Chronic hyperplastic anemia as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic lesions: a lesson from thalassemia intermedia

Introduction. Cardiovascular involvement represents a well-known complication and the primary cause of mortality, both in transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia major (β-TM) and in transfusion-independent beta thalassemia intermedia (β-TI). In β-TM, heart iron overload is considered the main cause of this complication. This is likely due to poor adherence to iron-chelating therapy, resulting in the inability of the body to efficiently remove iron excess derived from transfused red blood cell breakdown. Different clinical pictures may instead be evoked in cardiovascular involvement occurring in β-TI; however, until now, no factor has emerged as the major one responsible for these complications. 
Design and Methods. In the present study, iron status, and lipid profiles in serum, as well as lipid content in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were evaluated in 70 adult β-TM and in 22 adult β-TI patients. Ninety-two age-matched blood donors, free from any form of thalassemia, were utilized as controls. The mRNA levels of genes involved in the regulation of iron metabolism, such as interleukine 1 alfa (IL1α), tumor necrosis factor alfa (TNFα), as well as those involved in cholesterol homeostasis, such as acetyl-coenzymeA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT-1), neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase (nCEH), and ATP binding cassette-A (ABCA1), were also evaluated in PBMCs from the above subjects.
Results. In β-TI patients, serum iron, transferrin saturation and erythropoietin levels were higher, while transferrin and hepcidin were lower, compared to both β-TM and controls. Hepcidin and ILα mRNA levels were found to be reduced in β-TI-PBMCs, while those of TNFα were increased. A reduction in total and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC and HDL-C) in serum, and an accumulation of neutral lipids (NL), coupled with increased mRNA levels of ACAT-1 and decreased nCEH in PBMCs were also observed in β-TI. 
Conclusions. Since most of the parameters found to be altered in β-TI patients have a key role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, we suggest that cardiovascular complications in these patients may be, at least partially, dependent on the occurrence of premature atherosclerotic lesions. 
&#xa

Strategy to Accelerate or Augment the Antidepressant Response and for An Early Onset of SSRI Activity. Adjunctive Amisulpride to Fluvoxamine in Major Depressive Disorder

The topic of early response to antidepressant treatment has been extensively studied in major depressive disorder (MDD). We serendipitous observed an increase tolerability, a rapid response to therapy and an early onset of antidepressant fluvoxamine activity when associated with amisulpride in patients with major depressive disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate our preliminary observations

Why a new online open access journal in the field of clinical and epidemiological research in mental health?

Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health will encompass all aspects of clinical and epidemiological research in psychiatry and mental health, and will aim to build a bridge between clinical and epidemiological research. There are several outstanding mental heath journals covering all aspects of this dynamic field, but none of these journals is devoted to bridging clinical and epidemiological research. The Open Access online distribution of the journal and its inclusion in the leading data bases (such as PubMed Central) will ensure widespread and ready visibility, which are indispensable given the demand for immediate debate and comparison of scientific findings. This launch Editorial provides an overview of the field, and highlights some of the journal policies

La «maculatura batterica» del pomodoro (<i>Lycopersicum esculentum</i> Mill.) causata da <i>Pseudomonas syringae</i> van Hall.

The Authors report on a serious bacterial spot of greenhouse tomato found in Sardinia (Italy) on last years. The symptomatology, epidemlology and inducing factors are described, as well as the results of pathogenicity test. The causal agent has been isolated in pure culture and identified by means of morfological, cultural, biochemical, and serological characters as Pseudomonas syringae van Hall. Furthermore, methods of dlsease preventlon and control are brlefly exposed

A Copula-VAR-X Approach for Industrial Production Modelling and Forecasting

World economies, and especially European ones, have become strongly interconnected in the last decades and a joint modelling is required. We propose here the use of Copulas to build flexible multivariate distributions, since they allow for a rich dependence structure and more flexible marginal distributions that better fit the features of empirical data, such as leptokurtosis. We use our approach to forecast industrial production series in the core EMU countries and we provide evidence that the copula-VAR model outperforms or at worst compares similarly to normal VAR models, keeping the same computational tractability of the latter approach.Forecasting, Industrial Production, Copulas, VAR models.

