Enhancing the effect of rehabilitation on multiple sclerosis: A randomized clinical trial investigating the impact of remotely-supervised transcranial direct current stimulation and virtual reality telerehabilitation training.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease characterized by balance and gait impairment, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and diminished quality of life. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as an effective intervention for managing these symptoms.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of remotely supervised tDCS (RS-tDCS) applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, in conjunction with a telerehabilitation (TR) program, on motor (balance and gait), cognitive (executive functions), and participation outcomes (fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life) in persons with MS (pwMS).

Time efficiency in mental state reasoning of people with multiple sclerosis: The double-sided affective and cognitive Theory of Mind disturbances.

 Theory of Mind (ToM) disturbances are recognized as a hallmark of several neurological conditions including multiple sclerosis (MS). People with MS show lower ToM competencies compared to healthy controls (HC) from the earliest stages of the disease. However, the nature of this disturbance is still under investigation.

Eosinophilic fasciitis and breast cancer: a case report highlighting recurrence signals.

Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) poses a diagnostic challenge owing to its uncommon occurrence and aetiology that remains poorly understood. We report a case of a 79-year-old woman with a prolonged history of breast cancer exhibiting EF with concomitant pelvic metastases. This case underscores EF's potential as an indicator signaling a potential resurgence of cancer, highlighting its significance as a red flag of disease recurrence.

Real-world adoption of left bundle branch area pacing: Insights from the Conduction-System pacing Italian Network Group (C-SING).

Background And Objective: Left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is increasingly used for treating bradycardia and heart failure. However, real-world data are limited. The Conduction-System Pacing Italian Network Group (C-SING) collected prospective data on LBBAP procedures in a nationwide context.

Anatomical-guided third-generation laser balloon ablation for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation assessed by continuous rhythm monitoring: results from a multicentre prospective study.

Aims: The third-generation laser balloon (LB3) is an established ablation device for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) that allows direct visualization of the anatomical target. Equipped with an automatic circumferential laser delivery modality, it aims at continuous circumferential PVI, improving both acute and clinical outcomes. We sought to evaluate the clinical efficacy of LB3 ablation using an anatomical-based approach without verifying electrical isolation.

Magnetic resonance-conditional cardiac implantable electronic devices: an Italian perspective on the prevalence of mixed-brand systems over time.

The historical restriction of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) has been lifted by certified MRI-conditional systems in recent years. Mixed-brand CIED systems consisting of a generator from one manufacturer and at least one lead from another manufacturer are not certified for MRI. We evaluated the temporal trend in the prevalence of mixed-brand systems in the era of MRI-conditional systems.

Unveiling the correlation between in vivo endodontic reciprocate instrumentation and crack formation.

Introduction: Dentinal microcracks have been supposedly associated with unrestorable vertical root fractures and consequently long-term treatment failure. This study aimed to investigate whether in vivo root canal instrumentation in mandibular incisors with vital pulps causes dentinal microcracks using two different irrigating solutions.

Methods: Five patients with four vital mandibular incisors indicated for extraction were included.

B-mode, Doppler, and Elastography abdominal ultrasound in Tamandua tetradactyla.

The aim of this study was to describe the normal B-mode, Doppler, and 2D Shear Wave Elastography ultrasonographic findings of some abdominal structures in a six-month-old male Southern Tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla). The animal was found and rescued by the environmental police after being discovered in the wild near its mother, who had died in a car accident. For the ultrasonographic exams, the animal's abdominal region was shaved, and only physical restraint was used.

Serum miR-34a-5p, miR-103a-3p, and miR-376a-3p as possible biomarkers of conversion from relapsing-remitting to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Relapsing-remitting (RR) Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common form of the disease; RRMS patients can maintain their clinical phenotype throughout life or can develop a secondary progressive (SP) course over time. We investigated whether circulating miRNAs can predict RR-to-SPMS conversion. A serum miRNAs profile was initially analyzed in a cross-sectional study by qPCR in 16 patients (8 RRMS and 8 SPMS) (Discovery cohort).

Happiness across the borders-A cross-sectional study among patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis in Europe.

Background: Dermatological research has traditionally concentrated on evaluating mental comorbidities, neglecting positive concepts like happiness. Initial studies indicate that psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) impair the happiness of those affected. Considering global happiness variations, this study aimed to explore the disease- and country-specific differences in disease-related quality of life and happiness, and potential influential factors on heuristic happiness among psoriasis and AD patients in Europe.

