Factorial structure of the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States in help-seeking individuals: mapping the structure and the prediction of subsequent transition to psychosis.

Objectives: The aim of the current study was 3-fold: 1) to examine the factorial structure of the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) in help-seeking individuals undergoing an assessment on suspicion of psychosis risk; 2) to investigate the association of CAARMS factors with functioning; 3) and to test the association of any derived factors with the longitudinal outcome of transition to psychosis.

Methods: The study included 101 patients. First, a principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted using the Varimax rotation method.

Cannabinoid levels description in a cohort of patients with chronic and neuropathic pain treated with Cannabis decoction: A possible role of TDM.

The phytocomplex of Cannabis is made up of approximately 500 substances: terpeno-phenols metabolites, including Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, exhibit pharmacological activity. Medical Cannabis has several pharmacological potential applications, in particular in the management of chronic and neuropathic pain. In the literature, a few data are available concerning cannabis pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety.

Ultrasound-Guided Needle Biopsy as an Alternative to Chamberlain's Mediastinotomy and Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) in the Diagnosis of Anterior Mediastinal Neoformations: A Retrospective Analysis.

(1) Background: The prompt diagnosis of anterior mediastinal lesions is a challenge due to their often being categorized as malignant tumours. Ultrasound-guided Transthoracic Core Needle Biopsy (US-TCNB) is an innovative technique that is arousing increasing interest in clinical practice. However, studies in this area are still scarce.

Vitamin D impact in affecting clozapine plasma exposure: A potential contribution of seasonality.

Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people worldwide and clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic drug. Nevertheless, its use in therapy is limited due to adverse effects.Therapeutic drug monitoring is a clinical tool useful to reduce the clozapine toxicity.

A case report and literature review of cognitive malingering and psychopathology.

Malingering of cognitive difficulties constitutes a major issue in psychiatric forensic settings. Here, we present a selective literature review related to the topic of cognitive malingering, psychopathology and their possible connections. Furthermore, we report a single case study of a 60-year-old man with a long and ongoing judicial history who exhibits a suspicious multi-domain neurocognitive disorder with significant reduction of autonomy in daily living, alongside a longtime history of depressive symptoms.

A new UHPLC-MS/MS method for cannabinoids determination in human plasma: A clinical tool for therapeutic drug monitoring.

Cannabinoid derivates have been largely used for different medical purpose. In the literature, several methods capable of separating THC and its principles metabolites are described, although Δ8- and Δ9-THC separation has not been completely achieved. THC metabolism has not been fully understood and metabolites plasma distribution in healthy and pathological patients remains to further deepen.

Effect of long-acting injectable antipsychotics on hospitalizations and global functioning in schizophrenia: a naturalistic mirror-image study.

Background: Partial adherence to antipsychotics is the most common cause of relapses and rehospitalization in patients with schizophrenia (SZ), leading to higher health care costs and psychosocial disability. The use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics may improve therapeutic continuity and adherence to treatment.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of switching from oral antipsychotics (OAs) to long-acting antipsychotics.

Treatment response and tolerability with once-monthly paliperidone palmitate initiated shortly after hospital admission in patients with schizophrenia.

Objectives: Partial or non-adherence in patients with schizophrenia is common and increases the risk of relapse. This study explored safety, tolerability and treatment outcomes in patients hospitalised for an exacerbation of schizophrenia initiated on maintenance treatment of once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M).

Methods: A 6-week, observational cohort study of patients initiated on PP1M within 3 weeks after hospital admission.

Genetic lesions associated with blastic transformation of polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia.

Polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) are chronic myeloproliferative disorders that may progress to acute leukemia in a subset of patients. This study aimed at investigating the genetic lesions associated with the blastic transformation of PV and ET. A panel of PV and ET cases at different stages of disease was analyzed for the presence of genetic alterations of TP53, NRAS, KRAS, and MDM2 by a combination of mutational analysis and Southern blot hybridization.

Molecular events in chronic myeloid leukemia progression.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia presents two distinct clinical phases: the chronic phase is characterised by a marked expansion of the myeloid compartment which still retains a normal differentiative capacity, whereas a differentiation block is the clinical hallmark of the acute transformation. The molecular mechanism underlying the CML progression are still poorly understood. The occurrence of additional molecular lesions, involving the p53, the RAS and the p16 genes may complement and fulfil the BCR/ABL transforming potential, finally leading to an acute leukemic phenotype.

Serum erythropoietin and circulating transferrin receptor in thalassemia intermedia patients with heterogeneous genotypes.

Background: Thalassemia intermedia patients usually do not require blood transfusions; however, all show variable degrees of erythropoietic marrow expansion to compensate for more or less marked anemia, and this represents the major cause of complications in untransfused individuals.

Materials And Methods: To assess the degree of erythropoietic expansion in thalassemia intermedia, serum erythropoietin (sEpo) and serum transferrin receptor (sTfr) were determined in thirty Italian patient's characterized by their beta-globin genotype.

Results: Six patients showed inappropriately low sEpo levels (O/P ratio < 0.

Interleukin 2 (IL2) in the management of acute myeloid leukemia: clinical and biological findings.

In this paper we review some of the preclinical findings which have led us to believe that immunotherapy with interleukin 2 (IL2)/lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells may be a feasible approach in the management of acute myeloid leukemia. The main clinical and biological results so far obtained with IL2 treatment, and the currently ongoing protocols and strategies are discussed.

Use of the MTT Chemosensitivity Assay in B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

The possibility of evaluating the susceptibility of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells to chemotherapeutic agents pre-clinically, was assessed using the MTT colorimetric assay. The results so far obtained suggest that this rapid 3-4 days' test is accurate and reliable and may allow the physician to recognize individual B-CLL cases in which the neoplastic clone is resistant to Chlorambucil. Furthermore, the high efficacy of Fludarabine clearly emerges from these in vitro analyses.

Cytokines in B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

The pleomorphic action of different cytokines in regulating the growth and proliferation of normal B- and T-lymphocyte populations is becoming progressively more apparent. Thus, the possibility that some cytokines, either alone or in variable combination, may play a role in different lymphoproliferative disorders has been increasingly suggested and potential autocrine or paracrine loops hypothesized. Here, we shall discuss some of the known B-cell growth factors which have been postulated to be involved in the hematological progression, clinical course and complications in B-cell lymphocytic leukemia.

Immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene analysis in lymphoproliferative disorders.

The analysis of the configuration of the immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene regions has been of great relevance in defining conclusively the nature of several lymphoproliferative disorders in man. Furthermore, this technological tool has also helped to dissect between a monoclonal and polyclonal pattern of proliferation. The major results obtained, the potential use of molecular studies for the detection of minimal residual disease and the relevance of these techniques in the understanding of the processes of leukemogenesis and lymphomagenesis are discussed.

Hematoma of the inferior colliculus: uncommon cause of trochlear nerve deficit and contralateral sensory hemisyndrome.

A 57 year old man consulted us for sudden onset of acuphenes in the right ear, followed by diplopia on forward and downward gaze and paresthesias on the right side of the body. Examination of ocular movements revealed a deficit of the superior oblique muscle of the left eye. CT and MR brainscans imaged a punctate bleed of the left inferior colliculus.