Ecological impacts of atmospheric pollution and interactions with climate change in terrestrial ecosystems of the Mediterranean Basin:Current research and future directions

Mediterranean Basin ecosystems, their unique biodiversity, and the key services they provide are currently at risk due to air pollution and climate change, yet only a limited number of isolated and geographically-restricted studies have addressed this topic, often with contrasting results. Particularities of air pollution in this region include high O3 levels due to high air temperatures and solar radiation, the stability of air masses, and dominance of dry over wet nitrogen deposition. Moreover, the unique abiotic and biotic factors (e.g., climate, vegetation type, relevance of Saharan dust inputs) modulating the response of Mediterranean ecosystems at various spatiotemporal scales make it difficult to understand, and thus predict, the consequences of human activities that cause air pollution in the Mediterranean Basin. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement coordinated research and experimental platforms along with wider environmental monitoring networks in the region. In particular, a robust deposition monitoring network in conjunction with modelling estimates is crucial, possibly including a set of common biomonitors (ideally cryptogams, an important component of the Mediterranean vegetation), to help refine pollutant deposition maps. Additionally, increased attention must be paid to functional diversity measures in future air pollution and climate change studies to establish the necessary link between biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services in Mediterranean ecosystems. Through a coordinated effort, the Mediterranean scientific community can fill the above-mentioned gaps and reach a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of air pollution and climate change in the Mediterranean Basin

La Scienza e l'immaginario

L’attività di divulgazione della cultura scientifica ha un ruolo fondamentale sulla società, sia in termini di applicazioni innovative che di pianificazione dell’ambiente. I ricercatori dell’IAS-CNR di Capo Granitola operano da anni nell’ambito della diffusione della cultura scientifica, attraverso processi complessi e percorsi di divulgazione in partnership con istituti scolastici del territorio, realizzando attività seminariali, convegni direttamente nelle scuole, nonché visite didattiche guidate degli alunni nei laboratori dell’Istituto ed esperimenti interdisciplinari sull’ambiente marino. Tali processi divulgativi si sono sviluppati creando numerosi percorsi, in maniera per certi aspetti analoga a quella per cui dalla mescolanza dei tre colori fondamentali si è in grado di ottenere un numero pressoché illimitato di tinte diverse. Lo scopo di questa “mescolanza” è stato quello di ottenere un ventaglio di competenze e strumentazioni che consentissero di indagare i differenti aspetti dell’ecosistema marino da diversi punti di vista ed in maniera sinergica, tale da restituire un quadro il più ricco possibile di “tinte” e particolari. (Scienza e arte di Salvatore Mazzola) La Scienza e l'immaginario di Angela Cuttitta. Il progetto “La Scienza e l’Immaginario” nasce dalla collaborazione tra l’IAS - CNR di Capo Granitola e l’Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo, che attraverso un approccio multidisciplinare ha voluto sperimentare l’unione tra il mondo scientifico e quello artistico, mettendo i giovani artisti, attraverso proiezioni e seminari scientifici, nelle condizioni di scoprire il mondo dell’ambiente marino e degli ecosistemi in esso presenti. Il progetto è nato dalla consapevolezza di come sia necessario operare sul piano della diffusione e divulgazione della cultura scientifica nei più vasti contesti sociali, a partire dall’ambito scolastico. Le azioni divulgative mirano, infatti, a diffondere la conoscenza dei processi geologici, chimico-fisici, climatici e biologici in modo pervasivo, non limitato a singole categorie/settori. La funzione strategica di tali azioni è quella di stimolare idee ed iniziative nonché di sviluppare una maggiore sensibilità nei confronti dei fenomeni che ci circondano, quale presupposto essenziale per una corretta programmazione politico-gestionale. Lo spirito che ha mosso tutte gli attori del progetto è stato quello di sensibilizzare gli studenti nei confronti della tutela delle risorse marine proprie del loro territorio e di sviluppare e promuovere la cultura come volano dello sviluppo sostenibile, della pace e dell’integrazione sociale, in armonia con quanto indicato dal Consiglio Europeo di Lisbona 2000. Grazie al lavoro di docenti e di ricercatori, l’arte come forma espressiva si è rivelata uno strumento valido e innovativo di divulgazione della cultura scientifica e ha portato alla creazione di suggestioni sui ragazzi che hanno percepito e realizzato forme e armonie espresse in questa mostra. L’impegno per questa manifestazione rappresenta, quindi, un appuntamento importante con le forze vive siciliane nel campo delle scienze del mare segnatamente ad esperti di biologia, chimica, fisica ed al mondo fantastico dell’arte, al fine di esprimere con le varie tecniche pittoriche un momento di riflessione culturale

Dream interpretation: a possible diagnostic method during the “prodromal” phase of psychosis

