High-resolution whole-genome DNA methylation revealed unique signatures of painful diabetic neuropathy.

The aim of this work was to describe the DNA methylation signature and to identify genes associated with neuropathic pain in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We analyzed two independent diabetic neuropathy cohorts: PROPGER consisting of 72 painful and 67 painless patients recruited at the German Diabetes Center in Düsseldorf (DE), and PROPENG comprising 27 painful and 65 painless diabetic neuropathy patients recruited at the University of Manchester (UK). Genome-wide methylation data was generated using Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC v1.

Education moderates the association between motor involvement and executive status in ALS.

Background: This study aimed to determine whether educational attainment-a common proxy of cognitive reserve (CR)-influences the association between motor and cognitive/behavioural outcomes in a large cohort of ALS patients without dementia.

Methods: N = 726 ALS patients without FTD were assessed for motor (ALSFRS-R), cognitive (Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen, ECAS) and behavioural outcomes (ECAS-Carer Interview, ECAS-CI). CR was operationalized via educational attainment (in years).

Targeting mitochondria in Cancer therapy: Machine learning analysis of hyaluronic acid-based drug delivery systems.

Background: Mitochondrial alterations play a crucial role in the development and progression of cancer. Dysfunctional mitochondria contribute to the acquisition of key hallmarks of cancer, including sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppressors, and resistance to cell death. Consequently, targeting mitochondrial dysfunction has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy.

"Metabolight": how light spectra shape plant growth, development and metabolism.

Innovations in light technologies (i.e. Light Emitting Diodes; LED) and cover films with specific optical features (e.

The Evolving Landscape of Small Fiber Neuropathy.

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) belongs to a heterogeneous group of disorders in which thinly myelinated Aδ and unmyelinated C-fibers are primarily affected, leading to neuropathic pain and autonomic symptoms. SFN can be associated with systemic conditions such as diabetes, autoimmune diseases, exposure to drugs and toxins, and infection, with the list of associated diseases continuing to expand. Variants in the SCN9A, SCN10A, and SCN11A genes encoding Nav 1.

Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of subcutaneous efgartigimod in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (ADHERE): a multicentre, randomised-withdrawal, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

Background: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system that can lead to severe disability from muscle weakness and sensory disturbances. Around a third of patients do not respond to currently available treatments, and many patients with a partial response have residual neurological impairment, highlighting the need for effective alternatives. Efgartigimod alfa, a human IgG1 antibody Fc fragment, has demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with generalised myasthenia gravis.

Prevalence and motor-functional correlates of frontotemporal-spectrum disorders in a large cohort of non-demented ALS patients.

Background: This study aimed at (1) delivering generalizable estimates of the prevalence of frontotemporal-spectrum disorders (FTSDs) in non-demented ALS patients and (2) exploring their motor-functional correlates.

Methods: N = 808 ALS patients without FTD were assessed for motor-functional outcomes-i.e.

Characteristics, Outcome and Prognostic Factors of Patients with Emergency Department Cardiac Arrest: A 14-Year Retrospective Study.

: Cardiac arrests are traditionally classified according to the setting in which they occur, including out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). However, cardiac arrests that occur in the emergency department (EDCA) could constitute a third category, due to the peculiar characteristics of the emergency department (ED). In recent years, the need to study EDCAs separately from other intra-hospital events has emerged.

Exploiting L. (Licorice) Flavanones: Licoflavanone's Impact on Breast Cancer Cell Bioenergetics.

Research on the energy metabolism of cancer cells is becoming a central element in oncology, and in recent decades, it has allowed us to better understand the mechanisms underlying the onset and chemoresistance of oncological pathologies. Mitochondrial bioenergetic processes, in particular, have proven to be fundamental for the survival of tumor stem cells (CSC), a subpopulation of tumor cells responsible for tumor recurrence, the onset of metastasis, and the failure of conventional anticancer therapies. Over the years, numerous natural products, in particular flavonoids, widely distributed in the plant kingdom, have been shown to interfere with tumor bioenergetics, demonstrating promising antitumor effects.

Leaf and Flower Extracts from the Dwarf Elder (): Toxicity and Repellence against Cosmopolitan Mosquito-Borne Diseases Vectors.

As there has been no scientific evidence of the bioactivity of (Adoxaceae) extracts against insects, we chemically characterized leaves and flowers extracted in methanol and water. The crude extracts, phenolic compounds, and amino acids isolated were tested as larvicides against the fourth-instar larvae of and (Diptera: Culicidae). To understand their mode of action, we evaluated the in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor effect of the crude extracts on the two mosquito larvae through a colorimetric method.

