Publications by authors named "Castano A"

Objective: To utilize the NeoNatal Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS-II) as a standardized and reliable tool to help guide treatment of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) with the goal of improving the consistency and quality of care provided to opioid-exposed newborns.

Study Design: We examined NOWS severity through several indicators, including the number of pharmacological treatment medications, maximum dose of medications, length of treatment, and maximum score on NOWS observational tools to create an overall severity score for each newborn. Then we examined whether NOWS risk could be detected as early as 24 hours after birth using the NNNS-II to predict NOWS severity.

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Background: Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an underdiagnosed chronic disease associated with progressive heart failure that results in impaired quality of life, repeated hospitalizations, and premature death. Acoramidis is a selective, oral transthyretin stabilizer recently approved by the U.S.

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Nanoparticle (NP) morphology holds significant importance in nanomedicine, particularly concerning its implications for biological responses. This study investigates the impact of synthesizing polymers with varying degrees of methionine (MET) polymerization on three distinct drug delivery systems: spherical micelles, worm-like micelles, and vesicles, all loaded with the photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6). We analyzed their distribution at both cellular and animal levels, revealing how NP morphology influences cellular uptake, subcellular localization, penetration of multicellular spheroids, blood half-life, and biodistributions across major organs.

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  • Mycotoxins, like Deoxynivalenol (DON), are naturally occurring toxins from fungi linked to health issues, prompting public health concern, especially in Europe.
  • A study analyzed urinary DON levels from 1270 participants across six countries to assess exposure and identify key factors influencing it, finding notable variances based on demographics and lifestyle.
  • About 12.3% of participants had DON levels exceeding the recommended safe limit, highlighting significant exposure among certain groups and contributing valuable data on mycotoxin risks in Europe.
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Accurate estimation of perinatal sleep is important for informing future research and multigenerational health interventions. We compared diary- and actigraphy-estimated sleep parameters during pregnancy and postpartum. We informed our interpretation of these analyses with participants' feedback about these sleep estimation methods.

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Exposure to aromatic amines may occur tobacco smoke, hair dyes or tattoo inks, but also in the workplace during certain manufacturing processes. As some aromatic amines are known or suspected carcinogens, human biomonitoring (HBM) is essential to assess their exposure. Aromatic amines were among the selected chemicals in HBM4EU, a European-wide project to harmonise and advance HBM within 30 European countries.

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Background And Aims: Inflammatory pouch disorders exhibit a heterogeneous clinical spectrum and therapeutic requirements have not been properly studied.

Methods: This retrospective, multicentre study included ulcerative colitis patients with ileal pouch construction and were later diagnosed with an inflammatory pouch disorder between 1995 and 2020. Classifications, behaviour and therapies applied were recorded and compared in the long-term.

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Every 15 minutes in the US, an infant exposed to opioids is born. Approximately 50% of these newborns will develop Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) within 5 days of birth. It is not known which infants will develop NOWS, therefore, the current hospital standard-of-care dictates a 96-hour observational hold.

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Background: Bisphenol A (BPA; or 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol) is an endocrine disrupting chemical. It was widely used in a variety of plastic-based manufactured products for several years. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently reduced the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for BPA by 20,000 times due to concerns about immune-toxicity.

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The phenotype of human placental extravillous trophoblast (EVT) at the end of pregnancy reflects both first trimester differentiation from villous cytotrophoblast (CTB) and later gestational changes, including loss of proliferative and invasive capacity. Invasion abnormalities are central to two major placental pathologies, preeclampsia and placenta accreta spectrum, so characterization of the corresponding normal processes is crucial. In this report, our gene expression analysis, using purified human CTB and EVT cells, highlights an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mechanism underlying CTB-EVT differentiation and provides a trophoblast-specific EMT signature.

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Background: Tropospheric ozone is an air pollutant that causes negative effects on vegetation, leading to significant losses in crop productivity. It is generated by chemical reactions in the presence of sunlight between primary pollutants resulting from human activity, such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. Due to the constantly increasing emission of ozone precursors, together with the influence of a warming climate on ozone levels, crop losses may be aggravated in the future.