Prevention of psychosis faces two challenges: the accurate identification of the target population and their effective treatment. Psychological interventions are considered first line treatment in HR individual. Cognitive behaviour therapy demonstrated to reduce transition to about 50% but there are no improvements in negative symptoms and social functioning. The aim of the present study was to discuss a psychotherapeutic psychodynamic approach for young individuals at risk for severe mental illnesses. Help-seekers individuals aged 14–35 referred to psychotherapeutic Unit Villa Tiburtina, Sapienza University of Rome were recruited in the study. Subjects involved completed SIPS, COPER and COGDIS, EASE, GFSS, GFRS. Weekly sessions of psychodynamic psychotherapy were offered to eligible subjects. The hypothesis was that a psychodynamic approach may be useful both for the detection and treatment of young subjects at risk. Going beyond the evident symptoms and comprehending the latent components of thought may permit to deeper differentiate subtle initial prodromal symptoms from transient psychological ups and downs of human growing up. It might also approach the psychopathological core of the initial disease and treat it

Diagnostic distribution of self-disorders in help-seeking adolescents: an early faeature of the schizophrenia spectrum

Self-disorders (SD) have been considered as a core feature of schizophrenia in both classical and recent psychopathological literature. However, the specificity of SD to the schizophrenia spectrum has mainly been tested in adult samples, with studies in adolescents being scarce. Thus, the aims of this study were: 1) to examine the specificity of SD to the schizophrenia spectrum in a help-seeking adolescent sample; 2) to explore the correlations between SD and social and role functioning. One hundred 13-18-year-old inpatients underwent a comprehensive psychopathological examination. SD were assessed using the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experiences (EASE), and social and role functioning were assessed using the Global Functioning: Social (GF:S) and Role (GF:R) scales. The diagnostic distribution of the EASE scores was tested using Mann–Whitney U test, the correlations between the EASE scores and the GF:S and GF:R scores were tested using Spearman's ρ. EASE scores were significantly higher in schizophrenia spectrum disorders than in other spectrum disorders, whereas in schizophrenia spectrum psychoses and schizotypal personalities did not differ. Furthermore, higher EASE scores significantly correlated with lower GF:S and GF:R scores. This findings confirm the validity of SD as an experiential vulnerability phenotype of the schizophrenia spectrum, even in adolescents

Youth mental health services in Italy. an achievable dream?

Abstract AIM: "Liberiamo il futuro" (LIF) project was designed to assess psychological problems of adolescents and young adults and to identify individuals at high-risk for developing a psychosis through a collaboration between a University team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Adult Mental Health Services. This paper presents the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of the cohort, particularly the nature and severity of psychopathology. METHOD: All help-seeking young people aged 12-35 years residing in the health district involved in LIF were invited to participate in the study and completed a battery of self- report and interviewer-administered measures of psychopathology and functioning at baseline. RESULTS: A total of 338 adolescents and young people (mean age 17.42) participated in the study. The majority of the sample (n = 107, 35%) had an anxiety disorder, followed by mood disorders (n = 62, 21%). Only 35 (12%) participants had no psychiatric diagnosis. After a screening phase, 166 (52%) individuals were assessed to detect the presence of an Ultra High Risk (UHR) state. Of these, 38.60% (n = 64) met UHR criteria. Overall, the majority of the sample resulted moderately functionally impaired at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: LIF project showed that psychological problems, associated with impaired psychosocial functioning, are very common among help-seeking young people. The help-seeking behaviour of young people is in contrast with the barriers presented by the Italian community mental health system that is modelled around adults' requirements. A need of a strong, stigma-free, young oriented system of care for young people up to the mid-20s emerged.AIM: "Liberiamo il futuro" (LIF) project was designed to assess psychological problems of adolescents and young adults and to identify individuals at high-risk for developing a psychosis through a collaboration between a University team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Adult Mental Health Services. This paper presents the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of the cohort, particularly the nature and severity of psychopathology. METHOD: All help-seeking young people aged 12-35 years residing in the health district involved in LIF were invited to participate in the study and completed a battery of self- report and interviewer-administered measures of psychopathology and functioning at baseline. RESULTS: A total of 338 adolescents and young people (mean age 17.42) participated in the study. The majority of the sample (n = 107, 35%) had an anxiety disorder, followed by mood disorders (n = 62, 21%). Only 35 (12%) participants had no psychiatric diagnosis. After a screening phase, 166 (52%) individuals were assessed to detect the presence of an Ultra High Risk (UHR) state. Of these, 38.60% (n = 64) met UHR criteria. Overall, the majority of the sample resulted moderately functionally impaired at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: LIF project showed that psychological problems, associated with impaired psychosocial functioning, are very common among help-seeking young people. The help-seeking behaviour of young people is in contrast with the barriers presented by the Italian community mental health system that is modelled around adults' requirements. A need of a strong, stigma-free, young oriented system of care for young people up to the mid-20s emerged

Interpersonal sensitivity, bullying victimization and paranoid ideation among help-seeking adolescents and young adults

