Experimental models as a tool for research on sarcopenia: A narrative review.

Sarcopenia is a musculoskeletal disorder related to muscle mass and function; as the worldwide population ages, its growing prevalence means a decline in quality of life and an increased burden for public health systems. As sarcopenia is a reversible condition, its early diagnosis is of utmost importance. Consensus definitions and diagnosis protocols for sarcopenia have been evolving for a long time, and the identification of molecular pathways subjacent to sarcopenia is a growing research area.

Elucidating the mechanisms and efficacy of antimalarial drugs in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Introduction: Antimalarials (AMs) are old drugs with a wide range of beneficial effects in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) beyond the control of activity. The most recent debate is focused on defining the optimal doses to assure the best benefit/risk ratio.

Areas Covered: We have reviewed the pharmacological basis underlying the various therapeutic effects of AMs and the beneficial and toxic effects of HCQ, also discussing the role of mepacrine not only as a substitute in cases of maculopathy, but also as a very effective therapy combined with HCQ.

Sex-Stratified Genome-Wide Association Study in the Spanish Population Identifies a Novel Locus for Lacunar Stroke.

Background: Ischemic stroke (IS) represents a significant health burden globally, necessitating a better understanding of its genetic underpinnings to improve prevention and treatment strategies. Despite advances in IS genetics, studies focusing on the Spanish population and sex-stratified analyses are lacking.

Methods: A case-control genome-wide association study was conducted with 9081 individuals (3493 IS cases and 5588 healthy controls).

Evaluating the association between placenta DNA methylation and cognitive functions in the offspring.

The placenta plays a crucial role in protecting the fetus from environmental harm and supports the development of its brain. In fact, compromised placental function could predispose an individual to neurodevelopmental disorders. Placental epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, could be considered a proxy of placental function and thus plausible mediators of the association between intrauterine environmental exposures and genetics, and childhood and adult mental health.

Predictors of relapse risk and treatment response in AQP4-IgG positive and seronegative NMOSD: A multicentre study.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) can be categorised into aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG) NMOSD or seronegative NMOSD. While our knowledge of AQP4-IgG NMOSD has evolved significantly in the past decade, seronegative NMOSD remains less understood. This study aimed to evaluate the predictors of relapses and treatment responses in AQP4-IgG NMOSD and seronegative NMOSD.

Boston Type II Keratoprosthesis, 7 Years of Experience and Outcomes From a Spanish Tertiary Eye Care Hospital.

Purpose: To report midterm outcomes of Boston Keratoprosthesis type II at a reference center in Spain.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Methods: This observational study included medical records of 9 patients who underwent Boston Keratoprosthesis type II surgery at Cruces University Hospital from May 2016 through May 2023.

Virtual Coaching for Home Rehabilitation - Evidence of an Empirical Study.

Older individuals often face disabilities or diseases that lower their quality of life (QoL). While inpatient rehabilitation can initially enhance QoL, there is often a lack of continuation at home. Virtual coaches (VCs) as specific embodied conversational agents promise appropriate support for home rehabilitation.

A class I PI3K signalling network regulates primary cilia disassembly in normal physiology and disease.

Primary cilia are antenna-like organelles which sense extracellular cues and act as signalling hubs. Cilia dysfunction causes a heterogeneous group of disorders known as ciliopathy syndromes affecting most organs. Cilia disassembly, the process by which cells lose their cilium, is poorly understood but frequently observed in disease and upon cell transformation.

Author Reply to Letter to the Editor: In Response to: Comment on Fonollosa et al.'s "Hyper-Reflective Outer Nuclear Layer (HONL) in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease and Sympathetic Ophthalmia".

We have recently described an OCT sign in two patients (one with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) and the other with Sympathetic Ophthalmia) consisting of hyperreflectivity of the outer nuclear layer (HONL) that subsequently evolved into outer retina atrophy and associated with poor functional outcomes. Ali et al. have published a comment on our letter regarding HONL.

Efficacy and safety of probiotics in IBD: An overview of systematic reviews and updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background And Objective: Probiotics show promise in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet knowledge gaps persist. We performed an overview of systematic reviews and an updated metanalysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) assessing the effect of probiotics on Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: MEDLINE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to September 2023.

Performance of blood enterovirus and parechovirus polymerase chain reaction testing in young febrile infants: a prospective multicentre observational study.

Objectives: To analyse the performance of blood enterovirus and parechovirus PCR testing (ev-PCR) for invasive bacterial infection (IBI) (isolation of a single bacterial pathogen in a blood or cerebrospinal fluid culture) when evaluating well-appearing infants ≤90 days of age with fever without a source (FWS).

Methods: We describe the well-appearing infants ≤90 days of age with FWS and normal urine dipstick. We performed a prospective, observational multicentre study at five paediatric emergency departments between October 2020 and September 2023.

[Translated article] Pharmaceuticals in the environment: A hospital pharmacy perspective.

Drugs do not disappear once they have been excreted. In fact, 992 active principles have already been measured in the different environmental matrices. A recent study led by scientists from the University of York has studied the presence of drugs in the rivers of more than 100 different countries, showing that environmental contamination by pharmaceuticals is a global issue and that, concentrations found are frequently harmful to the environment.

Proton pump inhibitor effect on esophageal protein signature of eosinophilic esophagitis, prediction, and evaluation of treatment response.

Background: Recently, we have identified a dysregulated protein signature in the esophageal epithelium of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) patients including proteins associated with inflammation and epithelial barrier function; however, the effect of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment on this signature is unknown. Herein, we used a proteomic approach to investigate: (1) whether PPI treatment alters the esophageal epithelium protein profile observed in EoE patients and (2) whether the protein signature at baseline predicts PPI response.

Methods: We evaluated the protein signature of esophageal biopsies using a cohort of adult EoE (n = 25) patients and healthy controls (C) (n = 10).

Characteristics of oncology patients with fever and invasive bacterial infections diagnosed.

Aim: To describe the characteristics of febrile oncology patients seen in the Paediatric Emergency Department and microbiological characteristics of the invasive bacterial infections (IBIs) diagnosed.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of febrile oncology patients seen between 2016 and 2022. We divided haematologic cancers by the aggressiveness of the chemotherapy received at the time.

Effectiveness of cladribine compared to fingolimod, natalizumab, ocrelizumab and alemtuzumab in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: Comparisons between cladribine and other potent immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) are lacking.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of cladribine against fingolimod, natalizumab, ocrelizumab and alemtuzumab in relapsing-remitting MS.

Methods: Patients with relapsing-remitting MS treated with cladribine, fingolimod, natalizumab, ocrelizumab or alemtuzumab were identified in the global MSBase cohort and two additional UK centres.

MetSCORE: a molecular metric to evaluate the risk of metabolic syndrome based on serum NMR metabolomics.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of medical conditions and risk factors correlating with insulin resistance that increase the risk of developing cardiometabolic health problems. The specific criteria for diagnosing MetS vary among different medical organizations but are typically based on the evaluation of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. A unique, quantitative and independent estimation of the risk of MetS based only on quantitative biomarkers is highly desirable for the comparison between patients and to study the individual progression of the disease in a quantitative manner.