A comparison of thought and perception disorders in borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia: psychotic experiences as a reaction to impaired social functioning

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies suggest a high frequency of psychotic symptoms in DSM-IV Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) there is currently no consensus on their prevalence and characteristics (type, frequency, duration, location etc.). Similarly, there are few papers addressing psychotic reactivity, the crucial aspect of BPD included in the ninth criterion for DSM-IV BPD, which remained unchanged in DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5. The purposes of the present study were to compare thought and perception disorders in patients with DSM-IV BPD and schizophrenia (SC), investigating their relationship with social functioning. METHODS: Thought and perception disorders and social functioning over the previous two years were assessed by the Diagnostic Interview for Borderline Revised (DIB-R) and Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP) respectively in outpatients with DSM-IV BPD (n = 28) or DSM-IV SC (n = 28). RESULTS: Quasi-psychotic thought (i.e. transient, circumscribed and atypical psychotic experiences) was more frequent in BPD (BPD = 82.1%, SC = 50%, p = 0.024); whereas true psychotic thought (i.e. Schneiderian first-rank, prolonged, widespread and bizarre psychotic symptoms) was more frequent in SC (SC = 100%, BPD = 46.4%, p < 0.001). However both types of psychotic features were prevalent in both groups. Non-delusional paranoia (e.g. undue suspiciousness and ideas of references) was ubiquitous but was more severe in BPD than SC patients (U(54) = 203.5, p = 0.001). In the BPD group there was a strong negative correlation between personal and social functioning and non-delusional paranoia (τ(28) = 0.544, p = 0.002) and level of personal and social functioning was a significant predictor of the severity of non-delusional paranoia only in the BPD group (β = −0.16, t(23) = 2.90, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: BPD patients reported less severe psychotic experiences with more frequent quasi-psychotic thought, less frequent true psychotic thought and more severe non-delusional paranoia than SC patients. Interpersonal functioning seems to predict non-delusional paranoia in BPD, which would validate the “stress-related paranoid ideation”, included in the ninth diagnostic criterion for DSM-IV and DSM-5 BPD. PBD patients had higher scores on the psychotic experiences subscale that support the use of a dimensional assessment of the severity of thought and perception disorders, for example the Clinician-Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptom Severity introduced in DSM-5, Section III

Association between carrier screening and incidence of cystic fibrosis

Context A downward trend in cystic fibrosis (CF) birth incidence has been reported in some areas. Objective To evaluate the association between carrier screening and CF birth incidence. Design, Setting, and Participants In northeastern Italy, CF birth incidence is monitored by means of a long-standing neonatal screening program. In the same area, 2 sections using different carrier detection approaches were identified—the western region, in which CF carrier tests are offered only to relatives of patients or to couples planning in vitro fertilization; and the eastern region, in which carrier testing is offered to relatives and carrier screening to infertile couples and to couples of reproductive age. A total of 779 631 newborns underwent CF neonatal screening between January 1993 and December 2007, of whom 195 had CF detected. Main Outcome Measure Cystic fibrosis birth incidence in the 2 regions. Results A time-related decrease in birth incidence was found, with a mean annual percentage decrease of 0.16 per 10 000 neonates (P &lt; .001). In the western region, 2559 carrier tests were performed, 314 carriers were identified, and 9 carrier couples were detected. In the eastern region, 87 025 carrier tests were performed, 3650 carriers were identified, and 82 carrier couples were detected. The birth rate decrease was greater in the eastern region (decrease rate, 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12-0.36) than in the western region (decrease rate, 0.04; 95% CI, –0.16 to 0.08; P = .01). The increase in the number of screened carriers over time was significantly correlated with the decrease in CF birth incidence (correlation coefficient = −0.53; 95% CI, –0.20 to –0.74; P = .003). Conclusion In northeastern Italy, carrier screening was associated with a decrease in the incidence of CF

Silica-based mesoporous materials as drug delivery system for methotrexate release.

Antineoplastic methotrexate has been loaded through different soaking procedures on silica-based mesoporous materials and, successively, released mimicking an oral administration. The materials were prepared using a self-assembly mechanism in the presence of cationic surfactants with alkyl chain of 16, 12, and 10 carbon atoms in the synthesis mixture to obtain different pore diameter in the porous structure. Mesoporous materials were prepared as pure silica sample and in the presence of Al(OH)(3) in the synthesis mixture. Only alumina-silica samples were able to load methotrexate. The amounts of drug loaded and the in vitro release kinetics are a function of the pore size of the materials

Gender Differences in Anxiety and Depression before and after Alcohol Detoxification: Anxiety and Depression as Gender-Related Predictors of Relapse

The aim of this prospective study was to estimate gender differences in anxiety, depression, and alcohol use severity among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) before and after detoxification program and within 12 months after discharge

Metformin as an adjuvant drug against pediatric sarcomas: hypoxia limits therapeutic effects of the drug.

