Negative symptoms as key features of depression among cannabis users: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis use is frequent among depressed patients and may lead to the so-called "amotivational syndrome", which combines symptoms of affective flattening and loss of emotional reactivity (i.e. the so-called "negative" symptomatology). The aim of this study was to investigate the negative symptomatology in depressed patients with concomitant cannabis use disorders (CUDs) in comparison with depressed patients without CUDs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-one patients with a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and concomitant CUD and fifty-one MDD patients were enrolled in the study. The 21-Item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the negative symptoms subscales of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were used to assess depressive and negative symptomatology. RESULTS: Patients with cannabis use disorders presented significantly more severe negative symptoms in comparison with patients without cannabis use (15.18 ± 2.25 vs 13.75 ± 2.44; t100 = 3.25 p = 0.002). DISCUSSION: A deeper knowledge of the "negative" psychopathological profile of MDD patients who use cannabis may lead to novel etiopathogenetic models of MDD and to more appropriate treatment approaches

Bullous lung disease and neurofibromatosis type-1.

Lung interstitial diseases and bullae are described as possible complications of neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF-1), a genetic disorder inherited as a autosomal-dominant trait. We report the case of a 16-year-old male non-smoker with NF-1, who presented with pneumothorax caused by ruptured lung bullae. The case of this young patient, successfully treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic resection of bullae, supports the concept that pulmonary alterations may be part of the NF-1 syndrome, rather than as an unrelated complication

Cinema in the training of psychiatry residents: focus on helping relationships

Background: Medical schools are currently charged with a lack of education as far as empathic/relational skills and the meaning of being a health-care provider are concerned, thus leading to increased interest in medical humanities. Discussion. Medical humanities can offer an insight into human illness and in a broader outlook into human condition, understanding of one self, responsibility. An empathic relation to patients might be fostered by a matching approach to humanities and sciences, which should be considered as subjects of equal relevance, complementary to one another. Recently, movies have been used in medical - especially psychiatric - trainees education, but mainly within the limits of teaching a variety of disorders. A different approach dealing with the use of cinema in the training of psychiatry residents is proposed, based on Jung and Hillman's considerations about the relation between images and archetypes, archetypal experience and learning. Summary. Selected full-length movies or clips can offer a priceless opportunity to face with the meaning of being involved in a care-providing, helping profession

Super-heavy fermion material as metallic refrigerant for adiabatic demagnetization cooling

Low-temperature refrigeration is of crucial importance in fundamental research of condensed matter physics, as the investigations of fascinating quantum phenomena, such as superconductivity, superfluidity and quantum criticality, often require refrigeration down to very low temperatures. Currently, cryogenic refrigerators with $^3$He gas are widely used for cooling below 1 Kelvin. However, usage of the gas is being increasingly difficult due to the current world-wide shortage. Therefore, it is important to consider alternative methods of refrigeration. Here, we show that a new type of refrigerant, super-heavy electron metal, YbCo$_2$Zn$_{20}$, can be used for adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration, which does not require 3He gas. A number of advantages includes much better metallic thermal conductivity compared to the conventional insulating refrigerants. We also demonstrate that the cooling performance is optimized in Yb$_{1-x}$Sc$_x$Co$_2$Zn$_{20}$ by partial Sc substitution with $x\sim$0.19. The substitution induces chemical pressure which drives the materials close to a zero-field quantum critical point. This leads to an additional enhancement of the magnetocaloric effect in low fields and low temperatures enabling final temperatures well below 100 mK. Such performance has up to now been restricted to insulators. Since nearly a century the same principle of using local magnetic moments has been applied for adiabatic demagnetization cooling. This study opens new possibilities of using itinerant magnetic moments for the cryogen-free refrigeration

Synthesis of highly ordered L10 MPt alloys (M = Fe, Co, Ni) from crystalline salts: an in situ study of the pre-ordered precursor reduction strategy

The synthesis of highly ordered magnetic L1(0) alloys by means of the so-called pre-ordered precursor reduction (PPR) approach is deeply investigated by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments. By following the chemical and structural evolution of the M(H2O)(6)PtCl6 (M = Fe, Co, Ni) precursor salts during hydrogen-assisted thermal reduction, it was possible to shed light on the key role of the crystalline initial compound whose intrinsic atomic order serves as a driving force to kinetically favor the formation of highly ordered FePt, CoPt and NiPt L1(0) alloys under milder conditions with respect to ordinary thermal treatments. The results confirm the potentiality of the PPR synthesis approach that can be suitably extended, by properly choosing the precursor salt, for the synthesis of other binary and ternary alloys where the chemical order represents a key property of the material, with a potential strong impact on several technological applications

