Beneficial effects of a program of Mindfulness by remote during COVID-19 lockdown.

OBJECTIVE: In the emergency context of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, mindfulness relaxation techniques can provide a safe and effective strategy to obtain in a reasonably short time some degree of relief from suffering and to guarantee a greater confidence with emotional reactions in the general population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program for coping with COVID-19 emergency was designed as an 8-week program during the early phase of lockdown consisting in practice meditation exercises at least once a day guided and structured by certified instructors entered on a free online platform. At the end of the program all participants completed a survey. RESULTS: A total of 108 surveys were completed (67.6% male; 32.4% female). Despite the difficult moment of lockdown and the fear linked to the pandemic, 61.9% of interviewed subjects declared a state of general well-being from fair to good linked to the practice of mindfulness. Female subjects (p=0.001), married subjects (p=0.05) and people taking pharmacologic therapy demonstrated (p=0.009) significant improvement in daily management of emotions and practical requests during the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness meditation may be effective in helping people to regulate emotions and to support their mental health during this period of worry and uncertainty.

The complex interplay of Depression, Inflammation and Omega-3: state of the art and progresses in research.

Many epidemiological and preclinical studies have proven the potential benefit and critical role of omega-3 PUFAs in the development and management of depressive disorders. Depression may be the consequence of a complex interplay between cell-mediated-immune activation and inflammation evolving in neuroprogression. Associations between n-3 PUFAs, inflammation, oxidative stress and the risk of depression have been demonstrated and clinical and animal supplementation studies have shown the potential of PUFAs to decrease neurodegeneration and inflammation. Future research should focus on the dynamic interactions between the different cell signaling networks and oxidative and nitrosative stress pathways that cause depression.

Omega-3 fatty acids and schizophrenia: evidences and recommendations.

Schizophrenia is a brain disease that represents a not rare condition, in fact the lifetime risk of developing schizophrenia is widely accepted to be around 1 in 100. Schizophrenia clinically manifests with acute episodes which are associated with hallucinations, delirium, behavioral disorders and a variable range of chronic persistent symptoms, which can be debilitating. The causes of schizophrenia are not clearly understood. It seems that genetic factors may produce a vulnerability to schizophrenia, along with environmental factors that contribute in a different way from individual to individual. In this context schizophrenia constitutes the outcome of a complex interaction between multiple genes and environmental risk factors, none of which on its own causes the disorder itself. Antipsychotic medications represent the first line of psychiatric treatment for schizophrenia. But there is a growing body of evidence that omega-3 fatty acids can prevent the disease or at least mitigate the course and symptoms. Probably, an appropriate dietary supplementation can play a partially therapeutic effect, even in more severe patients, improving some behavioral aspects and, mainly, reducing the cognitive deterioration. In this context the role of omega-3 fatty acids as a treatment for schizophrenia will strengthen the thrust of researchers and clinicians to the integrated approach to the prevention and cure of a disease that for more than a century challenging researchers.

Acaricidal properties of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel (tea tree oil) against nymphs of Ixodes ricinus.

The aim of the study was to examine the acaricidal effect of essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil, TTO) at different doses (4, 6, 8 and 10 microl) and for different exposure times (30, 60, 90 and 120 min) on nymphs of Ixodes ricinus. A dose of 8 microl TTO was lethal for more than 70% of ticks when inhaled and this effect was enhanced when the dose was increased to 10 microl (> 80%). The effect was correlated with the duration of exposure of ticks to TTO, with a significant effect being observed after 90 min exposure. The findings show that TTO has acaricidal properties and could be extremely useful in controlling ticks that are efficient vectors of pathogens.

