Ginkgo biloba Extract (GbE) Stimulates the Hypothalamic Serotonergic System and Attenuates Obesity in Ovariectomized Rats

Menopause is associated with increased risk to develop obesity but the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. We have shown that Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) improved diet-induced obesity. Since GbE might be effective in the treatment of obesity related to menopause, avoiding the side effects of hormone replacement therapy, we investigated the effect of GbE on hypothalamic systems controlling energy homeostasis. Wistar rats were either ovariectomized (OVX) or Sham-operated. After 2 months, either 500 mg.kg(-1) of GbE or vehicle were administered daily by gavage for 14 days. A subset of animals received an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of serotonin (300 mu g) or vehicle and food intake was measured after 12 and 24 h. Another subset was submitted to in vivo microdialysis and 5-HT levels of the medial hypothalamus were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, before and up to 2 h after the administration of 500 mg.kg(-1) of GbE. Additional animals were used for quantification of 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2C, 5-HTT, and pro-opiomelanocortin hypothalamic protein levels by Western blotting. OVX increased food intake and body weight and adiposity while GbE attenuated these alterations. i.c.v. serotonin significantly reduced food intake in Sham, Sham + GbE, and OVX + GbE groups while it failed to do so in the OVX group. In the OVX rats, GbE stimulated 5-HT microdialysate levels while it reduced hypothalamic 5-HTT protein levels. The results indicate that GbE improved the ovariectomy-induced resistance to serotonin hypophagia, at least in part through stimulation of the hypothalamic serotonergic activity. Since body weight gain is one of the most important consequences of menopause, the stimulation of the serotonergic transmission by GbE may represent a potential alternative therapy for menopause-related obesity.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Fisiol, Disciplina Fisiol Nutr, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Biol, Setor Morfofisiol & Patol, Diadema, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Fisiol, Disciplina Fisiol Nutr, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Biol, Setor Morfofisiol & Patol, Diadema, BrazilCNPq: 453924/2014-0FAPESP: 2012/03172-4FAPESP: 2014/18435-6Web of Scienc

Caracterização entomológica e infecção natural de anofelinos em área de Mata Atlântica, com casos autóctones de malária, em regiões montanhosas do Espírito Santo

No Espírito Santo, os casos de malária autóctone estão distribuídos na região serrana próximo aos fragmentos de Mata Atlântica. Uma vez que alguns aspectos da doença são obscuros, a detecção das possíveis espécies de vetores pode auxiliar na elucidação de incertezas epidemiológicas. Estudos entomológicos e de infecção natural foram realizados com anofelinos (Diptera: Culicidae) capturados no município de Santa Tereza, ES. Capturas mensais foram realizadas de março de 2004 a fevereiro de 2006. Armadilhas CDC-CO2 foram utilizadas do crepúsculo (18:00h) ao amanhecer (6:00h), para capturar anofelinos nos seguintes habitats: próximo ao domicílio e área aberta (solo), margem e interior da mata (solo e copa). Armadilhas Shannon também foram utilizadas nos mesmos locais que as de CDC-CO2. Capturou-se o total de 2.290 anofelinos distribuídos em 10 espécies. A maior frequência relativa foi de Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii Dyar & Knab / A.(K.) homunculus Komp, sendo a maioria capturada em CDC-CO2 instalada na copa da mata. A principal espécie capturada em armadilha Shannon foi A.(Nyssorhynchus) strodei Root. O maior número de anofelinos foi capturado entre julho e setembro das 18:00h às 22:00h. Provavelmente A.(K.) cruzii é responsável pela transmissão da malária dentro ou próximo aos fragmentos de Mata Atlântica. Entretanto, a participação de outras espécies não pode ser ignorada, visto que 53 por cento da amostragem foi constituída pelo subgênero Nyssorhynchus. A detecção de Plasmodium vivax no tórax de A. cruzii, A. parvus (Chagas) e A. galvaoi Causey, Deane & Deane por meio de PCR reforça esse argumentoAutochthonous malaria cases in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, are distributed in mountainous regions surrounded by the Atlantic Forest. While some aspects of this disease are unclear, detection of possible vector species can help to elucidate epidemiological uncertainties. Entomological and natural infection studies were carried out using anophelines (Diptera: Culicidae) captured in the municipality of Santa Tereza, ES. Monthly captures were made from March 2004 to February 2006. CDC-CO2 traps were used from dusk (6:00 P.M.) to dawn (6:00 A.M.) to capture anophelines in the following habitats: near the houses, in open areas (at ground level) and inside, and at the margins of the forest (canopy and ground level). Shannon light traps were also used at the same locations of the CDC-CO2 traps. A total of 2,290 anophelines within 10 species were captured. The relative frequency of Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii Dyar & Knab / A.(K.) homunculus Komp was the highest, with the majority captured in CDC-CO2 traps installed in the forest canopy. The main species captured in Shannon traps was A.(Nyssorhynchus) strodei Root. The largest number of anophelines was captured from July to September and from 6:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. Anopheles (K.) cruzii is the probable vector for malaria transmission inside or near the Atlantic Forest fragments, but the role of other species cannot be ignored, as 53% of the sampled anophelines belonged to the subgenus Nyssorhynchus. The natural infection of A. cruzii, A. parvus (Chagas) and A. galvaoi Causey, Deane & Deane by Plasmodium vivax detected by PCR from DNA extracted from their thoraxes supports this viewFAPESP 2003/07631-

