1,314 research outputs found
Effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and cyclic AMP interaction on human neutrophil apoptosis.
The current study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling interaction on human neutrophil apoptosis, either occurring spontaneously or induced by Fas antigen activation. Results show that GM-CSF, dibutyryl cAMP (a cAMP analog) and forskolin (an adenylate cyclase activator) are all able to suppress spontaneous neutrophil cell death. Of note however, when GM-CSF is used in combination with cAMP-elevating agents, an additive effect on neutrophil survival is observed with dibutyryl cAMP only, whereas supplementation of cell cultures with GM-CSF and forskolin results in a progressive reduction of antiapoptotic effects exerted by the single compounds. Moreover, although dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin do not affect Fas-triggered apoptotic events, they are still able to modulate the GM-CSF capacity to prolong neutrophil survival following anti-Fas IgM cell challenge, with effects similar to those respectively exerted on spontaneous neutrophil apoptosis. The data indicate that GM-CSF may negatively modulate the cAMP-mediated antiapoptotic pathway in human neutrophils, likely via the inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity. This would prevent an abnormal neutrophil survival as a result of cAMP signaling stimulation, which provides a novel insight into the role of GM-CSF as a physiological regulator of myeloid cell turnover
DYSPHORIA AS A PSYCHIATRIC SYNDROME: A PRELIMINARY STUDY FOR A NEW TRANSNOSOGRAPHIC DIMENSIONAL APPROACH
Background: We currently define dysphoria as a complex and disorganized emotional state with proteiform phenomenology,
characterized by a multitude of symptoms. Among them prevail irritability, discontent, interpersonal resentment and surrender.
Dysphoria, in line with the most recent Interpersonal Dysphoria Model, could represent a âpsychopathological organizerâ of the
Borderline Personality Disorder. We would like to extend this theoretical concept to other psychiatric disorders in order to consider
dysphoria as a possible psychopathological nucleus, a syndrome on its own. This syndromic vision may open up the possibility of
new paths both in the differential diagnosis and in the therapeutic approach to the various disorders.
Aims: The goal of this paper is to understand if the dimensional spectrum that composes dysphoria differs from the different
psychiatric disorders. Specifically, we would like to assess if the phenomenological expression of dysphoria differs in patients with
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Mixed State Bipolar Disorder (BDM) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) through an
observational comparative study.
Subjects and methods: In this study, 30 adult patients, males and females between the ages of 18 and 65, were enrolled from the
Psychiatric Service of the Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital in Perugia (PG), Italy, from January 1st to June 30th, 2018. The
aim was to form 3 groups each one composed of 10 individuals affected respectively with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD),
with Bipolar Disorder, Mixed State (BPM) and Major Depression Disorder (MDD). After a preliminary assessment to exclude
organic and psychiatric comorbidity, we administered them the Neapen Dysphoria Scale â Italian Version (NDS-I), a specific
dimensional test for dysphoria. Starting from the dataset, with the aid of the statistical program SPSS 20, we have obtained graphs
showing the comparison between disorders groups selected and NDS-I total score and subscales (irritability, discontent,
interpersonal resentment, surrender). Finally, a comparison was made, taking two groups at a time, between the means of single
groups for total scores and for single subscales considered into the NDS-I test. We made it using the Mann-Whitney U test, a
nonparametric test with 2 independent samples, by setting a significance level =0.05.
