Completed suicide during pregnancy and postpartum

Both pregnancy and the postpartum are typical periods for the onset or relapse of psychiatric symptoms and disorders, with depression and anxiety being the most common. The prevalence of suicide spectrum behaviour is significantly higher among women with a diagnosis of depressive or bipolar disorder. Suicide during pregnancy and postpartum is a multifactorial phenomenon and a history of psychiatric illness is only one of the possible risk factors involved in suicide spectrum behaviour. The present paper highlights the importance of a complete screening for both depression and suicide risk during peripartum

Neuropsychiatric disturbances in atypical Parkinsonian disorders

Multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD) are the most common atypical parkinsonisms. These disorders are characterized by varying combinations of autonomic, cerebellar and pyramidal system, and cognitive dysfunctions. In this paper, we reviewed the evidence available on the presence and type of neuropsychiatric disturbances in MSA, PSP, and CBD. A MedLine, Excerpta Medica, PsycLit, PsycInfo, and Index Medicus search was performed to identify all articles published on this topic between 1965 and 2018. Neuropsychiatric disturbances including depression, anxiety, agitation, and behavioral abnormalities have been frequently described in these disorders, with depression as the most frequent disturbance. MSA patients show a higher frequency of depressive disorders when compared to healthy controls. An increased frequency of anxiety disorders has also been reported in some patients, and no studies have investigated apathy. PSP patients may have depression, apathy, disinhibition, and to a lesser extent, anxiety and agitation. In CBD, neuropsychiatric disorders are similar to those present in PSP. Hallucinations and delusions are rarely reported in these disorders. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in MSA, PSP, and CBD do not appear to be related to the severity of motor dysfunction and are one of the main factors that determine a low quality of life. The results suggest that neuropsychiatric disturbances should always be assessed in patients with atypical parkinsonisms

La deuxième colonne hexaplaire d’Origène (ou Secunda) et la transcription des noms propres sémitiques en grec : comparaison critique

The second column of Origen’s Hexapla (Secunda), where the Hebrew text of the Old Testament is transcribed in Greek letters, was probably not composed by Origen: it existed before the composition of the Hexapla, and it was used by the Jewish community of Caesarea to read the Old Testament in its original language. However, the Secunda is very useful for the study of the pronunciation of Hebrew language in a period preceding the vocalization of the Bible (7th-10th century ce). The Secunda thus displays some interesting linguistic phenomena of the Hebrew language. To confirm their validity, it is very important to compare them with the Greek transcriptions of Semitic proper names in the inscriptions and papyri, from the same geographical area and the same epoch (first centuries ce); from these, it is possible to infer the existence in the two sources of graphic expedients to represent the Hebrew gutturals, very characteristic phonemes of Semitic languages: this is the usage of the ε-vowel, and the lengthening of Greek vowels corresponding to an original guttural in the Hebrew word. Again, both the transcriptions of the Semitic names and the forms of the Secunda share the weakening of the nasal consonants at the end of words. Nevertheless, there are some transcriptions whose linguistic features could be linked to other reasons: for proper names, we speak about allomorphs, and concerning the transcriptions in the Secunda, when the vocalization of the Masoretic text differs from that of the Secunda, it is possible to suppose that another linguistic background and another tradition of the Hebrew language are involved. To find and understand the Hebrew phenomena in the Secunda column, it is essential to know the Greek pronunciation and the values of both the graphemes and phonemes of the language: Secunda is therefore another link between the Greek world and the Semitic world.La deuxième colonne hexaplaire d’Origène (Secunda), dans laquelle le texte hébreu de l’Ancien Testament est transcrit en lettres grecques, n’a probablement pas été écrite par Origène même : cette transcription devait, avant la composition des Hexaples, être déjà en usage auprès de la communauté juive de Césarée, pour aider à la lecture de l’Ancien Testament en langue originelle. Mais la Secunda se révèle très utile dans l’étude de la prononciation de la langue hébraïque à une époque antérieure à celle de l’oeuvre des Massorètes (viie-xe s. après J.-C.). De fait, la Secunda illustre certains phénomènes intéressants de la langue hébraïque dont on peut confirmer la validité en comparant les transcriptions de la Secunda à celles, toujours en grec, des noms propres sémitiques provenant des épigraphes et des archives des papyri de la même époque. À partir de ces différentes transcriptions, il est possible d’identifier l’existence des expédients graphiques utilisés dans les deux sources pour représenter les phonèmes les plus caractéristiques des langues sémitiques, à savoir les gutturales : il s’agit de la voyelle grecque ε ainsi que de l’allongement de la voyelle grecque en correspondance d’une gutturale hébraïque. On constate aussi que les transcriptions des noms sémitiques en grec et les formes de la Secunda partagent la labilité des consonnes nasales en fin de mot. Toutefois, certaines transcriptions comportent des éléments linguistiques pouvant résulter d’autres facteurs : dans certains cas relatifs aux sources épigraphiques et aux archives des papyri on peut penser qu’il s’agit d’allomorphes, tandis que pour les transcriptions colonnaires, lorsque la vocalisation du texte massorétique et celle de la Secunda diffèrent, on peut supposer l’existence d’une autre tradition de langue hébraïque à la base de cette dernière. Afin de détecter et de comprendre les phénomènes de la Secunda, il importe de connaître la prononciation grecque de l’époque, la valeur quantitative des phonèmes et leur correspondance avec les graphèmes : c’est pourquoi la Secunda constitue un autre pont entre les deux mondes, le grec et le sémitique

