Analysis of food supplement with unusual raspberry ketone content

In recent years food supplement market increased constantly, including slimming products and against obesity. The case of rasberry ketone (RK) is here reported. HPTLC and HPLC-DAD analyses on a marketed product containing raspberry juice evidenced an abnormal quantity of RK, not in accordance with the juice natural content. The reported data confirm the need of adequate controls on marketed food supplements and the necessity of a complete adherence between labelling and real constitution of the product. Practical Applications: Determining the natural origin and assuring the consumers' safety for raspberry-based food supplement

Emotional expression and coping style in female breast cancer.

Background: The study of the relationship of emotional status and tumor etiology has been investigated in order to elaborate a multifactorial model able to provide an answer integrating the different disciplines on cancer. The aim of this work is to investigate the knowledge on the alexithymia construct, exploring the presence of such trait in women affected by mammary carcinoma and analyzing the used coping strategies. The study has also examined personal thoughts related to event control (locus of control). Method: The Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, and Locus of Control questionnaires were administered to a group of 86 women aged 31\u201355 years (mean = 43.7; SD 6.57)\u2014experimental group (N = 44): women with breast cancer diagnosed in the last 6 months; control group (N = 42): women without oncologic pathology, referred at the aforementioned institutions to undergo a breast check-up. Results: According to our hypothesis and literature data, a significant presence of alexithymic subjects (36.4% versus 2.4%; v2 = 20.9; P < 0.0001) and a tendency to adopt coping strategies not focused on the problem were reported among women with mammary carcinoma. This causes incapability to act in order to actively contrast pathology-linked stress or to lower the effects. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the tendency to repress one\u2019s emotions is associated to some general schemes of reaction to stress which, when used in a dysfunctional manner (such as the attempt to ignore how threatening an event is), are maladaptive in the end

Genetic factors in antiphospholipid syndrome: Preliminary experience with whole exome sequencing

As in many autoimmune diseases, the pathogenesis of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is the result of a complex interplay between predisposing genes and triggering environmental factors, leading to a loss of self-tolerance and immune-mediated tissue damage. While the first genetic studies in APS focused primarily on the human leukocytes antigen system (HLA) region, more recent data highlighted the role of other genes in APS susceptibility, including those involved in the immune response and in the hemostatic process. In order to join this intriguing debate, we analyzed the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived from the whole exome sequencing (WES) of two siblings affected by APS and compared our findings with the available literature. We identified genes encoding proteins involved in the hemostatic process, the immune response, and the phospholipid metabolism (PLA2G6, HSPG2, BCL3, ZFAT, ATP2B2, CRTC3, and ADCY3) of potential interest when debating the pathogenesis of the syndrome. The study of the selected SNPs in a larger cohort of APS patients and the integration of WES results with the network-based approaches will help decipher the genetic risk factors involved in the diverse clinical features of APS

POS0172 THROMBIN GENERATION ASSAY AND LUPUS ANTICOAGULANT IDENTIFY DIFFERENT POPULATIONS OF PATIENTS WITH ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES

Background:Risk stratification in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) remains a clinical challenge [1].Objectives:We aimed to evaluate the role of Thrombin Generation Assay (TGA) in distinguishing various populations of aPL positive patients (with and without lupus anticoagulant - LA) and its association with β2GPI-dependent and anti-phosphatidyl-serine/prothrombin(aPS/PT) antibodies.Methods:One-hundred-and-eight patients were tested with TGA and divided as follows: 21 patients with aPS/PT IgG/IgM (Group 1), 29 with aβ2GPI IgG/IgM (Group 2), 31 with aPS/PT and aβ2GPI IgG/IgM (Group 3), 27 with aPS/PT and/or aβ2GPI IgM low-titers (Group 4). Table 1 resumes the clinical characteristics of the APS patients (excluding aPL asymptomatic). Thirty-one healthy donors (HDs) and 24 controls treated with VKA were also included.Results:The most deranged TGA and LA profile was observed in patients with both aPS/PT and aβ2GPI when compared to those with an isolated positivity for aPS/PT or aβ2GPI and patients with aPS/PT and/or aβ2GPI IgM at low titres (Figure 1). Similarly, patients with aPS/PT and/or aβ2GPI at medium/high titres presented with the higher rate of clinical manifestations.When comparing the TGA curves of APS patients, asymptomatic aPL positive (aPL+) subjects, HDs and controls treated with VKA, we observed that aPL+ patients (particularly those with a confirmed diagnosis of APS) showed a characteristic profile.Differences among groups were confirmed also when comparing APS clinical manifestations. When comparing Group 1 and Group 4 we found significant differences with respect to the number of thrombotic events (21vs.15,p<0.05), the number of venous events (9vs.3,p<0.05), the recurrence of thrombosis (19%vs.0%,p<0.05). Group 2 and Group 4 showed differences in the occurrence of venous thromboses (50vs.20,p<0.05), and in the occurrence of DVT (8vs.2,p<0.05). Group 3 and Group 4, had higher number of thrombotic events (36vs15, p<0.05), the occurrence and the number of venous events (46%-15vs20%-3,p<0.05), the occurrence of TIA and DVT (4-11vs0-2,p<0.05).When analysing the cumulative frequency of extra-criteria APS manifestations, Group 1,2 and 3 were comparable, while comparing Group 3 and those positive for aβ2GPI and/or aPS/PT IgM at low titres (Group 4) we found a statistically significant difference (71%vs13%,p<0.05).Conclusion:TGA seems a valuable approach to stratify aPL+ patients according to their risk profile. The differences among groups and different populations of autoantibodies specificities obtained from this test can be considered a translational validation of the increased thrombotic risk of patients with triple or tetra aPL positivity.References:[1]Miyakis S et al. International consensus statement on an update of the classification criteria for definite antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). J. Thromb. Haemost. 2006;4(2):295–306.Table 1."Classical" and "Extra-criteria" APS clinical manifestations of each group (considering solely patients with a confirmed diagnosis of APS).Group 1: isolated aPS/PT+ IgG/IgM (16)Group 2: isolated aβ2GPI+ IgG/IgM(20)Group 3: aPS/PT+ and aβ2GPI+ IgG/IgM (24)Group 4: aPS/PT+ and/or aβ2GPI+ IgM low titres (15)APS clinical manifestationsThrombosis (Y/N), n (%)14 (87,5%)16 (80%)21 (87,5%)13 (86,6%)N of thrombotic events21233615Arterial thrombosis (Y/N), n (%)10 (62,5%)9 (45%)14 (58,3%)11 (73,3%)Arterial events, n13102112Venous thrombosis (Y/N), n (%)6 (37,5%)10 (50%)11 (45,8%)3 (20%)Venous events, n913153Pregnancy morbidity, n (%)3 (18,8%)4 (20%)3 (12,5%)2 (13,3%)Recurrent thrombosis (Y/N), n (%)3 (18,8%)3 (15%)7 (29,1%)0Livedo reticularis, n (%)1 (6,2%)1 (5%)4 (16,6%)0Thrombocytopenia, n (%)4 (25%)4 (20%)6 (25%)2 (13,3%)Valvular, n (%)1 (6,2%)02 (8,3%)0Peripheral artery disease, n (%)03 (15%)4 (16,6%)0Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, n (%)001 (4,1%)0Figure 1.Graphical representation of the differences between TGA and LA profiles between groups.Disclosure of Interests:None declare