Acute Onset Psychosis With Mystical Delusions in a Young Male Patient Following Discontinuation of Corticosteroid Therapy: A Case Report.

Corticosteroid-based drugs are widely used in the general population to treat several acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. However, the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs is often accompanied by severe psychiatric adverse effects through a yet unknown mechanism. To further complicate this situation, therapeutic strategies to counteract psychotic symptoms associated with these agents have yet to be devised.

An Optimized Protocol for the Mapping of Cell Type-Specific Ribosome-Associated Transcript Isoforms from Small Mouse Brain Regions.

Over the past years, technological advances in transcriptomics provided deep insights into gene expression programs and their role in tissue organization and cellular functions. The isolation of ribosome-associated transcripts is a powerful approach for deep profiling of cell type-specific transcripts, and particularly well-suited for quantitative analysis of transcript isoforms. This method employs conditional ribosome epitope-tagging in genetically defined cell types, followed by affinity-isolation of ribosome-associated mRNAs.

Development of a novel high resolution melting assay for identification and differentiation of all known 19 serovars of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the etiological agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, a respiratory infectious disease responsible for global economic losses in the pig industry. From a monitoring perspective as well as due to the different courses of disease associated with the various serovars, it is essential to distinguish them in different herds or countries. In this study, we developed a novel high resolution melting (HRM) assay based on reference strains for each of the 19 known serovars and additional 15 clinical A.

Establishment of a Mass-Spectrometry-Based Method for the Identification of the Whole Blood and Plasma ADP-Ribosylomes.

Blood and plasma proteins are heavily investigated as biomarkers for different diseases. However, the post-translational modification states of these proteins are rarely analyzed since blood contains many enzymes that rapidly remove these modifications after sampling. In contrast to the well-described role of protein ADP-ribosylation in cells and organs, its role in blood remains mostly uncharacterized.

Systemic antibiotics in hidradenitis suppurativa: efficacy and effects of body mass index and smoking pack-year on the response to therapy.

The combination of oral clindamycin with rifampicin is recommended by European guidelines as a first-line treatment in moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Recent studies highlight that oral clindamycin in monotherapy (CM) may be a useful alternative treatment. We included 36 patients with a diagnosis of moderate-to-severe HS.

Respiratory and Psychophysical Sequelae Among Patients With COVID-19 Four Months After Hospital Discharge.

Importance: Although plenty of data exist regarding clinical manifestations, course, case fatality rate, and risk factors associated with mortality in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), long-term respiratory and functional sequelae in survivors of COVID-19 are unknown.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of lung function anomalies, exercise function impairment, and psychological sequelae among patients hospitalized for COVID-19, 4 months after discharge.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective cohort study at an academic hospital in Northern Italy was conducted among a consecutive series of patients aged 18 years and older (or their caregivers) who had received a confirmed diagnosis of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection severe enough to require hospital admission from March 1 to June 29, 2020.

Increased Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Antidepressants Users: A Mini Review.

Mounting evidence has shown that the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is substantially overlapping in the diagnostic subgroups of psychiatric disorders. While it is widely acknowledged that patients receiving antipsychotic medications are at higher risk of MetS than antipsychotic-naive ones, the association between antidepressants and MetS is still debated. The goal of our mini review was to analyse the relationship among depressive symptoms, antidepressant use and the occurrence of MetS.

Microglia remodel synapses by presynaptic trogocytosis and spine head filopodia induction.

Microglia are highly motile glial cells that are proposed to mediate synaptic pruning during neuronal circuit formation. Disruption of signaling between microglia and neurons leads to an excess of immature synaptic connections, thought to be the result of impaired phagocytosis of synapses by microglia. However, until now the direct phagocytosis of synapses by microglia has not been reported and fundamental questions remain about the precise synaptic structures and phagocytic mechanisms involved.

Sexual dimorphism of microglia and synapses during mouse postnatal development.

