Longitudinal analysis of anthropometric measures over 5 years in patients with Friedreich ataxia in the EFACTS natural history study.

Background: Friedreich ataxia is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by frataxin deficiency. Both underweight and overweight occur in mitochondrial disorders, each with adverse health outcomes. We investigated the longitudinal evolution of anthropometric abnormalities in Friedreich ataxia and the hypothesis that both weight loss and weight gain are associated with faster disease progression.

Fungal effector genes involved in the suppression of chitin signaling as novel targets for the control of powdery mildew disease via a nontransgenic RNA interference approach.

Background: Chitin is a crucial component of fungal cell walls and an effective elicitor of plant immunity; however, phytopathogenic fungi have developed virulence mechanisms to counteract the activation of this plant defensive response. In this study, the molecular mechanism of chitin-induced suppression through effectors involved in chitin deacetylases (CDAs) and their degradation (EWCAs) was investigated with the idea of developing novel dsRNA-biofungicides to control the cucurbit powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii.

Results: The molecular mechanisms associated with the silencing effect of the PxCDA and PxEWCAs genes were first studied through dsRNA cotyledon infiltration assays, which revealed a ≈80% reduction in fungal biomass and a 50% decrease in gene expression.

Novel genomic features in entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana ILB308: accessory genomic regions and putative virulence genes involved in the infection process of soybean pest Piezodorus guildinii.

Background: Biological control methods involving entomopathogenic fungi like Beauveria bassiana have been shown to be a valuable approach in integrated pest management as an environmentally friendly alternative to control pests and pathogens. Identifying genetic determinants of pathogenicity in B. bassiana is instrumental for enhancing its virulence against insects like the resistant soybean pest Piezodorus guildinii.

Gemcitabine and docetaxel for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: EuroGemDoce group results.

Objective: To evaluate the oncological efficacy and safety of sequential intravesical gemcitabine/docetaxel (Gem/Doce) therapy in a European cohort of patients with high-risk and very-high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) after previous Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment.

Materials And Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from 95 patients with NMIBC, treated with Gem/Doce at 12 European centres between 2021 and 2024. Patients previously treated with BCG who had completed a full induction course and received at least one follow-up evaluation were included.

The European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus) as an ally for the control of the invasive yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax).

Background: Biological control in integrated pest management (IPM) often overlooked avian predators until the emergence of the ecosystem services approach. Birds are now recognized as key regulators of pest populations in agroforestry landscapes due to their high mobility. The invasive yellow-legged hornet, introduced into Europe in 2004, threatens agriculture, beekeeping and native pollinators.

Prognostic scores in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation: An external validation study.

Background: Four scores have been published in 2022 for assessing mortality risk of patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR): the TRI-SCORE, those reported by Hochstadt and Wang and the TRIO score. Our objective was to perform an external validation of available scores for predicting mortality and the combined endpoint of mortality and heart failure (HF) admission, in an independent cohort of patients with severe TR and to compare their discriminative ability.

Methods: Discriminative ability of the scores for predicting events was assessed by means of receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves.

Polyproline-Polyornithine Diblock Copolymers with Inherent Mitochondria Tropism.

Mitochondria play critical roles in regulating cell fate, with dysfunction correlating with the development of multiple diseases, emphasizing the need for engineered nanomedicines that cross biological barriers. Said nanomedicines often target fluctuating mitochondrial properties and/or present inefficient/insufficient cytosolic delivery (resulting in poor overall activity), while many require complex synthetic procedures involving targeting residues (hindering clinical translation). The synthesis/characterization of polypeptide-based cell penetrating diblock copolymers of poly-L-ornithine (PLO) and polyproline (PLP) (PLO-PLP, n:m ratio 1:3) are described as mitochondria-targeting nanocarriers.

Impact of Vision Defects on Tooth Shade Selection: A Comparative of Spectrophotometry and Shade Guides in a Cross-Sectional Clinical Study.

Tooth shade selection is a fundamental factor in the success of dental restorations, and visual impairment may adversely affect this process. The aim of this cross-sectional clinical study was to determine whether visual impairment influences shade selection using two methods: spectrophotometry and shade guides. : The sample consisted of 2796 maxillary and mandibular teeth, and shade selection was measured subjectively with a shade guide (VITA Classic, VITA Zahnfabrik) and objectively with a spectrophotometer (VITA Easyshade V, VITA Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany).

Approach to Mental Health Through a Frequency Modulated Auditory Intervention: A Controlled and Randomized Clinical Trial.

Unlabelled: : The clinical trial Effect of Modulated Auditory Stimulation on Interaural Auditory Perception (NCT0544189) aimed to determine whether an auditory intervention (AI)-"Bérard in 10"-can enhance the effect of standard therapies for people with anxiety and/or depression. : Design: unblinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Location: Mejorada del Campo Health Centre, Madrid (Primary Care).

Non-Classical Complications of Adult-Onset Still's Disease: A Multicenter Spanish Study.

To investigate the prevalence and clinical spectrum of atypical or non-classical complications in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) beyond macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and to identify factors linked to their occurrence. Multicenter cross-sectional study of AODS cases included in the Spanish registry on Still's disease. This study included 107 patients (67% women), of whom 64 (59.

Effects of Hippotherapy and Horse-Riding Simulators on Gross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.

: Cerebral palsy (CP) can have a negative impact on gross motor function. Conventional hippotherapy and horse-riding simulators (HRS) have shown promising results on gross motor function in populations with neurological disorders. This review aims to update the knowledge on the effectiveness of hippotherapy on gross motor function in children with CP.

Clinical and Topographic Screening for Scoliosis in Children Participating in Routine Sports: A Prevalence and Accuracy Study in a Spanish Population.

: Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a common spinal deformity affecting 0.5% to 5.2% of children worldwide, with a higher reported range in Spain (0.