Spinal cord stimulation and cerebral blood flow: an experimental study.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) affects peripheral, coronary and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in humans. In 1986 Meglio et al. [Appl Neurophysiol 1986;49:139-146] advocated a functional reversible sympathectomy as one of the mechanisms of SCS in man. An experimental animal model was developed to study SCS effects on CBF and to investigate the possible mechanisms. Twenty-one white New Zealand rabbits were anesthetized with Fluothane; spontaneous ventilation was permitted. A steady hemodynamic and metabolic state was maintained. A small cervical laminectomy was performed and an electrode (Medtronic Sigma 3483) was placed in the epidural space over the posterior spinal cord. Both common carotid arteries were exposed and external carotid arteries were ligated. In 3 animals, the cervical symapthetic trunk (CST) was exposed and wrapped with bipolar hook-stimulating electrodes. SCS was performed for 20 min with electrical square waves of 210 microseconds duration, 80 cycles/s, at 2/3 motor threshold intensity. CST stimulation was delivered for 1 min with the following parameters: 10 V, 10 cycles/s, 0.5 ms duration. CBF velocities of both internal carotid arteries were measured by using a CW Doppler (in all the animals) and electromagnetic flowmeter (in 2 animals), at rest, during sympathetic trunk stimulation, during SCS, during simultaneous SCS and CST stimulation. During SCS, an increase of CBF was detected in 11 rabbits (52.4%); a decrease was observed in two cases (9.5%). No change was detected in the remaining 8 animals (38%). CST stimulation induced a decrease of CBF in all animals. Electromagnetic flowmetry confirmed velocitometric findings in the 2 cases studied.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Serum selenium and precursors of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents.

The aim of this study was to determine, in a population of Italian adolescents, the association of serum selenium levels with precursors of biochemical and anthropometric variables known as being among the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in the adult population. The following measurements were taken in a school sample of 627 adolescents (aged 12-13 years); serum selenium, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, height, weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. The serum selenium levels were slightly higher in males (83.1 +/- 10.1 micrograms/l) than in females (81.7 +/- 11.0 micrograms/l), but the difference was not statistically significant. Serum selenium was positively correlated with total cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure and HDL cholesterol in both sexes; moreover it was positively correlated with non-HDL cholesterol and negatively correlated with height in males only.

Changes of serum selenium and serum cholesterol in children during sexual maturation.

We investigated the relationship of the degree of sexual maturation to serum selenium and serum cholesterol fractions in a population of Italian children. The following measurements were taken in 109 immature and 108 mature children of both sexes (aged 12 and 13a): serum selenium, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, height, weight and degree of sexual maturation. Considerable differences were found in the two sexes at the end of maturation, with boys showing a significant decrease in serum selenium, HDL and non-HDL serum cholesterol levels. All variables, except height and weight, remained relatively constant in girls. These data indicate significant changes of serum selenium and serum cholesterol patterns during puberty, at least in boys, suggesting an involvement of sexual hormones in regulating serum selenium levels.

Increased serum selenium levels in patients under corticosteroid treatment.

The normal serum and tissue levels of many micronutrients are remarkably affected by the therapeutical administration of several substances. In the present study, we have evaluated the modifications of serum selenium levels in different groups of patients under corticosteroid treatment. Such therapy was significantly associated with increased serum selenium levels, with a dose-dependent relationship in subjects treated with methylprednisolone. The reasons for this association are unknown. However, a reduced renal excretion of selenium, due to the mineralcorticoid activity of the corticosteroids, can be inferred.

Age and sex specific reference serum selenium levels estimated for the Italian population.

The association between the concentration of selenium in serum and the risk of degenerative processes of the cardiovascular apparatus or of neoplastic disease remains still uncertain. An inaccurate selection of the study populations, and above all the lack of age, sex and area of residence specific reference values could have contributed to create confusion on the biological relevance of selenium in human diseases. In our present work the serum selenium levels for the Italian population have been studied, adopting standardized methods. The study population (4201 adult subjects and 1217 children) was derived from samples of populations previously enrolled in epidemiological preventive programs. The mean observed values for the various adult populations examined varied between 87 and 93 micrograms/l and resulted approximately 5 micrograms/l higher than the mean observed values in ten European countries. The mean observed values for the paediatric population (less than 15 years of age) were slightly lower (78-83 micrograms/l). A decreasing trend of the values with age, above 60 years, especially in males, has been observed. No significant difference has been observed for sex and geographic area of residence. A preliminary study of the variations of the serum selenium levels during certain diseases has shown a sharp reduction in children with phenylketonuria and undergoing dietary restrictions, in subject with active systemic Lupus erythematosus, and in certain neoplasias.