Hepatokines: the missing link in the development of insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in PCOS?

The liver plays a critical role in several metabolic pathways, including the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, is closely associated with insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Hepatokines, newly discovered proteins secreted by hepatocytes, have been linked to the induction of these metabolic dysregulations.

Potential Epigenetic Effects of Human Milk on Infants' Neurodevelopment.

The advantages of human milk feeding, especially in preterm babies, are well recognized. Infants' feeding with breast milk lowers the likelihood of developing a diverse range of non-communicable diseases later in life and it is also associated with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes. Although the precise mechanisms through which human milk feeding is linked with infants' neurodevelopment are still unknown, potential epigenetic effects of breast milk through its bioactive components, including non-coding RNAs, stem cells and microbiome, could at least partly explain this association.

Changing Epidemiology of Tinea Capitis in Athens, Greece: The Impact of Immigration and Review of Literature.

Mass population movements have altered the epidemiology of tinea capitis (TC) in countries receiving refugees. Periodic monitoring of the local pathogen profiles may serve as a basis for both the selection of appropriate empirical antifungal therapy and the implementation of preventive actions. Therefore, we investigated the impact of an unprecedented immigration wave occurring in Greece since 2015 on the epidemiological trends of TC.

Conscientious objection to caring for transgender people: An ethical right or a discriminatory attitude?

Background: In modern society, health professionals are often asked to use their technical skills to serve purposes other than treating illnesses. In such cases, some clinicians may express ethical reluctance to fulfill their patients' preferences. Conscientious objection in health care is the refusal by providers to perform a legally valid and scientifically approved clinical intervention because of moral concerns.

Distinct Features of Vascular Diseases in COVID-19.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was declared in early 2020 after several unexplained pneumonia cases were first reported in Wuhan, China, and subsequently in other parts of the world. Commonly, the disease comprises several clinical features, including high temperature, dry cough, shortness of breath, and hypoxia, associated with findings of interstitial pneumonia on chest X-ray and computer tomography. Nevertheless, severe forms of acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not limited to the respiratory tract but also may be extended to other systems, including the cardiovascular system.

Obesity and hyperandrogenism are implicated with anxiety, depression and food cravings in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Introduction: PCOS is associated with mood/eating disorders. Negative body image due to obesity, acne, hirsutism seems to play significant role, but hormonal derangements are probably implicated.

Aim: To investigate the relation between insulin resistance (IR), obesity and hyperandrogenism with mood and eating disorders in women with PCOS.

Urinary NT-proBNP: A Useful Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Respiratory Distress in the Neonatal Population.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of urinary NT-proBNP levels in the detection and classification of the severity of respiratory distress in neonates after birth.

Methods: We compared the urinary NT- proBNP levels between the respiratory distress (RD) group and the control group on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th day of life (DOL).

Results: The RD group (55 neonates) showed higher levels of NT-proBNP compared to the control group (63 neonates) on DOL1 (585.

The Impact of Infant Feeding Regimen on Cow's Milk Protein Allergy, Atopic Dermatitis and Growth in High-Risk Infants during the First 6 Months of Life: The Allergy Reduction Trial.

The development of early-onset cow's milk protein allergy and atopic dermatitis during the first months of life is multifactorial, including both genetic and nutritional aspects. This study aims to assess the impact of different feeding patterns on the incidence of cow's milk protein allergy, atopic dermatitis, and growth among infants with a family history of allergy. A total of 551 high-risk infants were randomly recruited from 3 European countries in three feeding regimens: exclusive breastfeeding, partially hydrolyzed formula, or standard formula with intact protein either exclusively or supplementary to breastfeeding.

Glucose Homeostasis, Diabetes Mellitus, and Gender-Affirming Treatment.

The transgender (trans) population includes individuals with gender identities more fittingly aligned with the opposite sex or with an alternative that transcends the classical dipole of male/female. Hormonal treatment in transgender individuals aims to suppress the secretion of endogenous sex steroids and replace them with the steroids of the desired gender. The mainstay of gender-affirming treatment in transgender males is testosterone, whereas for transgender females it is estrogen, usually combined with an anti-androgen or a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist if testes are present.

Barriers and Challenges in Caring for Transgender People: Implications for Clinical Practice and the Experience From a Specialized Center.

: Transgender people often experience social exclusion and transphobic attitudes, which have an adverse impact on their socioeconomic life and health status. Within health services, -discriminatory practices and mistreatment derive from the lack of cultural competence by -healthcare providers. : This article features existing barriers in the provision of healthcare to transgender populations and suggests approaches to manage the relevant challenges.

Supplementation of Mother's Own Milk with Preterm Donor Human Milk: Impact on Protein Intake and Growth in Very Low Birth Weight Infants-A Randomized Controlled Study.

This randomized study investigates whether feeding very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with mother's own milk (MOM) supplemented with either preterm (PDM) or term donor milk (TDM), when MOM is insufficient, has a positive impact on infants' protein intake and growth. A hundred and twenty VLBW infants were randomized into two groups. Group A (43 infants) received MOM supplemented with PDM, whereas Group B (77 infants) was fed with MOM supplemented with TDM, for the first three weeks of life (donor milk period).

