Alexithymia in Parkinson's Disease: A Meta-analysis.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor manifestations, including alexithymia. This condition is defined by difficulty in recognizing, articulating, and expressing one's emotional states. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the prevalence of alexithymia in PD patients and a healthy population, and to identify associated demographic and clinical factors.

[Validity of the PEDOMETER® mobile application for evaluating cardiorespiratory fitness and fatigue resistance in cardiac rehabilitation. A pilot study].

Background: A mobile application (app) may facilitate the administration of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), a commonly used tool in cardiac rehabilitation. This pilot study, conducted with cardiac rehabilitation patients, aimed to evaluate: 1) the criterion validity of the PEDOMETER® app compared to the 6MWT in assessing cardiorespiratory fitness and fatigue resistance, and 2) the construct validity of the PEDOMETER ® app in relation to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Health Index of the EuroQol-5D 3L questionnaire (EQ-5D).

Methods: Twenty patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation at HM Puerta del Sur Hospital (Mostoles, Spain) performed the 6MWT while using the PEDOMETER ® app on a smartphone worn on their arm.

Dosimetrical and geometrical parameters in single-fraction lattice radiotherapy for the treatment of bulky tumors: Insights from initial clinical experience.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate lattice radiotherapy (LRT) for bulky tumor in 10 patients, analyzing geometrical and dosimetrical parameters and correlations among variables.

Methods: Patients were prescribed a single-fraction of 18 Gy to 50 % of each spherical vertex (1.5 cm diameter).

Cell-cycle inhibition and immune microenvironment in breast cancer treated with ribociclib and letrozole or chemotherapy.

In this study, we performed genomic analyses of cell cycle and tumor microenvironment changes during and after ribociclib and letrozole or chemotherapy in the CORALLEEN trial. 106 women with untreated PAM50-defined Luminal B early breast cancers were randomly assigned to receive neoadjuvant ribociclib and letrozole or standard-of-care chemotherapy. Ki67 immunohistochemistry, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes quantification, and RNA sequencing were obtained from tissue biopsies pre-treatment, on day 14 of treatment, and tumor specimens from surgical resection.

Clinical value of the red blood cell distribution width to albumin ratio in the assessment of prognosis in critically ill patients with sepsis: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Red blood cell (RBC) distribution width (RDW) to albumin ratio is a novel biomarker and its prognostic effect on critically ill patients with sepsis has not been extensively investigated. The objective of this study was to identify the prognostic value of the RDW to albumin ratio in these patients.

Methods: Data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database.

Exploring Asymmetric Fine Motor Impairment Trends in Early Parkinson's Disease via Keystroke Typing.

Background: The nQiMechPD algorithm transforms natural typing data into a numerical index that characterizes motor impairment in people with Parkinson's Disease (PwPD).

Objectives: Use nQiMechPD to compare asymmetrical progression of PD-related impairment in dominant (D-PD) versus non-dominant side onset (ND-PD) de-novo patients.

Methods: Keystroke data were collected from 53 right-handed participants (15 D-PD, 13 ND-PD, 25 controls).

Longitudinal assessment of social cognition in de novo Parkinson's disease patients and its relationship with dopaminergic innervation.

Background: Social Cognition (SC) has been scarcely studied in Parkinson's disease (PD), and findings in early disease are controversial. SC encompasses different capacities such as facial emotion recognition (FER); Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to understand other people's intentions (cognitive-ToM) and emotions (affective-ToM); and self-monitoring, the ability to regulate one's own behavior in social contexts. A relationship between dopaminergic deficit and SC in PD has been suggested.

CCNE1 and PLK1 Mediate Resistance to Palbociclib in HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Purpose: In hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (MBC), it is imperative to identify patients who respond poorly to cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) and to discover therapeutic targets to reverse this resistance. Non-luminal breast cancer subtype and high levels of CCNE1 are candidate biomarkers in this setting, but further validation is needed.

Experimental Design: We performed mRNA gene expression profiling and correlation with progression-free survival (PFS) on 455 tumor samples included in the phase III PEARL study, which assigned patients with HR+/HER2- MBC to receive palbociclib+endocrine therapy (ET) versus capecitabine.

Cytology, architecture, development, and connections of the primate striatum: Hints for human pathology.

Degeneration of neurons and circuits across the striatum shows stereotyped time-course and spatial topography patterns that are distinct for Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, or the Tauopathies. These patterns of neurodegeneration in humans have not yet been systematically related to developmental, connectional, cellular, and chemical factors studied in human and non-human primates, that may underlie potential differences in selective vulnerability across striatal sectors. Relating primate anatomy to human pathology could provide new venues for identifying molecular, cellular, and connectional factors linked to the degeneration of striatal neurons and circuits.

Update in the clinical application of focused ultrasound.

Purpose Of Review: To review the most recent evidence about the clinical applicability of transcranial MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), including clinical evidence and indications, recent technical developments for its use and future prospects.

Recent Findings: Unilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy for both essential and parkinsonian tremors is an approved and well established therapy. Recent studies have focused on its long-term safety and efficacy as well as technical advances for refining the approach.

Overall survival with palbociclib plus endocrine therapy versus capecitabine in postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer in the PEARL study.

Background: An earlier analysis of the PEARL phase III study showed that palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) does not improve progression-free survival (PFS) over capecitabine in aromatase inhibitor-resistant, hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. Here, we report the final overall survival (OS) analysis.

Methods: Postmenopausal patients (N = 601) were randomized 1:1 to capecitabine or palbociclib plus ET (exemestane, Cohort 1; fulvestrant, Cohort 2).

Health-related quality of life with palbociclib plus endocrine therapy versus capecitabine in postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer: Patient-reported outcomes in the PEARL study.

Background: The PEARL study showed that palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (palbociclib/ET) was not superior to capecitabine in improving progression-free survival in postmenopausal patients with metastatic breast cancer resistant to aromatase inhibitors, but was better tolerated. This analysis compared patient-reported outcomes.

Patients And Methods: The PEARL quality of life (QoL) population comprised 537 patients, 268 randomised to palbociclib/ET (exemestane or fulvestrant) and 269 to capecitabine.

Palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy versus capecitabine in hormonal receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2-negative, aromatase inhibitor-resistant metastatic breast cancer: a phase III randomised controlled trial-PEARL.

Background: Palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) is the standard treatment of hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, its efficacy has not been compared with that of chemotherapy in a phase III trial.

Patients And Methods: PEARL is a multicentre, phase III randomised study in which patients with aromatase inhibitor (AI)-resistant MBC were included in two consecutive cohorts.

Primary growth hormone insensitivity and psychomotor delay.

We report a case of short stature irresponsive to growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy. Low GH response to provocative tests and undetectable IGF-1 levels had suggested GH deficiency, while response to therapy indicated GH insensitivity. Molecular evaluation of the GH/IGF-1 axis should be performed in these cases to improve diagnosis and therapy.

Mexican case report of a never-treated Laron syndrome patient evolving to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.

Glucose and lipid profile together with blood pressure should always be considered for low sera-IGF-1 patients. Even when adulthood is reached, IGF-1 therapy in these patients should be pursued as metabolic and protective cellular effects could be triggered. Real incidence of growth hormone insensitivity is still to be uncovered.