Clinical, laboratory, and orbital imaging features of giant cell arteritis in comparison to non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropath: a single center case series.

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common vasculitis in patients older than 50 years and is considered a "do not miss" diagnosis. However, it remains a diagnostic challenge given overlapping clinical syndromes such as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and poorly explored imaging findings.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study between the time period of January 2013 and December 2021, a total of 13 consecutive patients with a pathological diagnosis of GCA and 8 patients with clinical diagnosis of NAION were isolated.

EBV-specific T-cell immunity: relevance for multiple sclerosis.

Genetic and environmental factors jointly determine the susceptibility to develop multiple sclerosis (MS). Improvements in the design of epidemiological studies have helped to identify consistent environmental risk associations such as the increased susceptibility for MS following Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, while biological mechanisms that drive the association between EBV and MS remain incompletely understood. An increased and broadened repertoire of antibody and T-cell immune responses to EBV-encoded antigens, especially to the dominant CD4 T-cell EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1), is consistently observed in patients with MS, indicating that protective EBV-specific immune responses are deregulated in MS and potentially contribute to disease development.

Genal: a Python toolkit for genetic risk scoring and Mendelian randomization.

Motivation: The expansion of genetic association data from genome-wide association studies has increased the importance of methodologies like Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) and Mendelian Randomization (MR) in genetic epidemiology. However, their application is often impeded by complex, multi-step workflows requiring specialized expertise and the use of disparate tools with varying data formatting requirements. Existing solutions are frequently standalone packages or command-line based-largely due to dependencies on tools like PLINK-limiting accessibility for researchers without computational experience.

Clinical-grade human dental pulp stem cells improve adult hippocampal neural regeneration and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease.

Disrupted hippocampal functions and progressive neuronal loss represent significant challenges in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). How to achieve the improvement of pathological progression and effective neural regeneration to ameliorate the intracerebral dysfunctional environment and cognitive impairment is the goal of the current AD therapy. We examined the therapeutic potential of clinical-grade human derived dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) in cognitive function and neuropathology in AD.

Monitoring of cancer ferroptosis with [F]hGTS13, a system xc- specific radiotracer.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, characterized by resistance to conventional therapies and poor survival. Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death driven by lipid peroxidation, has recently emerged as a promising therapeutic target for GBM treatment. However, there are currently no non-invasive imaging techniques to monitor the engagement of pro-ferroptotic compounds with their respective targets, or to monitor the efficacy of ferroptosis-based therapies.

Industry Payments and Branded Glatiramer Acetate Prescribing in the US Medicare Program.

Background And Objectives: Generic formulations of glatiramer acetate have been available since 2015 yet remain underprescribed relative to the branded product. We sought to characterize the association between branded glatiramer prescribing in the Medicare program and financial payments from the manufacturer (Teva Pharmaceuticals).

Methods: Using publicly available Medicare Part D and Open Payments data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we evaluated overall utilization from 2012 to 2021 and compared the prevalence, frequency, and magnitude of financial payments made in 2019 to neurologists who prescribed branded and generic versions of glatiramer in 2020.

Comparative Efficacy of Semaglutide Versus Liraglutide or Efinopegdutide on Weight Loss in Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have produced substantial weight loss effects in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) cohorts, but these effects have not been thoroughly studied in patients with obesity and without diabetes. This review aimed to analyze direct comparative studies for semaglutide versus other GLP-1 RA (liraglutide and efinopegdutide) in facilitating weight loss and evaluating adverse events in patients with obesity. A systematic search following the guidelines established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for direct comparative studies comparing semaglutide with other GLP-1 RA on weight loss in patients with obesity.

Secondary insults prevalence, co-occurrence and relationship with outcome after severe TBI.

Introduction: Secondary insults due to high intracranial pressure (ICP), low cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and impaired cerebral pressure reactivity (PRx) predict outcome after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Research Question: What is the prevalence, co-occurrence and prognostic importance of secondary insults due to deranged ICP, CPP or PRx after TBI.

Material And Methods: Severe TBI patients requiring ICP monitoring were included.

Diverse phenotype of Ménière's disease associated with family history, thyroid disorder, migraine and associated disorders.

Objective: To better understand the clinical phenotype of Ménière's disease (MD), we examined family history, thyroid disorder, migraine, and associated disorders in complaints of people living with MD.

Method: We designed the study as a retrospective and examined data gathered from 912 participants with MD. Their data were originally collected by the Finnish Ménière Federation (FMF).

Who will benefit from vorasidenib? Review of data from the literature and open questions.

