Novel Fatty Acid Biomarkers in Psoriasis and the Role of Modifiable Factors: Results from the METHAP Clinical Study.

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated skin condition with significant metabolic complications. Although lipid metabolism is linked to its pathogenesis, reliable biomarkers and the impact of modifiable factors remain underexplored. The aim of the present study was to identify potential biomarkers, study the affected metabolic networks, and assess the role of dietary and lifestyle factors in psoriasis.

Antimicrobial Resistance Trends in Hidradenitis Suppurativa Lesions.

: Antibiotic (AB) therapy is the first step in managing hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Knowledge of the local patterns of antimicrobial resistance is paramount for the appropriate selection of antimicrobials. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in patients with HS.

Neoadjuvant Capecitabine Plus Temozolomide in Atypical Lung NETs.

Neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment in lung neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is a field that has not been explored in-depth, with little information on the impact on disease-free survival. This case study highlights the effectiveness of neoadjuvant treatment with capecitabine plus temozolomide (CAPTEM) in a woman with well-differentiated atypical carcinoid. The patient was asymptomatic at diagnosis and was referred to the outpatient NET clinic at Sotiria Hospital in Athens, following an incidental finding on a chest x-ray.

Dermoscopic characteristics of Merkel cell carcinoma.

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive, cutaneous tumour with high mortality and frequently delayed diagnosis. Clinically, it often manifests as a rapidly growing erythematous to purple nodule usually located on the lower extremities or face and scalp of elderly patients. There is limited available data on the dermoscopic findings of MCC, and there are no specific features that can be used to definitively diagnose MCC.

The Effectiveness of Atezolizumab in Metastatic Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lungs: Insights from the LANCE Pilot Study.

Background: Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) presents significant treatment challenges due to its rarity and limited therapeutic options. The LANCE study was designed to explore the survival benefits of incorporating atezolizumab in chemotherapy for metastatic LCNEC.

Methods: In this non-randomized study, patients with metastatic LCNEC were prospectively enrolled and assigned to receive either standard chemotherapy plus atezolizumab followed by maintenance with atezolizumab or standard chemotherapy alone.

Real-World Data and Evidence in Lung Cancer: A Review of Recent Developments.

Conventional cancer clinical trials can be time-consuming and expensive, often yielding results with limited applicability to real-world scenarios and presenting challenges for patient participation. Real-world data (RWD) studies offer a promising solution to address evidence gaps and provide essential information about the effects of cancer treatments in real-world settings. The distinction between RWD and data derived from randomized clinical trials lies in the method of data collection, as RWD by definition are obtained at the point of care.

Lung NETs and GEPNETs: One Cancer with Different Origins or Two Distinct Cancers?

Lung neuroendocrine tumors (LNETs) and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are two distinct types of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that have traditionally been treated as a single entity despite originating from different sources. Although they share certain phenotypic characteristics and the expression of neuroendocrine markers, they exhibit differences in their microenvironment, molecular mutations, and responses to various therapeutic regimens. Recent research has explored the genetic alterations in these tumors, revealing dissimilarities in the frequently mutated genes, the role of EGFR in carcinogenesis, the presence of transcription factors, and the immunogenicity of the tumor and its microenvironment.

Use of Dermoscopy among Greek Dermatologists in Everyday Clinical Practice: A National Questionnaire-Based Study.

: Dermatoscopy has been established as an important diagnostic tool for a wide range of skin diseases. This study aims to evaluate the use of dermatoscopy in clinical practice among Greek dermatologists. : A nationwide questionnaire-based survey was conducted collecting data on the frequency of dermatoscopic examinations, the types of lesions examined, training and educational resources, as well as factors influencing the choice to incorporate dermatoscopy into daily clinical routines.

"Tremendous burdens often unveil enormous gifts": The experiences of South African caregivers implementing speech and language teletherapy for children with cerebral palsy during COVID-19.

Purpose: In accordance with South Africa's restrictions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, some speech-language pathologists (SLPs) attempted to engage in novice teletherapy regimes to ensure continuity of care for children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to explore the experiences of caregivers of children with CP implementing SLP teletherapy during COVID-19 in South Africa. The goal was to shed light on how these families can be better supported and how teletherapy practices can be adjusted for this population.

Effects of Virtual Reality Physical and Cognitive Training Intervention On Cognitive Abilities of Elders with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) technology has become increasingly used for assessment and intervention in the neuroscience field.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effects of a VR Training System, named VRADA (VR Exercise App for Dementia and Alzheimer's Patients), on the cognitive functioning of older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: In this intervention study, 122 older adults with MCI were randomly assigned to five groups (the VRADA group ( = 28), a bike group ( = 11), a physical exercise group ( = 24), a mixed group (physical and cognitive exercise) ( = 31), and a non-contact control group ( = 28).

Real-Life Utility of Basophil Activation Test in the Diagnosis of Immediate Hypersensitivity Drug Reactions.

Introduction: The basophil activation test (BAT) is a flow cytometry laboratory technique that assesses the level of activation indicators expressed on the surface of basophils. We conducted a real-life study in a prospective cohort of patients with reported drug hypersensitivity reactions to determine the true relevance of BAT as a diagnostic tool for assessing immediate hypersensitivity reactions to medicines.

Methods: We prospectively assessed individuals with clinical suspicion of immediate hypersensitivity reactions to drugs over a 2-year period.

Psoriasis immunometabolism: progress on metabolic biomarkers and targeted therapy.

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease that affects mainly the skin. However, the moderate to severe forms have been associated with several comorbidities, such as psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Keratinocytes and T helper cells are the dominant cell types involved in psoriasis development via a complex crosstalk between epithelial cells, peripheral immune cells and immune cells residing in the skin.

Cutaneous body image in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has been linked with body image (BI) impairment and reduced quality of life (QoL). We sought to evaluate the associations between Cutaneous Body Image Scale (CBIS) and disease severity in HS patients.Between July 2020 and January 2022, a cross-sectional study was carried out including consecutive HS patients above the age of 16 who attended a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Greece.

Using Virtual Objects With Hand-Tracking: The Effects of Visual Congruence and Mid-Air Haptics on Sense of Agency.

Virtual reality expands the possibilities of human action. With hand-tracking technology, we can directly interact with these environments without the need for a mediating controller. Much previous research has looked at the user-avatar relationship.

MAGES 4.0: Accelerating the world's transition to VR training and democratizing the authoring of the medical metaverse.

In this work, we propose MAGES 4.0, a novel Software Development Kit (SDK) to accelerate the creation of collaborative medical training applications in VR/AR. Our solution is essentially a low-code metaverse authoring platform for developers to rapidly prototype high-fidelity and high-complexity medical simulations.

Pruritogenic Mediators and New Antipruritic Drugs in Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common highly pruritic chronic inflammatory skin disorder affecting 5-20% of children worldwide, while the prevalence in adults varies from 7 to 10%. Patients with AD experience intense pruritus that could lead to sleep disturbance and impaired quality of life. Here, we analyze the pathophysiology of itchiness in AD.