Personalized and precision medicine as informants for treatment management of bipolar disorder.

DSM-5 diagnostic categories, defined by a set of psychopathological symptoms are heterogeneous conditions that may include different biological entities, with distinct etiopathogenesis, different courses and requiring different treatment management. For bipolar disorder the major evidences for this lack of validity are the long paths before a proper diagnosis, the inconsistence of treatment guidelines, the long phases of pharmacological adjustment and the low average of long-term treatment response rates. Personalized medicine for mental disorders aims to couple established clinical-pathological indexes with new molecular profiling to create diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic strategies precisely tailored to each patient.

Sacubitril/valsartan effect on left ventricular remodeling: the case of a super-responder.

Sacubitril/valsartan has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but its effects on left ventricular (LV) systolic function and reverse remodeling parameters remain to be established. We hereby describe the case of a 41 year old man with HFrEF and severe reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The patient was first treated with triple HF therapy (beta-blocker, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and mineralocorticoid antagonist), but after three months he was still symptomatic and with an LVEF firmly low.

Adipokine expression in systemic sclerosis lung and gastrointestinal organ involvement.

Objectives: The immunomodulatory properties of adipokines have previously been reported in autoimmune disorders. Less is known about the role of adipokines in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Lung and gastrointestinal tract are frequently involved in SSc; therefore, these organs were analyzed for adipokine expression as well as pulmonary samples of patients suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as comparison.

Psychological constraints on aggressive predation in economic contests.

When humans compete, they invest energy and effort to injure others and to protect against injury and exploitation. The psychology behind exploiting others and protecting against exploitation is still poorly understood and is addressed here in an incentivized economic contest game in which individuals invested in predatory attack and prey defense. Consistent with standard economic theory on production and predation, we find that individuals compete less intensely when they attack rather than defend and that attacks disproportionally often fail.

Immune-Mediated Myocarditis in Fabry Disease Cardiomyopathy.

Background Glycosphingolipid accumulation in Fabry cells generates a proinflammatory response that may influence disease evolution and responsiveness to enzyme replacement therapy. This study evaluated incidence, mechanism, and impact of myocarditis in Fabry disease cardiomyopathy ( FDCM ). Methods and Results Myocarditis, defined as CD 3 T lymphocytes >7/mm associated with necrosis of glycolipid-laden myocardiocytes, was retrospectively evaluated in endomyocardial biopsies from 78 patients with FDCM : 13 with maximal wall thickness (MWT) <11 mm (group 1), 17 with MWT 11 to 15 mm (group 2), 30 with MWT 16 to 20 mm (group 3), and 18 with MWT >20 mm (group 4).

Emergency response of four transfusion centers during the last Chikungunya outbreak in Italy.

Between September 15 and November 11, 2017, the area of Rome was subjected to cessation of donation in an area of approximately 1,300,000 inhabitants and with a 5-day quarantine for the rest of metropolitan areas due to Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak. Quarantine was applied to red blood cell (RBC) and plasma units while platelet concentrates (PCs) were subjected to pathogen inactivation methods (PIMs). Quarantine was based on an active recall of all donors and, in case of declared absence of any symptom or illness, on release of RBC and plasma units after 5 days.

Assessing the real benefits of surgery for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis without instability and spondylolisthesis: a single surgeon experience with a mean 8-year follow-up.

Background: The degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis is one of the most commonly treated spinal disorders in older adults; despite its increasing frequency, it is not yet clear what the most effective therapy might be. The aim of this study is to investigate the very long term results of a homogenized cohort of patients suffering from lumbar spinal stenosis: the first subset of patients operated on with laminectomy and the second subset of patients was also advised to undergo laminectomy but never operated on.

Methods: Patients from both subgroups were advised to undergo surgery, according to the same criteria, in the period between 2000 and 2010 and were re-evaluated in the period between January and December 2016.

Paroxysmal motor disorders: expanding phenotypes lead to coalescing genotypes.

Paroxysmal movement disorders encompass varied motor phenomena. Less recognized features and wide phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity are impediments to straightforward molecular diagnosis. We describe a family with episodic ataxia type 1, initially mis-characterized as paroxysmal dystonia to illustrate this diagnostic challenge.

FGFR1:TACC1 fusion is a frequent event in molecularly defined extraventricular neurocytoma.

Extraventricular neurocytoma (EVN) is a rare primary brain tumor occurring in brain parenchyma outside the ventricular system. Histopathological characteristics resemble those of central neurocytoma but exhibit a wider morphologic spectrum. Accurate diagnosis of these histologically heterogeneous tumors is often challenging because of the overlapping morphological features and the lack of defining molecular markers.

Psychopathological characteristics of adjustment disorder among outpatients with and without work related stress.

