NRF2 Antioxidant Response and Interferon-Stimulated Genes Are Differentially Expressed in SARS-CoV-2-Positive Young Subjects.

Background: Several respiratory viruses, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), suppress nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (NRF2) antioxidant response, generating oxidative stress conditions to its advantage. NRF2 has also been reported to regulate the innate immune response through the inhibition of the interferon (IFN) pathway. However, its modulation in younger individuals and its correlation with the IFN response remain to be elucidated.

New therapeutics for the prevention or amelioration of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a narrative review of the preclinical literature.

Ethanol consumption during pregnancy induces enduring detrimental effects in the offspring, manifesting as a spectrum of symptoms collectively termed as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Presently, there is a scarcity of treatments for FASD. To analyze current literature, emphasizing evidence derived from preclinical models, that could potentially inform therapeutic interventions for FASD.

Analysis of survival rate and persistence predictors of baricitinib in real-world data from a large cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: The persistence in therapy of rheumatoid arthritis drugs and particularly bDMARD is a limiting factor for their long-term use. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may not reflect real-world contexts due to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Baricitinib, which targets both JAK1 and JAK2, has been used in Italy for several years.

Using ethanol as postharvest treatment to increase polyphenols and anthocyanins in wine grape.

Red wine grapes are qualitatively evaluated for their content in polyphenols and anthocyanins. Due to certain conditions (weather, latitude, temperature), the concentration of these compounds may be not at the right level for reaching a high-quality wine, thus postharvest technologies can be operated as a remediation strategy. Ethanol is a secondary volatile metabolite and its application has been demonstrated to delay fruit ripening, to reduce decay, and to increase secondary metabolites.

Neurobehavioral alterations induced by third-trimester gestation-equivalent ethanol exposure are inhibited by folate administration.

Prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) causes several neurobehavioral impairments in the fetus. Postnatal days (PDs) 4-9 in rodents are considered equivalent to the third trimester of gestation in humans. This period is characterized by high rates of synaptogenesis and myelination and the maturation of key structures and transmitter systems.

Juvenile variable stress modulates, in female but not in male Wistar rats, ethanol intake in adulthood.

Early stress can increase vulnerability to psychopathological disorders, including substance use disorders. The effects of stress in the juvenile period of the rat, that extends between weaning and the onset of adolescence (equivalent to late human childhood), have received little attention. This study assessed short and long-term behavioral effects of juvenile stress, with a focus on effects on ethanol intake.

Recurrence of arteriovenous malformation in an adult patient after complete resection: illustrative case.

Background: Complete resection of an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is considered a curative treatment. In this paper the authors discuss two possibilities in the event of hemorrhage after satisfactory resection of an AVM: recurrence or remnant.

Observations: A 33-year-old female patient was diagnosed with an incidental right frontal AVM that was microsurgically resected and whose postoperative angiography showed no remnant.

Increasing COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage for Newcomer Communities: The Importance of Disaggregation by Language.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected refugee, immigrant, and migrant populations. Vaccines are essential for decreasing transmission and severity of COVID-19 infection. Understanding differences in vaccination coverage based on preferred language is crucial for focusing efforts to decrease COVID-19-related disparities.

Folate administration ameliorates neurobehavioral effects of prenatal ethanol exposure.

Prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) induces heightened ethanol intake at adolescence in preclinical studies. Ethanol intake alters the absorption of folate, a methyl-group donor critical for numerous cellular functions. The prenatal administration of folate is, therefore, a promising approach to reduce the effects of PEE.

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation in menopause: new perspective of therapy in postmenopausal women and the importance of ethical and legal frameworks.

Menopausal transition entails a progressive decrease in hormone production by the ovaries that lead to important physical and psychological changes that could significantly affect quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) administered from the onset of menopausal symptoms usually improves quality of life and life expectancy. Nevertheless, it is not risk-free.

Binge eating promotes ethanol self-administration in female rats with a history of intermittent ethanol exposure at adolescence.

Background: Ethanol drinking begins during adolescence and, particularly when occurs in a binge-like pattern, exerts lingering adverse consequences. Pre-clinical studies indicate that intermittent ethanol exposure (IEA, a model of repeated ethanol intoxication), or binge eating (BE) can increase subsequent ethanol consumption. It is unknown if the promoting effects of BE upon ethanol drinking are found in female rats and are modulated by IEA at adolescence.

Utero-cutaneous fistula after caesarean section delivery: diagnosis and management of a rare complication.

