Introduction to Pragmatism and Psychologism

Testo introduttivo delle curatrici al numero monografico dello European Journal of Pragmatism and American Philosophy dedicato al tema "Pragmatism and Psychologism". Sebbene l'introduzione sia stata elaborata insieme dalle due autrici, il primo paragrafo è attribuibile a Rosa Maria Calcaterra, mentre il secondo paragrafo deve essere attribuito a Roberta Dreon

Hypercalcemia and Neurological Symptoms: A Rare Presentation of Hyperfunctioning Parathyroid Adenoma in an Adolescent

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are rarely described as a manifestation of hyperparathyroidism, especially in children. We describe the case of an adolescent with hypercalcemia related to and hyperfunctioning parathyroid adenoma presenting with acute neuropsychiatric symptoms. A 14-year-old-girl presented into the Emergency Service Department because of an acute onset of marked asthenia, muscle weakness with difficulty in walking, and altered mental status, which included nonsensical speech. No other neurological signs were present. Abdominal, cardiac, and thoracic examination were unremarkable. There was no recent history of trauma or infection. Family history was negative for neurologic disorders. Her past medical history was unremarkable. A head CT scan showed negative results. The laboratory work-up showed elevated levels of calcium level (14.35 mg/dl; nv 9-11 mg/dl), parathyroid hormone (PTH; 184 pg/ml; nv 3.5-36.8 pg/ml), and creatinine (1.23 mg/dl; nv 0.45-0.75 mg/dl). Sodium, potassium, chloride, thyroid function, glycemia, and insulin values were normal. Neck ultrasonography showed a solid, oval, capsulated, hypoechoic neoformation, with discrete vascularization localized to the inferior pole of the right thyroid lobe, referring to parathyroid tissue. Scintigraphy revealed a hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue at the inferior pole of the right thyroid lobe. Massive intravenous hydration and diuretic therapy were started. The signs and symptoms of hypercalcemia improved after the initiation of therapy. The patient was submitted to right cervicotomy and muscle sparing for the removal of the adenoma of the right superior parathyroid gland. After surgery, a decrease in PTH levels (< 4 pg/ml) and calcium levels (9.1 mg/dl) was recorded. During follow-up, calcium values remained stable; a progressive normalization of PTH was obtained. The oral calcium therapy was suspended after 3 months from surgery. No neuropsychiatric symptoms recurred. An evaluation of the serum calcium level is mandatory in children and adolescents with unexplained neurological signs or symptoms, and a check for hyperparathyroidism should be considered

Efficacy and Safety of Bempedoic Acid in Patients With Hypercholesterolemia: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

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Dietary habits, depression and obesity: an intricate relationship to explore in pediatric preventive strategies

Obesity and depression represent major health problems due to their high prevalence and morbidity rates. Numerous evidences elucidated the connections between dietary habits and the incidence or severity of depression. This overview aims to investigate the intricate relationship between dietary patterns and depression with the objective of elaborating preventive strategies for childhood obesity. Literature data recognized that there is a link between mood and food choices, with certain foods selected for their impact on the brain's reward centers. This behavior parallels the one observed in substance addiction, suggesting a specific neural mechanism for food addiction that contributes to overeating and obesity. It is important to note the significant correlation between obesity and depression, indicating a shared biological pathway influencing these conditions. Stress substantially affects also eating behaviors, often leading to increased consumption of pleasurable and rewarding foods. This can trigger a cycle of overeating, weight gain, and psychological distress, exacerbating mood disorders and obesity. In addition, consumption of certain types of foods, especially “comfort foods” high in fat and calories, may provide temporary relief from symptoms of depression, but can lead to long-term obesity and further mental health problems. Understanding these complex interactions is critical to developing preventive strategies focusing on dietary, emotional, and environmental factors, thereby reducing the risk of obesity and mood disorders

PIEZO1 Hypomorphic Variants in Congenital Lymphatic Dysplasia Cause Shape and Hydration Alterations of Red Blood Cells

