Abnormally slow dynamics in occipital cortex of depression.

Aim: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by altered activity in various higher-order regions like the anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex. While some findings also show changes in lower-order sensory regions like the occipital cortex in MDD, the latter's exact neural and temporal, e.g.

Direct and indirect healthcare costs of ocular diseases in Italy: a literature review on glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.

Background: Glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration impose substantial economic burdens on healthcare systems due to their high prevalence and chronic nature. Nevertheless, comprehensive Italian data is limited. This study aims to collect Italian evidence on the economic impact of these conditions to support more effective healthcare planning.

A UK population-based case-control study of blood tests before cancer diagnosis in patients with non-specific abdominal symptoms.

Background: Abnormal results in commonly used primary care blood tests could be early markers of cancer in patients presenting with non-specific abdominal symptoms.

Methods: Using linked data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and national cancer registry we compared blood test use and abnormal results from the 24-months pre-diagnosis in 10,575 cancer patients (any site), and 52,875 matched-controls aged ≥30 presenting, with abdominal pain or bloating to primary care.

Results: Cancer patients had two-fold increased odds of having a blood test (odds ratio(OR):1.

Differential Expression of Proteins Involved in Skin Barrier Maintenance and Vitamin D Metabolism in Atopic Dermatitis: A Cross-Sectional, Exploratory Study.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder influenced by proteins involved in skin barrier maintenance and vitamin D metabolism. Using an intra-patient design, this study compared protein expression in intra-lesional (IL) and peri-lesional (PL) skin biopsies from AD patients and examined associations between protein levels, vitamin D status, and clinical features. Forty-four biopsies from twenty-two AD patients were analyzed using antibody microarrays targeting twelve proteins.

Up-to-Date Imaging for Parathyroid Tumor Localization in MEN1 Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism: When and Which Ones (A Narrative Pictorial Review).

Patients diagnosed with multiple endocrine neoplasia type-1 (MEN1) often initially present with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT), and typically undergo surgical intervention. While laboratory tests are fundamental for diagnosis, imaging is crucial for localizing pathological parathyroids to aid in precise surgical planning. In this pictorial review, we will begin by comprehensively examining key imaging techniques and their established protocols, evaluating their effectiveness in detecting abnormal parathyroid glands.

Tamuzimod in patients with moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 induction trial.

Background: Tamuzimod (VTX002) is a selective sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 modulator in development for ulcerative colitis. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of tamuzimod in patients with moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis.

Methods: This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 induction trial was conducted at 122 centres across 15 countries in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Artificial intelligence in antimicrobial stewardship: a systematic review and meta-analysis of predictive performance and diagnostic accuracy.

The increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance has prompted a need for more effective antimicrobial stewardship programs (AMS). Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools have emerged as potential solutions to enhance decision-making and improve patient outcomes in AMS. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the impact of AI in AMS and to assess its predictive performance and diagnostic accuracy.

Screening for nasal carriage of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus reduces the risk of S. aureus peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Introduction: Screening for nasal carriage of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is associated with a reduction of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related infections, but conflicting results have questioned the benefit of this practice. This study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of the screening program for nasal carriage of S.

Assessment of ComBat Harmonization Performance on Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measurements.

Data aggregation across multiple research centers is gaining importance in the context of MRI research, driving diverse high-dimensional datasets to form large-scale heterogeneous sample, increasing statistical power and relevance of machine learning and deep learning algorithm. Site-related effects have been demonstrated to introduce bias in MRI features and confound subsequent analyses. Although Combating Batch (ComBat) technique has been recently reported to successfully harmonize multi-scale neuroimaging features, its performance assessments are still limited and largely based on qualitative visualizations and statistical analyses.

A Randomized Phase II Study of Efmarodocokin Alfa, an interleukin-22 Agonist, Versus Vedolizumab in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis.