Synthesis of highly ordered L1 0 MPt alloys (M= Fe, Co, Ni) from crystalline salts: an in situ study of the pre-ordered precursor reduction strategy

The synthesis of highly ordered magnetic L10 alloys by means of the so-called pre-ordered precursor reduction (PPR) approach is deeply investigated by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments. By following the chemical and structural evolution of the M(H2O)6PtCl6 (M = Fe, Co, Ni) precursor salts during hydrogen-assisted thermal reduction, it was possible to shed light on the key role of the crystalline initial compound whose intrinsic atomic order serves as a driving force to kinetically favor the formation of highly ordered FePt, CoPt and NiPt L10 alloys under milder conditions with respect to ordinary thermal treatments. The results confirm the potentiality of the PPR synthesis approach that can be suitably extended, by properly choosing the precursor salt, for the synthesis of other binary and ternary alloys where the chemical order represents a key property of the material, with a potential strong impact on several technological applications

Neurocognitive and Psychopathological Predictors of Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery: A 4-Year Follow-Up Study

Twenty to thirty percent of patients experience weight regain at mid and long-term follow- up. Impaired cognitive functions are prevalent in people suffering from obesity and in those with binge eating disorder, thereby, affecting the weight-loss outcomes. The aim of our study was to investigate neurocognitive and psychopathological predictors of surgical efficacy in terms of percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) at follow-up intervals of one year and 4-year. Psychosocial evaluation was completed in a sample of 78 bariatric surgery candidates and included psychometric instruments and a cognitive battery of neuropsychological tests. A schedule of 1-year and 4-year follow-ups was implemented. Wisconsin Sorting Card Test total correct responses, scores on the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test, and age predicted %EWL at, both, early and long-term periods after surgery while the severity of pre-operative binge eating (BED) symptoms were associated with lower %EWL only four years after the operation. Due to the role of pre-operative BED in weight loss maintenance, the affected patients are at risk of suboptimal response requiring ongoing clinical monitoring, and psychological and pharmacological interventions when needed. As a result of our findings and in keeping with the latest guidelines we encourage neuropsychological assessment of bariatric surgery candidates. This data substantiated the rationale of providing rehabilitative interventions tailored to cognitive domains and time specific to the goal of supporting patients in their post-surgical course

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, MENTALIZATION AND OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS IN A NON-CLINICAL SAMPLE: A MEDIATION ANALYSIS STUDY

Objective: Obsessive and compulsive symptoms (OCS) are cross-cutting psychopathological manifestations frequently detected in a variety of clinical and non-clinical samples. It has been suggested that impaired mentalization abilities and traumatic experiences during childhood may be relevant etiopathogenetic factors in the development of OCS. The purpose of the current study was to cross-sectionally assess these variables in a non-clinical sample, testing the mediational role of mentalization abilities in the association between childhood trauma (CT) and OCS. Method: 667 participants (488 females; mean age= 29.76 ± 11.87 years; age range: 18-80) answered a survey including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Mentalization Questionnaire and the Obsession-Compulsion subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory. Results: The mediation model was significant for the total effect (p<.001), showing that CT was positively associated with OCS (95% CI:.006;.019) and that this association was mediated by reduced levels of mentalization capacity (95% CI:.003;.009). Such results were significant controlling for potential sociodemographic and clinical confounding variables. Conclusions: The findings contribute to elucidate the complex relationships between CT, mentalization capacity, and OCS, supporting the possibility that mentalization impairments, arising from CT, may affect top-down control mechanisms thus contributing to the development of OCS

eStroop: Implementation, Standardization, and Systematic Comparison of a New Voice-Key Version of the Traditional Stroop Task

The Stroop effect is a well-documented phenomenon, demonstrating both interference and facilitation effects. Many versions of the Stroop task were created, according to the purposes of its applications, varying in numerous aspects. While many versions are developed to investigate the mechanisms of the effect itself, the Stroop effect is also considered a general measure of attention, inhibitory control, and executive functions. In this paper, we implement “eStroop”: a new digital version based on verbal responses, measuring the main processes involved in the traditional effect. eStroop features four categories of stimuli in four different colors: (1) geometrical shapes, (2) neutral words, (3) congruent words, and (4) incongruent words. The results of the administration to 307 University students confirm the Stroop effect and offer baseline data for future research and clinical testing. Direct comparisons with other recent versions of the task are discussed, offering insights into differences and similarities between different task variables