New insight into the molecular etiopathogenesis of konzo: Cyanate could be a plausible neurotoxin contributing to konzo, contrary to thiocyanate.

Introduction: Chronic cassava-derived cyanide poisoning is associated with the appearance of konzo, a tropical spastic paraparesis due to selective upper motor neuron damage. Whether the disease is caused by a direct action of cyanide or its metabolites is still an open question. This preliminary study assessed the neurotoxic effects of thiocyanate (SCN) and cyanate (OCN), two cyanide metabolites hypothesized to be plausible toxic agents in konzo.

Safe and efficient practice of parenteral nutrition in neonates and children aged 0-18 years - The role of licensed multi-chamber bags.

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is recognized as a complex high-risk therapy. Its practice is highly variable and frequently suboptimal in pediatric patients. Optimizing care requires evidence, consensus-based guidelines, audits of practice, and standardized strategies.

Surgical Outcomes in Uveitic Glaucoma: Long-Term Evaluation of Trabeculectomy, Non-Penetrating Deep Sclerectomy, Ex-PRESS Shunt and Ahmed Glaucoma Valve. A 3-Year Follow-Up Study.

Purpose: Uveitis can lead to secondary glaucoma, a condition with challenging management that can carry irreversible visual loss. Filtering surgery has demonstrated a higher failure rate, increased incidence of postoperative complications and reinterventions in uveitic patients. There is no consensus on the optimal surgical approach for uveitic glaucoma (UG) due to limited data comparing various intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering surgeries.

Clinical and ultrasound characteristics of deep endometriosis affecting sacral plexus.

Objective: To describe the sonomorphological changes and appearance of deep endometriosis (DE) affecting the nervous tissue of the sacral plexus (SP).

Methods: This was a retrospective study of symptomatic patients who underwent radical resection of histologically confirmed DE affecting the SP and who had undergone preoperative transvaginal sonography (TVS) between 2019 and 2023. Lesions were described based on the terms and definitions of the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis (IDEA), International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) and Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment (MUSA) groups.

Dopamine-mediated striatal activity and function is enhanced in GlyRα2 knockout animals.

The glycine receptor alpha 2 (GlyRα2) is a ligand-gated ion channel which upon activation induces a chloride conductance. Here, we investigated the role of GlyRα2 in dopamine-stimulated striatal cell activity and behavior. We show that depletion of GlyRα2 enhances dopamine-induced increases in the activity of putative dopamine D1 receptor-expressing striatal projection neurons, but does not alter midbrain dopamine neuron activity.

Visualization of sacral nerve roots and sacral plexus on gynecological transvaginal ultrasound: feasibility study.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of identifying and measuring the normal sacral plexus (SP) on gynecological transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) examination.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted at a single tertiary gynecological referral center, including consecutive women undergoing TVS for various indications between November 2021 and January 2022. A standardized assessment of the pelvic organs was performed and the presence of any congenital or acquired uterine pathology or ovarian abnormality was recorded.

Diagnostic accuracy of the IDEA protocol for non invasive diagnosis of rectosigmoid DE - a prospective cohort study.

Objectives:  To test the accuracy of TVS applying the IDEA approach for suspected rectosigmoid DE and to determine the frequency of other pelvic diseases mimicking DE in patients undergoing surgery.

Materials Und Methods:  Prospective single center observational study including consecutive women undergoing TVS for clinically suspected rectosigmoid DE followed by conservative or surgical therapy. TVS findings were compared with those obtained by laparoscopy and confirmed histologically.

Enteral Nutrition in Preterm Infants (2022): A Position Paper From the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition and Invited Experts.

Objectives: To review the current literature and develop consensus conclusions and recommendations on nutrient intakes and nutritional practice in preterm infants with birthweight <1800 g.

Methods: The European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee of Nutrition (CoN) led a process that included CoN members and invited experts. Invited experts with specific expertise were chosen to represent as broad a geographical spread as possible.

Upregulation of exofacial peroxiredoxin-thioredoxin system of lymphocytes and monocytes in preeclampsia.

Objectives: An imbalanced redox homeostasis resulting in oxidative stress is present in preeclampsia. Peroxiredoxin-1 (PRDX1) and thioredoxin-1 (TRX1) regulatory enzymes are also contributing to the redox homeostasis, but were not investigated so far in preeclampsia. Thus, we have aimed to characterize PRDX1, TRX1 and oxidative stress biomarkers in blood samples of pregnant women with preeclampsia.

p27 Modulates the Morphology and Phagocytic Activity of Microglia.

p27 is a multifunctional protein that promotes cell cycle exit by blocking the activity of cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase complexes as well as migration and motility via signaling pathways that converge on the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton. Despite the broad characterization of p27 function in neural cells, little is known about its relevance in microglia. Here, we studied the role of p27 in microglia using a combination of in vitro and in situ approaches.

