Improving real‐life functioning is the main goal of the most advanced integrated treatment programs in people with schizophrenia. The Italian Network for Research on Psychoses previously explored, by using network analysis, the interplay among illness‐related variables, personal resources, context‐related factors and real‐life functioning in a large sample of patients with schizophrenia. The same research network has now completed a 4‐year follow‐up of the original sample. In the present study, we used network analysis to test whether the pattern of relationships among all variables investigated at baseline was similar at follow‐up. In addition, we compared the network structure of patients who were classified as recovered at follow‐up versus those who did not recover. Six hundred eighteen subjects recruited at baseline could be assessed in the follow‐up study. The network structure did not change significantly from baseline to follow‐up, and the overall strength of the connections among variables increased slightly, but not significantly. Functional capacity and everyday life skills had a high betweenness and closeness in the network at follow‐up, as they had at baseline, while psychopathological variables remained more peripheral. The network structure and connectivity of non‐recovered patients were similar to those observed in the whole sample, but very different from those in recovered subjects, in which we found few connections only. These data strongly suggest that tightly coupled symptoms/dysfunctions tend to maintain each other's activation, contributing to poor outcome in schizophrenia. Early and integrated treatment plans, targeting variables with high centrality, might prevent the emergence of self‐reinforcing networks of symptoms and dysfunctions in people with schizophrenia.

In this infertile patient, our results suggest a possible relationship between dysplasia of the fibrous sheath, partial deletions in the Akap3 and Akap4 genes and absence of AKAP4 protein in the fibrous sheath. These findings, however, were not detected in another four patients with dysplasia of the fibrous sheath. Our results require future confirmatory molecular analyses.

BackgroundThe purpose of the study was to evaluate in a sample of insulin-treated diabetic patients, with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the psychometric characteristics of the Italian version of the DEPS-R scale, a diabetes-specific self-report questionnaire used to analyze disordered eating behaviors.MethodsThe study was performed on 211 consecutive insulin-treated diabetic patients attending two specialist centers. Lifetime prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) according to DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria were assessed by means of the Module H of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Axis I Disorder and the Module H modified, according to DSM-5 criteria. The following questionnaires were administered: DEPS-R and the Eating Disorder Inventory – 3 (EDI-3). Test/retest reproducibility was assessed on a subgroup of 70 patients. The factorial structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of DEPS-R were assessed.ResultsOverall, 21.8% of the sample met criteria for at least one DSM-5 diagnosis of ED. A “clinical risk” of ED was observed in 13.3% of the sample. Females displayed higher scores at DEPS-R, a higher percentage of at least one diagnosis of ED and a higher clinical risk for ED. A high level of reproducibility and homogeneity of the scale were revealed. A significant correlation was detected between DEPS-R and the 3 ED risk scales of EDI-3.ConclusionsThe data confirmed the overall reliability and validity of the scale. In view of the significance and implications of EDs in diabetic patients, it should be conducted a more extensive investigation of the phenomenon by means of evaluation instruments of demonstrated validity and reliability.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1434-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundTo evaluate the effects of Macuprev® supplementation on macular function and structure in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) along 6 months of follow-up.MethodsIn this double-blind, monocentric, randomized, and prospective study, 30 patients with intermediate AMD were enrolled and randomly divided into two age-similar groups: 15 patients (AMD-M group; mean age 68.50 ± 8.79 years) received 6-month oral daily supplementation with Macuprev® (Farmaplus Italia s.r.l., Italy, two tablets/day on an empty stomach, before meals; contained in total lutein 20 mg, zeaxanthin 4 mg, N-acetylcysteine 140 mg, bromelain 2500GDU 80 mg, vitamin D3 800 IU, vitamin B12 18 mg, alpha-lipoic acid 140 mg, rutin 157 mg, vitamin C 160 mg, zinc oxide 16 mg, Vaccinium myrtillus 36% anthocyanosides 90 mg, Ganoderma lucidum 600 mg) and 15 patients (AMD-P group; mean age 70.14 ± 9.87) received two tablets of placebo daily on an empty stomach, before meals. A total of 28 eyes, 14 from each AMD group, completed the study. Multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were assessed at baseline and after 6 months.ResultsAt 6-month follow-up, AMD-M eyes showed a significant increase of mfERG response amplitude density (RAD) recorded from the central macular areas (ring 1, 0–2.5°; ring 2, 2.5–5°), whereas non-significant changes of retinal and choroidal SD-OCT parameters were found when values were compared to baseline. Non-significant correlations between functional and structural changes were found. In AMD-P eyes, non-significant differences for each mfERG and SD-OCT parameters were observed at 6 months.ConclusionsIn intermediate AMD, Macuprev® supplementation increases the function of the macular pre-ganglionic elements, with no associated retinal and choroidal ultra-structural changes.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT03919019.FundingResearch for this study was financially supported by the Italian Ministry of Health and Fondazione Roma. Article processing charges were funded by Farmaplus Italia s.r.l., Italy.