The clinical efficacy of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) inhibitors in the treatment of patients with grade 2 IDH-mutant (mIDH) gliomas is a significant therapeutic advancement in neuro-oncology. It expands treatment options beyond traditional radiation therapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy, which may lead to significant long-term neurotoxic effects while extending patient survival. The INDIGO study demonstrated that vorasidenib, a pan-mIDH inhibitor, improved progression-free survival for patients with grade 2 mIDH gliomas following surgical resection or biopsy compared to placebo and was well tolerated.

Role of the tumor board when prescribing mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase inhibitors to patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant glioma.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant gliomas, comprising both astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas, represent a distinct group of tumors that pose an interdisciplinary challenge. Addressing the needs of affected patients requires close collaboration among various disciplines, including neuropathology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, radiation oncology, neurology, medical oncology, and other relevant specialties when necessary. Interdisciplinary tumor boards are central in determining the ideal diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these patients.

Symptom management in isocitrate dehydrogenase mutant glioma.

According to the 2021 World Health Organization classification of CNS tumors, gliomas harboring a mutation in isocitrate dehydrogenase (mIDH) are considered a distinct disease entity, typically presenting in adult patients before the age of 50 years. Given their multiyear survival, patients with mIDH glioma are affected by tumor and treatment-related symptoms that can have a large impact on the daily life of both patients and their caregivers for an extended period of time. Selective oral inhibitors of mIDH enzymes have recently joined existing anticancer treatments, including resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, as an additional targeted treatment modality.

How do I prescribe and manage mIDH inhibitors in patients with IDH-mutant glioma?

Recent interest has been in using mIDH inhibitors in patients with IDH-mutant gliomas. This review paper summarizes the indications, side effects, recommended dosing, and management for patients on ivosidenib and vorasidenib.

Financial challenges of being on long-term, high-cost medications.

The isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) inhibitor, vorasidenib, may offer a promising new treatment option for patients with IDH-mutant gliomas. However, the indefinite nature of this targeted therapy raises significant financial concerns. High costs of targeted cancer therapies, often exceeding $150 000 annually, contribute to financial toxicity, characterized by medical debt, income loss, and psychological stress, and place stress on health systems.

Social jetlag and diet quality among US young adults: interactions with race/ethnicity.

The objective was to examine associations between social jetlag and diet quality among young adults in the US using nationally representative data from the 2017-2018 NHANES survey, and evaluate effect modification by gender and race/ethnicity. Social jetlag was considered ≥2-hour difference in sleep midpoint (median of bedtime and wake time) between weekends and weekdays. Diet quality was assessed with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 and its 13 dietary components.

Compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss: the direct-to-consumer market in Colorado.

Background: High prices and other access barriers have contributed to the rise of a market for compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss in the United States. This market has not been systematically studied. We conducted a pilot study to assess the prevalence, characteristics, and advertising content of direct-to-consumer providers of compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 products for weight loss in Colorado.

Challenges and Opportunities in Examining and Addressing Intersectional Stigma and Health.

Background: 'Intersectional stigma' is a concept that has emerged to characterize the convergence of multiple stigmatized identities within a person or group, and to address their joint effects on health and wellbeing. While enquiry into the intersections of race, class, and gender serves as the historical and theoretical basis for intersectional stigma, there is little consensus on how best to characterize and analyze intersectional stigma, or on how to design interventions to address this complex phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to highlight existing intersectional stigma literature, identify gaps in our methods for studying and addressing intersectional stigma, provide examples illustrating promising analytical approaches, and elucidate priorities for future health research.

Beyond de Patient: A Lesson in Vigilance and Care.

A neurology resident reflects on a pivotal moment during the assessment of an elderly patient, when attention shifts unexpectedly to the patient's caregiver, his wife. The resident quickly recognizes a neurological deficit that could potentially be treated. Sensing the urgency, the resident rushes her to the emergency department, where immediate treatment enables the caregiver to regain her ability to continue caring for her husband.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid: a diagnostic approach for varicella zoster virus-related encephalitis.

Purpose: Varicella zoster virus-related encephalitis (VZV-RE) is a rare and often misdiagnosed condition caused by an infection with the VZV. It leads to meningitis or encephalitis, with patients frequently experiencing poor prognosis. In this study, we used metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to rapidly and accurately detect and identify the VZV pathogen directly from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, aiming to achieve a definitive diagnosis for encephalitis patients.

Establishing cutoff values for visual amyloid positivity in [F]flutemetamol PET.

Background: This study aimed to establish the optimal cutoff values for visual amyloid positivity using standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) in [F]flutemetamol (FMM) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Given the variability in amyloid assessment, our goal was to determine cutoff values that enhance diagnostic accuracy and assist clinicians in reliably identifying amyloid positivity.

Results: The identified cutoff values for visual amyloid positivity were > 1.