Conclusions: This study, through a transnosographic-dimensional approach, allowed us to explore dysphoria and its expressions
in different psychopathological groups, despite analyzing a small sample. Differences between means of values obtained through
NDS-I subscales were statistically significant in patients with BPD, BDM and MDD (p<0.05). Among the latter, the group of BPD
patients has greater pervasiveness and severity of dysphoria symptoms
The moderating role of just-in-time on sociotechnical practices' effect over quality and workers' health
Sociotechnical (ST) theory emphasizes the notion that the design and performance of new systems can be improved, and can only work satisfactorily within an organization if the social and the technical aspects are brought together and treated as interdependent aspects of a work system. The implementation of lean manufacturing (LM) principles and practices has become popular, despite increasing demand on the current and emerging workforce to achieve higher levels of quality and flexibility with lower costs. Exploratory studies that investigate how LM practices influence the effect of ST practices on performance are still scarce, and a holistic view of such a relationship is needed. In this context, this study aims at verifying the moderating effect of just-in-time (JIT) practices on the relationship between ST practices and the performance of quality and workers' health. We carried out a survey with 144 different companies from Southern Brazil that are undergoing a lean implementation. Results indicate that ST practices have a positive significant relationship with such performance, and the concurrent adoption of JIT does not undermine quality and workers' health
CANNABINOID-INDUCED PSYCHOSIS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL GENDER STUDY
Background: Gender is a crucial factor in the development of mental illnesses, with an essential influence on clinical characteristics
and not only on the prevalence of each disorder. Gender differences in cannabinoid-related disorders are highlighted by
different research fields (preclinical, clinical, socio-demographic studies), but few studies focused on differential symptom expression
in cannabinoid-induced psychosis. This study aims at investigating qualitative and quantitative gender differences in specific
psychopathological domains in a clinical sample of subjects affected by cannabinoid-induced psychotic disorder, without psychiatric
comorbidity.
Subjects and methods: The study was carried out at the Psychiatric Inpatient Service of General Hospital of Perugia (Italy). In
this cross-sectional gender study, 28 inpatients were enrolled, 14 males (M) and 14 females (F). Participants were administered a
psychometric battery consisting of 7 tests (PANSS, NDS-I, YMRS, HAM-D, HAM-A, AQ, SSI) in order to investigate 7 psychopathological
domains (Psychosis, Dysphoria, Mania, Depression, Anxiety, Aggressive Behaviour and Suicide Ideation). Scores
obtained at each test were compared between male and females by using Mann-Whitney U test (p<0.05).
Results: In this study, we observed that males present higher severity of psychotic symptoms, with prominent scores in PANSS
positive and general psychopathology scale (p<0.001), and an important expression of aggressive behavior (p<0.001) compared
with females. Female sample, instead, shows a greater expression of dysphoria and depressive domains (p<0.001) and a lower, but
statistically significant, prevalence in the anxiety domains expression (p=0.01). By these observations, we could assert that in male group thought disorders are prominent. On the other hand, in female group affective disorder are prominent.
Conclusions: This study confirmed how gender influences the phenomenic expression of psychiatric disorders. In line with the
precision medicine paradigm, a further clarification of different clinical profiles based on gender would allow the choice of a
personalized treatment plan with better efficacy and accuracy indices
A DUAL THERAPEUTIC SETTING MODEL EXPERIENCE FOR SCHIZOTYPAL PERSONALITY DISORDER IN AN INPATIENT UNIT
G.B., 21-year-old patient of Albanian origin suffering from acute psychotic burning on schizotypal personality disorder induced
by substance abuse, was admitted to the Psychiatric Service at Perugiaâ General Hospital, Italy. On admission, antipsychotic
therapy was set up which had the role to reduced delusional and hallucinatory symptoms but the suspiciousness, the presence of magical thought and the closure towards surrounding world that characterize it, combined with the presence of intrusive images, consequently increased the anxiety experiences and negatively affects the establishment of a therapeutic relationship with the operators. During the hospitalization, daily support interviews were carried out: G.B. showed clear difficulty in expressing his own thought contents in presence of more than two operators emerged jointly with the tendency to project different emotional experiences based on the gender of the operator. Following these observations, with the aim to carrying out an intervention that could integrate a psychological approach to the pharmacological therapy in place, a specific personalized support setting was set up, consisting of a female and a male operator. This setting was structured coherently with the therapeutic goals to be achieved: creation of a therapeutic alliance, the integration of the patient\u27s emotional experiences and containing the splitting through the transference analysis. By means of this setting, the patient has obtained a substantial improvement of the splitting framework allowing a better integration of his emotional experiences. At the end of the sessions, G.B. showed more confidence with the medical staff and showed himself to be more aware of his pathological and non-pathological mental states and consequently more adherent to taking drug therapy and to the continuation of post-discharge psychological therapy
Interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor ι in menstrual effluents as biomarkers of chronic endometritis.
