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Purpose: Pilates-based programs can help pregnant women deal with the physical and psychological burden derived by major changes in their body. This study was designed to primarily test, in pregnant women, the dose-response and health effects of both pre-partum and post-partum, online Pilates-based program on weight control, low back pain (LBP) severity, sleep disturbances, mood and depression levels. Methods: A total of 136 pregnant women were screened for eligibility (low-risk pregnancy; aged 18–45 years; single pregnancy; 20–28-week gestational age, normal BMI). Participants completed an online Pilates-based program during pregnancy and after delivery, through an online platform guided by a Pilates, Yoga and Lagree certified instructor. Main outcomes (weight control, LBP disability, sleep quality, mood, and mental health) were assessed at baseline and at the completion of pre- and post-partum programs. Results: Regarding pre-partum, significant gains in weight were observed only in low- and intermediate-amount exercisers. Only high-amount exercisers did not display significant increase in LBP-related disability (+42.7%; p =.21) unlike low (+12.2%; p <.0001) and intermediate exercisers (+9.6%; p <.0001). Sleep disturbances increased significantly in low- (+24.3%; p =.005) but not in intermediate- (+4.6%; p =.50) and high-amount exercisers (−0.1%; p =.91). Regardless of the amount of exercise, depression scores improved in all groups. Following post-partum intervention (n = 40), only intermediate-amount exercisers showed significant reductions in sleep disturbances (−24.1%; p =.003) and depression (15.9%; p =.04). Conclusions: Approximately 270 min/week of an online Pilates-based program were needed to prevent LBP worsening, and sleep deterioration in pregnant women. A different pattern was outlined for those women resuming the Pilates-based intervention at post-partum, with 150 min/week emerging as the "dose" of exercise capable of inducing the largest improvements in LBP, sleep, and mood disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Jealousy and attachment share some characteristics: both can be interpreted as dynamics aimed at maintaining the subjects/partners together, appear to be triggered by the separation from the attachment figure/partner, involve the same basic emotions, such as fear, anger, sadness, and, finally, both they elicit a sense of safety when the other is close and responsive, or the opposite when he or she is distant. Some studies showed that differences in attachment styles seem to influence both the frequency and the patterns of jealousy expression. However, jealousy is a quite heterogeneous phenomenon, even within the normality domain, and it would be more valuable to ascertain the impact of attachment styles on specific jealousy features. The present study explored the possible relationships between romantic attachment and jealousy in 100 healthy subjects. Methods: The romantic attachment and jealousy were evaluated by means of, respectively, the “Experiences in Close Relationships” questionnaire (ECR), and the “Questionario della Gelosia” (QUEGE). Results: The ECR anxiety scale was related to all QUEGE dimensions, while the ECR avoidance scale to the self-esteem, fear of loss and suspiciousness dimensions. Individuals with the preoccupied, fearful-avoidant or dismissing attachment styles showed higher scores than secure subjects at all QUEGE dimensions, while dismissing individuals had lower scores at all dimensions. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings suggest that the two phenomena, attachment and jealousy, are intertwined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to provide the community with a comprehensive overview of the studies of glaciers in the tropical Andes conducted in recent decades leading to the current status of the glaciers in the context of climate change. In terms of changes in surface area and length, we show that the glacier retreat in the tropical Andes over the last three decades is unprecedented since the maximum extension of the Little Ice Age (LIA, mid-17th-early 18th century). In terms of changes in mass balance, although there have been some sporadic gains on several glaciers, we show that the trend has been quite negative over the past 50 yr, with a mean mass balance deficit for glaciers in the tropical Andes that is slightly more negative than the one computed on a global scale. A break point in the trend appeared in the late 1970s with mean annual mass balance per year decreasing from ?0.2mw.e. in the period 1964- 1975 to ?0.76mw.e. in the period 1976-2010. In addition, even if glaciers are currently retreating everywhere in the tropical Andes, it should be noted that this is much more pronounced on small glaciers at low altitudes that do not have a permanent accumulation zone, and which could disappear in the coming years/decades. Monthly mass balance measurements performed in Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia show that variability of the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean is the main factor governing variability of the mass balance at the decadal timescale. Precipitation did not display a significant trend in the tropical Andes in the 20th century, and consequently cannot explain the glacier recession On the other hand, temperature increased at a significant rate of 0.10 °C decade-1 in the last 70 yr. The higher frequency of El Niño events and changes in its spatial and temporal occurrence since the late 1970s together with a warming troposphere over the tropical Andes may thus explain much of the recent dramatic shrinkage of glaciers in this part of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Childhood traumatic events and functional abnormalities of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have been widely reported in psychiatric patients, although neither is specific for any diagnosis. Among the limited number of studies that have evaluated these topics, none has adopted a trans-diagnostic approach. The aim of the present research is