Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease: review of data from the Arab world.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) are common, underrecognized, and impact patients' quality of life. Research around this topic is scarce in the Arab world. The aim of this comprehensive narrative review was to examine available evidence and discusses its strengths and limitations.

Itacitinib for Prevention of Graft-Versus-Host Disease and Cytokine Release Syndrome in Haploidentical Transplantation.

Haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT) is an increasingly used treatment for hematologic malignancies. Although post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PtCy) has improved graft vs. host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis in haplo-HCT, patients continue to experience life-threatening complications.

Monitoring clonal burden as an alternative to blast count for myelodysplastic neoplasm treatment response.

Accurate assessment of therapy response in myelodysplastic neoplasm (MDS) has been challenging. Directly monitoring mutational disease burden may be useful, but is not currently included in MDS response criteria, and the correlation of mutational burden and traditional response endpoints is not completely understood. Here, we used genome-wide and targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to monitor clonal and subclonal molecular disease burden in 452 samples from 32 patients prospectively treated in a clinical trial.

Development and characterization of a zeolite based drug delivery system: Application to cannabidiol oral delivery.

The growing interest in the therapeutic potential of cannabidiol (CBD) has led to the need for effective and reliable delivery methods that overcome its low oral absorption. Zeolites, a class of porous nanoparticles, offer unique advantages as drug carriers due to their high surface area and adjustable pore size. In this study, a zeolite-based drug delivery system was developed for the encapsulation of CBD.

A Humanized Yeast Model for Studying TRAPP Complex Mutations; Proof-of-Concept Using Variants from an Individual with a -Associated Neurodevelopmental Syndrome.

Variants in membrane trafficking proteins are known to cause rare disorders with severe symptoms. The highly conserved transport protein particle (TRAPP) complexes are key membrane trafficking regulators that are also involved in autophagy. Pathogenic genetic variants in specific TRAPP subunits are linked to neurological disorders, muscular dystrophies, and skeletal dysplasias.

A National Survey Study of Cannabis Use During Menopause: Identifying Variables Associated with Recreational, Medical, and Hybrid Use.

Objective: Previous research has demonstrated different cannabis-related outcomes depending on the of cannabis use (i.e., recreational, medical, hybrid of both), underscoring the need to identify variables associated with specific goals of use, particularly in understudied populations.

ERNEST COST action overview on the (patho)physiology of GPCRs and orphan GPCRs in the nervous system.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large family of cell surface receptors that play a critical role in nervous system function by transmitting signals between cells and their environment. They are involved in many, if not all, nervous system processes, and their dysfunction has been linked to various neurological disorders representing important drug targets. This overview emphasises the GPCRs of the nervous system, which are the research focus of the members of ERNEST COST action (CA18133) working group 'Biological roles of signal transduction'.

ASCT2-Targeting Antibody-Drug Conjugate MEDI7247 in Adult Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Hematological Malignancies: A First-in-Human, Phase 1 Study.

Background: MEDI7247 is a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) consisting of an anti-sodium-dependent alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 antibody-conjugated to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer.

Objective: This first-in-human phase 1 trial evaluated MEDI7247 in patients with hematological malignancies.

Patients And Methods: Adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), multiple myeloma (MM), or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) relapsed or refractory (R/R) to standard therapies, or for whom no standard therapy exists, were eligible.

Basal interaction of the orphan receptor GPR101 with arrestins leads to constitutive internalization.

GPR101 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor that promotes growth hormone secretion in the pituitary. The microduplication of the GPR101 gene has been linked with the X-linked acrogigantism, or X-LAG, syndrome. This disease is characterized by excessive growth hormone secretion and abnormal rapid growth beginning early in life.

Sexual Satisfaction among Lebanese Adults: Scale Validation in Arabic and Correlates Following Two Cross-Sectional Studies.

(1) Background: Sexual satisfaction (SS) is an essential component of quality of life. There is a scarcity of research about sexual satisfaction in Lebanon, a country where discussing sexual issues is still considered a taboo. The present study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of responses to the items in the Arabic version of the Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (SSQ), as well as the correlates of sexual satisfaction, among a sample of Lebanese adults.

Identifying Variables Associated with Menopause-Related Shame and Stigma: Results from a National Survey Study.

Despite the significance of menopause as a natural biological milestone experienced by approximately half the population, few studies have evaluated factors associated with menopause-related shame and stigma. Given previous research indicating increased shame and stigma are associated with negative outcomes that directly impact health ( reduced access to health care), it is critical to identify variables associated with menopause-related shame and stigma. As part of a larger, national survey, 214 perimenopausal ( = 111) and postmenopausal ( = 103) individuals completed self-report questionnaires assessing demographics and menopause-related symptoms, shame, and stigma.

Phase I-II Trial of Early Azacitidine after Matched Unrelated Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). The hypomethylating agent azacitidine (AZA) has been shown to be effective in preclinical and clinical studies for the prevention of acute GVHD (aGVHD). We sought to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of AZA when given on days 1 to 5 of a 28-day cycle for 4 cycles, starting on day +7 after allo-HCT, as well as its impact on aGVHD and chronic GVHD (cGVHD), relapse, and overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing matched unrelated donor allo-HCT.

Forecasting Pathogen Dynamics with Bayesian Model-Averaging: Application to Xylella fastidiosa.

Forecasting invasive-pathogen dynamics is paramount to anticipate eradication and containment strategies. Such predictions can be obtained using a model grounded on partial differential equations (PDE; often exploited to model invasions) and fitted to surveillance data. This framework allows the construction of phenomenological but concise models relying on mechanistic hypotheses and real observations.