Objective: To assess the relationship between chronic endometritis (CE) and proinâŁammatory cytokine levels in menstrual efâŁuents and to develop a simple noninvasive test for screening CE. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Academic center.
Patient(s): Sixty-four women referred to our center for infertility. Intervention(s): OfâŁce hysteroscopy; endometrial biopsy; collection of menstrual blood at subsequent cycle. Main Outcome Measure(s): Interleukin (IL) 6, IL-1b, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) a concentrations in menstrual efâŁuents. Result(s): Thirty-sixoutof64infertilewomenhadhistologicallyprovenCE.Theremaining28womenwereincludedascontrols.IL-6, IL-1b, and TNF-a levels were markedly higher in menstrual efâŁuents of women with CE compared with control subjects. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a good CE screening capacity for all of the cytokines. The combined evaluation of either IL-6/TNF-a or IL-6/IL-1b increased the diagnostic capacity of the test, which reached a 100% sensitivity and a negative predictive value of 100 when at least one cytokine was found to exceed its cutoff value; it also reached a 100% speciâŁcity and a positive predictive value of 100 in cases of positivity of both cytokines. Logistic regression analysis conâŁrmed the IL-6/TNF-aâ based model as a signiâŁcant predictor of CE. Conclusion(s): ProinâŁammatorycytokinelevelsareincreasedinmenstrualefâŁuentsofwomen with CE. A test dosing IL-6 and TNF-a seems to have a high screening capacity for CE. (Fertil Steril! 2014;101:242â7. !2014 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
DYSPHORIA DIMENSIONAL MODEL FOR FEEDING AND EATING DISORDERS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Background: Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED) are severe psychiatric illnesses
which represent the main expression of Feeding and Eating Disorders (FED). Clinicians agree that emotional and behavioural
dysregulation play a crucial role in FED. Dysphoria could help us to better understand these components. Indeed, we define
dysphoria as a generic state of dissatisfaction and emotional instability, without any specific features. Among the multitude of
symptoms, we find that irritability, discontent, interpersonal resentment and surrender prevail. These dimensions correspond to the
four subscales of Neapean Dysphoria Scale - Italian version (NDS-I). Dysphoria role in FED has not yet been investigated. Using
this test, we can characterize dysphoria both in quantitative and qualitative terms. Accordingly, domain evaluation could
discriminate these disorders allowing us to assess possible differential phenomenological expressions.
Aims: The aim of this paper is to understand in which way the dimensional spectrum that composes dysphoria differs between
Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorders through an observational comparative study.
Subjects and methods: The enrolled sample (30 patients) is represented by patients with a history of FED (AN, BN or BED).
Patients were males and females between the ages of 13 and 45 with a good knowledge of Italian language. Patients with severe
cognitive impairment (MMSE <19) and civil incapacitation were excluded. Patients were recruited from the Psychiatric Service of
the Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital in Perugia (PG), and other residential and semi residential structures specialized in
FED treatment (FED specialized center at Palazzo Francisci in Todi (PG), Nido delle Rondini in Todi (PG), BED (Binge Eating
Disorders) center in CittĂ della Pieve (PG) and ambulatory services for FED in Umbertide (PG)). We administered them the Neapen
Dysphoria Scale â Italian Version (NDS-I), a specific dimensional test for dysphoria. Starting from the dataset, with the aid of the
statistical program SPSS 20, we have carried out a comparison between disorders groups selected and NDS-I total score and
subscales (irritability, discontent, interpersonal resentment, surrender). For this we have used the Mann-Whitney U test, a
nonparametric test with 2 independent samples, by setting a significance level p<0.05.
Conclusions: This study allowed us to better understand and characterize the most common Eating Disorders. Beyond that,
despite the small sample size, we found in our analysis statistically significant difference in the expression of various dysphoria
dimension spectrum inside our 3 groups
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