Altered Intra- and Inter-Network Resting-State Functional Connectivity is Associated with Neuropsychological Functioning and Clinical Symptoms in Patients with Isolated Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder.

Background: Isolated rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is characterized by abnormal behaviors in REM sleep and is considered as a prodromal symptom of alpha-synucleinopathies. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) studies have unveiled altered functional connectivity (rsFC) in patients with iRBD. However, the associations between intra- and inter-network rsFC with clinical symptoms and neuropsychological functioning in iRBD remain unclear.

Audiovisual analysis of the diagnostic video polysomnography in patients with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder.

Background: The diagnosis of isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (IRBD) requires video polysomnography (V-PSG) showing increased muscle activity and abnormal behaviors in REM sleep.

Objective: To describe in IRBD the behavioral manifestations occurring during REM sleep in the diagnostic V-PSG.

Methods: This is a systematic audiovisual V-PSG analysis of consecutive IRBD patients.

Physiological movements during sleep in healthy adults across all ages: a video-polysomnographic analysis of non-codified movements reveals sex differences and distinct motor patterns.

Study Objectives: To define sleep-related movements in healthy adults according to sex and age.

Methods: Sleep-related movements from 50 video-polysomnography (vPSG) recordings of 27 men and 23 women, from 20 to 70 years old, were classified according to International classification of sleep disorders (ICSD-3-TR) and American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) criteria (codified movements); the remaining movements (non-codified movements) were described according to type (elementary movements-EMs or complex movements-CMs), topography (focal, segmental, multifocal or generalized) and, if present, were assigned to motor patterns (MPs).

Results: Of 4057 movements analyzed, 54.

Scoring sleep in neurodegenerative diseases: A pilot study in the synucleinopathies.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases often alter sleep architecture, complicating the application of the standard sleep scoring rules. There are no recommendations to overcome this problem. Our aim was to develop a scoring method that incorporates the stages previously applied in dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), anti-IgLON5 disease, and fatal insomnia, and to test it in patients with alpha-synucleinopathies.

The Role of Growth Hormone and Insulin Growth Factor 1 in the Development of Non-Alcoholic Steato-Hepatitis: A Systematic Review.

Diabetic and obese patients have a high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This condition groups a spectrum of conditions varying from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), with or without fibrosis. Multiple factors are involved in the development of NAFLD.

Violent and Complex Behaviors and Non-Restorative Sleep Are the Main Features of Disorders of Arousal in Adulthood: Real Picture or a More Severe Phenotype?

Disorders of arousal (DoA) are NREM parasomnias characterized by motor and emotional behaviors emerging from incomplete arousals from deep sleep. DoA are largely present in pediatric populations, a period during which they are labeled as self-limited manifestations. However, an extensive literature has shown that DoA can persist in adulthood, with different characteristics from childhood DoA.

REM sleep behavior disorder with predominant nightmares in a patient with ischemic pontine lesions.

Unlabelled: Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia typically associated with synucleinopathy and evolving to neurodegenerative disorders. RBD is caused by impairment of brainstem nuclei controlling REM sleep muscle atonia. Rarely, focal lesions of the brainstem can cause secondary RBD.

The Genetics of Sleep Disorders in Children: A Narrative Review.

Sleep is a universal, highly preserved process, essential for human and animal life, whose complete functions are yet to be unravelled. Familial recurrence is acknowledged for some sleep disorders, but definite data are lacking for many of them. Genetic studies on sleep disorders have progressed from twin and family studies to candidate gene approaches to culminate in genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

Hyperacute reversible encephalopathy related to cytokine storm following COVID-19 vaccine.

We describe the first case of hyperacute reversible encephalopathy following COVID-19 vaccination. A patient presented with acute onset encephalopathy, mainly characterized by agitation and confusion, rapidly responsive to high dosage steroid therapy and complete remission within 3 days from onset. The clinical manifestation was related with systemic and CSF cytokine hyperproduction, responsive to steroid therapy.

Sleep-Related Hypermotor Epilepsy vs Disorders of Arousal in Adults: A Step-Wise Approach to Diagnosis.

Disorders of arousal (DoA) and sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE) are sleep-related events characterized by complex, often bizarre, and violent behaviors. DoA are involuntary motor manifestations of various complexities occurring during incomplete awakening from non-rapid eye movement sleep. SHE is a focal epilepsy characterized by stereotyped hyperkinetic or/and asymmetric tonic/dystonic seizures usually arising from non-rapid eye movement sleep.

Does timing of initiation influence acceptance and adherence to NIV in patients with ALS?

Background: The role of nocturnal non invasive ventilation (NIV) to prolong tracheostomy-free survival, is still controversial in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and the best timing to initiate NIV is unclear.

Objective: As NIV acceptance and adherence can be influenced by many factors, we aimed to compare immediate acceptance and short-term NIV adherence between NIV initiated very early and NIV initiated later.

