Publications by authors named "Weiss F"

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) tends to manifest as a mixture of neuropsychiatric and somatic symptoms, either of which may predominate, and often shows a progressive clinical course sometimes leading to life-threatening conditions. Catatonic and psychotic syndromes, regardless of whether associated with dysautonomia, are common manifestations of AE, especially concerning the anti-NMDAR subtype. Several autoantibodies targeting different neuronal epitopes have been linked to specific clinical manifestations and their detection is embedded in some of the diagnostic criteria for AE.

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Introduction: After a long period of obscurantism, a possible role of psychedelics in clinical practice has progressively become a tangible perspective during the last two decades. However, the resounding enthusiasm linked to such 'psychedelic renaissance' runs the risk to unduly minimize the possible hazards associated with these compounds, while expanding their alleged benefits to improbable panacea-like proportions. In order to avoid mystifying or demonizing the properties of 5-HT2a agonists on emotional grounds, this subject requires a strictly unprejudiced and cautious approach to the evidence.

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Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterised by degeneration of ventral midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons and abnormal deposition of α-synuclein (α-syn) in neurons. Activation of the innate immune pathogen recognition receptor toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is associated with exacerbation of α-syn pathology. TLR2 is increased on neurons in the PD brain, and its activation results in the accumulation and propagation of α-syn through autophagy inhibition in neurons.

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Purpose: Women living with HIV (WLWH) are frequently affected by cervical dysplasia caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and invasive cervical cancer (CxCa). CxCa screening programs can include colposcopy, cytology, and HPV testing. These methods, however, have limitations in effectively stratifying cervical dysplasia.

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The exocrine pancreas is the main source of digestive enzymes which are released from secretory vesicles of acinar cells into the small intestine. Enzymes, including amylases, proteases and lipases, degrade the ingested food and thus determine the nutritional substrate for the gut microbiota. Acute (AP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) are associated with a transitional or progressive exocrine pancreatic dysfunction, we analysed in the present study how an experimental induction of pancreatitis in mouse models affects the colonic and duodenal microbiome composition.

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Article Synopsis
  • Antimicrobial autoantigenic glycoprotein 2 (GP2) plays a significant role in the immune system and is linked to the gut microbiome, but its systemic effects and associations are not fully understood.
  • In a study involving 2,812 participants, higher fecal GP2 levels were found in those with a higher body mass index and smokers, while lower levels were associated with healthier factors, such as good pancreatic function and diet.
  • Increased GP2 levels correlated with less gut microbial diversity, higher systemic inflammation, and a shift towards potentially harmful bacteria, suggesting that GP2 could serve as a biomarker for gut health and inflammation.
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Background: Development of pancreatic necroses or pseudocysts are typical complications of pancreatitis and may require endoscopic drainage therapy using metal or plastic stents. Microbial infection of these lesions poses a major challenge. So far, the composition and significance of the microbial colonization on drainage stents are largely unknown although it may impact outcomes during endoscopic drainage therapy.

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  • Immune response genes vary widely among humans and mice, leading to different defense responses based on genetic differences, which can complicate research outcomes.
  • This study used RNA sequencing and variant analysis to uncover significant genetic variations in a commonly used mouse model of NLRP3 deficiency, highlighting the impact of the Nlrp1 locus on macrophage activation independently of the NLRP3 status.
  • The research provides a method to identify important genetic variations and evaluate contamination in transgenic mice studies, enhancing the reliability of findings in host defense research.
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  • Patients with severe obesity often experience psychiatric symptoms, which can influence their weight loss journey, especially after bariatric surgery.
  • A study of 99 patients evaluated the link between negative emotional dysregulation (NED) and the effectiveness of weight loss following surgery, using various psychological assessment tools.
  • Results showed that patients with NED (NED+) had a higher rate of inadequate weight loss one year post-surgery compared to those without NED (NED-), indicating a significant connection between emotional dysregulation and weight loss outcomes.
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In the last two decades, an exponentially growing number of meta-analyses (MAs) synthesize thousands of peer-reviewed studies on the environmental impacts of farming practices (FPs). This paper describes the iMAP-FP evidence library, a comprehensive dataset on the effects of 34 categories of FPs (such as agronomic practices, cropping and livestock systems, land management options and mitigation techniques) on 34 impacts including climate mitigation, soil health, environmental pollution, water use, nutrients cycling, biodiversity, and agricultural productivity. Through systematic screening, 570 MAs published since 2000 were selected and categorized according to the type of FP.

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Purpose: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. A positive association between ADHD and obesity has been observed, especially in adult samples. In this study, prevalence and correlates of self-reported symptoms indicative of a positive screening for ADHD were examined in patients seeking bariatric treatment.