Objectives: Study's objective is to assess psychopathological profiles in outpatients with a diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder (AD) who had positive evaluations of work related stress (AD-W) versus those exposed to other stressful life events (AD-O).

Methods: The participants were 70 outpatients with AD-W, compared to 71 outpatients with AD-O, admitted at the Unit of Psychiatry and Occupational Medicine, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome. Patients completed the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - 2 (MMPI-2), and the Rorschach test.

John Cunningham virus: an overview on biology and disease of the etiological agent of the progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

John Cunningham virus (JCV), the etiological agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), is the first human polyomavirus described. After asymptomatic primary infection which occurs in childhood, the virus spreads by the hematogenous route from the primary site of infection to secondary sites including kidneys, lymphoid tissues, peripheral blood leukocytes, and brain to establish latent infection. During immunosuppression the virus undergoes molecular rearrangements that allow it to replicate in glial tissues causing PML.

Eight-hours adaptive deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson disease.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility and clinical efficacy of local field potentials (LFPs)-based adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) in patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD) during daily activities in an open-label, nonblinded study.

Methods: We monitored neurophysiologic and clinical fluctuations during 2 perioperative experimental sessions lasting for up to 8 hours. On the first day, the patient took his/her daily medication, while on the second, he/she additionally underwent subthalamic nucleus aDBS driven by LFPs beta band power.

Effectiveness of pharmacological or psychological interventions for smoking cessation in smokers with major depression or depressive symptoms: A systematic review of the literature.

Background: Smokers with major depressive disorder (MDD) or depressive symptoms (DS) represent a subgroup in need of attention, since they have specific clinical features and prognosis.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature (Cochrane, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Web of Science databases from inception to June 2017) of randomized clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of pharmacological, psychological, or combined interventions for smoking cessation in subjects with current or past MDD/DS without medical or comorbid psychiatric disorder(s) was run following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results: Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria.

Phase 1-3 of the cross-cultural development of an EORTC questionnaire for the assessment of sexual health in cancer patients: the EORTC SHQ-22.

To develop and pretest an European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Sexual Health Questionnaire (EORTC SHQ-22) for the assessment of physical, psychological, and social aspects of sexual health (SH) in male and female cancer patients and survivors. Questionnaire construction started with creating a list of relevant SH issues based on a comprehensive literature review. Issues were subsequently evaluated for relevance and prioritization by 78 healthcare professionals (HCP) and 107 patients from 12 countries during in-depth interviews (phase 1).

Hybrid imaging in Crohn's disease: from SPECT/CT to PET/MR and new image interpretation criteria.

Crohn's disease is a chronic relapsing disease characterized by mucosal inflammation, lymphocytes infiltration and fibrotic strictures. Usually, the assessment of location, extension, inflammatory activity and severity of intestinal lesions is complex and invasive with endoscopic methods or histological and biochemical investigations. Thus, the diagnosis remains a challenge for the management of patients.

Efficacy and Safety of a Multistrain Probiotic Formulation Depends from Manufacturing.

Background: Variability in probiotics manufacturing may affect their properties, with potential implications for their efficacy and safety. This is of particular concern with probiotic products destined for use in patients with serious medical conditions, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The purpose of the study was to carry out a series of experiments comparing the properties of the US-made probiotic formulation originally commercialized under the brand name VSL#3, with those of the Italian-made formulation now commercialized under the same name.

Does the Somatosensory Temporal Discrimination Threshold Change over Time in Focal Dystonia?

Background: The somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) is defined as the shortest interval at which an individual recognizes two stimuli as asynchronous. Some evidence suggests that STDT depends on cortical inhibitory interneurons in the basal ganglia and in primary somatosensory cortex. Several studies have reported that the STDT in patients with dystonia is abnormal.

Long-term effects of early environment on the brain: Lesson from rodent models.

The postnatal period is characterized by extensive neuronal plasticity, synaptic organization, and remodeling. High neuroplasticity renders the brain sensitive to the remodeling effects induced by environmental factors, such as exposure to adversity, which can imprint neurochemical, neuroendocrine, morphological, and behavioral changes. Early experiences that influence developmental trajectories during maturation of the brain can have a wide range of long-lasting effects, modulating stress-coping strategies in adult life and inducing vulnerability or resilience to psychopathologies, depending on the gene×later experience interplay.

Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: protocol for a systematic review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13601-016-0094-y.].

Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: a systematic overview of systematic reviews.

Background: There is clinical uncertainty about the effectiveness and safety of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Objectives: To undertake a systematic overview of the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of AIT for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Methods: We searched nine electronic databases from inception to October 31, 2015.

Neural functional correlates of empathic face processing.

Objectives: Empathy is a human trait related to the ability to share someone else's feelings, and emotional face processing is one of its measures. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies showed significant neural correlates of empathic face processing. We aimed to identify those brain areas most consistently involved in empathy for emotional faces.