Semi-Automatic Refinement of Myocardial Segmentations for Better LVNC Detection.

Accurate segmentation of the left ventricular myocardium in cardiac MRI is essential for developing reliable deep learning models to diagnose left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC). This work focuses on improving the segmentation database used to train these models, enhancing the quality of myocardial segmentation for more precise model training. We present a semi-automatic framework that refines segmentations through three fundamental approaches: (1) combining neural network outputs with expert-driven corrections, (2) implementing a blob-selection method to correct segmentation errors and neural network hallucinations, and (3) employing a cross-validation process using the baseline U-Net model.

Preoperative Home-Based Multimodal Physiotherapy in Patients Scheduled for a Knee Arthroplasty Who Catastrophize About Their Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

: Chronic pain affects about 20% of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients, with high pain catastrophizing being a key predictor. Screening and addressing this modifiable factor may improve postoperative outcomes. : We aimed to compare the effectiveness of two preoperative home-based multimodal physical therapy interventions on pain catastrophizing in high-catastrophizing TKA patients.

Clinical and Functional Outcomes of Peri-Implant Fractures Associated with Short Proximal Femur Nails: Prevention Strategies and Key Insights.

: Hip fractures are prevalent among the elderly and impose a significant burden on healthcare systems due to the associated high morbidity and costs. The increasing use of intramedullary nails for hip fracture fixation has inadvertently introduced risks; these implants can alter bone elasticity and create stress concentrations, leading to peri-implant fractures. The aim of this study is to investigate the outcomes of peri-implant hip fractures, evaluate the potential causes of such fractures, determine the type of treatment provided, assess the outcomes of said treatments, and establish possible improvement strategies.

An Observational Study of the First 100 Patients Undergoing Nocturnal Every-Other-Day Online Hemodiafiltration: Clinical Outcomes and Patient and Technique Survival.

: High-volume online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) has proven to be the most efficient dialysis modality and to offer better clinical outcomes in patients on hemodialysis. Longer and more frequent dialysis sessions have demonstrated clinical and survival benefits. : A single-center observational study of the first one hundred patients on nocturnal every-other-day OL-HDF was conducted with the aim of reporting the experience with this treatment schedule and evaluating analytical and clinical outcomes as well as the patient and technique survival.

Clinical Profiles, Survival, and Lung Function Outcomes in ANCA-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: An Observational Study.

: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) have been found in interstitial lung disease (ILD) in recent years, although its impact on ILD prognosis is less known. To date, ANCAs are not included in the interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) definition criteria. Therefore, ANCA-ILD, in the absence of known ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), could be underdiagnosed.

Family Shopping Basket Intervention: A Strategy to Reduce Obesity in Prepubertal Children.

The goal of childhood obesity treatment is to benefit the physical and mental health of children who suffer from it and to prevent complications, improving their quality of life and ensuring adequate development. Family-based interventions are demonstrating positive results, especially in prepubertal children. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a family grocery basket intervention for the treatment of childhood obesity in a Spanish primary care office.

Validation of the OPTIMAL-Confidence Questionnaire in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain.

Unlabelled: Low back pain is one of the most prevalent pathologies. Several studies relate its chronification to certain psycho-emotional characteristics, such as self-efficacy or the patient's lack of confidence in the ability to move. Determine the reliability and validity of the OPTIMAL-confidence scale in people with chronic low back pain and describe the confidence in the movement capacity of this population.

The Spine Lengthens During Walking in Healthy Participants, with Age-Related Changes in Kinematic Parameters.

While the importance of the upper and lower limbs in locomotion is well understood, the kinematics of the trunk during walking remains largely unexplored. Two decades ago, a casual observation was reported indicating spine lengthening in a small sample of mostly children during walking, but this observation was never replicated. Objectives: This study aims to verify the preliminary observation that spine lengthening occurs during walking and to explore changes in spine kinematics across three different age groups.

Validation of an Eye-Foot Coordination Assessment Tool for Children in Dual-Task Condition.

: Eye-foot coordination is essential in sports and daily life, enabling the synchronization of vision and movement for tasks like ball control or crossing obstacles. This study aimed to examine both the validity and reliability of an innovative eye-foot coordination (EFC) test in a dual-task paradigm in children aged 6-11 years and the capacity of this test to discriminate between sex and age. : A total of 440 schoolchildren aged 6-11 years participated in this cross-sectional study.

Impact of Upper Limb Function on Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life in Huntington's Disease.

: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder associated with significant disability and impairment of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). The impact of upper limb disability on quality of life (QoL) and its influence on ADLs is not well known yet. The aim of this study was to describe the manipulative dexterity, strength, and manual eye coordination of patients with manifest and premanifest-HD compared to healthy individuals and to analyze its influence on ADLs and QoL.

Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Program for Fibromyalgia Patients in a Primary Care Setting (FIBROCARE Program): A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

: Multicomponent, non-pharmacological therapies are the preferred first-line treatments for fibromyalgia (FM), but little is known about them in primary care settings. Our study assessed the effectiveness of the FIBROCARE Program in improving the quality of life, functional impact, mood, and pain of people with FM. : We conducted a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial that was not blinded for both patients and the professionals delivering the treatments in the study groups.

Everolimus Through Plasmatic Concentrations in Cancer Patients: Prospective Longitudinal Observational Multicentric Study (DIANA-1 Project).

Everolimus, an oral inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), is actually used to prevent organ transplant rejection and treat metastatic breast, renal, and neuroendocrine cancers. Despite significant pharmacokinetic variability among patients, routine therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is not commonly used in oncology. The aim of this multicenter, prospective observational cohort study is to assess the prevalence of everolimus minimum concentration at a steady state (Cminss) falling outside the therapeutic range (10-26.