Un percorso di trasformazione nel nuovo assetto detentivo/riabilitativo post OPG: esposizione di un caso

L’articolo illustra il lavoro psicologico-clinico effettuato all’interno della “Articolazione per la Tutela della Salute Mentale in Carcere”, nuovo contesto di cura ed assistenza nato alla luce dei radicali cambiamenti attivati dal processo di superamento degli Ospedali Psichiatrici Giudiziari (OPG) e che accoglie soggetti autori di reato affetti da patologia psichiatrica, garantendone un’osservazione costante ed interventi riabilitativi ad alta intensità terapeutica. Il caso presentato, attraverso la narrazione del percorso detentivo/riabilitativo di un soggetto, iniziato con la reclusione in regime ordinario, proseguito con l’assegnazione all’OPG e con il successivo approdo presso l’Articolazione SMC (Salute Mentale in Carcere), ed esitato nel trasferimento in un contesto comunitario, mira ad essere esemplificativo della valenza trasformativa di un approccio rivolto al paziente che, nella gestione della patologia psichiatrica, superi i limiti di un assetto prevalentemente custodialistico, spesso predominante nei pregressi contesti ad essa dedicati, e dia priorità alle finalità terapeutico-riabilitative

The nematode caenorhabditis elegans as an emerging biological model to study endocrine disruptor pesticides

Un disruptor endócrino (DE) es una sustancia exógena capaz de desbalancear el sistema endócrino, afectando funciones vitales como la reproducción, el metabolismo, el crecimiento, la función cardíaca y el balance de minerales. La complejidad del tema obliga a los investigadores, a la industria y a los entes reguladores a estudiar de manera conjunta los efectos potenciales de la exposición a DE. Para esclarecer las problemáticas asociadas, es necesario proponer un modelo experimental alternativo al de mamíferos, que les permitirá adecuarse a las futuras normativas internacionales. Este proyecto plantea el uso del nematodo Caenorhabditis eleganscomo modelo biológico para el estudio de los mecanismos de acción de los plaguicidas con potencial actividad disruptora endócrina. Este organismo ha resultado un excelente modelo in vivoen disciplinas como biología del desarrollo, genética, ciencias médicas y toxicología. Su ciclo de vida corto, su fácil y bajo costo de mantenimiento y la abundante bibliografía acerca de su fisiología posibilitan el desarrollo de pruebas toxicológicas eficientes y económicas. La información alcanzada en este estudio aportará datos importantes para la estimación de riesgo de plaguicidas con actividad disruptora endócrina y para la innovación de las políticas reguladoras de protección de la salud humana y del medioambiente.An endocrine disruptor (ED) is an exogenous substance that causes an imbalance in the endocrine system and adversely affects many biological functions such as reproduction, metabolism, growth, heart rate and fluid balance. The complexity of this matter requires an interdisciplinary approach from researchers, industry societies and control organizations to fully understand the potential effects of ED compounds. On top of that more important issues that are pending to be solved like the large amount of compounds to be tested for endocrine disruption activity and to establish an in vivo biological model that embrace animal protection regulation to perform all these new set of experiments. This project suggests the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a biological model to study the mechanisms of action of pesticides with putative endocrine disrupting activity. C. elegans has been studied and used as a model organism in several disciplines such as developmental biology, genetics, medical sciences and toxicology. Its short life cycle, simplicity and low cost maintenance together with the large amount of literature on its biology makes C. elegans a perfect tool to develop protocols for efficient and economical compounds screening. The results obtained in this study would provide important data that will help to estimate the risk of pesticides in relation with its endocrine disrupting activity. This information will be useful to modify regulatory policies in order to protect the environment and human health.Fil: Moya, Aldana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Área de Protección Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Kronberg, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Clavijo Lara, Araceli Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Mazzarella, Daniel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Área de Protección Vegetal; Argentina. Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimento. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria; ArgentinaFil: Pagano, Eduardo Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Munarriz, Eliana Rosa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales; Argentin

A Rorschach investigation of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Adulthood:

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by deficits in the areas of communication, socialization and behavior. Current diagnostic criteria have been modified in a restrictive sense, thus the possibility that individuals with milder impairments may not reach the diagnostic threshold is concrete. Furthermore, heterogeneity in phenotypic expression and the high rate of comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders would make even more difficult the diagnostic classification in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study was a Rorschach investigation aimed to identify specific psychopathological elements to properly orient the diagnosis of ASD in adulthood. Results have shown that the examined subjects were characterized by pragmatism, documented by the presence of details and little details, falls in formal thinking, thought inflexibility, lack of answers with human content, and the prevalence of particular phenomena (denial, perseveration). Data obtained in the study showed a specific pattern of psychopathological signs in adults with ASD, thus suggesting the importance of projective methods for a better understanding of the clinical features of avoidance behaviors and relationships

