Greater exposure to PM and PM was associated with lower corneal nerve measures: the Maastricht study - a cross-sectional study.

Background: Epidemiological and toxicological studies indicate that increased exposure to air pollutants can lead to neurodegenerative diseases. To further confirm this relationship, we evaluated the association between exposure to ambient air pollutants and corneal nerve measures as a surrogate for neurodegeneration, using corneal confocal microscopy.

Methods: We used population-based observational cross-sectional data from The Maastricht Study including N = 3635 participants (mean age 59.

Risk factors, prevention and treatment of weight gain associated with the use of antidepressants and antipsychotics: a state-of-the-art clinical review.

Introduction: People with severe mental illness have poor cardiometabolic health. Commonly used antidepressants and antipsychotics frequently lead to weight gain, which may further contribute to adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Areas Covered: We searched MEDLINE up to April 2023 for umbrella reviews, (network-)meta-analyses, trials and cohort studies on risk factors, prevention and treatment strategies of weight gain associated with antidepressants/antipsychotics.

The Impact of Radiation Therapy on Metastatic Rhabdomyosarcoma: Results From the EpSSG MTS 2008 Study.

Purpose: Radiation oncologists use radiation variably for children with metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Data from the European paediatric Soft tissue sarcoma Study Group (EpSSG) MTS 2008 study were retrospectively analyzed to validate the previous observation that the use of radiation is associated with improved outcomes and guide future recommendations on radiation use in this patient group.

Methods And Materials: The radiation delivered to 216 patients aged 0 to 21 years with metastatic RMS was retrospectively reviewed and classified as radical (all sites of disease irradiated within the protocol parameters), partial (some sites irradiated within the protocol parameters), and none (no radiation or delivered outside the protocol parameters).

Papillomavirus infection and male infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Increasing attention is being paid to the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in men and specifically reproduction. Growing evidence suggests an association between HPV infection with many adverse effects including the impairment of semen parameters, the increase of blastocyst apoptosis, the reduction of endometrial implantation of trophoblastic cells, as well as the increase rate of miscarriages and spontaneous preterm birth.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, CINHAL, PsycINFO, and ERIC from inception to 2nd of July 2024, for studies that investigated the association between HPV infection with sperm parameters and fertility outcomes.

Nerve ultrasound in CANVAS-spectrum disease: Reduced nerve size distinguishes genetically confirmed CANVAS from other axonal polyneuropathies.

Background And Aims: Ultrasound nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) of patients affected with axonal neuropathy usually shows normal value. Cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) seems to represent an exception, showing smaller CSA, but previous reports did not test for biallelic RFC1 gene repeat expansions.

Methods: We compared nerve CSA from CANVAS patients (tested positive for biallelic RFC1 gene repeat expansions) with the CSA from a group of patients with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP) who tested negative for RFC1 gene repeat expansions, hereditary axonal neuropathy (Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2, CMT2), and Friedreich ataxia (FRDA).

Affective and cognitive factors associated with Chinese and Italian children's arithmetic performance.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the cognitive and affective factors associated with cross-cultural differences in arithmetic tasks.

Methods: A total of 404 third- and fourth- graders were recruited from China and Italy to complete exact arithmetic, arithmetic estimation and cognitive tasks (i.e.

Neuropsychological performance in women at risk of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.

Purpose: While neuropsychological deficits are commonly observed in affective and psychotic disorders, this remains unexplored in these disorders when they occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Methods: A neuropsychological test battery was administered to women defined at risk of postpartum depression (PD, N = 53) because having either a current or past diagnosis of major depressive disorder, women at risk of postpartum psychosis (PP, N = 43) because of a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder and/or a previous episode of PP and women not at risk (NR, N = 48) in the third trimester of pregnancy. Generalized and specific cognitive abilities were compared between groups.

Evaluation of the WHO standards to assess quality of care for children with acute respiratory infections: findings of a baseline multicentre assessment (CHOICE) in Italy.

Background: Experience is lacking on the implementation of the WHO standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children at facility level. We describe the use of 10 prioritised WHO standard-based quality measures to assess provision of care for children with acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Italy.

Methods: In a multicentre observational study across 11 emergency departments with different characteristics, we collected 10 WHO standard-based quality measures related to case management of children with ARI and no emergency/priority signs.

Implementation of the WHO Standards to assess quality of paediatric care at the facility level using service users' perspective as source of data: a multicentre quality improvement study in Italy.

Objectives: There is little experience in the use of the WHO Standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children at the facility level. We describe the use of 75 WHO Standard based Quality Measures to assess paediatric QOC, using service users as a source of data, in Italy.

Study Design: In a cross-sectional study including 12 hospitals, parents/caregivers of admitted children completed a validated questionnaire including 75 Quality Measures: 40 pertinent to the domain of experience of care; 25 to physical/structural resources; 10 to COVID-19 reorganisational changes.

Implementation of the WHO standards to assess quality of care for children with acute pain in EDs: findings of a multicentre study (CHOICE) in Italy.

Background: There is little experience on the use of the WHO Standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children. We describe the use of four prioritised WHO Standard-based Quality Measures to assess the provision of care for children with pain in emergency departments (EDs).

Methods: In a multicentre observational study in 10 EDs with different characteristics in Italy, we collected data on 3355 children accessing the EDs between January 2019 and December 2020.

