Live-cell imaging of circular and long non-coding RNAs associated to FUS pathological aggregates by Pepper fluorescent RNA.

Lately, important advancements in visualizing RNAs in fixed and live cells have been achieved. While mRNA imaging techniques are well-established, the development of effective methods for studying non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in living cells are still challenging but necessary, as they show a variety of functions and intracellular localizations, including participation in highly dynamic processes like phase-transition, which is still poorly studied in vivo. Addressing this issue, we tagged two exemplary ncRNAs with the fluorescent RNA (fRNA) Pepper.

Carotenoid Interactions with PCSK9: Exploring Novel Cholesterol-Lowering Strategies.

: This study investigated the potential of green algae-derived carotenoids as natural inhibitors of the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a key regulator of cholesterol metabolism. PCSK9 promotes the degradation of low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLR), thereby increasing blood cholesterol levels and elevating the risk of cardiovascular diseases. /: We screened the pharmacophore fit score of 27 carotenoids with PCSK9 and identified 14 that were analyzed for binding affinity and molecular interactions.

Anderson-Fabry Disease: Focus on Ophthalmological Implications.

Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, including severe complications, such as end-stage renal disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and cerebrovascular disease. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), when initiated early, has been shown to reduce the incidence of severe events and slow disease progression. In the classic form, characterized by the absence of α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) enzyme activity, diagnosis is straightforward.

Facial Lymphedema Following Head and Neck Tumor Resection: Preliminary Experience of Supermicrosurgical Treatment With LVA-Report of Three Cases.

Facial lymphedema (FL) is a potential complication following head-and-neck tumor (HNT) therapy. Conservative management is often difficult, and there is limited literature on surgical treatments for FL. This report presents three cases of FL treated with lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA).

Gut-brain axis and neuroplasticity in health and disease: a systematic review.

The gut microbiota emerged as a potential modulator of brain connectivity in health and disease. This systematic review details current evidence on the gut-brain axis and its influence on brain connectivity. The initial set of studies included 532 papers, updated to January 2024.

Protocol for high-resolution 3D spatial transcriptomics using Open-ST.

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) is fundamental for understanding molecular mechanisms in health and disease. Here, we present a protocol for efficient and high-resolution ST in 2D/3D with Open-ST. We describe all steps for repurposing Illumina flow cells into spatially barcoded capture areas and preparing ST libraries from stained cryosections.

Clinico-pathological predictors of radiologic complete response to first-line anti-HER2 therapy in metastatic breast cancer.

This study aimed to identify the clinico-pathological variables predictive of radiologic complete response (rCR) to first-line anti-HER2 therapy in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Patients were selected from the database of the GIM14 study and classified according to the best radiologic response obtained to first-line anti-HER2 therapy and upon time-to-treatment-discontinuation (TTD). A total of 545 patients were included in the analysis.

Assessing diagnostic accuracy of intravascular imaging for functionally significant coronary stenosis: updated findings from a meta-analysis.

Background: Accurate discrimination of functionally significant coronary stenosis using intravascular imaging remains uncertain, particularly with regard to vessel size. This meta-analysis evaluates the diagnostic performance of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for identifying functionally significant coronary stenosis as confirmed by fractional flow reserve (FFR).

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar identified studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of IVUS and OCT by minimal luminal area (MLA) with FFR as the reference standard.

Management of Clinically Negative Neck in Early-Stage (T1-2N0) Oral Squamous-Cell Carcinoma (OSCC): Ten Years of a Single Institution's Experience.

: Oral cavity squamous-cell carcinoma is among the most frequent head and neck neoplasms. Early-stage T1/T2N0 accounts for 40/45% of new diagnoses. Of these, about 30% of cases hide occult metastases in the neck.

Early Experience with Inner Branch Stent-Graft System for Endovascular Repair of Thoraco-Abdominal and Pararenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the technical and clinical outcomes of the E-nside stent graft for thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) and pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (PAAA) endovascular treatment at our University Hospital Center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients electively treated by inner branched EVAR (iBEVAR) between 05/2021 and 03/2023. Demographic, procedural, and clinical data were analyzed.

Comparison between two artificial intelligence models to discriminate cancerous cell nuclei based on confocal fluorescence imaging in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exhibits an exceptional intratumoral heterogeneity that might influence diagnosis and outcome. Advances in digital microscopy and artificial intelligence (AI) may improve the HCC identification of liver cancer cells.

Aim: Two AI algorithms were designed to perform computer-assisted discrimination of tumour from non-tumour nuclei in HCC.

Exploring Sex Differences in Outcomes of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy for Patients With Noncardioembolic Mild-to-Moderate Ischemic Stroke or High-Risk Transient Ischemic Attack: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of the READAPT Study Cohort.