Two-Channel Charge-Kondo Physics in Graphene Quantum Dots.

Nanoelectronic quantum dot devices exploiting the charge-Kondo paradigm have been established as versatile and accurate analogue quantum simulators of fundamental quantum impurity models. In particular, hybrid metal-semiconductor dots connected to two metallic leads realize the two-channel Kondo (2CK) model, in which Kondo screening of the dot charge pseudospin is frustrated. In this article, a two-channel charge-Kondo device made instead from graphene components is considered, realizing a pseudogapped version of the 2CK model.

Correlation between Restless Leg Syndrome and Superficial Venous Reflux.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common cause of lower extremity discomfort. We hypothesized that patients with RLS symptoms have higher rates of deep and superficial venous reflux (SVR). Retrospective review of patients ≥18 years of age evaluated in a venous center from December 2018 to February 2019.

ATP-citrate lyase promotes axonal transport across species.

Microtubule (MT)-based transport is an evolutionary conserved process finely tuned by posttranslational modifications. Among them, α-tubulin acetylation, primarily catalyzed by a vesicular pool of α-tubulin N-acetyltransferase 1 (Atat1), promotes the recruitment and processivity of molecular motors along MT tracks. However, the mechanism that controls Atat1 activity remains poorly understood.

Platelet-derived extracellular vesicles may contribute to the hypercoagulable state in preeclampsia.

It has previously been shown that preeclampsia is associated with disturbed hemostasis and that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important role in the regulation of hemostatic homeostasis. Thus, we hypothesized that the altered procoagulant characteristics of circulating platelet-derived EVs may contribute to the disturbed hemostasis in preeclampsia. Using multicolor flow cytometry, we have analyzed both tissue factor expressing procoagulant EVs and platelet-derived EV subpopulations derived from resting and activated thrombocytes by examining them in plasma samples of preeclamptic patients and pregnancy-matched healthy individuals.

Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status-A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to better understand the respective contributions of protein malnutrition and cassava-derived cyanide poisoning in the development of konzo. We compared data on nutritional status and cyanide exposure of school-age adolescent konzo-diseased patients to those of non-konzo subjects of similar age from three areas in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our results show that konzo patients had a high prevalence of both wasting (54.

Concurrent Heavy Metal Exposures and Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Case-Control Study from the Katanga Mining Area of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Blood and/or urine levels of 27 heavy metals were determined by ICPMS in 41 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and 29 presumably healthy subjects from the Katanga Copperbelt (KC), in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After adjusting for age, gender, education level, and renal function, DCM probability was almost maximal for blood concentrations above 0.75 and 150 µg/dL for arsenic and copper, respectively.

Konzo risk factors, determinants and etiopathogenesis: What is new? A systematic review.

Konzo is a toxico-nutritional upper motor neuron disease causing a spastic paraparesis in schoolchildren and childbearing women in some African countries. Almost a century since the first description of konzo, its underlying etiopathogenic mechanisms and causative agent remain unknown. This paper aims at refreshing the current knowledge of konzo determinants and pathogenesis in order to enlighten potential new research and management perspectives.

The applicability of the Eating Disorder Inventory in pregnancy.

Purpose: The aim of our study was validating Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) among pregnant women, who are vulnerable to eating disorders (EDs).

Methods: In 2012-2013, 1146 women (aged 18-47 years) completed a questionnaire including EDI during the first 3 days after delivery. We checked factorial validity of three diagnostic subscales of EDI with confirmative factor analysis and internal validity by Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlation.

Certainty-Based Marking on Multiple-Choice Items: Psychometrics Meets Decision Theory.

When a response to a multiple-choice item consists of selecting a single-best answer, it is not possible for examiners to differentiate between a response that is a product of knowledge and one that is largely a product of uncertainty. Certainty-based marking (CBM) is one testing format that requires examinees to express their degree of certainty on the response option they have selected, leading to an item score that depends both on the correctness of an answer and the certainty expressed. The expected score is maximized if examinees truthfully report their level of certainty.

Transvaginal Strain Elastosonography May Help in the Differential Diagnosis of Endometriosis?

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Ethanol consumption and sedation are altered in mice lacking the glycine receptor α2 subunit.

Background And Purpose: The precise mechanism/s of action of ethanol, although studied for many years, are not well understood. Like other drugs of abuse, ethanol affects dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens (nAc), an important region of the mesolimbic system, causing a reinforcing effect. It has been shown that glycine receptors (GlyRs) present in the nAc are potentiated by clinically relevant concentrations of ethanol, where α1 and α2 are the predominant subunits expressed.