Comparative Efficacy of Semaglutide Versus Liraglutide or Efinopegdutide on Weight Loss in Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have produced substantial weight loss effects in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) cohorts, but these effects have not been thoroughly studied in patients with obesity and without diabetes. This review aimed to analyze direct comparative studies for semaglutide versus other GLP-1 RA (liraglutide and efinopegdutide) in facilitating weight loss and evaluating adverse events in patients with obesity. A systematic search following the guidelines established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for direct comparative studies comparing semaglutide with other GLP-1 RA on weight loss in patients with obesity.

Changes in body composition revealed by bioelectrical impedance analysis reflect strength and motor performance in myotonic dystrophy type 2.

Introduction: In myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2), metabolic dysfunctions are frequent. Therefore, measurement of muscle mass and body composition by non-invasive methods could help in evaluating disease severity and progression. The aim of our study was to investigate, by means of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), whether DM2 patients have an alteration in their body composition and if this finding correlates with strength and motor performances.

An exploratory analysis of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists and biosimilars: A literature review.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are at the forefront of treating the global health crisis of diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity. However, the demand for GLP-1 RAs has far outstripped its supply and comes with a high monthly cost. Thus, the development of GLP-1 RA biosimilars can potentially address these barriers by providing greater access to medications that provide clinical outcomes similar to those of the reference products.

A Case Report of Deterioration in a Non-frail Octogenarian Burn Patient.

While advancements in critical care and burn treatment have improved over the decades, elderly burn victims continue to face high mortality rates. Measurements of frailty among patients have become popular tools for predicting burn outcomes over chronological age. In this report, we provide a case of a non-frail octogenarian burn victim who deteriorated rapidly during treatment, suggesting that frailty alone is not sufficient in predicting outcomes in older burn patients.

What Changed? Variables Associated With the General Surgery Match.

Introduction: Between 1994 and 2014, despite an increase in applicants, successful matches into general surgery (GS) decreased by 13%. We aim to (1) understand the trends in competitiveness for a GS residency, and ascertain the associations between (2) geographical distribution and (3) research experiences on matching.

Methods: National Resident Matching Program data (2013-2022) were analyzed for (1) annual positions and matches, (2) United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, and (3) research experiences.

Don't Hang Around, It Could Be Incidental: A Case Report of Hangman's Fracture and Review of the Literature.

Neck injury fractures are commonly associated with high-impact trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or falls from heights. However, this case underscores that it is possible to sustain such a fracture even from minor falls. As of now, there are no such reported cases.

The Effectiveness of Patient Education on Laparoscopic Surgery Postoperative Outcomes to Determine Whether Direct Coaching Is the Best Approach: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: As of 2022, patient adherence to postoperative guidelines can reduce the risk of complications by up to 52.4% following laparoscopic abdominal surgery. With the availability of various preoperative education interventions (POEIs), understanding which POEI results in improvement in patient outcomes across the procedures is imperative.

Dynamics of Protein-RNA Interfaces Using All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Facing the current challenges posed by human health diseases requires the understanding of cell machinery at a molecular level. The interplay between proteins and RNA is key for any physiological phenomenon, as well protein-RNA interactions. To understand these interactions, many experimental techniques have been developed, spanning a very wide range of spatial and temporal resolutions.

Atypical Pleural Effusion in an Immunocompetent Patient With Valley Fever: A Case Study and Review of the Literature.

Valley fever is a fungal infection, commonly of the lungs, caused by Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii. This disease is endemic to the southwestern United States, Central America, and South America. Infected individuals are typically asymptomatic but may develop community-acquired pneumonia.

Molecular Origin of Distinct Hydration Dynamics in Double Helical DNA and RNA Sequences.

Water molecules are essential to determine the structure of nucleic acids and mediate their interactions with other biomolecules. Here, we characterize the hydration dynamics of analogous DNA and RNA double helices with unprecedented resolution and elucidate the molecular origin of their differences: first, the localization of the slowest hydration water molecules─in the minor groove in DNA, next to phosphates in RNA─and second, the markedly distinct hydration dynamics of the two phosphate oxygen atoms O and O in RNA. Using our Extended Jump Model for water reorientation, we assess the relative importance of previously proposed factors, including the local topography, water bridges, and the presence of ions.

An Atypical Manifestation of Necrotizing Fasciitis in a Patient With Type II Diabetes.

In this case report, we discuss a 32-year-old diabetic male patient who presented with right foot pain three days following a spider bite. The foot progressively became swollen, preventing the patient from bearing weight on it. After admission to the emergency department, the examination showed discoloration of the dorsum of the proximal phalanx of the first toe with an open wound and pus.