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  • Airborne toxins from volcanic eruptions can negatively impact respiratory health, which is highlighted in the ASHES study focused on the 2021 eruption in La Palma, Spain.
  • The study categorized 474 healthy adults into three exposure groups and analyzed respiratory symptoms and lung function through various tests during and after the eruption.
  • Results showed higher exposure correlated with increased respiratory symptoms and a tendency toward lung function impairment, marking a significant link between volcanic exposure and health outcomes.
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  • PROACT 2.0 is an open-source mobile and web application designed to improve communication between cancer patients and healthcare providers during clinical trials.
  • Developed by Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori in Milan and The Christie in Manchester, it is part of the UpSMART Accelerator project involving various oncology centers in Europe.
  • The app allows patients to report side effects and adverse events using text, audio, and video, creating a secure communication channel that enhances patient engagement and streamlines information management in cancer treatment.
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Malaria remains a highly prevalent infectious disease worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Effectively controlling of mosquitoes transmitting of Plasmodium spp. is crucial in to control this disease.

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  • Limited data exist on the outcomes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients who undergo solid organ transplantation (SOT), and this study examines both pre-existing IBD and newly developed IBD post-transplant.
  • The study included 177 patients, of which 106 had pre-existing IBD, and found that 32% of these patients experienced disease progression after a median of 2.2 years, while 55% of those with de novo IBD progressed within 1.9 years.
  • Key risk factors for progression in pre-existing IBD included having active disease at the time of SOT and extraintestinal manifestations, indicating a significant impact on patient outcomes post-transplant.*
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Background: The usefulness of thiopurines has been poorly explored in pouchitis and other pouch disorders.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of azathioprine as maintenance therapy in inflammatory pouch disorders.

Design: This was a retrospective and multicentre study.

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Background: Wild-type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTRwt-CM), an increasingly recognized cause of heart failure (HF), often remains undiagnosed until later stages of the disease.

Methods And Results: A previously developed machine learning algorithm was simplified to create a random forest model based on 11 selected phenotypes predictive of ATTRwt-CM to estimate ATTRwt-CM risk in hypothetical patient scenarios. Using U.

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  • The research investigates the impact of organophosphate flame retardants on children's neurodevelopment, focusing on two European cohorts: the Odense Child Cohort from Denmark and the PCB cohort from Slovakia.
  • Neurodevelopment was assessed using children's IQ scores from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, and urine samples were analyzed for organophosphate metabolites.
  • Results revealed a slight negative trend in neurodevelopment scores associated with bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) in the Danish cohort, while no significant associations were found with diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) or in the Slovakian cohort.
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Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells directed to B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) mediate profound responses in patients with multiple myeloma, but most patients do not achieve long-term complete remissions. In addition, recent evidence suggests that high-affinity binding to BCMA can result in on-target, off-tumor activity in the basal ganglia and can lead to fatal Parkinsonian-like disease. Here we develop CAR T cells against multiple myeloma using a binder to targeting transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI) in mono and dual-specific formats with anti-BCMA.

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Purpose: Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is a common adverse effect of opioid therapy. We aim to identify the main barriers hindering clinical recommendations implementation and propose consensus solutions to improve OIC control in cancer patients.

Methods: Following collaborative and prioritization techniques, a scientific committee generated statements addressing possible barriers to optimal OIC management (related to patients, health providers and health care system), and potential interventions to overcome these barriers.

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  • Human biomonitoring (HBM) data in Europe is often fragmented, but assessments were made for exposure levels in children and adult women from 2000 to 2021 using harmonized methods and biobanked samples.
  • Analysis showed decreasing trends in harmful phthalate metabolites and BPA among children and women, respectively, alongside increasing levels of substitutes like DINCH, BPF, and BPS.
  • While clear causal relationships weren't established, the findings indicate the effectiveness of EU chemical regulations, showing reduced exposure to restricted substances but a rise in their substitutes.
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Introduction: Glucocorticoids, also known as corticosteroids or steroids, are drugs derived from cholesterol. They are synthesized by the adrenal cortex, along with other hormones, such as cortisol and aldosterone. Glucocorticoids are drugs recommended for patients undergoing surgery on the oral cavity, facial skeleton, and related cervical structures due to their high efficacy against inflammatory and immune processes.

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