The linguistic background and the tradition of the Hebrew language of the Secunda (second column of Origen's Hexapla)

Le terme Secunda désigne la deuxième colonne de la synopse hexaplaire d’Origène. Cette synopse comportait six colonnes, d’où le nom Hexapla utilisé pour la désigner : la première contenait le texte hébreu original de l’Ancien Testament, la deuxième (Secunda) sa transcription phonétique en caractères grecs, les quatre autres les différentes traductions grecques de la Bible. La présence de graphèmes de vocaliques grecs dans la Secunda permet de mener une étude grammaticale complète de cette source, d’un point de vue phonétique et morphologique. Il manque encore actuellement une recherche qui développe le rapport entre la tradition hébraïque de la Secunda, telle qu’elle ressort de la transcription, et les autres traditions hébraïques attestées : celles sans graphèmes vocaliques (c’est-à-dire la tradition samaritaine et le corpus qumranien) et les traditions plus tardives et vocalisées pendant la période médiévale (les traditions massorétique tibérienne, babylonienne et palestinienne). Ce dernier point est précisément l’objet de cette thèse, qui vise à mieux comprendre le statut de l’hébreu de la Secunda, ses relations avec les autres traditions hébraïques et sa place dans l’histoire de la langue. Cette question est abordée à travers différentes étapes : en partant d’une étude phonétique et morphologique de la langue hébraïque de la colonne, on arrive à une hypothèse de datation qui permet une comparaison directe entre l’hébreu hexaplaire et les autres traditions mentionnées ci-dessus. La comparaison entre la Secunda et les autres traditions est cruciale pour situer correctement la Secunda dans l’histoire de la langue hébraïque : au niveau synchronique, elle permet de mettre en évidence ses éléments dialectaux, documentés dans les transcriptions de la Secunda et dans les traditions de la même époque ; au niveau diachronique, elle fournit des terminus ante ou post quem pour des phénomènes bien attestés dans les traditions tardives.The term Secunda refers to the second column of Origen’s synopsis of Hexapla. This synopsis consisted of six columns, from which comes the name Hexapla employed to designate it: the first column contained the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament, the second (Secunda) its phonetic transcription in Greek characters, the other four the different Greek translations of the Bible. The presence of Greek vowel graphemes in the Secunda makes possible to conduct a comprehensive grammatical study of that source, phonetically and morphologically. At present there is still a lack of research that develops the relationship between the Hebrew language tradition of the Secunda, as emerging from the transcription, and the other attested Hebrew language traditions: those without vowel graphemes (i.e., the Samaritan tradition and the Qumran corpus) and the later, vocalized in the medieval period (the Tiberian, Babylonian and the Palestinian). The latter point is precisely the subject of this thesis, which aims to better understand the Hebrew language status of Secunda, its relation to other traditions of Hebrew and its place in the history of the language. This issue is approached through different stages: moving from a phonetic and morphological study of the Hebrew language of the column, we arrive at a dating hypothesis that allows for a direct comparison between the hexaplaric Hebrew and the other traditions mentioned above. The comparison between the Secunda and the other traditions is crucial to correctly situating the Secunda in the history of the Hebrew language: at the synchronic level, it serves the function of highlighting its dialectal elements, documented in the transcriptions of the Secunda and in the traditions of the same epoch; at the diachronic level, it provides a terminus ante or post quem for phenomena well attested in the late traditions

Cognitive behavioral group therapy versus psychoeducational intervention in Parkinson's disease

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether cognitive behavioral group therapy has a positive impact on psychiatric, and motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: We assigned 20 PD patients with a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder to either a 12-week cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group or a psychoeducational protocol. For the neurological examination, we administered the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale and the non-motor symptoms scale. The severity of psychiatric symptoms was assessed by means of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and the Clinical Global Impressions. Results: Cognitive behavioral group therapy was effective in treating depression and anxiety symptoms as well as reducing the severity of non-motor symptoms in PD patients; whereas, no changes were observed in PD patients treated with the psychoeducational protocol. Conclusion: CBT offered in a group format should be considered in addition to standard drug therapy in PD patient

