Choir as a Metaphor for Neurodiversity.

Anyone who has ever tried to sing in a choir might have experienced how incredibly beautiful, and yet truly challenging, it is to blend different voices into a single polyphonic movement. This experience offers a vivid metaphor of the very idea of neurodiversity, with both the joys and the challenges it comes with. Our experience with a neurodiverse choir has convinced us that sharing this experience could be as an effective way to shed light on what neurodiversity can be, what it is not, and what it involves for clinicians.

Prevalence of immunoglobulin E sensitisation to mites and pollens in 25,451 French dogs from 2016 to 2022.

Background: Canine atopic dermatitis (cAD) is a common skin disorder in dogs, wherein allergens are presumed to exert a significant influence. The prevalence of allergen sensitisation in dogs with suspected cAD remains inadequately investigated in France.

Hypothesis/objectives: This study aimed to analyse allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E test results from French dogs with suspected cAD, exploring potential risk factors influencing sensitisation.

How do theory of mind and formal language skills impact metaphoric reference comprehension during children's school-age years.

Prior research has shown that school-aged children's metaphor comprehension becomes adultlike progressively. This has given rise to claims that the development of metaphor comprehension is due to children's evolving abilities with respect to theory of mind (ToM) or to formal language. The present work investigates the extent to which children's growing sophistication with metaphor is attributable to each of these.

The Italian Consensus Conference on the role of rehabilitation for children and adolescents with leukemia, central nervous system tumors, and bone cancer, part 2: general principles for the rehabilitation treatment of motor function impairments.

In Italy, 1400 children and 800 adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every year. About 80% of them can be cured but are at high risk of experiencing severe side effects, many of which respond to rehabilitation treatment. Due to the paucity of literature on this topic, the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology organized a Consensus Conference on the role of rehabilitation of motor impairments in children/adolescents affected by leukemia, central nervous system tumors, and bone cancer to state recommendations to improve clinical practice.

Assessing Theory of Mind in Children: A Tablet-Based Adaptation of a Classic Picture Sequencing Task.

Correctly assessing children's theory of mind (TOM) is essential to clinical practice. Yet, most tasks heavily rely on language, which is an obstacle for several populations. Langdon and Coltheart's (Cognition 71(1):43-71, 1999) Picture Sequencing Task (PST), developed for research purposes, avoids this limitation through a minimally-verbal procedure.

Functionalised biomaterials as synthetic extracellular matrices to promote vascularisation and healing of diabetic wounds.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are a type of chronic wound that constitute one of the most serious and debilitating complications associated with diabetes. The lack of clinically efficacious treatments to treat these recalcitrant wounds can lead to amputations for those worst affected. Biomaterial-based approaches offer great hope in this regard, as they provide a template for cell infiltration and tissue repair.

Effects of sodium nitrite reduction, removal or replacement on cured and cooked meat for microbiological growth, food safety, colon ecosystem, and colorectal carcinogenesis in Fischer 344 rats.

Epidemiological and experimental evidence indicated that processed meat consumption is associated with colorectal cancer risks. Several studies suggest the involvement of nitrite or nitrate additives via N-nitroso-compound formation (NOCs). Compared to the reference level (120 mg/kg of ham), sodium nitrite removal and reduction (90 mg/kg) similarly decreased preneoplastic lesions in F344 rats, but only reduction had an inhibitory effect on Listeria monocytogenes growth comparable to that obtained using the reference nitrite level and an effective lipid peroxidation control.

"Long-term oncologic outcomes and risk factors for distant recurrence after pathologic complete response following neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. A nationwide, multicentre study".

Background: Pathologic complete response (pCR) after multimodal treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is used as surrogate marker of success as it is assumed to correlate with improved oncologic outcome. However, long-term oncologic data are scarce.

Methods: This retrospective, multicentre study updated the oncologic follow-up of prospectively collected data from the Spanish Rectal Cancer Project database.

Insight into the self-assembly and gel formation of a bioactive peptide derived from bovine casein.

Abstract: The self-assembling and gelation properties of a bioactive peptide derived from bovine casein (FFVAPFPEVFGK) were studied in the peptide's natural form (uncapped, ) and capped with protecting groups added to both termini (capped, ). Although the natural peptide () did not demonstrate self-assembly, the capped peptide () spontaneously self-assembled and formed a self-supporting gel. Variations in peptide concentration and incubation time influenced the gel's mechanical properties, suggesting the peptide's properties could be tuned and exploited for different applications.

Food anaphylaxis in the elderly: Analysis of allergy vigilance network data from 2002 to 2021.

Background: Few studies have focused on food allergies in the elderly, even though it may persist or appear de novo.

Methods: We reviewed data for all cases of food-induced anaphylaxis in people age ≥ 60 reported to the French "Allergy Vigilance Network" (RAV) between 2002 and 2021. RAV collates data reported by French-speaking allergists regarding cases of anaphylaxis graded II to IV according to the Ring and Messmer classification.

Nusinersen treatment in adults with severe spinal muscular atrophy: A real-life retrospective observational cohort study.

Background And Objectives: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease due to homozygous loss-of-function of the survival motor neuron gene SMN1 with absence of the functional SMN protein. Nusinersen, a costly intrathecally administered drug approved in 2017 in Europe, induces alternative splicing of the SMN2 gene, which then produces functional SMN protein, whose amount generally increases with the number of SMN2 gene copies.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data from consecutive wheelchair-bound adults with SMA managed at a single center in 2018-2020.