Physical activity practiced at a young age is associated with a less severe subsequent clinical presentation in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Background: In facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), it is not known whether physical activity (PA) practiced at young age is associated with the clinical presentation of disease. To assess this issue, we performed a retrospective cohort study concerning the previous practice of sports and, among them, those with medium-high cardiovascular commitment in clinically categorized carriers of a D4Z4 reduced allele (DRA).

Methods: People aged between 18 and 60 were recruited as being DRA carriers.

Internal Normal Mode Analysis Applied to RNA Flexibility and Conformational Changes.

We investigated the capability of internal normal modes to reproduce RNA flexibility and predict observed RNA conformational changes and, notably, those induced by the formation of RNA-protein and RNA-ligand complexes. Here, we extended our iNMA approach developed for proteins to study RNA molecules using a simplified representation of the RNA structure and its potential energy. Three data sets were also created to investigate different aspects.

NEFL-Related Charcot-Marie Tooth Disease due to P440L Mutation in Two Italian Families: Expanding the Phenotype and Defining Modulating Factors.

Introduction: Mutations in the neurofilament polypeptide light chain (NEFL) gene account for <1% of all forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) diseases and present with different phenotypes, including demyelinating, axonal and intermediate neuropathies, and with diverse pattern of transmission, with dominant and recessive inheritance being described.

Methods: Here, we present clinical and molecular data in two new unrelated Italian families, affected with CMT.

Results: We studied fifteen subjects (11 women, 4 men), age range 23-62 year.

Cardiovascular reflex tests detect autonomic dysfunction in symptomatic and pre-symptomatic subjects with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis.

Purpose: Autonomic dysfunction is a distinctive but undervalued feature of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv). It may predate the onset of polyneuropathy and cardiomyopathy, thereby providing crucial prognostic and therapeutic information. The objective of this study was to assess autonomic function by means of the standardized cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CRTs) in a cohort of subjects with genetically proven ATTRv from non-endemic areas who were in the symptomatic and pre-symptomatic stages.

A dynamical view of protein-protein complexes: Studies by molecular dynamics simulations.

Protein-protein interactions are at the basis of many protein functions, and the knowledge of 3D structures of protein-protein complexes provides structural, mechanical and dynamical pieces of information essential to understand these functions. Protein-protein interfaces can be seen as stable, organized regions where residues from different partners form non-covalent interactions that are responsible for interaction specificity and strength. They are commonly described as a peripheral region, whose role is to protect the core region that concentrates the most contributing interactions, from the solvent.

A Clinical and Epidemiological Prevalence Study on Friedreich's Ataxia in Latium, Italy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) prevalence in a highly populated region of Italy (previous studies in small geographic areas gave a largely variable prevalence) and to define the patients' molecular and clinical characteristics.

Methods: For the point-prevalence study, we considered patients belonging to families with a molecular diagnosis of FRDA and resident in Latium on 1 January 2019. The crude prevalence of FRDA, specific for age and sex, was calculated and standardized for age using the Italian population.

Progress toward SHAPE Constrained Computational Prediction of Tertiary Interactions in RNA Structure.

As more sequencing data accumulate and novel puzzling genetic regulations are discovered, the need for accurate automated modeling of RNA structure increases. RNA structure modeling from chemical probing experiments has made tremendous progress, however accurately predicting large RNA structures is still challenging for several reasons: RNA are inherently flexible and often adopt many energetically similar structures, which are not reliably distinguished by the available, incomplete thermodynamic model. Moreover, computationally, the problem is aggravated by the relevance of pseudoknots and non-canonical base pairs, which are hardly predicted efficiently.

Modelling the active SARS-CoV-2 helicase complex as a basis for structure-based inhibitor design.

The RNA helicase (non-structural protein 13, NSP13) of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for viral replication, and it is highly conserved among the family, thus a prominent drug target to treat COVID-19. We present here structural models and dynamics of the helicase in complex with its native substrates based on thorough analysis of homologous sequences and existing experimental structures. We performed and analysed microseconds of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and our model provides valuable insights to the binding of the ATP and ssRNA at the atomic level.

The actigraphic documentation of circadian sleep-wake rhythm dysregulation in myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Study Objectives: The present study aimed at identifying the sleep-wake rhythm in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) compared to healthy controls.

Methods: Patients with genetic diagnosis of DM1 and healthy controls underwent a 7-day actigraphic recording and filled out a daily sleep diary to evaluate the sleep-wake rhythm. All participants underwent a physical and neurological examination to exclude conditions interfering with the sleep-wake cycle.