Exploring the complexities of epigenetics in multiple sclerosis: A study involving meta-analysis of DNA methylation profiles, epigenetic drift, and rare epivariations.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition characterized by inflammatory and neurodegenerative traits. Recently, DNA methylation has emerged as a promising field of investigation for elucidating dynamics characterizing MS development and progression.

Objectives: This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the role of epigenetics in MS by analyzing the methylation profiles from blood and brain tissues from public datasets.

Effects of forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) in stressed people.

Aim: This study aims to explore the physiological effect of forest bathing on stress management.

Methods: A total of 29 volunteers participated in this pre-post design, which lacked a control group. Several physiological parameters were recorded, including heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), electrodermal activity (EDA), blood pressure (BP), immunoglobulin A (IGA), and salivary cortisol (sCort).

Investigating the influence of oral contraceptive pill use on multiple sclerosis risk using UK Biobank data.

Objective: To investigate the association between oral contraceptive (OC) pill use and the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), attempting to address the limitations present in previous studies that produced conflicting results.

Design: A population-based cohort study using data from the UK Biobank.

Patients: The study included 181,058 women of white ethnicity born in England between 1937 and 1970, among which 1,131 had an MS diagnosis.

Assessing Additive Interactions between Protective Factors Using Relative Risk Reduction Due to Interaction.

: In the context of disease prevention, interaction on an additive scale is commonly assessed to determine synergistic effects between exposures. While the "Relative Excess Risk due to Interaction" represents the main measure of additive interaction between risk factors, in this study we aimed to extend this approach to assess additive interaction between factors known to prevent the event's occurrence, such as medical interventions and drugs. : We introduced and described the "Relative Risk Reduction due to Interaction" (RRRI) as a key measure to assess additive interactions between preventive factors, such as therapeutic interventions and drug combinations.

Disentangling Multiple Sclerosis heterogeneity in the French territory among genetic and environmental factors via Bayesian heritability analysis.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the factors contributing to the variability of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) among individuals born and residing in France. Geographical variation in MS prevalence was observed in France, but the role of genetic and environmental factors in explaining this heterogeneity has not been yet elucidated.

Methods: We employed a heritability analysis on a cohort of 403 trios with an MS-affected proband in the French population.