Frailty phenotype is associated with antiretroviral exposure among older persons living with HIV.

Purpose Of Review: This multicentre, cross-sectional study was carried out in the South of France to assess the association between frailty phenotype and antiretroviral therapy (ART) in older persons living with HIV (PLWHIV). Sociodemographic and HIV data, geriatric assessment, comorbidities, behavioral and age-related variables and the five frailty markers of Fried were recorded. Exposure to any pharmacological class of ART and all regimens were retrieved from medical records.

Oral delivery of self-assembling bioactive peptides to target gastrointestinal tract disease.

Peptides are known for their diverse bioactivities including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activity, all three of which are potentially useful in treating colon-associated diseases. Beside their capability to stimulate positive health effects once released in the body, peptides are able to form useful nanostructures such as hydrogels. Combining peptide bioactivity and peptide gel-forming potentials can create interesting systems that can be used for oral delivery.

[Frailty phenotype in older people living with HIV: concepts, prevention and issues].

The life-span of people aging with HIV (PHIV) tends to reach people without infection, reflecting the effectiveness and tolerance of antiretroviral treatment and improvement of multidisciplinary management. Comorbidities or HIV-inflammaging seems to be the main determinants of frailty phenotype in PHIV. Prevalence of frailty in PHIV is frequent (5% from 28%) and appears earlier than in general population (50 versus 65 years).

Resident Involvement in Tactical Medicine: 12 Years Later.

Introduction: Interest in tactical medicine, the provision of medical support to law enforcement and military special operations teams, continues to grow. The majority of tactical physicians are emergency physicians with additional training and experience in tactical operations. A 2005 survey found that 18% of responding Emergency Medicine (EM) residencies offered their resident physicians structured exposure to tactical medicine at that time.

Magnetic detection of sentinel lymph node in papillary thyroid carcinoma: The MAGIC-PAT study results.

Introduction: Despite the controversy concerning sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), successful detection rates can be achieved by radioguidance and vital dyeing. However, the drawbacks in both techniques are notable. Magnetic-guided SLNB (mSLNB) using superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles is appealing as an alternative procedure.

Factors associated with social deprivation among older persons living with HIV.

Aging persons living with HIV may develop multiple health problems, including comorbidities, and altered physical and mental health, earlier than non-infected people. They may also experience social deprivation. We assessed the prevalence of social deprivation and its relationship with health indicators in older persons living with HIV.

Effects of Maillard Reaction Products on Sensory and Nutritional Qualities of the Traditional French Baguette.

Unlabelled: The goals of this study were to evaluate the effect of baking time on the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) generated in the crust of the traditional French baguette and to estimate their impact on its sensory characteristics, its acrylamide content, and its bifidogenic effect. Melanoidins, volatile compounds, and acrylamide were evaluated in the crust of traditional French baguettes baked between 12 and 22 min at 225 °C. The increase in melanoidins was positively correlated to the baking time, while volatile compounds only increased until 18 min.

Frail and pre-frail phenotype is associated with pain in older HIV-infected patients.

As HIV-infected patients grow older, some accumulate multiple health problems earlier than the noninfected ones in particular frailty phenotypes. Patients with frailty phenotype are at higher risk of adverse outcomes (worsening mobility, disability, hospitalization, and death within three years).Our study aimed to evaluate prevalence of frailty in elderly HIV-infected patients and to assess whether frailty is associated with HIV and geriatric factors, comorbidities, and precariousness in a French cohort of older HIV infected.

Targeting the Human T-Cell Inducible COStimulator Molecule with a Monoclonal Antibody Prevents Graft-vs-Host Disease and Preserves Graft vs Leukemia in a Xenograft Murine Model.

Background: Graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Targeting costimulatory molecules with antagonist antibodies could dampen the excessive immune response that occurs, while preserving the beneficial graft vs leukemia (GVL) of the allogeneic response. Previous studies using a mouse model of GVHD have shown that targeting the T-cell Inducible COStimulator (ICOS, CD278) molecule is beneficial, but it is unclear whether the same applies to human cells.

Discovery and Characterization of ACT-451840: an Antimalarial Drug with a Novel Mechanism of Action.

More than 40 % of the world's population is at risk of being infected with malaria. Most malaria cases occur in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America, and Asia. Resistance to standard therapy, including artemisinin combinations, is increasing.

Lessons From HIV-1 Gene Therapy in Humanized Mice: Is Targeting Viral Entry the Road to Success?

Immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human CD4(+) T cells, which can be achieved either by transfer of mature cells or immature progenitors, represent the only animal model to study HIV-1 infection of human lymphocytes in vivo. However, the immunocompromised status of most of these models currently rule out their use for vaccine studies. Nevertheless, the model might be ideally suited for HIV-1 gene therapy studies since eliciting an efficient anti-viral immune response is not the primary end-point.

Gene transfer of two entry inhibitors protects CD4⁺ T cell from HIV-1 infection in humanized mice.

Targeting viral entry is the most likely gene therapy strategy to succeed in protecting the immune system from pathogenic HIV-1 infection. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a gene transfer lentiviral vector expressing a combination of viral entry inhibitors, the C46 peptide (an inhibitor of viral fusion) and the P2-CCL5 intrakine (a modulator of CCR5 expression), to prevent CD4⁺ T-cell infection in vivo. For this, we used two different models of HIV-1-infected mice, one in which ex vivo genetically modified human T cells were grafted into immunodeficient NOD.