Younger age at onset and sex predict celiac disease in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. An Italian multicenter study

WSTĘP. Celem badania była ocena chorobowości w przypadku, potwierdzonej w biopsji, choroby trzewnej u włoskich dzieci i młodzieży, chorych na cukrzycę typu 1 oraz określenie zależności między wiekiem, w którym ujawniła się cukrzyca typu 1, a rozpoznaniem choroby trzewnej. MATERIAŁ I METODY. Badanie obejmowało grupę kliniczną dzieci i młodzieży w okresie dojrzewania, chorych na cukrzycę typu 1, leczonych w 25 ośrodkach we Włoszech. Co roku wykonywano u nich badania przesiewowe w kierunku celiakii, przy użyciu przeciwciał przeciwgliadynowych IgA/IgG i przeciwciał IgA przeciwko endomysium. WYNIKI. Potwierdzoną w biopsji chorobę trzewną stwierdzono u 292 z 4322 dzieci i młodzieży [chorobowość 6,8%, 95-procentowy przedział ufności (CI, confidendial interval) 6,0-7,6]; ryzyko wystąpienia choroby trzewnej było wyższe u dziewcząt niż u chłopców [współczynnik ryzyka (OR, odds ratio) 1,93; 1,51-2,47]. W 89% przypadków cukrzycę rozpoznano przed ujawnieniem się choroby trzewnej. Analiza regresji logistycznej wykazała, że młody wiek, płeć żeńska i zaburzenia czynności tarczycy były niezależnie związane z ryzykiem zachorowania na cukrzycę lub chorobę trzewną. W porównaniu z osobami, u których cukrzyca ujawniła się powyżej 9. roku życia, u osób, u których początek choroby wystąpił poniżej 4. roku życia, OR wynosił 3,27 (2,20-4,85). WNIOSKI. W niniejszej pracy wykazano, że: 1) chorobowość w przypadku potwierdzonej biopsją choroby trzewnej u dzieci i młodzieży jest wysoka (6,8%); 2) ryzyko wystąpienia obu schorzeń jest 3-krotnie wyższe u dzieci i młodzieży z cukrzycą typu 1, u których ujawniła się ona przed ukończeniem 4. roku życia niż w przypadku, kiedy początek choroby wystąpił powyżej 9. roku życia; 3) ryzyko wystąpienia obu schorzeń u dziewcząt jest wyższe niż u chłopców.INTRODUCTION. To estimate the prevalence of biopsy- confirmed celiac disease in Italian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and to assess whether age at onset of type 1 diabetes is independently associated with diagnosis of celiac disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study group was a clinic-based cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes cared for in 25 Italian centers for childhood diabetes. Yearly screening for celiac disease was performed using IgA/IgG anti-gliadin and IgA anti-endomysium antibodies. RESULTS. Of the 4,322 children and adolescents (age 11.8 ± 4.2 years) identified with type 1 diabetes, biopsy-confirmed celiac disease was diagnosed in 292 (prevalence 6.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.0–7.6), with a higher risk seen in girls than in boys (odds ratio [OR] 1.93, 1.51–2.47). In 89% of these, diabetes was diagnosed before celiac disease. In logistic regression analyses, being younger at onset of diabetes, being female, and having a diagnosis of a thyroid disorder were independently associated with the risk of having diabetes and celiac disease. In comparison with subjects who were older than 9 years at onset of diabetes, subjects who were younger than 4 years at onset had an OR of 3.27 (2.20–4.85). CONCLUSIONS. We have provided evidence that 1) the prevalence of biopsy-confirmed celiac disease in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes is high (6.8%); 2) the risk of having both diseases is threefold higher in children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 9 years; and 3) girls have a higher risk of having both diseases than boys