Utero-cutaneous fistula is an extremely rare condition characterized by an abnormal communication between the anterior wall of the uterus and the abdominal wall. The causes include multiple caesarean sections, incomplete hysterorrhaphy, miscarriages, uterine cavity revision, retention of placental material after delivery, use of drains, post-operative infections, or injuries. Herein, we report a case of a 38-year-old female, who underwent caesarean section 42 days earlier and presented to the emergency room complaining of fever, abdominal pain, and purulent discharge from the abdominal wall from 6 days.

Fixation of patella fractures with metallic implants is associated with a significantly higher risk of complications and re-operations than non-metallic implants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The use of metallic implants for the treatment of patella fractures often involves complications related to the hardware. As a result, there has been a considerable focus on the use of non-metallic implants. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in clinical outcomes, including the rates of complications and re-operations following the surgical management of patellar fractures with metallic versus non-metallic implants.

Serotonin disruption at gestation alters expression of genes associated with serotonin synthesis and reuptake at weaning.

Rationale: Serotonin (5-HT) is a monoamine neuromodulator that plays a key role in the organization of the central nervous system. 5-HT alterations may be associated to the emergence of social deficits and psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and substance abuse disorders. Notably, disruption of the 5-HT system during sensitive periods of development seems to exert long-term consequences, including altered anxiety responses and problematic use of alcohol.

The reproductive potential of uterus transplantation: future prospects.

Background And Aim: Absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI) is a form of infertility whereby conception and/or maintenance of pregnancy is impossible as a result of uterine absence or its completed dysfunction. It affects 1/500 women of reproductive age while the incidence is about 8% of infertile couples. Uterus transplantation (UTx) has been gaining ground as a viable option to enable women with AUFI to have biological children and as an alternative to surrogacy, a highly controversial practice still banned in many countries.

Placenta accreta spectrum disorders in twin pregnancies as an under reported clinical entity: a case series and systematic review.

Recent reports suggested a potential association between twin pregnancy and the occurrence of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders. Despite this, scarce data on PAS disorders in twins has been reported in the published literature. We present a series of twelve twin pregnancies complicated by PAS from two large institutions over 5 years.

MeCP2 deficiency exacerbates the neuroinflammatory setting and autoreactive response during an autoimmune challenge.

Rett syndrome is a severe and progressive neurological disorder linked to mutations in the MeCP2 gene. It has been suggested that immune alterations may play an active role in the generation and/or maintenance of RTT phenotypes. However, there is no clear consensus about which pathways are regulated in vivo by MeCP2 in the context of immune activation.

Transient serotonin depletion at adolescence, but not at early infancy, reduced subsequent anxiety-like behavior and alcohol intake in female mice.

Rationale: Serotonin (5-HT) plays an important role in the organization of the central nervous system and in the development of social interaction deficits and psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and addiction disorders. Notably, disruption of the 5-HT system during sensitive periods of development exerts long-term consequences, including altered anxiety response and problematic use of alcohol.

Objective: we analyzed, in mice, the effects of transient 5-HT depletion at infancy or adolescence on subsequent anxiety-like behavior and alcohol intake during adolescence.

Environmental enrichment during adolescence heightens ethanol intake in female, but not male, adolescent rats that are selectively bred for high and low ethanol intake during adolescence.

: Discriminating between adolescents who will eventually have ethanol use problems from those who do not is important. Environmental enrichment is a promising approach to reduce drug-related problems, but its impact on ethanol's effects and intake is being scrutinized. : We tested the effects of environmental enrichment on ethanol intake, preference, and anxiety-like response as well as shelter seeking and risk-taking behaviors.

Could a mannequin simplify rhinopharyngeal swab collection in COVID 19 patients?

Rhinopharyngeal swab collection is used to test patients for COVID-19; unfortunately, the false negative rate is around 30% in symptomatic patients, and maybe even higher in asymptomatic ones. A correct swab collection is consequently critical. Swabs are usually performed by dedicated personnel, but at the present moment, the methods for its training are not standardized.

Selective alterations in endogenous opioid system genes expression in rats selected for high ethanol intake during adolescence.

Historically, the roots of alcoholism have been linked to either environment or heredity. However, the interaction between these factors is still largely unexplored. The evidence supports a link between alcohol consumption and the endogenous opioid system.

MeCP2 Deficiency Disrupts Kainate-Induced Presynaptic Plasticity in the Mossy Fiber Projections in the Hippocampus.

Methyl cytosine binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a structural chromosomal protein involved in the regulation of gene expression. Mutations in the gene encoding MeCP2 result in Rett Syndrome (RTT), a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder. RTT is one of few autism spectrum disorders whose cause was identified as a single gene mutation.