Microglia participate in synapse remodeling in the cortex and hippocampus during mouse postnatal development. Although sex differences in microglia activity during embryonic development have been reported in these regions, it remains unexplored whether microglia show sexually dimorphic features during the early postnatal period, a critical window for synapse formation and maturation. Here, we investigated morphological and functional features of microglia across early postnatal development as well as morphological features of both pre- and postsynaptic neuronal compartments in the mouse hippocampus.

ADP-ribose-specific chromatin-affinity purification for investigating genome-wide or locus-specific chromatin ADP-ribosylation.

Protein ADP-ribosylation is a structurally heterogeneous post-translational modification (PTM) that influences the physicochemical and biological properties of the modified protein. ADP-ribosylation of chromatin changes its structural properties, thereby regulating important nuclear functions. A lack of suitable antibodies for chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) has so far prevented a comprehensive analysis of DNA-associated protein ADP-ribosylation.

[HPV vaccination: active offer in an Italian region].

Human Papillomavirus is responsible for 4.8% of cancers, and is the main cause of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer can be reduced by mean of secondary prevention (PAP-test, HPV-DNA test), while through primary prevention (anti-HPV vaccine) the incidence of other HPV-attributable cancers can also be reduced.

Analysis of Chromatin ADP-Ribosylation at the Genome-wide Level and at Specific Loci by ADPr-ChAP.

Chromatin ADP-ribosylation regulates important cellular processes. However, the exact location and magnitude of chromatin ADP-ribosylation are largely unknown. A robust and versatile method for assessing chromatin ADP-ribosylation is therefore crucial for further understanding its function.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of Methyl CpG Binding Domain Protein 2 Regulates Chromatin Structure.

The epigenetic information encoded in the genomic DNA methylation pattern is translated by methylcytosine binding proteins like MeCP2 into chromatin topology and structure and gene activity states. We have shown previously that the MeCP2 level increases during differentiation and that it causes large-scale chromatin reorganization, which is disturbed by MeCP2 Rett syndrome mutations. Phosphorylation and other posttranslational modifications of MeCP2 have been described recently to modulate its function.

Alcohol consumption and awareness of the risks related in alcohol-abuse in high school students: evidence from a Health Education program.

Background: The unceasing and widespread increase of alcohol consumption represents an important problem for the European Union. For this reason, we wanted to investigate the patterns of alcohol consumption among high-school students of Rieti, a city in central Italy, and of surrounding rural areas. Furthermore, the study intends to investigate students' awareness on alcohol-related health risks and on the consequences of driving in a state of intoxication.

Artd1/Parp1 regulates reprogramming by transcriptional regulation of Fgf4 via Sox2 ADP-ribosylation.

The recently established reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by Takahashi and Yamanaka represents a valuable tool for future therapeutic applications. To date, the mechanisms underlying this process are still largely unknown. In particular, the mechanisms how the Yamanaka factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc) directly drive reprogramming and which additional components are involved are still not yet understood.

Modulation of hepatitis C virus replication by iron and hepcidin in Huh7 hepatocytes.

Several clinical observations point to an intricate crosstalk between iron (Fe) metabolism and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In this study, we wanted to investigate the molecular control that Fe levels exert on HCV replication at the hepatocyte level. In keeping with previous observations we confirmed that supra-physiological intracellular Fe induced by haemin treatment down-modulated HCV replication from subgenomic replicons.

Effect of chronic ACE inhibition on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients.

We studied 14 moderately overweight Type 2 diabetic patients with essential hypertension in stable metabolic control after a run-in period, and again after 3 months of antihypertensive treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril. Glucose tolerance was tested with a 75g oral glucose load (OGTT) and insulin sensitivity was measured by the insulin suppression test (IST) while dietary and drug treatment of the hyperglycemia was maintained constant. In the whole group, mean blood pressure (MBP) fell progressively over 3 months from a baseline value of 123 +/- 3 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.

