Binge-eating disorder diagnosis and treatment: a recap in front of DSM-5

INTRODUCTION: Binge Eating Disorders is a clinical syndrome recently coded as an autonomous diagnosis in DSM-5. Individuals affected by Binge Eating Disorder (BED) show significantly lower quality of life and perceived health and higher psychological distress compared to the non-BED obese population. BED treatment is complex due to clinical and psychological reasons but also to high drop-out and poor stability of achieved goals. The purpose of this review is to explore the available data on this topic, outlining the state-of-the-art on both diagnostic issues and most effective treatment strategies. METHODS: We identified studies published in the last 6 years searching the MeSH Term “binge eating disorder”, with specific regard to classification, diagnosis and treatment, in major computerized literature databases including: Medline, PubMed, PsychINFO and Science Direct. RESULTS: A total of 233 studies were found and, among them, 71 were selected and included in the review. REVIEW: Although Binge Eating Disorder diagnostic criteria showed empirical consistency, core psychopathology traits should be taken into account to address treatment strategies. The available body of evidence shows psychological treatments as first line interventions, even if their efficacy on weight loss needs further exploration. Behavioral and self-help interventions evidenced some efficacy in patients with lower psychopathological features. Pharmacological treatment plays an important role, but data are still limited by small samples and short follow-up times. The role of bariatric surgery, a recommended treatment for obesity that is often required also by patients with Binge Eating Disorder, deserves more specific studies. Combining different interventions at the same time does not add significant advantages, planning sequential treatments, with more specific interventions for non-responders, seems to be a more promising strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its recent inclusion in DSM-5 as an autonomous disease, BED diagnosis and treatment strategies deserve further deepening. A multidisciplinary and stepped-care treatment appears as a promising management strategy. Longer and more structured follow-up studies are required, in order to enlighten long term outcomes and to overcome the high dropout rates affecting current studies

An allele of Arabidopsis COI1 with hypo- and hypermorphic phenotypes in plant growth, defence and fertility

Resistance to biotrophic pathogens is largely dependent on the hormone salicylic acid (SA) while jasmonic acid (JA) regulates resistance against necrotrophs. JA negatively regulates SA and is, in itself, negatively regulated by SA. A key component of the JA signal transduction pathway is its receptor, the COI1 gene. Mutations in this gene can affect all the JA phenotypes, whereas mutations in other genes, either in JA signal transduction or in JA biosynthesis, lack this general effect. To identify components of the part of the resistance against biotrophs independent of SA, a mutagenised population of NahG plants (severely depleted of SA) was screened for suppression of susceptibility. The screen resulted in the identification of intragenic and extragenic suppressors, and the results presented here correspond to the characterization of one extragenic suppressor, coi1-40. coi1-40 is quite different from previously described coi1 alleles, and it represents a strategy for enhancing resistance to biotrophs with low levels of SA, likely suppressing NahG by increasing the perception to the remaining SA. The phenotypes of coi1-40 lead us to speculate about a modular function for COI1, since we have recovered a mutation in COI1 which has a number of JA-related phenotypes reduced while others are equal to or above wild type levels.This work was supported by grant BIO201018896 from "Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad" (MINECO) of Spain and by grant ACOMP/2012/105 from "Generalitat Valenciana" to PT, a JAE-CSIC Fellowship to JVC, a FPI-MINECO to AD, and Fellowships from the European Molecular Biology Organization and the Human Frontier Science Program to BBHW. 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Titanium parts by powder injection moulding of TiH2-based feedstocks

Titanium parts have been processed from feedstocks composed of titanium hydride powders, low density polyethylene, paraffin wax and stearic acid. A two-step debinding process has been used, which consists of solvent debinding in heptane at 50°C followed by thermal debinding at 500°C. Sintering was performed at 1200°C. Both thermal debinding and sintering were performed under a protective atmosphere in a MIM furnace equipped with molybdenum heating elements and a debinding retort. Special care in powder handling, feedstock preparation, debinding and sintering atmospheres, allowed to limit the residual oxygen, nitrogen and carbon contents, which were determined by quantitative analysis. The mechanical properties of net‑shape sintered parts were measured by tensile tests. A tensile strength of 580 MPa and an elongation of 1.8% were obtained. Experimental watch bracelet segments were injection moulded, showing good shape preservation and reproducibility

Powder injection moulding of titanium from TiH2 powders

Titanium parts have been processed from feedstocks composed of titanium hydride powders, low density polyethylene, paraffin wax and stearic acid. A two-step debinding process has been used, which consists of solvent debinding in heptane at 50°C followed by thermal debinding at 500°C. Sintering was performed at 1200°C. Both thermal debinding and sintering were performed under protective atmosphere in a MIM furnace equipped with molybdenum heating elements and a debinding retort. Special care in powder handling, feedstock preparation, debinding and sintering atmospheres, allowed to limit the residual oxygen, nitrogen and carbon contents, which were determined by quantitative analysis. The mechanical properties of net-shape sintered parts were measured by tensile tests. A tensile strength of 580 MPa and an elongation of 1.8% were obtained. Experimental watch bracelet segments were injection moulded, showing good shape preservation and reproducibility

Topiramate in Alcohol Use Disorders: Review and Update.

To date, a limited number of pharmacological agents exist to treat alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and there is growing interest in new therapeutic tools. In this framework, topiramate may represent a useful treatment option, although its use is not yet approved for AUDs. The main focus of this review is to discuss all the existing data supporting the use of topiramate in AUDs, with an emphasis on the most recent and relevant clinical implications. In addition, the profile of the alcoholic patient who may benefit more from the use of topiramate is outlined. In this regard, the authors conducted a PubMed search of clinical human studies published in English using the following key words: topiramate alcohol dependence, topiramate alcohol withdrawal and topiramate alcoholism. The evidence suggests that topiramate could be an effective treatment option for the management of AUDs, while there are limited results for its use to treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome. In particular, topiramate shows a greater beneficial effect in subjects with a typology of craving characterised by drinking obsessions and automaticity of drinking. Topiramate, within the dosage range of 75-300 mg/day, could be considered as a first-line treatment option for the management of AUDs. Its use appears to be safe and well-tolerated, especially in light of very recent findings