Correlation between Periodontitis and Onset of Alzheimer's Disease: A Literature Review.

Background: Alzheimer's disease is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative illness and the most common form of dementia. This pathology leads to an increase in cognitive decline and is responsible, in patients, for several difficulties in performing various activities of daily living, such as oral hygiene. Several experimental studies have shown that oral health in patients with Alzheimer's disease worsens in direct proportion to the progression of the disease due to the appearance of gingivitis and periodontitis.

Association between Periodontal Disease and Oral Benign, Potentially Malignant, Malignant, and Chronic Immune-Mediated Disorders: A Clinical Study.

: Periodontal disease is an inflammatory, chronic, and multifactorial disease. The objective of this study is to analyze the association between periodontal disease and some disorders such as papillomas (benign lesions), lichen planus (a chronic immune-mediated disorder), leukoplakia (potentially malignant lesions), and oral cancer (malignant lesions). : For this study, 42 patients were recruited whose supragingival and subgingival plaque was qualitatively analyzed using a phase-contrast microscope, which allowed for the detection of compatible bacterial flora (immobile and composed mainly of cocci) indicative of periodontal health and incompatible bacterial flora (mobile and composed mainly of spirochetes) indicative of periodontal pathology.

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) involve muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs. These conditions can be triggered by both the work environment and the type of work performed, factors that, in some cases, can also exacerbate pre-existing conditions. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of the impact that different work-related activities have on the musculoskeletal system.

Distinct Changes in Gut Microbiota of Patients With Kidney Graft Rejection.

Background: Kidney graft rejection still represents the major cause of graft loss in kidney transplant recipients. Of growing interest is the bidirectional relationship between gut microbiome and immune system suggesting that gut microbiota can affect allograft outcome.

Methods: In this cross-sectional case-control study, we characterized the gut microbial profile of adult renal transplant recipients with and without graft rejection to define a cohort-specific microbial fingerprint through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing.

Metals accumulation affects bone and muscle in osteoporotic patients: A pilot study.

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease, characterized by decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and often associated to decreased muscle mass and function. Metal exposure plays a role in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis and affects also muscle quality. The aim of this study was to assess the association between metal levels in bone and muscle samples and the degeneration of these tissues.

Methylation of the Vitamin D Receptor Gene in Human Disorders.

The Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) mediates the actions of 1,25-Dihydroxvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)D), which has important roles in bone homeostasis, growth/differentiation of cells, immune functions, and reduction of inflammation. Emerging evidences suggest that epigenetic modifications of the gene, particularly DNA methylation, may contribute to the onset and progression of many human disorders. This review aims to summarize the available information on the role of methylation signatures in different pathological contexts, including autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cancer, and others.

Plasma heavy metal levels correlate with deregulated gene expression of detoxifying enzymes in osteoporotic patients.

Heavy metal levels appear to be associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) and the consequent osteoporosis risk, but the relationship with the disease has not been clearly defined. The altered expression pattern of numerous genes, including detoxifying genes, seems to play a pivotal role in this context, leading to increased susceptibility to several diseases, including osteoporosis. The purpose of this study is to analyse circulating heavy metals levels and the expression of detoxifying genes in osteoporotic patients (OPs, n = 31), compared with healthy subjects (CTRs, n = 32).

Effect of Expanded Alleles in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Patients Carrying Variant Repeats at 5' and 3' Ends of the CTG Array.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant multisystemic disease caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of gene. DM1 alleles containing non-CTG variant repeats (VRs) have been described, with uncertain molecular and clinical consequences. The expanded trinucleotide array is flanked by two CpG islands, and the presence of VRs could confer an additional level of epigenetic variability.

Role of the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) in the Pathogenesis of Osteoporosis: A Genetic, Epigenetic and Molecular Pilot Study.

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) regulates bone development and calcium homeostasis, suggesting a central role in musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis (OP). Several studies have examined the contribution of polymorphisms and epigenetic signatures in bone metabolism and OP risk, with sometimes inconclusive results. Our study aimed to explore the association between genetic variability, expression and the methylation pattern of with the risk of OP in a cohort of Caucasian patients.

Sarcopenia and bone health: new acquisitions for a firm liaison.

Osteosarcopenia (OS) is a newly defined condition represented by the simultaneous presence of osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia, the main age-related diseases. The simultaneous coexistence of the two phenotypes derives from the close connection of the main target tissues involved in their pathogenesis: bone and muscle. These two actors constitute the bone-muscle unit, which communicates through a biochemical and mechanical crosstalk which involves multiple factors.

Fracture liaison service model: project design and accreditation.

Unlabelled: Frailty fractures place a significant socioeconomic burden on the health care system. The Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (SIOT) is proceeding to fracture liaison service (FLS) model accreditation in several Italian Fracture Units (FUs), which provides a multidisciplinary approach for the management of the fragility fracture patient.

Introduction: Osteoporosis and the resulting fragility fractures, particularly femoral fractures, place significant socioeconomic burdens on the health care system globally.

Healthcare Worker Study Cohort to Determine the Level and Durability of Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses after Two Doses of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination.

We prospectively studied immunological response against SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination among healthcare workers without (group A) and with previous infection (group B). The analyses were collected at T0 (before the BNT162b2), T1 (before the second dose), T2 and T6 (1 and 6 months after the second dose). For cellular immune response, the activation-induced cell marker assay was performed with CD4 and CD8 Spike peptide megapools expressed as Stimulation Index.

