Searching for bridges between psychopathology and real-world functioning in first-episode psychosis: A network analysis from the OPTiMiSE trial

BackgroundNetwork analysis has been used to explore the interplay between psychopathology and functioning in psychosis, but no study has used dedicated statistical techniques to focus on the bridge symptoms connecting these domains. The current study aims to estimate the network of depressive, negative, and positive symptoms, general psychopathology, and real-world functioning in people with first-episode schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder, focusing on bridge nodes.MethodsBaseline data from the OPTiMiSE trial were analyzed. The sample included 446 participants (age 40.0 ± 10.9 years, 70% males). The network was estimated with a Gaussian graphical model, using scores on individual items of the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), the Calgary depression scale for schizophrenia, and the personal and social performance scale. Stability, strength centrality, expected influence (EI), predictability, and bridge centrality statistics were computed. The top 20% scoring nodes on bridge strength were selected as bridge nodes.ResultsNodes from different rating scales assessing similar psychopathological and functioning constructs tended to cluster together in the estimated network. The most central nodes (EI) were Delusions, Emotional Withdrawal, Depression, and Depressed Mood. Bridge nodes included Depression, Conceptual Disorganization, Active Social Avoidance, Delusions, Stereotyped Thinking, Poor Impulse Control, Guilty Feelings, Unusual Thought Content, and Hostility. Most of the bridge nodes belonged to the general psychopathology subscale of the PANSS. Depression (G6) was the bridge node with the highest value.ConclusionsThe current study provides novel insights for understanding the complex phenotype of psychotic disorders and the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of comorbidity and functional impairment after psychosis onset.     

Preliminary Study of the Mural Paintings of Sotterra Church in Paola (Cosenza,Italy)

A multi-analytical approach was employed to study wall paintings located in the Sotterra church at Paola, in the province of Cosenza, Italy. The site is an underground church (hence the name of Sotterra, which means “under the earth”) rediscovered in the second half of the 19th century, during the building works of the Madonna del Carmine church on the same area. This underground church preserves valuable mural paintings having different styles. The construction’s dating and overlapped modifications made until the site was abandoned is also debated. A wall painting, depicting “The Virgin” as part of the “Annunciation and the Archangel Gabriel” present on the opposite side of the apse, was selected and investigated using both in situ and laboratory-based analysis. Preliminarily, the non-destructive investigations involved several analytical techniques (IR imaging, UV-Induced Visible Fluorescence, and X-ray Fluorescence analyses) that provided mapping and characterization of pictorial layers and first data about deterioration phenomena. On the basis of this information, a more in-depth study was conducted on micro-fragments aimed at characterizing the stratigraphy and to identify the artist’s technique. Cross-sections were analysed using polarized optical microscopy and electron scanning microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to obtain morphological and chemical information on the selected pictorial micro-fragments of the wall painting. The results allowed to characterize the pigments and provide better readability of the whole figure, revealing details that are not visible to the naked eye, important for future historical-artistic and conservative studies. The results represent the first step of a systematic archaeometric research aimed at supporting the ongoing historical-stylistic studies to distinguish the different building phases hypothesized for this religious site which remained buried for three centuries.     

The prognostic role of diabetes mellitus type 2 in the setting of hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AimTo evaluate the effect of diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) on the outcomes after treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsPubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Databases were systematically searched. Three HCC clinical outcomes were explored: death, progressive disease after locoregional therapies, and recurrence. Sub-analysis was performed according to the use of potentially curative (resection, transplantation, termo-ablation) or non-curative therapies. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to compare the pooled data between T2DM and non-T2DM groups.ResultsA total of 27 studies were analyzed. Overall, 85.2% of articles were from Asia. T2MD was associated with an increased risk of death (OR 3.60; 95%CI 2.18-5.95; P < 0.001), irrespective of the treatment approach: curative (OR 1.30 95%CI 1.09-1.54; P = 0.003) or non-curative (OR 1.05; 95%CI 1.00-1.10; P = 0.045), increased HCC recurrence (OR 1.30; 95%CI 1.03-1.63; P = 0.03), and increased disease progressiveness (OR 1.24; 95%CI 1.09-1.41; P = 0.001).ConclusionsCurrent data provide strong evidence that T2DM unfavorably affects HCC progression and recurrence, and patients'' survival after treatment, irrespective of the approach used.

The prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing (1,2) as the result of the globally increased prevalence of NALFD, which is estimated to be about 25% (3). NAFLD patients have a two- to three-fold increase in the risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM), and the risk is even higher in those with more severe hepatic disease and fibrosis (4-6). On the other hand, patients with T2DM have a higher prevalence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver fibrosis, and end-stage liver disease (7).Several studies have documented the relation between T2DM and the incidence of different cancer types, while the data on the relationship between T2DM and increased risk of incident HCC seem especially robust and clinically reliable (8-10). Observational studies suggest higher mortality of patients developing HCC in the presence of T2DM (11,12). On the other hand, data from meta-analyses suggest that both the risk and prognosis of patients with HCC and diabetes might be influenced by the type of anti-diabetic treatment, where metformin, unlike sulphonylurea, potentially protects against cancer and leads to better prognosis in case of cancer development (13,14).The underlying mechanisms linking T2DM and HCC are still under scientific scrutiny. However, the interconnections between metabolic derangements characteristic for T2DM, obesity, and NAFLD suggest that insulin resistance on the hepatic and systemic level and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, vasoactive factors, and pro-oxidant molecules are potentially implicated in the development and progression of HCC.With the intent to gain a better insight into this issue, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of T2DM on poor outcomes after HCC treatment. To explore several different clinical settings, three outcomes of interest were investigated: death, progressive disease after locoregional therapies, and recurrence. Moreover, sub-analyses were performed according to the use of potentially curative (resection, transplantation, termo-ablation) or non-curative therapies.     

Systematic review of existing guidelines for NAFLD assessment

Aim: In this systematic review, guidelines on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were evaluated, aiming at a guideline synthesis focusing on diagnosis an...     

Coexistence of primary central nervous system lymphoma and primary breast lymphoma: Clinical presentation,imaging features,and treatment management

The presence of synchronous dual hematological diseases is an uncommon finding. We report an unusual case of coexistence of primary central nervous system lymphoma and primary breast lymphoma without systemic involvement in an immunocompetent patient. To our knowledge a similar case has not yet been reported in the literature. We especially focus on presenting the imaging features, the associated clinical findings and treatment management of each entity, with the aim of raising awareness on these two rare types of lymphomas and the possibility of their coexistence.     

Generalized empirical likelihood testing in semiparametric conditional moment restrictions models

Summary This paper shows how generalized empirical likelihood can be used to obtain specification tests in semiparametric conditional moment restrictions models. The resulting test statistics are similar in spirit to classical Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Cramer von Mises goodness‐of‐fit statistics and are based on an integrated version of the original moment restrictions. The results are applied to test the correct specification of an instrumental variable smooth varying coefficient model and of a censored non‐linear quantile regression model. Monte Carlo results suggest that the proposed tests have competitive finite sample properties.