Methods: This is a post hoc analysis of our previous cohort retrospective study of 88 ALS patients: 53 under later NIV (late group - LG) (forced vital capacity [FVC]<80% pred.

Additive effect on pulmonary function and disability of intensive pulmonary rehabilitation following bronchoscopy lung volume reduction (BLVR) for severe emphysema.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is mandatory before bronchoscopy lung volume reduction (BLVR); there is scant information about its efficacy post-BLVR. We retrospectively evaluated pulmonary function (PF) and disability in patients pre/post-BLVR and its additive effect on an intensive PR program post-BLVR vs matched non-BLVR controls. We analyzed changes within BLVR patients according to presence or not of atelectasis.

Spectroscopy data of ceftriaxone-lysozyme interaction and computational studies.

The data article presents the results obtained from fluorescence and synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectroscopies about the lysozyme-ceftriaxone interaction at neutral and acidic pH values as well as the computational calculations described in the accompanying research article (Ruzza et al., sub) [1].

Chaperone-like effect of ceftriaxone on HEWL aggregation: A spectroscopic and computational study.

Background: Lysozyme is a widely distributed enzyme present in a variety of tissue and body fluids. Human and hen egg white lysozyme are used as validated model to study protein folding and stability and to understand protein misfolding and aggregation. We recently found that ceftriaxone, a β-lactam antibiotic able to overcome the blood-brain barrier, successfully eliminated the cellular toxic effects of misfolded proteins as Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and α-synuclein.

How will telemedicine change clinical practice in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Within telehealth there are a number of domains relevant to pulmonary care: telemonitoring, teleassistance, telerehabilitation, teleconsultation and second opinion calls. In the last decade, several studies focusing on the effects of various telemanagement programs for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been published but with contradictory findings. From the literature, the best telemonitoring outcomes come from programs dedicated to aged and very sick patients, frequent exacerbators with multimorbidity and limited community support; programs using third-generation telemonitoring systems providing constant analytical and decisionmaking support (24 h/day, 7 days/week); countries where strong community links are not available; and zones where telemonitoring and rehabilitation can be delivered directly to the patient's location.

Impact of an early respiratory care programme with non-invasive ventilation adaptation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Forced vital capacity (FVC) <80% is one of the key indications for starting non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It was hypothesized that a very early start of NIV could lengthen the free interval before death compared to later-start NIV; as a secondary outcome, the survival rate of patients on NIV without tracheotomy was also evaluated.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 194 ALS patients, divided into a later group (LG) with FVC <80% at NIV prescription (n = 129) and a very early group (VEG) with FVC ≥80% at NIV prescription (n = 65).

Acute effects of high-frequency microfocal vibratory stimulation on the H reflex of the soleus muscle. A double-blind study in healthy subjects.

This study in healthy subjects examined the effects of a system delivering focal microvibrations at high frequency (Equistasi®) on tonic vibration stimulus (TVS)-induced inhibition of the soleus muscle H reflex. Highfrequency microvibrations significantly increased the inhibitory effect of TVS on the H reflex for up to three minutes. Moreover, Equistasi® also significantly reduced alpha-motoneuron excitability, as indicated by the changes in the ratio between the maximumamplitude H reflex (Hmax reflex) and the maximumamplitude muscle response (Mmax response); this effect was due to reduction of the amplitude of the H reflex because the amplitude of muscle response remained unchanged.

Vaginal parturition decreases recurrence of endometriosis.

Objective: To evaluate the role of parturition in the recurrence of endometriosis.

Design: Retrospectively analyzed, prospectively obtained data.

Setting: Unit of Physiopathology of Reproduction, Health Care Unit of Rimini, and University of Bologna Cervesi General Hospital, Cattolica, Italy.

[Behavior of the lithium excretion fraction in hypertensive patients during variations of sodium intake].

Fractional excretion of lithium (FeLi) is a marker of proximal tubular sodium reabsorption. During different sodium intakes (normal = 120 mEq/day, low = 40 mEq/day and high = 240 mEq/day) fractional lithium excretion was evaluated in essential hypertensive patients (n. 19) and control subjects (n.

[Prostatic pathology and correlated urethral stenosis. 10 cases treated with transluminal urethroplasty].

Our study was intended to verify the efficacy and the side effects of intraluminal dilatation of the distal urinary tract with vascular balloon catheter in a group of patients with urethral stenosis. In 6 out of 10 patients, there was a significant increase in urethral diameter (by 70% to 150%). In 4 patients, the stenosis was only slightly improved (increase in urethral diameter by 10% to 20%).

[Intradiploic dermoid cyst of the skull: report of a case].

A case of intradiploic dermoid cyst of the skull in a female child with seizures is reported. The authors emphasize diagnostic aspects and the surgical procedure. The characteristics of the tumor were cleared at the surgical procedure, and its nature was confirmed by histological examination.