a reference proteome of Triton X-100-soluble species from bovine BCECs cultured in the well-established <it>in vitro </it>BBB model developed in our laboratory.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 215 protein spots (corresponding to 130 distinct proteins) were identified by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, whereas over 350 proteins were identified by a shotgun approach. We classified around 430 distinct proteins expressed by bovine BCECs. Our large-scale gene expression analysis enabled the correction of mistakes referenced into protein databases (e.g. bovine vinculin) and constitutes valuable evidence for predictions based on genome annotation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Elaboration of a reference proteome constitutes the first step in creating a gene expression database dedicated to capillary endothelial cells displaying BBB characteristics. It improves of our knowledge of the BBB and the key proteins in cell structures, cytoskeleton organization, metabolism, detoxification and drug resistance. Moreover, our results emphasize the need for both appropriate experimental design and correct interpretation of proteome datasets.</p

Case Report Aripiprazole Improves Depressive Symptoms and Immunological Response to Antiretroviral Therapy in an HIV-Infected Subject with Resistant Depression

Aripiprazole is the first medication approved by the FDA as an add-on treatment for MDD. The impact of aripiprazole on the response to HIV is unknown. The patient we report on was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1997 and has been treated with antiretroviral therapy since then. In 2008, we diagnosed resistant major depression, hypochondria, and panic disorder. On that occasion, blood tests showed a significantly reduced CD4 count and a positive viral load. We treated this patient with aripiprazole and citalopram. Mood, somatic symptoms, and occupational functioning progressively improved. The last blood examination showed an increase in the CD4 count and a negative viral load. On the basis of the present case study and the review of the literature concerning the effects of psychotropic agents on viral replication, we suggest that the use of aripiprazole in HIV-infected subjects warrants further research

Astrocyte mediated modulation of blood-brain barrier permeability does not correlate with a loss of tight junction proteins from the cellular contacts

In the central nervous system (CNS) complex endothelial tight junctions (TJs) form a restrictive paracellular diffusion barrier, the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Pathogenic changes within the CNS are frequently accompanied by the loss of BBB properties, resulting in brain edema. In order to investigate whether BBB leakiness can be monitored by a loss of TJ proteins from cellular borders, we used an in vitro BBB model where brain endothelial cells in co-culture with astrocytes form a tight permeability barrier for 3H-inulin and 14C-sucrose. Removal of astrocytes from the co-culture resulted in an increased permeability to small tracers across the brain endothelial cell monolayer and an opening of the TJs to horseradish peroxidase as detected by electron microscopy. Strikingly, opening of the endothelial TJs was not accompanied by any visible change in the molecular composition of endothelial TJs as junctional localization of the TJ-associated proteins claudin-3, claudin-5, occludin, ZO-1 or ZO-2 or the adherens junction-associated proteins β-catenin or p120cas did not change. Thus, opening of BBB TJs is not readily accompanied by the complete loss of the junctional localization of TJ protein