The Mediating Role of Depression and of State Anxiety οn the Relationship between Trait Anxiety and Fatigue in Nurses during the Pandemic Crisis.

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is a global health crisis with a particular emotional and physical impact on health professionals, especially nurses. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and fatigue and their possible relationships among nurses during the pandemic. The study population consisted of nurses from five tertiary-level public hospitals in Athens who completed the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires.

Beta-Blockers in Pregnancy: Clinical Update.

Purpose Of Review: The aim of this review was to determine the anticipated benefits and adverse effects of beta-blockers in pregnant women with hypertension. The other issue was to assess the possible adverse effects of beta-blockers for their babies and provide current consensus recommendations for appropriate selection and individualized antihypertensive treatment with beta-blockers in pregnancy-associated hypertension.

Recent Findings: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity, with consequences later in life.

Liver function in transgender persons: Challenges in the COVID-19 era.

Transgender persons constitute a non-negligible percentage of the general population. Physical gender-transitioning in trans persons is mainly achieved with hormonal cross-sex therapy and sex reassignment surgeries that aim to align bodily appearance with gender identity. Hormonal treatment acts via suppressing the secretion of the endogenous sex hormones and replacing them with the hormones of the desired sex.

Pandemic and precocious puberty - a Google trends study.

Background: Recent publications from several countries have reported that more young people (mainly girls) are experiencing precocious puberty (PP)/menarche during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic compared to the past. This variation is attributed to the stress of confinement, lack of exercise, obesity and disturbed sleep patterns. A common feature of the relevant papers, however, is the small number of reported cases of PP.

Vertebral photopenia on [67Ga]Ga-citrate and [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging in a patient with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

A cold vertebral defect is an uncommon finding, especially in Gallium-67-citrate ([67Ga]Ga-citrate) - and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) - avid lymphomas, representing a diagnostic challenge. Here, we present the case of a patient with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), in whom the [67Ga]Ga-citrate and [18F]FDG scans showed a diffuse skeletal uptake pattern with concomitant appearance of a cold vertebral defect. Awareness of the different causes of such uptake patterns and accurate clinical information is important to avoid misinterpretation of nuclear studies in oncologic patients.

Are pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorders so sweet?

Worldwide, one in seven pregnancies is complicated by some form of diabetes, with a rising trend. Additionally, hypertension is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality for both the pregnant woman and the fetus and also contributes to premature birth. In a cohort study of pregnant women with diabetes, which was recently published in this journal, at least 84.

Prenatal Ultrasound Screening and Women's Expectations: an Original Study.

Background: Prenatal screening offers crucial information about the pregnancy, although sometimes brings forth ethical issues and potentially difficult decisions for pregnant women. Ultrasound screening during pregnancy is both of particular importance and a great challenge.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess women's knowledge and expectations regarding prenatal ultrasound screening in Greece.

The metabolic effects of hormonal treatment in transgender males: Safety of the testosterone gender-affirming therapy.

Background: Gender dysphoria is characterised by a sense of distress because of discordance between the self-perception of gender identity and the assigned sex. Hormonal treatment of transgender males uses testosterone to induce and preserve masculinisation.

Objective: The study investigated the safety of testosterone therapy in transgender males.

Aggression, Alexithymia and Sense of Coherence in a Sample of Schizophrenic Outpatients.

Schizophrenia elevates the risk for aggressive behavior, and there is a need to better understand the associated variables predicting aggression for treatment and prevention purposes. The aim of the present study is to determine the relationship between alexithymia, sense of coherence and aggressive behavior in a sample of schizophrenic outpatients. Using a correlational research design, standardized self-report questionnaires assessed aggression (brief aggression questionnaire—BAQ), alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale—TAS) and sense of coherence (sense of coherence questionnaire—SOC) in a sample of 100 schizophrenic outpatients in clinical remission.

The Risk Reduction Effect of a Nutritional Intervention With a Partially Hydrolyzed Whey-Based Formula on Cow's Milk Protein Allergy and Atopic Dermatitis in High-Risk Infants Within the First 6 Months of Life: The Allergy Reduction Trial (A.R.T.), a Multicenter Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: The role of partially hydrolyzed formulas (pHF) as part of nutritional interventions to prevent the development of allergic manifestations (AM) is questioned, and efficacy of each specific pHF should be substantiated.

Objective: To investigate the risk-reduction effect of a whey-based pHF on the development of cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) and atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants at high-risk for allergy within the first 6 months of life.

Materials And Methods: In a multicenter double-blinded randomized controlled setting, healthy non-exclusively breastfed full-term infants, received either a specific whey-based pHF or a standard cow's milk-based formula (SF) and were clinically assessed for AM at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, supported by the objective scoring tools SCORAD and CoMiSS.

Glycemic profile assessment during betamethasone administration in women with twin pregnancies after IVF with or without gestational diabetes.

Background And Aims: Betamethasone's effect on glycemia in twin pregnancies, with or without gestational diabetes mellitus, has not been adequately investigated.

Methods: We assessed the glycemic profile of 30 women with twin pregnancies after in-vitro-fertilization who were given betamethasone.

Results: The majority of women were treated eventually with insulin to maintain glycemia.