Emotional awareness in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Introduction: It has been recently acknowledged that deficits in experiencing and processing one's own emotions, also termed alexithymia, may possibly feature the frontotemporal-spectrum disorders. This study aims to determine whether alexithymia could be included within the frontotemporal syndromes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods: Alexithymic traits were estimated in a cohort of 68 non-demented ALS patients with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).

New clinical insight in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and innovative clinical development from the non-profit repurposing trial of the old drug guanabenz.

Drug repurposing is considered a valid approach to accelerate therapeutic solutions for rare diseases. However, it is not as widely applied as it could be, due to several barriers that discourage both industry and academic institutions from pursuing this path. Herein we present the case of an academic multicentre study that considered the repurposing of the old drug guanabenz as a therapeutic strategy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

YAP Ultralate Laser-Evoked Responses in Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study in Patients with Small Fiber Pathology.

: The investigation of C-fiber-evoked ultralow-level responses (ULEPs) at somatic sites is difficult in clinical practice but may be useful in patients with small fiber neuropathy. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate changes in LEPs and ULEPs in patients with fibromyalgia affected or not by abnormal intraepidermal innervation. : We recorded LEPs and ULEPs of the hand, thigh and foot in 13 FM patients with a normal skin biopsy (NFM), 13 patients with a reduced intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) (AFM) and 13 age-matched controls.

Neuroprotective Effects of Curcumin in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Curcumin, a hydrophobic polyphenol extracted from the rhizome of , is now considered a candidate drug for the treatment of neurological diseases, including Parkinson's Disease (PD), Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Huntington's Disease (HD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and prion disease, due to its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant potential, anticancerous, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, antiproliferative, and antibacterial activities. Traditionally, curcumin has been used for medicinal and dietary purposes in Asia, India, and China. However, low water solubility, poor stability in the blood, high rate of metabolism, limited bioavailability, and little capability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) have limited the clinical application of curcumin, despite the important pharmacological activities of this drug.

Polyethylene microplastics alter root functionality and affect strawberry plant physiology and fruit quality traits.

Strawberry, a globally popular crop whose fruit are known for their taste and health benefits, were used to evaluate the effects of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) on plant physiology and fruit quality. Plants were grown in 2-L pots with natural soil mixed with PE-MPs at two concentrations (0.2% and 0.

The COL6A5-p.Glu2272* mutation induces chronic itch in mice.

Pruritus is a common irritating sensation that provokes the desire to scratch. Environmental and genetic factors contribute to the onset of pruritus. Moreover, itch can become a major burden when it becomes chronic.

FM19G11-loaded nanoparticles modulate energetic status and production of reactive oxygen species in myoblasts from ALS mice.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons. Considerable evidence indicates that early skeletal muscle atrophy plays a crucial role in the disease pathogenesis, leading to an altered muscle-motor neuron crosstalk that, in turn, may contribute to motor neuron degeneration. Currently, there is no effective treatment for ALS, highlighting the need to dig deeper into the pathological mechanisms for developing innovative therapeutic strategies.

Root photosynthesis prevents hypoxia in the epiphytic orchid .

Orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.) growing in tropical and subtropical regions are epiphytes. As such, they grow on trees with the root system utilised to anchor themselves to tree branches.

Cognitive, behavioral, and psychological phenotypes in small fiber neuropathy: A case-control study.

Objective: Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a well-defined chronic painful condition causing severe individual and societal burden. While mood disorders have been described, cognitive and behavioral profiles of SFN patients has not been investigated.

Methods: Thirty-four painful SFN patients underwent comprehensive cognitive, behavioral, psychological, quality of life (QoL), and personality assessment using validated questionnaires.

Loneliness as neurobehavioral issue in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: In elderly people loneliness represents a risk factor for dementia and may negatively impact on mental and physical health. The specific contribute of loneliness to cognitive and behavioral functioning have not yet been determined in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our hypothesis was that loneliness may be related to motor dysfunction with a negative impact on cognitive and behavioral decline, possibly related to specific cortical involvement.

A Machine Learning Approach for Highlighting microRNAs as Biomarkers Linked to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Diagnosis and Progression.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The early diagnosis of ALS can be challenging, as it usually depends on clinical examination and the exclusion of other possible causes. In this regard, the analysis of miRNA expression profiles in biofluids makes miRNAs promising non-invasive clinical biomarkers.