CannaCount: an improved metric for quantifying estimates of maximum possible cannabinoid exposure.

Increasing numbers of individuals have access to cannabinoid-based products containing various amounts of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoids. Exposure to specific cannabinoids likely influences outcomes; however, current methods for quantifying cannabis exposure do not account for the cannabinoid concentrations of the products used. We developed CannaCount, an examiner-driven metric that quantifies estimated maximum possible cannabinoid exposure by accounting for variables related to cannabinoid concentration, duration, frequency, and quantity of use.

Clinical and radiographic assessment of cross-linked hyaluronic acid addition in demineralized bovine bone based alveolar ridge preservation: A human randomized split-mouth pilot study.

Purpose: To investigate clinically and radiographically at 4 months post-operatively the outcomes of mixing demineralized bovine bone material (DBBM) with cross-linked hyaluronic acid in alveolar ridge preservation.

Material And Methods: Seven patients presenting bilateral hopeless teeth (14 teeth) were enrolled in the study, the test site contained demineralized bovine bone material (DBBM) mixed with cross-linked hyaluronic acid (xHyA) while the control site contained only DBBM. 4 months post-operatively prior to implant placement a Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan was recorded and compared to the initial scan to assess the volumetric and linear bone resorption that occurred in both sites.

Increased White Matter Coherence Following Three and Six Months of Medical Cannabis Treatment.

Previous studies have demonstrated abnormal white matter (WM) microstructure in recreational cannabis consumers; however, the long-term impact of medical cannabis (MC) use on WM coherence is unknown. Accordingly, this study assessed the longitudinal impact of MC treatment on WM coherence. Given results from preclinical studies, we hypothesized that MC treatment would be associated with increased fractional anisotropy (FA) and reduced mean diffusivity (MD).

Clinical and cognitive improvement following full-spectrum, high-cannabidiol treatment for anxiety: open-label data from a two-stage, phase 2 clinical trial.

Background: Evidence suggests cannabidiol (CBD) has anxiolytic properties, indicating potential for novel treatment strategies. However, few clinical trials of CBD-based products have been conducted, and none thus far have examined the impact of these products on cognition.

Methods: For the open-label stage of clinical trial NCT02548559, autoregressive linear modeling assessed efficacy and tolerability of four-weeks of 1 mL t.

A survey of medical cannabis use during perimenopause and postmenopause.

Objective: Expanding access to legal cannabis has dovetailed with increased interest in medical cannabis (MC) use; however, there is a paucity of research examining MC use to alleviate menopause-related symptoms. This survey study assessed patterns of MC use in perimenopausal and postmenopausal individuals.

Methods: Participants (perimenopausal, n = 131; postmenopausal, n = 127) completed assessments of menopause-related symptomatology and cannabis use, including modes of use, type of use, and menopause-related symptoms addressed by MC use.

Characteristics of Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GvHD) After Post-Transplantation Cyclophosphamide Versus Conventional GvHD Prophylaxis.

Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) has been shown to effectively control graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in haploidentical (Haplo) transplantations. In this retrospective registry study, we compared GvHD organ distribution, severity, and outcomes in patients with GvHD occurring after Haplo transplantation with PTCy GvHD prophylaxis (Haplo/PTCy) versus HLA-matched unrelated donor transplantation with conventional prophylaxis (MUD/conventional). We evaluated 2 cohorts: patients with grade 2 to 4 acute GvHD (aGvHD) including 264 and 1163 recipients of Haplo and MUD transplants; and patients with any chronic GvHD (cGvHD) including 206 and 1018 recipients of Haplo and MUD transplants, respectively.

Current state of clinical trials regarding lung transplant rejection.

Background: Over the last several decades, the field of lung transplantation has made significant advances. Despite these advancements, morbidity and mortality rates are still high when compared to other solid organ transplants. Clinical trials have a significant role bringing new medications with better effects than their predecessors.

ShcA promotes chondrocyte hypertrophic commitment and osteoarthritis in mice through RunX2 nuclear translocation and YAP1 inactivation.

Objective: Chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation, a key process in endochondral ossification, is also a feature of osteoarthritis leading to cartilage destruction. Here we investigated the role of the adaptor protein Src homology and Collagen A (ShcA) in chondrocyte differentiation and osteoarthritis.

Methods: Mice ablated for ShcA in osteochondroprogenitor cells were generated by crossing mice carrying the Twist2-Cre transgene with ShcA mice.

Child abuse and aggressiveness in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in Lebanon.

Objectives: To identify individual and clinical risk factors of aggressiveness, including exposure to different forms of childhood trauma, in a sample of Lebanese patients with schizophrenia.

Methods: A total of 131 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia participated in this cross-sectional study.

Results: Higher physical (Beta = 0.

Letermovir Discontinuation at Day 100 After Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Is Associated With Increased CMV-Related Mortality.

Letermovir is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis in CMV seropositive recipients of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) up to day 100. Letermovir use up to day 100 after alloSCT has demonstrated a significantly lower incidence of clinically significant CMV infection (csCMVi) at 24 weeks and an overall mortality benefit as far as 48 weeks after transplantation. We report data on csCMVi incidence beyond 24 weeks and overall survival (OS) beyond 48 weeks and outcomes for patients who had a prior alloSCT, are CMV seronegative with seropositive donor (D+/R-), or are high risk (defined as those receiving haploidentical transplants, mismatched transplants, T-cell-depleted grafts, umbilical cord blood transplants, prednisone ≥1 mg/kg or equivalent steroid use, or the use of 2 or more immunosuppressants).