PIEZO1 is a cation channel activated by mechanical force. It plays an important physiological role in several biological processes such as cardiovascular, renal, endothelial and hematopoietic systems. Two different diseases are associated with alteration in the DNA sequence of PIEZO1: (i) dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis (DHS1, #194380), an autosomal dominant hemolytic anemia caused by gain-of-function mutations; (ii) lymphatic dysplasia with non-immune fetal hydrops (LMPH3, #616843), an autosomal recessive condition caused by biallelic loss-of-function mutations. We analyzed a 14-year-old boy affected by severe lymphatic dysplasia already present prenatally, with peripheral edema, hydrocele, and chylothoraces. By whole exome sequencing, we identified compound heterozygosity for PIEZO1, with one splicing and one deletion mutation, the latter causing the formation of a premature stop codon that leads to mRNA decay. The functional analysis of the erythrocytes of the patient highlighted altered hydration with the intracellular loss of the potassium content and structural abnormalities with anisopoikolocytosis and presence of both spherocytes and stomatocytes. This novel erythrocyte trait, sharing features with both hereditary spherocytosis and overhydrated hereditary stomatocytosis, complements the clinical features associated with loss-of-function mutations of PIEZO1 in the context of the generalized lymphatic dysplasia of LMPH3 type

Treatment with PCSK9 inhibitors in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia lowers plasma levels of platelet-activating factor and its precursors: a combined metabolomic and lipidomic approach

13openInternationalItalian coauthor/editorIntroduction: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is characterized by extremely high levels of circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and is caused by mutations of genes involved in LDL-C metabolism, including LDL receptor (LDLR), apolipoprotein B (APOB), or proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9). Accordingly, PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) are effective in LDL-C reduction. However, no data are available on the pleiotropic effect of PCSK9i. To this end, we performed an untargeted metabolomics approach to gather a global view on changes in metabolic pathways in patients receiving treatment with PCSK9i. Methods: Twenty-five FH patients starting treatment with PCSK-9i were evaluated by an untargeted metabolomics approach at baseline (before PCSK9i treatment) and after 12 weeks of treatment. Results: All the 25 FH subjects enrolled were on maximal tolerated lipid-lowering therapy prior to study entry. After a 12 week treatment with PCSK9i, we observed an expected significant reduction in LDL-cholesterol levels (from 201.0 ± 69.5 mg/dL to 103.0 ± 58.0 mg/dL, p < 0.001). The LDL-C target was achieved in 36% of patients. After peak validation and correction, after 12 weeks of PCSK9i treatment as compared to baseline, we observed increments in creatine (p-value = 0.041), indole (p-value = 0.045), and indoleacrylic acid (p-value= 0.045) concentrations. Conversely, significant decreases in choline (p-value = 0.045) and phosphatidylcholine (p-value < 0.01) together with a reduction in platelet activating factor (p-value = 0.041) were observed. Conclusions: Taking advantage of untargeted metabolomics, we first provided evidence of concomitant reductions in inflammation and platelet activation metabolites in FH patients receiving a 12 week treatment with PCSK9iopenDi Minno, Alessandro; Orsini, Roberta Clara; Chiesa, Mattia; Cavalca, Viviana; Calcaterra, Ilenia; Tripaldella, Maria; Anesi, Andrea; Fiorelli, Susanna; Eligini, Sonia; Colombo, Gualtiero I; Tremoli, Elena; Porro, Benedetta; Di Minno, Matteo Nicola DarioDi Minno, A.; Orsini, R.C.; Chiesa, M.; Cavalca, V.; Calcaterra, I.; Tripaldella, M.; Anesi, A.; Fiorelli, S.; Eligini, S.; Colombo, G.I.; Tremoli, E.; Porro, B.; Di Minno, M.N.D

Breast implant surface topography triggers a chronic-like inflammatory response

: Breast implants are extensively employed for both reconstructive and esthetic purposes. However, the safety of breast implants with textured surfaces has been questioned, owing to a potential correlation with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma and the recurrence of breast cancer. This study investigates the immune response elicited by different prosthetic surfaces, focusing on the comparison between macrotextured and microtextured breast implants. Through the analysis of intraoperatively harvested periprosthetic fluids and cell culture experiments on surface replicas, we demonstrate that macrotextured surfaces elicit a more pronounced chronic-like activation of leucocytes and an increased release of inflammatory cytokines, in contrast to microtextured surfaces. In addition, in vitro fluorescent imaging of leucocytes revealed an accumulation of lymphocytes within the cavities of the macrotextured surfaces, indicating that the physical entrapment of these cells may contribute to their activation. These findings suggest that the topography of implant surfaces plays a significant role in promoting a chronic-like inflammatory environment, which could be a contributing factor in the development of lymphomas associated with a wide range of implantable devices