Osservazioni sul «marciume dei capolini» del carciofo (<i>Cynara scolymus</i> L.) da <i>Botrytis cinerea</i> Pers. in Sardegna

The «head rot» of globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) induced by Botrytis cinerea Pers., which occurs more and more damaging in sardinian crops, 15 described. The inciting factors (of agronomic, climatic, and biotic nature) are reviewed, and the risks of heavy losses for the collected and packed artichokes are pointed out. Suitable means for preventing and controlling the disease are then suggested

L' «Avvizzimento» del pomodoro (<i>Lycopersicum esculentum</i> Mill.) causato da <i>Alternaria alternata</i> f. sp. <i>Lycopersici</i> Grogan, Kimble e Misaghi

A serious disease of tomato cultivar « Early pak 7 » for fresh-market production found in several greenhouses in southern Sardinia (ltaly) is described. Plants are affected in all stages of development with local lesions at the foot, and with typical symptoms of a vascular disease. The causal agent has been identified as Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici Grogan, Kimble and Mis. Morphological and physiologlcal characters of the fungus grown in pure culture are described, and also data on pathogeniclty and host-specificity are reported. Laboratory cultural and crossinfection tests showed that this fungus strongly resembles to A. alternata f. sp.lycopersici isolated in California (USA) as « tomato stem canker » agent

Osservazioni sulla patogenesi e sulla epidemiologia dell'«avvizzimento» del pomodoro (<i>Lycopersicum esculentum</i> mill.) da <i> Alternaria alternata</i> f. sp. <i>Lycopersici</i> grogan, kimble e misaghi

Alternaria alternata f. sp. Lycopersici Grogan, Kimble and Misaghi is the causal agent of a serious wilt of greenhouse «Earlypak» tomato in Sardinia (Italy). In phytopathological tests this cv. displayed a very high susceptibility both to direct infection and to metabolites effect of the fungus; instead some newly introduced tomato hybrids proved, some more some less, all resistent. The possible infection sources have been found, and so the ways of disease spreading were examined. Finally, some measures in order to prevent the disease are suggested

Nutritional properties of dietary omega-3-enriched phospholipids

Dietary fatty acids regulate several physiological functions. However, to exert their properties, they have to be present in the diet in an optimal balance. Particular attention has been focused on tissue highly polyunsaturated fatty acids (HPUFAs) n-6/n-3 ratio, influenced by the type and the esterified form of dietary fatty acids. Dietary EPA and DHA when esterified to phospholipids (PLs) are more efficiently incorporated into tissue PLs and seem to possess peculiar properties through specific mechanism(s) of action, such as the capacity to affect endocannabinoid biosynthesis at much lower doses than EPA and DHA in triglyceride form, probably because of the above mentioned higher incorporation into tissue PLs. Downregulation of the endocannabinoid system seems to mediate the positive effects exerted by omega-3-enriched PLs on several parameters of metabolic syndrome. PLs are one of the major dietary forms of EPA and DHA we are exposed to with the everyday diet; therefore, it is not surprising that it guarantees an effective EPA and DHA nutritional activity. Future studies should address whether EPA and DHA in PL form are also more effective than other formulations in ameliorating other pathological conditions where n-3 HPUFAs seem to exert beneficial activities such as cancer and psychiatric disorders

Effect of a daily dose of <i>Lactobacillus brevis</i> CD2 lozenges in high caries risk schoolchildren

Objectives A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed to validate the hypothesis that the use of lozenges containing Lactobacillus brevis CD2 (Inersan®, CD Investments srl) may reduce plaque pH, salivary mutans streptococci (ms) and bleeding on probing, during a 6-week period, in a sample of high caries risk schoolchildren. Methods A total of 191 children (aged 6–8 years), presenting two to three carious lesions and a salivary ms concentration of ≥105 CFU/ml, were enrolled and divided into two groups, an L. brevis CD2 lozenge group and a no L. brevis lozenge group, and examined at baseline (t0), after 3 weeks (t1), after 6 weeks of lozenge use (t2) and 2 weeks after the cessation of lozenge use (t3). Plaque pH was assessed using the microtouch technique following a sucrose challenge. The area under the curve (AUC5.7 and AUC6.2) was recorded. Salivary ms were counted, and bleeding on probing was assessed. Results At t0, the plaque-pH and ms concentration values were similar in both groups. Mean areas (AUC5.7 and AUC6.2) were significantly greater in the control group at t1, t2 and t3. L. brevis CD2 lozenges significantly reduced salivary ms concentrations and bleeding. The subjects from the test group showed a statistically significant decrease (p=0.01)in salivary ms concentration. At t2, a statistically significantly lower bleeding value was recorded in the test group compared with the control group (p=0.02). Conclusions Six weeks’ use of lozenges containing L. brevis CD2 had a beneficial effect on some important variables related to oral health, including a reduction in plaque acidogenicity, salivary ms and bleeding on probing.</br