Salvinorin A Inhibits Airway Hyperreactivity Induced by Ovalbumin Sensitization

Salvinorin A, a neoclerodane diterpene isolated from Salvia divinorum, exerts a number of pharmacological actions which are not solely limited to the central nervous system. Recently it has been demonstrated that Salvinorin A inhibits acute inflammatory response affecting leukotriene (LT) production. Since LTs are potent lipid mediators implicated in allergic diseases, we evaluated the effect of Salvinorin A on allergic inflammation and on airways following sensitization in the mouse. Mice were sensitized with s.c. injection of ovalbumin (OVA) on days 1 and 8. Sensitized mice received on days 9 and 12 on the shaved dorsal surface air administration to induce the development of the air-pouches. On day 15 animals were challenged by injection of OVA into the air-pouch. Salvinorin A, administered (10 mg/kg) before each allergen exposure, significantly reduced OVA-induced LT increase in the air pouch. This effect was coupled to a reduction in cell recruitment and Th2 cytokine production. In another set of experiments, mice were sensitized with OVA and both bronchial reactivity and pulmonary inflammation were assessed. Salvinorin A abrogated bronchial hyperreactivity and interleukin (IL)-13 production, without effect on pulmonary inflammation. Indeed cell infiltration and peribronchial edema were still present following diterpenoid treatment. Similarly, pulmonary IL-4 and plasmatic IgE levels were not modulated. Conversely, Salvinorin A significantly reduced LTC4 production in the lung of sensitized mice. Finally mast cell activity was evaluated by means of toluidine blue staining. Data obtained evidenced that Salvinorin A significantly inhibited mast cell degranulation in the lung. Our study demonstrates that Salvinorin A inhibits airway hyperreactivity induced by sensitization by inhibition of LT production and mast cell degranulation. In conclusion Salvinorin A could represent a promising candidate for drug development in allergic diseases such as asthma

Health conditions of inmates in Italy

Abstract Background Several studies have shown that prison is characterized by a higher prevalence of chronic diseases than unconfined settings. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics and health of inmates, focusing on internal diseases. Methods We designed a specific clinical record using the Python programming language. We considered all of the diagnoses according to the ICD-9-CM. Results Of a total of 17,086 inmates, 15,751 were enrolled in our study (M = 14,835; F = 869), corresponding to 92.2% of the entire inmate population (mean age of 39.6 years). The project involved a total of 57 detention facilities in six Italian regions (for a total of 28% of all detainees in Italy), as counted in a census taken on February 3, 2014. From the entire study sample, 32.5% of prisoners did not present any disorders, while 67.5% suffered from at least one disease. The most frequent pathologies were psychiatric (41.3%), digestive (14.5%), infectious (11.5%), cardiovascular (11.4%), endocrine, metabolic, and immune (8.6%), and respiratory (5.4%). Conclusion The findings showed that a large number of detainees were affected by several chronic conditions such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus, with an unusually high prevalence for such a young population. Therefore, a series of preventive measures is recommended to strengthen the entire care process and improve the health and living conditions of prisoners

Intercropping system of tropical leguminous species and Eucalyptus camaldulensis , inoculated with rhizobia and/or mycorrhizal fungi in semiarid Brazil

For the purpose of reforestation and wood supply the leguminous tree Anadenanthera peregrina, a native species, was intercropped with Eucalyptus camaldulensis in a degraded semiarid area of Brazil. Single and mixed stands of these species were inoculated with Rhizobium and/or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The growth of all species in mixed stands did not differ from those cultivated in monoculture and land equivalent ratio (LER) exceeded unity in intercropped plots. Inoculated plants showed greater height and diameter growth and dry matter and nutrient concentration in plants of A. peregrina was higher in inoculated single plots. The distribution, composition and density of AMF species was related to the rhizosphere effect of plant species. The intercropped model where all the plants were inoculated achieved soil AMF diversity patterns similar to those of the preserved area and showed also higher soil organic matter, nutrient content as well as a reduction in soil macroporosity. This model of intercropping may be considered as an efficient system for reforestation under semiarid conditions.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Epicardial adipose tissue has an increased thickness and is a source of inflammatory mediators in patients with calcific aortic stenosis

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