Implementation of the WHO standards to assess the quality of care for children with acute diarrhoea: findings of a multicentre study (CHOICE) in Italy.

Background: There is no documented experience in the use of the WHO standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children at the facility level. We describe the use of 10 prioritised WHO-Standard-based Quality Measures to assess QOC for children with acute diarrhoea (AD) in Italy.

Methods: In a multicentre observational study in 11 paediatric emergency departments with different characteristics and geographical location, we collected data on 3061 children aged 6 months to 15 years with AD and no complications.

Implementation of the WHO Standards to assess the quality of paediatric care using health workers as source of data: findings of a multicentre study (CHOICE) in Italy.

Objectives: There is little experience in implementing the WHO Standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children. We describe the use of 75 WHO-Standard based Quality Measures to assess paediatric QOC, using health workers (HWs) as data sources.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

A unified flow strategy for the preparation and use of trifluoromethyl-heteroatom anions.

The trifluoromethyl group (CF) is a key functionality in pharmaceutical and agrochemical development, greatly enhancing the efficacy and properties of resulting compounds. However, attaching the CF group to heteroatoms such as sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen poses challenges because of the lack of general synthetic methods and reliance on bespoke reagents. Here, we present a modular flow platform that streamlines the synthesis of heteroatom-CF motifs.

Objective and Subjective Outcomes Following Radiofrequency of Inferior Turbinates in Patients with Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

Background: Nasal obstruction is a frequent problem amongst patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Radiofrequency of the inferior turbinates (RFIT) is commonly utilized for inferior turbinate (IT) reduction but its effectiveness in SDB patients remains unproven. We aim to evaluate long-term objective and subjective nasal, olfactory and sleep outcomes following RFIT in SDB patients.

Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction In Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background & Aim: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may experience symptoms of sexual dysfunction (SD). However, the magnitude of this problem remains uncertain. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of SD in adult patients with IBD.

Performance of upper limb entry item to predict forced vital capacity in dysferlin-deficient limb girdle muscular dystrophy.

Dysferlin-deficient limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD R2), also referred to as dysferlinopathy, can be associated with respiratory muscle weakness as the disease progresses. Clinical practice guidelines recommend biennial lung function assessments in patients with dysferlinopathy to screen for respiratory impairment. However, lack of universal access to spirometry equipment and trained specialists makes regular monitoring challenging.

Spatial transcriptomic validation of a biomimetic model of fibrosis enables re-evaluation of a therapeutic antibody targeting LOXL2.

Matrix stiffening by lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2)-mediated collagen cross-linking is proposed as a core feedforward mechanism that promotes fibrogenesis. Failure in clinical trials of simtuzumab (the humanized version of AB0023, a monoclonal antibody against human LOXL2) suggested that targeting LOXL2 may not have disease relevance; however, target engagement was not directly evaluated. We compare the spatial transcriptome of active human lung fibrogenesis sites with different human cell culture models to identify a disease-relevant model.

Opicapone for the treatment of early wearing-off in levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease: pooled analysis of patient level data from two randomized open-label studies.

Background: The wearing-off phenomenon is a key driver of medication change for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) treated with levodopa. Common first-line options include increasing the levodopa dose or adding a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor, but there are no trials comparing the efficacy of these approaches. We evaluated the effectiveness of adjunct opicapone versus an additional 100 mg levodopa dose in PD patients with early wearing-off using pooled data from 2 randomized studies.

Non-ceruloplasmin copper and urinary copper in clinically stable Wilson disease: Alignment with recommended targets.

Background & Aims: Wilson disease (WD) is caused by accumulation of copper primarily in the liver and brain. During maintenance therapy of WD with D-penicillamine, current guidelines recommend on-treatment ranges of urinary copper excretion (UCE) of 200-500 μg/24 h and serum non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper (NCC) of 50-150 μg/L. We compared NCC (measured by two novel assays) and UCE from patients with clinically stable WD on D-penicillamine therapy with these recommendations.

Intraoperative surgical navigation as a precision medicine tool in sinonasal and craniofacial oncologic surgery.

Introduction: Recent evidence supports the efficacy of surgical navigation (SN) in improving outcomes of sinonasal and craniofacial oncologic surgery. This study aims to demonstrate the utility of SN as a tool for integrating surgical, radiologic, and pathologic information. Additionally, a system for recording and mapping biopsy samples has been devised to facilitate sharing of spatial information.

SMAD4 mutations causing Myhre syndrome are under positive selection in the male germline.

While it is widely thought that de novo mutations (DNMs) occur randomly, we previously showed that some DNMs are enriched because they are positively selected in the testes of aging men. These "selfish" mutations cause disorders with a shared presentation of features, including exclusive paternal origin, significant increase of the father's age, and high apparent germline mutation rate. To date, all known selfish mutations cluster within the components of the RTK-RAS-MAPK signaling pathway, a critical modulator of testicular homeostasis.

Recommendations for clinical trial design in acute kidney injury from the 31st acute disease quality initiative consensus conference. A consensus statement.

Purpose: Novel interventions for the prevention or treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) are currently lacking. To facilitate the evaluation and adoption of new treatments, the use of the most appropriate design and endpoints for clinical trials in AKI is critical and yet there is little consensus regarding these issues. We aimed to develop recommendations on endpoints and trial design for studies of AKI prevention and treatment interventions based on existing data and expert consensus.