Blood-Based Biomarkers in Frontotemporal Dementia: A Narrative Review.

This narrative review explores the current landscape of blood biomarkers in Frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Neurofilament light chain (NfL) may be useful in the differentiation of behavioral variant FTD from primary psychiatric disorders (PPDs) or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). In prodromal FTD and presymptomatic mutation carriers (, , ), elevated NfL may herald pheno-conversion to full-blown dementia.

Bénédict Augustin Morel (1809-1873): The Originator of the Degenerative Theory of the Heredity of Mental Disorders and the Pioneer of the Biological Approach to Psychiatry.

The concept of progressive hereditary degeneration, which significantly influenced medical, particularly psychiatric and in turn social thought of the second half of the 19th century, was articulated by Bénédict Augustin Morel. The distinguished French psychiatrist developed the theory of degeneration and created the nosological framework of the heredity of mental illness in order to explain the more frequent psychoses and nervous disorders. In the absence of patho-anatomical findings, Morel attributed these phenomena to hereditary causes.

Quality of Life, Family Support, Spirometry, and 6-Minute Walking Distance Differences between COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit Patients in One Year Following Hospital Discharge.

Background: Critically ill patients after Intensive Care Unit (ICU) discharge may present disability in their cognitive and physical functions.

Objectives: To investigate the quality of life (QoL) of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients following ICU discharge, lung function, and physical performance of participants.

Methods: This study was prospective and conducted between 2020 and 2021 in the "X" hospital.

Colistin Effects on Emphysematous Lung in an LPS-Sepsis Model.

Emphysema is prevalent in various respiratory diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis. Colistin and vasoconstrictive drugs are crucial for treating these patients when diagnosed with sepsis in the ICU. This study examines colistin impact in ether-induced emphysematous septic and non-septic animals, focusing on lung pathophysiology and inflammatory responses, including IL-1β, TNF-α, AMPK, caspase-3, cyclin-D1, and colistin levels in lung tissue.

Critical-Illness: Combined Effects of Colistin and Vasoactive Drugs: A Pilot Study.

Colistin is often used as a last resort for treating multidrug-resistant infections, particularly in critically ill patients in intensive care units. Nonetheless, its side effects, including myopathy, require careful monitoring. Vasoconstrictive drugs are also used in intensive care to increase blood pressure and improve blood flow to vital organs, which can be compromised in critically ill patients.

Neurorehabilitation: Looking Back and Moving Forward, 1st Edition.

Rehabilitation is "a set of interventions designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment", according to the recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), released in January 2023 [...

Quality of Life and Family Support in Critically Ill Patients following ICU Discharge.

Background: Following discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU), critically ill patients may present cognitive dysfunction and physical disability.

Objectives: To investigate the quality of life (QoL) of patients following discharge from ICU, physical performance and lung function and to assess the role of support by family members and friends.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted in the University Hospital of Larissa Greece between 2020 and 2021.

Objective Measurements of Physical Function to Predict Survival in Patients with Metastatic Cancer.

Background/objectives: Physician-reported performance status (PS) constitutes the established method for stratifying oncologic patients in therapeutic decision-making. Objective measurements of physical function may further refine prognostication.

Subjects/methods: In this prospective observational study, 103 patients with metastatic cancer who were referred for systemic therapy initiation were evaluated.

EEG in Neurorehabilitation: A Bibliometric Analysis and Content Review.

Background: There is increasing interest in the role of EEG in neurorehabilitation. We primarily aimed to identify the knowledge base through highly influential studies. Our secondary aims were to imprint the relevant thematic hotspots, research trends, and social networks within the scientific community.

Analysis of SOD2 rs4880 Genetic Variant in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

A few gene loci that contribute to Alzheimer's Disease (AD) onset have been identified. Few studies have been published about the relationship between SOD2 rs4880 single nucleotide variant and AD, revealing inconsistent results. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to further examine the role of the SOD2 rs4880 in AD.

Hospital Agios Dimitrios: The General Public Hospital of Thessaloniki.

The purpose of this article is to highlight the history of Hospital Agios Dimitrios, the General Hospital of Thessaloniki. During the early 20th century, many refugees settled in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. To address the growing public health needs of the city's inhabitants, the Greek government established a health agency to offer medical care and respond to infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics.

Lack of an association between SCFD1 rs10139154 polymorphism and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Through a genome‑wide association study (GWAS), the Sec1 family domain‑containing protein 1 (SCFD1) rs10139154 variant at 14q12 has emerged as a risk factor gene for ALS. Moreover, it has been reported to influence the age at onset (AAO) of patients with ALS.

The Individual Rehabilitation Project as the core of person-centered rehabilitation: the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Section and Board of the European Union of Medical Specialists Framework for Rehabilitation in Europe.

