SMURF1 and SMURF2 directly target GLI1 for ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation.

The transcription factor GLI1 is the main and final effector of the Hedgehog signaling pathway, which is involved in embryonic development, cell proliferation and stemness. Whether activated through canonical or non-canonical mechanisms, GLI1 aberrant activity is associated with Hedgehog-dependent cancers, including medulloblastoma, as well as other tumoral contexts. Notwithstanding a growing body of evidence, which have highlighted the potential role of post translational modifications of GLI1, the complex mechanisms modulating GLI1 stability and activity have not been fully elucidated.

Surgery of brainstem cavernous malformations: surgical nuances and outcomes of a monocentric series of 34 patients.

Background: Brainstem cavernous malformations (BCM) constitute one of the most controversial and challenging neurological pathologies: both natural course and surgical manipulation can lead to severe neurological symptoms by direct compression or following hemorrhage of this highly eloquent brain region.

Methods: The vascular section of the prospectively collected neurosurgical database of our center (2011-2023) was retrospectively reviewed, seeking all patients operated on for a sporadic BCM. Clinical, radiological and surgical data, operative records and videos were analyzed by independent reviewers with the assistance of a dedicated neuropsychologist, blinded to the hospital course.

Trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis: proposal of surgical flowchart and long-term outcome evaluation in a mono-istitutional cohort.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic pain syndrome more prevalent in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), often presenting with earlier onset and more intense pain compared to non-MS patients. The management of TN in MS is complex due to the interaction between demyelination and neurovascular factors.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 MS patients treated for TN with 65 procedures between 2010 and 2023 was conducted.

Matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation is effective at mid/long-term for knee lesions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This systematic review with meta-analysis evaluates the long-term efficacy of matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) in terms of functional scores using scaffolds made of hyaluronic acid (HA) or collagen (C).

Methods: Nineteen articles met the eligibility criteria for the analysis. Fourteen studies focused on patients treated with MACT with HA-based scaffolds, four studies with C-based scaffolds, and one study compared both scaffold types.

Emerging horizons on molecular and circulating biomarkers in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most aggressive and invasive type of pancreatic cancer and is expected to soon become the second leading cause of cancer-associated death. The high mortality rate is due to the clinical features that allow asymptomatic progression to advanced stages, a period when current therapeutic treatments have limited efficacy. To address these challenges, researchers are focused on identifying new molecular and circulating markers for early PDAC detection and precision medicine.

Effectiveness of a Novel Global Telemedicine Curriculum for Medical Students.

Background: The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine collaborated with The Addis Clinic to create a global telemedicine elective for fourth-year medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The elective aimed to promote cross-cultural understanding by providing unique, hands-on telemedicine experience.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of the telemedicine elective, four of five medical students and 11 of 12 Kenyan clinical officers completed one-on-one interviews and surveys.

Endothelial-mesenchymal transition in skeletal muscle: Opportunities and challenges from 3D microphysiological systems.

Fibrosis is a pathological condition that in the muscular context is linked to primary diseases such as dystrophies, laminopathies, neuromuscular disorders, and volumetric muscle loss following traumas, accidents, and surgeries. Although some basic mechanisms regarding the role of myofibroblasts in the progression of muscle fibrosis have been discovered, our knowledge of the complex cell-cell, and cell-matrix interactions occurring in the fibrotic microenvironment is still rudimentary. Recently, vascular dysfunction has been emerging as a key hallmark of fibrosis through a process called endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT).

Pleural Irregularities: A new ultrasound marker for lung involvement in primary Sjögren's disease.

Objectives: Lung ultrasound (LUS) has been proposed as a useful tool for the assessment of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in connective tissue diseases. However, there are no studies investigating the significance of pleural irregularities (PI) on LUS in primary Sjögren's disease (SjD) patients. The aim of this study was to explore the role of PI for the assessment of SjD-related lung involvement.

Economic Evaluations of Health Care Interventions in Pediatric Hospital Care.

The hospital medicine movement thrives in a health care environment committed to providing high-quality, safe, and value-based care. Hospitalists and hospitals continually grapple with many decisions regarding adopting new interventions and deadopting established ones. These decisions span the gamut from tests, treatments, and supportive care, to care models.

Identification of red flags for IgG4-related disease: an international European Reference Network for Rare Connective Tissue Diseases framework.