Osteosarcopenia and Long-COVID: a dangerous combination.

SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic and an unprecedented public health crisis, infecting more than 580 million people worldwide. Moreover, recent evidence has suggested the emergence of a new syndrome known as Long-COVID, a term used to describe a diverse set of physical and mental symptoms that persist after a diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Epidemiological data have identified myalgias, muscle and joint dysfunction, and bone fragility as common sequelae in patients with moderate and severe forms of this disease.

Characterization of full-length expanded alleles in myotonic dystrophy type 2 patients by Cas9-mediated enrichment and nanopore sequencing.

Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2) is caused by CCTG repeat expansions in the gene, comprising 75 to >11,000 units and featuring extensive mosaicism, making it challenging to sequence fully expanded alleles. To overcome these limitations, we used PCR-free Cas9-mediated nanopore sequencing to characterize repeat expansions at the single-nucleotide level in nine DM2 patients. The length of normal and expanded alleles can be assessed precisely using this strategy, agreeing with traditional methods, and revealing the degree of mosaicism.

Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in MS patients on disease modifying therapies during the Delta and the Omicron waves in Italy.

Background: In this study we aimed to monitor the risk of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with MS (pwMS) under different DMTs and to identify correlates of reduced protection.

Methods: This is a prospective Italian multicenter cohort study, long-term clinical follow-up of the CovaXiMS (Covid-19 vaccine in Multiple Sclerosis) study. 1855 pwMS scheduled for SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination were enrolled and followed up to a mean time of 10 months.

Deregulated Clusterin as a Marker of Bone Fragility: New Insights into the Pathophysiology of Osteoporosis.

Clusterin (CLU) is a secreted heterodimeric glycoprotein expressed in all organism fluids as well as in the intracellular matrix that plays key roles in several pathological processes. Its recent involvement in muscle degeneration of osteoporotic patients led to investigation of the role of CLU in bone metabolism, given the biochemical and biomechanical crosstalk of the bone-muscle unit. Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of expression was performed in both osteoblasts and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) from osteoporotic patients (OP) and healthy individuals (CTR).

Impact of temperature application and concentration of commercial sanitizers on inactivation of food-plant fungal spores.

This study aimed at quantifying the impact of the concentration of four commercial sanitizers and temperature on mold spores inactivation. The sanitizers were based on the following fungicide molecules, ethanol (ARVO 21 SR), active chlorine (ARVO CLM 600), hydrogen peroxide (Nocolyse Food) and triamine (P3 Topax 960). Food plant spores were produced under a moderate water stress, 0.

Epigenetics of Myotonic Dystrophies: A Minireview.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 and 2 (DM1 and DM2) are two multisystemic autosomal dominant disorders with clinical and genetic similarities. The prevailing paradigm for DMs is that they are mediated by an toxic RNA mechanism, triggered by untranslated CTG and CCTG repeat expansions in the and genes for DM1 and DM2, respectively. Nevertheless, increasing evidences suggest that epigenetics can also play a role in the pathogenesis of both diseases.

Rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia on lower respiratory tract specimens.

Background: The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic requires the availability of accurate and rapid diagnostic tests, especially in such clinical settings as emergency and intensive care units. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the Vivalytic SARS-CoV-2 rapid PCR kit in lower respiratory tract (LRT) specimens.

Methods: Consecutive LRT specimens (bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchoaspirates) were collected from Intensive Care Units of San Martino Hospital (Genoa, Italy) between November 2020 and January 2021.

Impact of the physiological state of fungal spores on their inactivation by active chlorine and hydrogen peroxide.

This study aimed at assessing the impact of the physiological state of fungal spores on inactivation by sodium hypochlorite, 0.1% and 0.2% active chlorine, and 3% hydrogen peroxide.

A 14-Year Italian Experience in DM2 Genetic Testing: Frequency and Distribution of Normal and Premutated Alleles.

Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2) is a multisystemic disorder caused by a (CCTG) in intron 1 of the gene. The CCTG repeat tract is part of a complex (TG) (TCTG) (CCTG) (NCTG) (CCTG) motif generally interrupted in healthy range alleles. Here we report our 14-year experience of DM2 postnatal genetic testing in a total of 570 individuals.

T-Score and Handgrip Strength Association for the Diagnosis of Osteosarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Osteosarcopenia is a recently identified condition caused by the coexistence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia that affects the frail elderly population, leading to an increased risk of falls and fractures. Given the recent socio-economic interest associated with osteosarcopenia, the aim of this meta-analysis is to provide an overview of the factors potentially involved in its pathogenesis, assessing its population type, prevalence, and associated variables.

Methods: A comprehensive systematic search for relevant studies, published from 2015 to 2020, was performed by using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases.

The long pentraxin PTX3: a novel serum marker to improve the prediction of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis bone-related phenotypes.

Background: The long pentraxin PTX3 is generating great interest given the recent discovery of its involvement in bone metabolism. This study investigates the role of circulating PTX3 as a marker of bone-related phenotypes in patients with osteoporosis (OP) and osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Serum PTX3 levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a total of OP (n=32), OA (n=19) patients and healthy controls (CTR; n=25).