Renal excretion of ascorbic acid in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Serum ascorbic acid (AA) is reduced in diabetic patients. Aim of this study was 1) to verify whether such a decrease might be due to an altered urinary excretion of AA, and 2) whether this latter was modified in presence of early diabetic nephropathy with microalbuminuria (albumin excretion rate [AER] > 20 micrograms/min) in a group of 21 patients affected by insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus (IDDM) as compared with 13 healthy controls matched for sex, age, dietary AA intake, and creatinine clearance per 1.73 m2 (CCl).

Relation of birthweight to maternal plasma glucose and insulin concentrations during normal pregnancy.

Maternal diabetes mellitus is complicated by fetal macrosomia and predisposes the offspring to diabetes, but recent evidence indicates that a low, not high, birthweight is associated with a higher incidence of Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes in adult life. To clarify the relationships between maternal glucose and insulin levels and birthweight, we measured oral glucose tolerance and neonatal weight in a large group (n = 529) of women during the 26th week of pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes (n = 17) had more familial diabetes, higher pre-pregnancy body weight, and tended to have large-for-gestational-age babies.

Effect of chronic ACE inhibition on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients.

The question, of whether long-term treatment of essential hypertension with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors is capable of modifying glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity in Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, is still unsolved. We studied 14 moderately overweight Type 2 diabetic patients with essential hypertension in stable metabolic control after a run-in period and again after 3 months of antihypertensive treatment with the ACE inhibitor, captopril. Glucose tolerance was tested with a 75-g oral glucose load and insulin sensitivity was measured by the insulin suppression test, while dietary and drug treatment of the diabetes remained constant.

Erythrocyte spermidine levels in IDDM patients.

Objectives: To evaluate whether erythrocyte levels of polyamines spermidine and spermine (expressed in nmol/ml packed erythrocytes [PRBCs]) are modified in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and are associated with the presence of retinopathy or nephropathy.

Research Design And Methods: We studied erythrocyte spermidine and spermine levels in 38 IDDM patients with or without persistent microalbuminuria (urinary albumin excretion rate [AER] between 20 and 200 micrograms/min), macroalbuminuria (AER greater than 200 micrograms/min), or retinopathy compared with 60 sex- and age-matched control subjects.

Results: Mean +/- SD erythrocyte spermine content was similar in both diabetic (9.

Serum lipids and lipoproteins in type 2 diabetic patients with persistent microalbuminuria.

To investigate whether persistent microalbuminuria is related to altered levels of both lipids and apolipoproteins in Type 2 diabetes mellitus serum total-cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, and apolipoprotein B were measured by standard methods in a group of Type 2 diabetic patients affected by persistent microalbuminuria (albumin excretion rate (AER) 20-200 micrograms min-1) as compared with a group of sex- and age-matched non-microalbuminuric patients (AER less than 20 micrograms min-1). The groups were stratified according to a short (less than or equal to 5 years) or a longer (greater than 5 years) duration of diagnosed diabetes. Microalbuminuria was not associated with significant changes of serum total-cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and apolipoproteins in the group of patients with a duration of disease greater than 5 years, while microalbuminuric patients less than or equal to 5 years from diagnosis (n = 11) had serum total-cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, and apoprotein B higher than non-microalbuminuric control patients (n = 26) (cholesterol 6.

Serum spermidine oxidase activity in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and microvascular complications.

Metabolism of polyamines (spermidine and spermine) is known to be strictly related to the growth processes of eukaryotic cells. Since cell replication processes appear altered in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), especially when associated with its microvascular complications, the aim of this study was measuring serum spermidine oxidase activity (SOA), a key enzyme in the metabolic pathway of polyamines, in 47 patients with IDDM as compared with 63 healthy control subjects matched for age and sex. Mean SOA levels +/- SD were significantly lower in IDDM patients (177.

Serum digoxin and beta-methyldigoxin in elderly patients on hospital admission: correlation with home compliance and clinical variables.

Serum digoxin and beta-methyldigoxin (BMD) were measured in 165 elderly patients (age greater than 60 years) admitted to hospital, of whom 109 had been treated at home with digoxin and 56 with BMD. The mean BMD level was significantly lower than that of digoxin (1.1 vs.