Metformin, a well-known insulin-sensitizer commonly used for type 2 diabetes therapy, has recently emerged as potentially very attractive drug also in oncology. It is cheap, it is relatively safe and many reports have indicated effects in cancer prevention and therapy. These desirable features are particularly interesting for pediatric sarcomas, a group of rare tumors that have been shown to be dependent on IGF and insulin system for pathogenesis and progression. Metformin exerts anti-mitogenic activity in several cancer histotypes through several molecular mechanisms. In this paper, we analyzed its effects against osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, the three most common pediatric sarcomas. Despite in vitro metformin gave remarkable antiproliferative and chemosensitizing effects both in sensitive and chemoresistant cells, its efficacy was not confirmed against Ewing sarcoma xenografts neither as single agent nor in combination with vincristine. This discrepancy between in vitro and in vivo effects may be due to hypoxia, a common feature of solid tumors. We provide evidences that in hypoxia conditions metformin was not able to activate AMPK and inhibit mTOR signaling, which likely prevents the inhibitory effects of metformin on tumor growth. Thus, although metformin may be considered a useful complement of conventional chemotherapy in normoxia, its therapeutic value in highly hypoxic tumors may be more limited. The impact of hypoxia should be considered when novel therapies are planned for pediatric sarcomas

Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress, sleep quality, anxiety, depression and quality of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of disorder Posttraumatic Stress (DPTS), anxiety and depression, quality of sleep and quality of life in cancer patients consecutively during chemotherapy compared to the general population, the prevalence of benchmarking Disorder Post Traumatic Stress (DPTS), anxiety and depression, quality of sleep and quality of life in cancer patients during adjuvant treatment versus cancer patients in treatment for metastatic disease. Methods: We surveyed consecutive patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment for neoplastic disease in accordance with the following instruments: the disorder Posttraumatic Stress was assessed by questionnaire Impact of Event Scale (IES), the levels of anxiety and depression through the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); sleep quality with the help of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the quality of life through the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G). Results: We evaluated 173 patients, of whom 61 (35.3%) treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and 112 (64.7%) in chemotherapy for metastatic disease. In the overall population, the supremacy of Disorder Posttraumatic Stress was 8%, a sleep disorder 30%; anxiety to 15 - 20%, 15% from depression. The prevalence in the study population Disorder Posttraumatic Stress was higher compared to data in the literature (45.1% versus 8%), the largest of sleep disorders (62.8% versus 30%) of the anxiety higher (40% vs. 15-20%), the major depression (15% versus 31.1%). No significant differences were found with regard to the prevalence of disorder Posttraumatic Stress (P = 0.768), sleep disorders (P = 0.978), anxiety (p = 0.351), depression (P = 0.958) and quality of  life (P = 0.675) in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment for metastatic disease compared to patients treated adjuvante.Conclusões: The prevalence of psychological disorders in the study population appears significantly higher than in the general population; This finding confirms the need for psychiatric intervention consultation and liaison (liaison) in neoplastic patients undergoing chemotherapy. This need not differ between patients in the adjuvant treatment and those receiving treatment for metastatic disease, with no significant differences in the incidence of the disorders assessed between the two groups above

Efficacia, target e contesti dei trattamenti per gli autori di reati sessuali

In the present study, the most recent meta-analyses concerning the much debated topic of the effectiveness of in-prison treatment programs for sex offenders are investigated. Both strengths and weaknesses of each analysis are analysed. Empirical evidence regarding treatment effectiveness is underlined with the latter being measured in terms of reduction of sexual recidivism. Noteworthy are the treatment programs based on the principles of the Risk/Need/Responsivity Theory which seems to provide the best guarantee of treatment effectiveness.In questo articolo vengono prese in esame le più recenti meta-analisi al riguardo del dibattuto problema dell’efficacia dei trattamenti intra-carcerari rivolti agli autori di reati sessuali. Di ognuna di esse sono analizzati i punti di forza e le debolezze. Vengono sottolineate le evidenze empiriche riguardanti l’efficacia dei trattamenti, misurata nei termini di riduzione della recidiva. Viene evidenziato che la formulazione di interventi teoricamente indirizzati secondo i principi della teoria Rischio/ Bisogni/ Responsività sembra, ad oggi, fornire le migliori garanzie di efficacia dei trattamenti