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In efforts towards eliminating malaria, a discovery program was initiated to identify a novel antimalarial using KAF156 as a starting point. Following the most recent TCP/TPP guidelines, we have identified mCMQ069 with a predicted single oral dose for treatment (∼40-106 mg) and one-month chemoprevention (∼96-216 mg). We have improved unbound MPC and predicted human clearance by 18-fold and 10-fold respectively when compared to KAF156.

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Future trajectories of agricultural productivity need to incorporate environmental targets, including the reduction of pesticides use. Landscape features supporting natural pest control (LF-NPC) offer a nature-based solution that can serve as a partial substitute for synthetic pesticides, thereby supporting future productivity levels. Here, we introduce a novel approach to quantify the contribution of LF-NPC to agricultural yields and its associated economic value to crop production in a broad-scale context.

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Introduction: Stimulants, including methylphenidate and amphetamines, are the first-line pharmacological treatment of ADHD in adults. However, in patients who do not respond or poorly tolerate stimulants, non-stimulant medications are usually recommended.

Areas Covered: The authors provide a narrative review of the literature on non-stimulant treatments for adult ADHD, including controlled and observational clinical studies conducted on adult samples.

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Maintenance therapy with buprenorphine and methadone is the gold standard pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Despite these compounds demonstrating substantial efficacy, a significant number of patients do not show optimal therapeutic responses. The abuse liability of these medications is also a concern.

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Background: Anti-glycoprotein 2 (anti-GP2) IgA and antineutrophil-cytoplasmic antibodies to proteinase 3 (PR3-ANCA) have been reported as predictive markers of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), but their prevalence in CCA patients without PSC remains unclear.

Methods: This study involved Asian discovery (n = 118) and European validation (n = 38) cohorts of CCA patients without PSC, alongside 49 Asian and 82 European pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients, 21 with benign pancreatic neoplasms (BPN) and 45 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 157 healthy controls (HC) from Asia and Europe. We analyzed the prevalence of PR3-ANCA, IgA and IgG against GP2 and GP2, and the CA19-9 levels.

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The ability of the immune system to combat pathogens relies on processes like antigen sampling by dendritic cells and macrophages migrating through endo- and epithelia or penetrating them with their dendrites. In addition, other immune cell subtypes also migrate through the epithelium after activation. For paracellular migration, interactions with tight junctions (TJs) are necessary, and previous studies reported TJ protein expression in several immune cells.

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The co-localization of the lysosomal protease cathepsin B (CTSB) and the digestive zymogen trypsinogen is a prerequisite for the initiation of acute pancreatitis. However, the exact molecular mechanisms of co-localization are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the role of lysosomes in the onset of acute pancreatitis by using two different experimental approaches.

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This case report describes the effects of bimonthly long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB)/RPV before and throughout pregnancy. CAB concentrations were comparable to those in nonpregnant individuals; RPV concentrations were 70%-75% lower. No virologic failure or vertical transmission occurred.

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Background: Most recombinant Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) strains for protein production are generated by genomic integration of expression cassettes. The clonal variability in gene copy numbers, integration loci and consequently product titers limit the aptitude for high throughput applications in drug discovery, enzyme engineering or most comparative analyses of genetic elements such as promoters or secretion signals. Circular episomal plasmids with an autonomously replicating sequence (ARS), an alternative which would alleviate some of these limitations, are inherently unstable in K.

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Even though pseudodementia has been historically linked to depression, other psychiatric conditions may cause reversible cognitive alterations. The purpose of this study is to improve our understanding of pseudodementia occurring throughout the entire bipolar spectrum. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines.

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Article Synopsis
  • - CRISPR technologies are advanced tools for making precise edits to genomes, and researchers sought more options beyond CRISPR-Cas9 to enhance flexibility and avoid legal issues with intellectual property.
  • - MAD7, an engineered type of CRISPR nuclease developed by Inscripta, is presented as a free-to-use alternative for both academic and industrial applications.
  • - In a study, CRISPR-MAD7 achieved a high editing rate of up to 90% for specific genes; however, when compared to CRISPR-Cas9, it had lower overall genome-editing efficiency (23% versus 65% for Cas9).
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Belief, defined by William James as the mental state or function of cognizing reality, is a core psychological function with strong influence on emotion and behavior. Furthermore, strong and aberrant beliefs about the world and oneself play important roles in mental disorders. The underlying processes of belief have been the matter of a long debate in philosophy and psychology, and modern neuroimaging techniques can provide insight into the underlying neural processes.

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