Insights into pharmacotherapy of malignant glioma in adults

Malignant gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults. In the past 10 years significant advances in the treatment of this entity have been made, mainly owing to a better understanding of molecular pathways and biological behavior of the oncogenetic process. This review treats the proven effective and promising approaches with chemotherapy. The standard care for glioblastoma is surgery and concomitant radio- and chemotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ), followed by adjuvant treatment with TMZ. It has been demonstrated to be the most effective treatment protocol. This standardized care allows the application and study of new types of treatment mainly in recurrences and nonresponding patients. Many different approaches have been investigated: the combination of cytotoxic and cytostatic agents as well as molecular targeted therapies have given some encouraging results. Further intensified regimens with TMZ and the local postsurgical application of slow-release polymers loaded with carmustine remain to be defined. The characterization of molecular markers thus becomes particularly important for the stratification of patients raising the possibility to individualize treatment

The analysis of pendolino (peo) mutants reveals differences in the fusigenic potential among Drosophila telomeres

Drosophila telomeres are sequence-independent structures that are maintained by transposition to chromosome ends of three specialized retroelements (HeT-A, TART and TAHRE; collectively designated as HTT) rather than telomerase activity. Fly telomeres are protected by the terminin complex (HOAP-HipHop-Moi-Ver) that localizes and functions exclusively at telomeres and by non-terminin proteins that do not serve telomere-specific functions. Although all Drosophila telomeres terminate with HTT arrays and are capped by terminin, they differ in the type of subtelomeric chromatin; the Y, XR, and 4L HTT are juxtaposed to constitutive heterochromatin, while the XL, 2L, 2R, 3L and 3R HTT are linked to the TAS repetitive sequences; the 4R HTT is associated with a chromatin that has features common to both euchromatin and heterochromatin. Here we show that mutations in pendolino (peo) cause telomeric fusions (TFs). The analysis of several peo mutant combinations showed that these TFs preferentially involve the Y, XR and 4th chromosome telomeres, a TF pattern never observed in the other 10 telomere-capping mutants so far characterized. peo encodes a non-terminin protein homologous to the E2 variant ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. The Peo protein directly interacts with the terminin components, but peo mutations do not affect telomeric localization of HOAP, Moi, Ver and HP1a, suggesting that the peodependent telomere fusion phenotype is not due to loss of terminin from chromosome ends. peo mutants are also defective in DNA replication and PCNA recruitment. However, our results suggest that general defects in DNA replication are unable to induce TFs in Drosophila cells. We thus hypothesize that DNA replication in Peodepleted cells results in specific fusigenic lesions concentrated in heterochromatinassociated telomeres. Alternatively it is possible that Peo plays a dual function being independently required for DNA replication and telomere capping

Synthesis and DPPH radical scavenging activity of novel compounds obtained from tyrosol and cinnamic acid derivatives

Tyrosol, a naturally occurring phenolic compound poorly attractive as an antioxidant because of its weak efficacy, was used as starting material to obtain novel compounds. The synthesis is based on a trifluoroacetic acid-mediated hydroarylation of cinnamic esters with tyrosol to produce 4-aryl-3,4-dihydrocoumarins, molecules of biological interest, followed by a basic hydrolysis to give the corresponding ring opening products. Unreported mechanistic investigations confirmed that the first step resulted from an electrophilic aromatic substitution and an intramolecular transesterification. Final products exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activity significantly higher than tyrosol

Association of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and neuroblastoma in a newborn.

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MORPHODYNAMICS PROCESSES IN THE LAGOON OF VENICE: THE SCANELLO SALT MARSH AREA

Geomorpholgical variations have been naturally occurring in the Lagoon of Venice since its formation. In recent times, however, complex morphodynamic changes, caused by natural processes and by the direct or indirect impact of man activities have been recognised. Moreover, there remains a lack of knowledge concerning sediment erosion, re-suspension, transport and sedimentation, sea-lagoon balance and the role played by the hydrodynamics. A detailed study of the Scanello salt marsh area, in the Northern part of the Venice Lagoon, was carried out, in order to better understand the erosion-transport-sedimentation processes and the hydrodynamics interaction. Understanding the role that the hydrodynamics plays in the erosion, transportation and deposition of sediments in this test area, is essential to the understanding the morphological variations, that are presently occurring in the Venice Lagoon and morphological and environmental restorations required. A 2D hydrodynamic finite element model was used to provide the circulation field of the entire Venice basin. Results obtained by different simulations allowed the investigation of the main hydrodynamic features of the Scanello area