Phenotypic characterization of lactic acid bacteria from sourdoughs for Altamura bread produced in Apulia (Southern Italy)

In order to study the composition of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) community of sourdoughs used for the manufacture of Altamura bread, a traditional durum wheat bread produced in Apulia (Southern Italy), 111 strains of LAB were isolated and characterized. The phenotypic characterization of the isolates, carried out using a set of 29 tests, allowed the identification of 15 clusters at the 80% similarity level by hierarchical cluster analysis. Of the isolates, 88% were identified as facultatively heterofermentative LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lb. paracasei, Lb. casei) and 12% as heterofermentative LAB (Lb. brevis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides). SDS-PAGE profiles of whole cell proteins of 68 strains confirmed the identification. Both the diversity and structure of the lactic microflora for sourdoughs for Altamura bread varied among samples

Presentation of the “Parma Scale” for treatment evaluation in offenders with mental disorders

Routine treatment evaluation is still poorly implemented in the Italian forensic psychiatric practice. This is also a lack of reliable instruments, especially those sufficiently specific and sensitive to longitudinally measure behavioral and functional changes. Moreover, among the very few assessment tools specifically designed to investigate treatment progress of offenders with mental disorders and the changeability of their problematic/protective behaviors, the vast majority were developed in non-Italian countries and cultures. Therefore, given the high specificity of the Italian forensic psychiatric framework, the aim of this paper was to present a new Italian instrument, the “Parma Scale” for treatment evaluation of offenders with mental disorders, which was developed as a quick and easy forensic tool specifically designed for a dynamic assessment of treatment plans (supported by hope and oriented towards a functional, personal and social recovery) and for an accurate application in different forensic psychiatric settings

Coronary microvascular dysfunction beyond microvascular obstruction in ST-elevation myocardial infarction. functional and clinical correlates

Objectives: To retrospectively characterize clinical predictors and impact on left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) of microvascular dysfunction (MVD) beyond microvascular obstruction (MVO), in 49 consecutive patients (58 ± 11 years), with successfully treated ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Methods: By myocardial contrast echocardiography, MVD was considered as myocardial segments with delayed/patchy opacification, while MVO as areas without any opacification. Both MVD and MVO were planimetered and expressed as percentage of total LV wall area. Patients were divided into tertiles of MVO: I (MVO 0%), II (MVO 4-17%), and III (MVO 18-38%) groups. Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) values obtained at admission and at peak were considered for analysis. Results: MVD correlated inversely with EF in groups I and II (p = 0.025, p = 0.019, respectively), but not in group III. MVD was independently predicted by cTnT on admission (β = 1.85; 95%CI = 0.46-3.24, p = 0.011) and female sex (β for male sex = -14.46; 95% CI = -27.96-0.95), while MVO by anterior MI (β = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.26-0.88, p = 0.008) and peak cTnT (β = 0.97; 95%CI = 0.57-1.38, p < 0.001). Altogether, MVD plus MVO predicted EF (β = -0.18; 95%CI = -0.28--0.07, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Even in patients with limited amount of MVO, EF may be impaired by MVD. MVO and MVD have different predictors, which probably reflect their different pathogenesis

Proprietà psicometriche della Scala di Parma: un nuovo strumento per la valutazione dei trattamenti sui pazienti psichiatrici autori di reato.

SCOPO DEL LAVORO: Il Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) sugli esiti dei trattamenti è tuttora scarsamente implementato nella pratica clinica routinaria della psi-chiatria forense italiana, specie per la carenza di stru-menti validi, affidabili ed attendibili, adattabili al pecu-liare contesto giuridico italiano. Infatti, la maggior parte degli strumenti utilizzati è stata sviluppata in contesti in-ternazionali, dove spesso ancora operano gli ospedali psichiatrici giudiziari (Olanda, Stati Uniti, Gran Breta-gna). Lo scopo di questa ricerca è quello di valutare la proprietà psicometriche della Scala di Parma, un nuovo strumento sviluppato appositamente per il ROM e da applicarsi in tutti i differenti contesti psichiatrico-forensi italiani (REMS; carcere, pazienti in detenzione domici-liare).MATERIALI E METODI: Le prorpietà psicometriche del-la scala di Parma sono state studiate su un campione di pazienti psichiatrici autori di reato detenuto negli Istituti Penitenziari di Parma o allocati nella REMS di Parma. Sono state esamnate la interrater e la test-retest relia-bility, la coerenza interna e la validità concorrente dei corrispettivi punteggi della versione italiana della “Hi-storisch, Klinische en Toekomstige – Revisie” (Histo-rical, Clinical and Future – Revision [HKT-R]) (Spreen et al., 2014). Infine, la modificabilità longitudinale dei punteggi della Scala di Parma è stata esaminata dopo un periodo di trattamento di 3 mesi utilizzando il test di Wilcoxon a misure ripetute.RISULTATI: Nella presente ricerca sono stati reclutati sessanta pazienti psichiatrici autori di reato, adulti e di sesso maschile. I risultati dello studio hanno eviden-ziato valori di interrater e test-retest reliability da buo-ni ad eccellenti (coefficienti ICC>0.850; coefficienti s di stabilità>0.75), valori buoni di coerenza interna (Cronbach alfa>0.75) e di validità concorrente con i rispettivi punteggi della scala HKT-R (coefficienti rho di Sperman>0.65). Infine, i punteggi dei domini clinici e di trattamento della Scala di Parma hanno mostrato valori di modificabilità e di variabilità longitudinale da moderati a grandi (effect size: coefficiente r>0.35).CONCLUSIONI: I risultati di questa ricerca supportano l’uso clinico della Scala di Parma nei contesti psichiatri-co-forensi italiani come stumento affidabil e valido per il ROM

Multiple vertebral fractures precipitate a platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome in a patient with atrial septal defect and aortic root dilatation: when the upright position becomes intolerable

Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome is a rare disease characterized by dyspnea and oxygen desaturation induced by the upright position and relieved by recumbency. We report a case of 65- years old woman with a recent history of traumatic hip and multiple vertebral fractures referred to our Institute due to onset of severe acute dyspnea. Trans-thoracic and trans-oesophageal echocardiography, conducted by intravenous administration of agitated saline contrast solution, revealed the presence of Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) associated with an important bidirectional shunting that was right-to-left directed when the patient was in sitting position. Surgical closure of ASD resulted in resolution of the syndrom

Reliability of the "Parma Scale" for forensic psychiatric treatment evaluation: preliminary findings in a sample of prisoners with mental disorder

Objectives: Routine monitoring of treatment outcomes has been poorly implemented in Italian forensic psychiatric practice. This is also for lacking of reliable tools. Thus, the "Parma Scale"(Pr- Scale) was developed. The specific aim of this study was to examine the reliability of the Pr-Scale as preliminary investigation on its psychometric properties. Methods: Test-retest and interrater reliability was assessed in a sample of prisoners with mental disorder using Intra-Class Correlation (ICC) and stability coefficients. Internal consistency for the Pr-Scale total score was also calculated using the Cronbach alpha statistic. Results: Thirty male adult inmates with mental illness were recruited within the Parma Penitentiary Institute (PPI). Our results showed good to excellent interrater and test-retest reliability for the Pr-Scale scores, as well as an acceptable internal consistency for the Pr-Scale total score. Conclusions: The findings of this study seem to support the administration of the Pr-Scale in forensic psychiatric settings as reliable tool for routine monitoring of treatment outcomes. However, future studies to carefully investigate other crucial psychometric properties of the Pr-Scale (e.g. concurrent validity, sensitivity to measure scores' longitudinal changes, predictive validity for recidivism risk) are needed