IgG4-related disease is a rare fibroinflammatory condition. Prompt recognition is fundamental to initiate treatment and to prevent organ damage. Diagnostic and classification criteria are primarily intended for use by clinicians with established expertise in IgG4-related disease.

Overview on Hereditary Spherocytosis Diagnosis.

Introduction: Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a congenital haemolytic disorder, resulting from plasma membrane protein deficiency of red blood cells (RBCs). Typical pathological signs are anemia, jaundice, and splenomegaly; in newborns, jaundice is the main symptom.

Material And Methods: This study focused on the state of art about the HS diagnosis, from traditional to innovative methods, including diagnostic algorithms that can be applied for pediatric and adult patients, for different laboratory diagnostic levels.

Association of Loneliness with Functional and Cognitive Status in Minor and Major Neurocognitive Disorders.

Background: Neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) have a variable decline in cognitive function, while loneliness was associated with cognitive impairment and increased dementia risk. In the present study, we examined the associations of loneliness with functional and cognitive status in patients with minor (mild cognitive impairment) and major NCDs (dementia).

Methods: We diagnosed mild NCD ( = 42) and major NCD ( = 164) through DSM-5 criteria on 206 participants aged > 65 years using the UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale (UCLA-3) to evaluate loneliness, the activities of daily living (ADL) and the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scales to measure functional status, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to assess cognitive functions.

The urban in ecology: a quantitative textual analysis of the scientific literature over a century.

Unlabelled: Many authors have described 'urban ecology' as a subfield of ecology that emerged in the 1990s and has expanded exponentially. We propose to take a step further and analyse the expansion of the 'urban' in ecology with a novel quantitative approach, with the aim to better understand the relationship between ecology and the urban. Previous quantitative assessments of the urban in ecology have focused on short to medium time spans (5 to 40 years) and on research coined as 'urban ecology', and have rarely considered the content of publications (e.

Development of a Microfluidic Vascularized Osteochondral Model as a Drug Testing Platform for Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by changes in cartilage and subchondral bone. To date, there are no available drugs that can counteract the progression of OA, partly due to the inadequacy of current models to recapitulate the relevant cellular complexity. In this study, an osteochondral microfluidic model is developed using human primary cells to mimic an OA-like microenvironment and this study validates it as a drug testing platform.

Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Italian Children: How much do Demographic Factors and Socio-Economic Status Matter?

Objectives: . This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the degree of children's adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), to estimate the weekly cost of MD, and to assess the role of food cost and demographic/socio-economic factors as potential barriers to comply with a healthy dietary model.

Methods: .

Evaluation of a peracetic-acid-based sink drain disinfectant on the intensive care unit of a tertiary care centre in Belgium.

Background: Sink drains in hospitals are notorious reservoirs of bacteria, hosting both planktonic micro-organisms and biofilms within the siphon. Disinfectants based on peracetic acid are both non-corrosive and effective in eliminating biofilm and planktonic micro-organisms, presenting a potential solution for decontaminating sink drains.

Aim: To examine the effectiveness of Clinell Drain Disinfectant, a peracetic-acid-based disinfectant, in the intensive care unit (ICU) of UZ Brussel.

Uncovering Gaps in Knowledge: A Survey of Belgian General Practitioners' Awareness of Legionnaires' Disease Diagnostic Testing.

The incidence of Legionnaires' disease (LD) is increasing steadily in Europe. Its early diagnosis by general practitioners (GPs) is crucial for better patient outcomes. This study assessed Belgian GPs' knowledge about LD and the accessibility of diagnostic tests in their practices.

Maltreatment and Parent-Child Attachment as Predictors of Dating Violence and Risky Sexual Behaviour Among High-Risk Teens.

A history of maltreatment can increase risk for dating violence (DV) and risky sexual behaviour (RSB) among adolescents. Secure parent-child attachment may reduce this risk, yet few studies have examined this as a protective factor. This study differentiated developmentally appropriate, exploratory sexual behaviours from RSB and examined whether maltreatment experiences and parent-child attachment in adolescence predicted DV and RSB reported five years later in a high-risk sample.

A Semantic Knowledge Graph of European Mountain Value Chains.

The United Nations forecast a significant shift in global population distribution by 2050, with rural populations projected to decline. This decline will particularly challenge mountain areas' cultural heritage, well-being, and economic sustainability. Understanding the economic, environmental, and societal effects of rural population decline is particularly important in Europe, where mountainous regions are vital for supplying goods.