to explore the relationship between childhood stressors, HPA axis function and psychiatric symptoms, independent of the diagnosis. Method. A total of 93 moderate to severely ill psychiatric out-patients of Florence and Pisa University Psychiatric Units and 33 healthy control subjects were recruited. The assessment consisted of salivary cortisol pre- and post-low dose (0.5 mg) Dexamethasone, early and recent life events, 121 psychiatric symptoms independent of diagnosis, SCID, BPRS. Results. In total, 33.5% of patients were Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) non-suppressors, compared with 6.1% of controls (p=0.001). Among patients, non-suppression was associated with particular symptoms (i.e. depressive and psychotic), but not to any specific diagnosis. Early stressful life events were significantly associated with higher salivary cortisol levels, with DST non-suppression and with approximately the same subset of symptoms. A recent stressful event seemed to be associated to the HPA response only in those subjects who were exposed to early traumata. Conclusions. Our report suggests a relationship between life stress, HPA axis and psychopathology. A cluster of specific psychiatric symptoms seems to be stress related. Moreover, it seems that an abnormal HPA response is possibly triggered by an excessive pressure in vulnerable individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: The aim of the present study was to explore and compare the caffeine intake, intoxication, withdrawal and dependence prevalence in Italian psychiatric patients and healthy subjects. Materials and methods: Three hundred and sixty-nine out- and inpatients, suffering from different psychiatric disorders, and 104 healthy subjects were included in the study. They were assessed by the SCID and by a structured interview for caffeine intoxication and withdrawal and for substance dependence applied to caffeine use. Results: Patients and healthy subjects did not differ in terms of current caffeine intake (mg/day, mean±SD: 281±325 vs. 288±148, respectively), while the maximum lifetime intake of caffeine was significantly higher in the first group (mg/day, mean SD: 630±549 vs. 504±344, respectively; F=4.897, p =.03) where it was significantly related to the CGI severity item scores (rho=.107; p =.04). In both patients and healthy subjects, a lower age was related to a higher current caffeine intake, while both current and maximum lifetime caffeine intake in the healthy subjects were significantly higher in men than in women. The patients suffering from eating disorders reported higher current caffeine intake than those with anxiety or mood disorders. The prevalence of dependence and intoxication was significantly higher in the patients than in the healthy subjects, without inter-group differences. Healthy subjects showed a trend towards a higher prevalence of withdrawal. Conclusions: Our study highlights the need that a more accurate attention should be paid to the caffeine use which seems to be strongly, although generically, related to different psychiatric disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent data have shown the presence of immunological alterations in adult patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The objective of this study was to examine the possible effects of 12 months of treatment with different serotonergic drugs, such as clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on peripheral immunological cells of 18 OCD patients. Both the absolute number and percent of CD4+, CD8+, CD3+, CD19+ and CD56+ cells were measured in peripheral blood before and after treatment by means of a Facstar Flow Sorter apparatus. At baseline, all patients showed a significant increase of CD8+ and decrease of CD4+ lymphocytes when compared with a similar group of healthy control subjects; after the treatment, CD8+ and CD4+ cells, respectively, decreased and increased significantly, and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased, when compared with baseline values, in parallel with the clinical improvement. These data suggest that the alterations of immune cells reported in patients with OCD at baseline may be reverted by treatment with SRIs and should be considered a state-dependent marker, perhaps related to a condition of stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objective: To evaluate the usefulness and safety of hydroxychloroquine in patients with decompensated, treatment-refractory noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.Design: Prospective, randomized, placebo, double-blind 6-month trial.Patients: Thirty-eight patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes resistant to commonly used therapies (oral drugs, insulin, combination of insulin and oral drugs).Interventions: Two study groups: one received insulin (n = 22) and the other, glibenclamide (n = 16). In each group, half of the patients were randomly allocated into two subgroups who continued the previous treatment but took either placebo tablets or hydroxychloroquine, 200 mg three times a day. The four subgroups were as follows: insulin and placebo (n = 11); insulin and hydroxychloroquine (n = 11); glibenclamide and placebo (n = 8); and glibenclamide and hydroxychloroquine (n = 8).Measurements and Main Results: At 6 months, relevant and statistically significant improvement occurred in the 11 patients who received the insulin and hydroxychloroquine (glucose profile decrease, -11.7 mmol/L; 95% CI, -13.9 to -9.5, P = 0.001; glycated hemoglobin A1c decrease, -3.3%; 95% CI, -3.9 to -2.7, P = 0.001). No significant changes were seen in patients on placebo. The daily insulin dose in patients treated with the combined insulin and hydroxychloroquine therapy had to be reduced an average of 30%. No important side effects were detected.Conclusions: Combining antidiabetic therapy with hydroxychloroquine in decompensated, treatment-refractory patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes may help to break the vicious circle of hyperglycemia and lead to better management of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]