Development and validation of the short version of the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB-S)

BACKGROUND: The PGWBI is a 22-item health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) questionnaire developed in US which produces a self-perceived evaluation of psychological well-being expressed by a summary score. The PGWBI has been validated and used in many countries on large samples of the general population and on specific patient groups. Recently a study was carried out in Italy to reduce the number of items of the original questionnaire, yielding the creation of a shorter validated version of the questionnaire (PGWB-S). The purpose of the present paper is to describe the methods adopted and to report and discuss the relevance of results. METHODS: Data for this study were collected from 4 different population samples: two general population samples a student and a patient sample. On the basis of the results of the first (development) sample population, six relevant items were identified statistically from the original questionnaire and grouped to assemble a new summary scale. Following the newly created 6-item questionnaire was administered in three independent population samples. Descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients, univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to compare the performance of the long and short questionnaire, within and between population samples and across relevant subgroups. A further independent sample extracted by an ongoing cancer clinical trial served as final validation step. RESULTS: Overall, the questionnaires were administered to 1443 subjects. Six items were selected by a step-wise approach to explain 90% of the variance of the summary measure of the original questionnaire. Response rates reached 100%, while missing items were not observed. University students (n = 400) showed the highest mean value of the summary measure (75.3); while the patient sample (n = 28) had the lowest score (71.5). The correlation coefficients between the summary measures and the single items according to the different studies were satisfactory, reaching the highest estimates in the student sample. The internal consistency showed high values of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient (range 0.80 – 0.92) for all three study samples, coming close to the value of the coefficient established for the original questionnaire (0.94). A cross-validation in an independent sample of 755 cancer patients confirmed the item selection procedure and amount of variance explained by the new shorter questionnaire (ranging from 90. 2 to 95.1 %, across age and sex strata). CONCLUSION: The newly identified PGWB-S showed good acceptability and validity for the use in various settings in Italy. The translation of the PGWB-S into different languages, and its use in other linguistic settings will add evidence about its cross-cultural validity

"A psychodynamic couselling intervention for university students seeking psychological help" - Proceedings XXI National Congress Italian Psychological Association, Clinical and Dynamic Section, Milan-27-29 September 2019, SYMPOSIUM SESSION

Introduction: In recent years there has been a rise in the number of university students seeking psychological treatment for their mental health issues that have important implications for academic functioning. Psychodynamic counselling aims at promoting a process of self-reflection, self-discovery and meaning-making, focused on overcoming an ongoing crisis of students and their academic projects. Method: The present study focused on outcomes of psychodynamic counselling providing information regarding an effective short-term treatment in university students needing psychological help at the Counselling Center of Sapienza, University of Rome. This service offers four counselling sessions and a later three-month follow-up session. A total of 105 subjects were involved in the present study. The sample was divided into two groups: students (N=66) who received intervention (Experimental Group) and those (N=39) waiting for intervention (Control Group). Before the first and after the forth clinical session all participants completed the following measures: the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0); the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45.2); the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Brief Form (PID-5-BF). The change following the intervention of psychodynamic counselling was assessed through the multivariate analysis of covariance for evaluating differences between the experimental and control groups on the outcomes’ mean scores. Results: As expected, results showed that some of SCL-90-R, OQ-45 and WHODAS subscales were significantly lower in the experimental group with respect to the control group. Conclusions: Although findings highlighted the usefulness of psychodynamic counselling intervention, they should be considered preliminary because part of an ongoing research and needed to be confirmed