To facilitate the interaction between the health professional and the patient, a framework to guide the rehabilitation process is needed. This framework would encompass three interwoven aspects: the rehabilitation management plan, Individual Rehabilitation Project (IRP), and rehabilitation cycle(s). All three framework aspects focus on the patient and on the aim of rehabilitation, i.

Therapeutic application of rTMS in neurodegenerative and movement disorders: A review.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation that makes use of the magnetic field generated when an electric current passes through a magnetic coil placed over the scalp. It can be applied as a single stimulus at a time, in pairs of stimuli, or repetitively in trains of stimuli (repetitive TMS, rTMS). RTMS can induce changes in brain activity, whose after-effects reflect the processes of long-term potentiation and long-term depression, as certain protocols, namely those using low frequencies (≤1 Hz) seem to suppress cortical excitability, while those using high frequencies (>1 Hz) seem to enhance it.

Myelin-associated oligodendrocyte basic protein rs616147 polymorphism as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease.

Background: The rs616147 polymorphism of the myelin-associated oligodendrocyte basic protein (MOBP) gene locus has been associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS and Parkinson's disease (PD) are two common neurodegenerative disorders that share features regarding their etiology, pathophysiology, and genetic backgrounds. While the MOBP rs616147 polymorphism has been associated with ALS, little is known about its role in PD.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias.

Dementia is a debilitating impairment of cognitive functions that affects millions of people worldwide. There are several diseases belonging to the dementia spectrum, most prominently Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD), Lewy body dementia (LBD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a safe, non-invasive form of brain stimulation that utilizes a magnetic coil to generate an electrical field and induce numerous changes in the brain.

The Anatomy in Greek Iatrosophia during the Ottoman domination era.

The knowledge of Anatomy during the Ottoman domination in Greece has not been widely studied. Medical knowledge of the time can be retrieved from folk and erudite books called Iatrosophia. The majority of these books focused on empirical diagnostics and therapeutics.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and repetitive TMS in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most well-known autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system, and constitutes a major cause of disability, especially in young individuals. A wide array of pharmacological treatments is available, but they have often been proven to be ineffective in ameliorating disease symptomatology or slowing disease progress. As such, non-invasive and non-pharmacological techniques have been gaining more ground.

CD33 rs3865444 as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease.

Background: Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's diseases (PD) share a few elements of their clinical, pathological and genetic backgrounds. The CD33 rs3865444 has emerged as a strong genetic locus associated with AD through genome-wide association study (GWAS). However, little is known for its role in PD.

Intestinal Microbiota in Colorectal Cancer Surgery.

The intestinal microbiota consists of numerous microbial species that collectively interact with the host, playing a crucial role in health and disease. Colorectal cancer is well-known to be related to dysbiotic alterations in intestinal microbiota. It is evident that the microbiota is significantly affected by colorectal surgery in combination with the various perioperative interventions, mainly mechanical bowel preparation and antibiotic prophylaxis.

Dimitrios Mavrokordatos Disproving the Hemostatic Myth of Aqua Binelli.

"Aqua Binelli" or "Aqua Balsamica Arterialis" was a hemostatic compound invented by the Italian Fedele Binelli in 1797. Its hemostatic properties were viewed as the solution to treating hemorrhage in cases of wounds and surgical operations. Those who opposed the compound were persuaded of its total lack of effectiveness, supporting the view that hemostasis could be achieved by exerting pressure on, stitching, and ligating a vessel.

The Innovated "Closed Chest Drainage System" of William Smoult Playfair (1871).

During the 19th century, the addition of the water-seal system to a closed chest drain was a major turning point in the history of thoracic surgery. German physician Gotthard Bülau seems to have invented and used his own closed chest drainage device with a liquid-seal system in 1875, and published it in the year 1891. But, in 1871, British physician William Smoult Playfair seems to have thought of the subaqueous drainage and used such drainage to treat the thoracic empyema in children.

Non-Recurrent Right Laryngeal Nerve: a Rare Anatomic Variation Encountered During a Total Thyroidectomy.

The non-recurrent laryngeal nerve (nRLN) is a rare anatomic variation that every head and neck surgeon must be aware of, in order to avoid intraoperative injury which leads to postoperative morbidity. We are reporting a case of a nRLN in a 47 year old female patient with medullary thyroid carcinoma who was surgically treated with total thyroidectomy and lymph node dissection. Both two inferior laryngeal nerves were identified, fully exposed and preserved along their cervical courses.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: a rare case of upper gastrointestinal obstruction.

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) or Wilkie's syndrome is a rare clinical entity of partial or complete duodenal obstruction. The pathogenic mechanism is an acute angulation of the SMA which leads to compression of the third part of the duodenum between the SMA and the aorta. This is commonly due to loss of fatty tissue as a result of a variety of debilitating conditions.