Background: Sex may impact clinical outcomes in patients with stroke treated with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). We aimed to investigate the sex differences in the short-term outcomes of DAPT within a real-world population of patients with noncardioembolic mild-to-moderate ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack.

Methods: We performed a propensity score-matched analysis from a prospective multicentric cohort study (READAPT [Real-Life Study on Short-Term Dual Antiplatelet Treatment in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack]) by including patients with noncardioembolic mild-to-moderate stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 0-10) or high-risk transient ischemic attack (age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of transient ischemic attack, presence of diabetes [ABCD] ≥4) who initiated DAPT within 48 hours of symptom onset.

Bariatric surgery does not affect kidney stone disease.

Background: numerous epidemiological studies demonstrate the correlation between obesity and urolithiasis. Bariatric surgery is effective in significant weight loss, reducing mortality rates, and lowering the incidence of obesity-related comorbidities. However, it may be associated with long-term complications such as urolithiasis, with an estimated increase of 7.

Bacterial Meningoencephalitis in Newborns.

Bacterial meningoencephalitis in newborns is a severe and life-threatening pathology, which results from meningeal infection and the subsequent involvement of the brain parenchyma. The severity of the acute onset of symptoms and the risk of neurodevelopmental adverse sequelae in children strongly depend on the timing of the infection, the immunological protection transmitted by the mother to the fetus during pregnancy, and the neonate's inflammatory and immune system response after birth. Although the incidence of neonatal meningitis and meningoencephalitis and related mortality declined in the past twenty years with the improvement of prenatal care and with the introduction of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis against Streptococcus beta Hemolyticus group B (Streptococcus Agalactiae) in the 1990s, bacterial meningitis remains the most common form of cerebrospinal fluid infection in pediatric patients.

Developing Innovative Apolar Gels Based on Cellulose Derivatives for Cleaning Metal Artworks.

The use of organic solvents, particularly those of a non-polar nature, is a common practice during cleaning operations in the restoration of polychrome artworks and metallic artifacts. However, these solvents pose significant risks to the health of operators and the environment. This study explores the formulation of innovative gels based on non-polar solvents and cellulose derivatives, proposing a safe and effective method for cleaning metallic artworks.

Alternative Splicing: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Hematological Malignancies.

Leukemia represents the most prevalent malignancy in children, constituting 30% of childhood cancer cases, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) being particularly heterogeneous. This paper explores the role of alternative splicing in leukemia, highlighting its significance in cancer development and progression. Aberrant splicing is often driven by mutations in splicing-factor genes, which can lead to the production of variant proteins that contribute to oncogenesis.

Health-related quality of life and symptom concordance between patients and physicians in pulmonary arterial hypertension in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

This study involved analyses of a real world, cross-sectional survey of physicians and their patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Physician and patient symptom concordance was assessed, and patients self-reported Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). Data were drawn from the Adelphi PAH Disease Specific Programme (DSP)™ in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and Japan, between March and August 2022.

Optimizing TDP-43 silencing with siRNA-loaded polymeric nanovectors in neuronal cells for therapeutic applications: balancing knockdown and function.

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a ubiquitously expressed DNA/RNA binding protein critical for regulating gene expression, including transcription, splicing, mRNA stability, and protein translation. Aggregation of pathological TDP-43 proteins in the cytoplasm of neurons and glial cells appears to be a common feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD), contributing to motor neuron degeneration and clinical symptoms. Downregulation of TDP-43 expression to prevent or reduce the formation of pathological aggregates is a potential therapeutic approach for treating TDP-43-related diseases.

Prediction of tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in high-grade osteosarcoma using clustering-based analysis of magnetic resonance imaging: an exploratory study.

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based clustering analysis to predict the pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with primary high-grade osteosarcoma.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-two patients were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent MRIs before and after NACT.

The holistic management of peripheral spondyloarthritis: focus on articular involvement in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA), focusing specifically on its occurrence and management in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: An exhaustive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies on pSpA in IBD patients. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were screened for relevance.

Computational Assessment of Carotenoids as Keap1-Nrf2 Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitors: Implications for Antioxidant Strategies.

The Keap1-Nrf2 pathway is an essential system that maintains redox homeostasis and modulates key metabolic processes, including metabolism of amino acids to promote the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes. Inhibitors of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) between Keap1 and Nrf2 have emerged as a promising strategy for developing novel classes of antioxidant agents that selectively activate this pathway without off-target effects. Carotenoids, a large family of lipophilic isoprenoids synthesized by all photosynthetic organisms, are well-known for their antioxidant activities.