Supraperiosteal technique protocol for forehead filling with a mixture of calcium hydroxyapatite and hyaluronic acid: Double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objective: The current study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of using calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) versus CaHA associated with hyaluronic acid (HA) for forehead volume replacement and contour restoration without forehead irregularities.

Methods: This interventional study involved 132 participants in a two-arm, parallel, double-blind trial for forehead treatment using the supraperiosteal technique. Group A received CaHA, and Group B received a combination of CaHA and HA as filler materials.

Baseline brain volume predicts home-based transcranial direct current stimulation effects on inattention in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Background: Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (Hb-tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that utilizes low-intensity electric currents delivered via scalp electrodes to modulate brain activity. It holds significant promise for addressing inattention in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, its effectiveness varies among individuals, and predicting outcomes remains uncertain, partially due to the influence of individual differences in ADHD-related brain anatomy.

Full Picture of Lattice Deformation in a GeSn Micro-Disk by 5D X-ray Diffraction Microscopy.

Lattice strain in crystals can be exploited to effectively tune their physical properties. In microscopic structures, experimental access to the full strain tensor with spatial resolution at the (sub-)micrometer scale is at the same time very interesting and challenging. In this work, how scanning X-ray diffraction microscopy, an emerging model-free method based on synchrotron radiation, can shed light on the complex, anisotropic deformation landscape within three dimensional (3D) microstructures is shown.

Thermographic analysis of perforations in polyurethane blocks performed with experimental conical drill bit in comparison to conventional orthopedic drill bit: a preliminary study.

Objective: Conical orthopedic drill bits may have the potential to improve the stabilization of orthopedic screws. During perforations, heat energy is released, and elevated temperatures could be related to thermal osteonecrosis. This study was designed to evaluate the thermal behavior of an experimental conical drill bit, when compared to the conventional cylindrical drill, using polyurethane blocks perforations.

Increased concentrations of P2X7R in oligodendrocyte derived extracellular vesicles of Multiple sclerosis patients.

Activation of the purinergic receptor P2X7 (P2X7R) is believed to be deleterious in autoimmune diseases and it was hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis of MS. P2X7R is an ATP-gated non-selective cationic channel; its activation can be driven by high concentrations of ATP and leads to the generation of large, cytolytic conductance pores. P2X7R activation can also result in apoptosis as a consequence of the activation of the caspase cascade via P2X7R-dependent stimulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Successful treatment of sp. infection in naturally infected southern brown-howlers ( ).

Southern brown-howler monkeys () may harbor sp., a pinworm parasite with documented fatal consequences in this species. Despite this risk, effective treatment protocols remain unclear.

When the diagnosis is written in the DNA: a case of erythropoietic protoporphyria in a patient with a chromosome-18 deletion.

In this case study, we describe a 21-year-old man with erythropoietic protoporphyria who sought medical attention in April 2022 for diffuse edema and erythema of the hands. These symptoms had been present since childhood and usually occurred soon after sun exposure. The patient's medical history showed that chromosome 18's long arm had partially deleted.

Development of a machine learning interatomic potential for exploring pressure-dependent kinetics of phase transitions in germanium.

We introduce a data-driven potential aimed at the investigation of pressure-dependent phase transitions in bulk germanium, including the estimate of kinetic barriers. This is achieved by suitably building a database including several configurations along minimum energy paths, as computed using the solid-state nudged elastic band method. After training the model based on density functional theory (DFT)-computed energies, forces, and stresses, we provide validation and rigorously test the potential on unexplored paths.

Exploring Neuroimaging Association Scores in adulthood ADHD and middle-age trajectories.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with brain differences in children, but not in adults. A combined evaluation of the regional brain differences could improve statistical power and, consequently, allow the detection of possible effects in adults. Thus, our aim is to verify whether Neuroimaging Association Scores (NAS) are associated with adulthood ADHD and clinical trajectories of the disorder in midlife.

The symptomatology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and the genetic control of vitamin D levels.

Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with psychiatric disorders and behavioral phenotypes such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Considering that vitamin D levels are polygenic, we aim to evaluate the overall effects of its genetic architecture on symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity and on the serum levels of vitamin D in two independent samples of adults, as well as the specific effects of five relevant polymorphisms in vitamin D-related genes.

Methods: We evaluated 870 subjects from an ADHD sample (407 cases and 463 controls) and 319 subjects from an academic community (nutrigenetic sample).