Aim: The effects of a negative interpersonal experience, such as bullying victimization in childhood and adolescence, can be strong and long lasting. Bullying victimization is associated with paranoid ideation and suspiciousness. Few studies have focused on personality traits of victims of bullying. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a particular personality trait called interpersonal sensitivity may be related to suspiciousness in those who experienced bullying victimization. Methods: The study sample consisted of 147 help-seeking adolescents (mean age 17 years) selected after a screening phase (Prodromal Questionnaire) and evaluated with the Structured Interview for Psychosis-risk Syndromes (SIPS). All participants were specifically asked if they had experienced either psychological bullying or physical bullying, and they completed the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM). Results: Of the whole sample, 30 (20%) participants had experienced psychological bullying or physical bullying at least once in their life. Performing a multiple regression, bullying victimization was found to be an independent predictor of subtle paranoid ideation and suspiciousness. Interpersonal sensitivity was also found to be an independent predictor of subtle paranoid ideation; in particular, two IPSM subscales, fragile inner-self and separation anxiety, showed a significant correlation with subtle paranoid ideation. Conclusions: Our results confirmed that bullying victimization is a negative interpersonal experience associated with paranoid ideation and suspiciousness. However, being overly sensitive and having negative beliefs about the self as fragile and vulnerable to threat also lead to a tendency to attribute experiences as externally caused and, in turn, facilitate the formation and maintenance of paranoid ideation

Self-disorders and clinical high risk for psychosis: an empirical study in help-seeking youth attending community mental health facilities

Anomalous subjective experiences involving an alteration of the basic sense of self (ie, Self-disorder [SD]) are emerging as a core marker of schizophrenia spectrum disorders with potential impact on current early detection strategies as well. In this study, we wished to field-test the prevalence of SD in a clinical sample of adolescent/young adult help-seekers at putative risk for psychosis attending standard community mental health facilities in Italy. Participants (n = 47), aged between 14 and 25, underwent extensive psychopathological evaluations with current semi-structured tools to assess Clinical High Risk (CHR) state (ie, Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes/Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SIPS/SOPS], Schizophrenia Proneness Instrument-Adult/Child and Youth [SPI-A/ CY]). SD aggregated in CHR subjects as compared to the non-CHR and revealed substantial association with sub-psychotic symptoms (SIPS), subjective experience of cognitive and cognitive-perceptual vulnerability (basic symptoms) and functional level (Global Assessment of functioning). Moreover, a combination of the 2 approaches (ie, CHR plus SD) enabled further “closing-in” on a subgroup of CHR with lower global functioning. The results confirm SD’s relevance for the early profiling of youths at potential high risk for psychosis

Interpersonal sensitivity and attenuated psychotic symptoms: a prediction model

Interpersonal sensitivity (IS) defines feelings of inner-fragility in the presence of others due to the expectation of criticism or rejection. IS was found to be related to attenuated positive psychotic symptom during the prodromal phase of psychosis. The aims of this study were to examine if high level of IS at baseline predict persistence of subtle positive psychotic symptoms at follow up and its relationship with other longitudinal psychopathological features. A sample of 103 subjects taken from the total baseline sample (367 adolescents and young adults help-seekers for psychological problems recruited within “Liberiamo il futuro” project) completed a 18-months follow up. Of these, 84 completed the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) and the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms (SIPS) at baseline; they were assessed again with the SIPS at follow up. Result showed that individuals with high level of IS at baseline reported high level of attenuated positive psychotic symptoms (i.e. unusual thought content), symptoms of depression and low tolerance to daily stressful events at follow up. This study suggests that being “hypersensitive” to interpersonal interactions is a psychological feature associated with attenuated positive psychotic symptoms, symptoms of depression and low tolerance to daily stressful events at 18-moths follow up. Assessing and treating inner-self fragilities may be an important step of early detection program to avoid the persistence of subtle but very distressing long-terms symptoms

Interpersonal sensitivity and persistent attenuated psychotic symptoms in adolescence

Interpersonal sensitivity defines feelings of inner-fragility in the presence of others due to the expectation of criticism or rejection. Interpersonal sensitivity was found to be related to attenuated positive psychotic symptom during the prodromal phase of psychosis. The aims of this study were to examine if high level of interpersonal sensitivity at baseline are associated with the persistence of attenuated positive psychotic symptoms and general psychopathology at 18-month follow-up. A sample of 85 help-seeking individuals (mean age = 16.6, SD = 5.05) referred an Italian early detection project, completed the interpersonal sensitivity measure and the structured interview for prodromal symptoms (SIPS) at baseline and were assessed at 18-month follow-up using the SIPS. Results showed that individuals with high level of interpersonal sensitivity at baseline reported high level of attenuated positive psychotic symptoms (i.e., unusual thought content) and general symptoms (i.e., depression, irritability and low tolerance to daily stress) at follow-up. This study suggests that being "hypersensitive" to interpersonal interactions is a psychological feature associated with attenuated positive psychotic symptoms and general symptoms, such as depression and irritability, at 18-month follow-up. Assessing and treating inner-self fragilities may be an important step of early detection program to avoid the persistence of subtle but very distressing long-terms symptoms