Background & Aims: Efmarodocokin alfa is an interleukin (IL)-22 agonist, with favorable pharmacokinetic properties and an acceptable safety profile. This study further explored the therapeutic potential of efmarodocokin alfa compared with vedolizumab in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: This randomized phase II trial evaluated the efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of 3 doses of efmarodocokin alfa administered intravenously every 4 weeks (30 μg/kg [n = 43], 60 μg/kg [n = 44], and 90 μg/kg [n = 43]) compared with placebo (n = 22) and with vedolizumab (n = 43) in the treatment of moderate to severe UC.

A novel algorithm-based risk classification for vascular damage in men with erectile dysfunction.

Background: Penile dynamic color doppler duplex ultrasound (CDDU) is a relevant tool in assessing men with suspected vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (V-ED).

Aim: To investigate (1) factors potentially associated with V-ED to define risk classes useful in predicting V-ED; (2) the response to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i); and (3) the onset of incident major cardiovascular (CV) events.

Methods: A cohort of men with ED and without known concomitant CVD was grouped into: patients undergoing CDDU (N.

RENEWED: A follow-up study of the opicinumab phase 2 RENEW study in participants with acute optic neuritis.

Background: The randomized, phase 2 RENEW trial (NCT01721161) evaluated efficacy/safety of opicinumab (anti-LINGO-1) versus placebo in patients with first-episode unilateral acute optic neuritis (AON). Although no significant differences in the latency recovery of visual evoked potential (VEP) were observed between opicinumab and placebo groups in the intention to treat (ITT) population, the prespecified per-protocol (PP) population showed better recovery with opicinumab than with placebo. RENEWED (NCT02657915) was a one-visit, follow-up study 2 years after the last RENEW study visit (Week 32) designed to assess the long-term electrophysiological and clinical outcomes for participants previously enrolled and having received study treatment in RENEW.

Underlying disease risk among patients with fatigue: a population-based cohort study in primary care.

Background: Presenting to primary care with fatigue is associated with a wide range of conditions, including cancer, although their relative likelihood is unknown.

Aim: To quantify associations between new-onset fatigue presentation and subsequent diagnosis of various diseases, including cancer.

Design And Setting: A cohort study of patients presenting in English primary care with new-onset fatigue during 2007-2017 (the fatigue group) compared with patients who presented without fatigue (the non-fatigue group), using Clinical Practice Research Datalink data linked to hospital episodes and national cancer registration data.

Bilingualism, sleep, and cognition: An integrative view and open research questions.

Sleep and language are fundamental to human existence and have both been shown to substantially affect cognitive functioning including memory, attentional performance, and cognitive control. Surprisingly, there is little-to-no research that examines the shared impact of bilingualism and sleep on cognitive functions. In this paper, we provide a general overview of existing research on the interplay between bilingualism and sleep with a specific focus on executive functioning.

Inter-societal Survey on the topical nasal treatments in Italy.

Topical nasal therapy represents a widespread opportunity to treat upper airway diseases. As a result, specialists in different areas (mainly ENT, pediatrics, and allergology) and general practitioners prescribe intranasal compounds. However, a myriad of products and devices are available, as well as respiratory disorders.

Italian validation of the IBD-disk tool for the assessment of disability in inflammatory bowel diseases: A cross-sectional multicenter study.

Introduction: IBD-Disk is a simple, easy-to-use, and self-administered analogue visual tool for assessing disability in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). However, it has not yet been validated in Italian. This study aims to validate IBD-Disk in an Italian cross-sectional multicentre study.

Tight and stable glucose control is associated with better prognosis in patients hospitalized for Covid-19 and pneumonia.

Aims: To investigate possible associations of glucose patterns with outcomes of Corona Virus Disease 19 (COVID-19) using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in 43 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 mild-to-moderate pneumonia, regardless of diabetes.

Methods: Prospective observational study conducted during two pandemic waves in 2020-2021. Glucose sensor metrics of 7-day recording were obtained from blinded CGM.

The potential effects of climate change on non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in children.

Climate change may have devastating effects on the pathogenesis of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in children since it affects the biological cycle of the respiratory pathogens and alters the human respiratory defense mechanisms. Bronchiectasis in children has been identified as an emerging global epidemic that has attracted the attention of the medical community over recent years. Pediatric pulmonologists should be aware of the consequences of climate change on children with bronchiectasis and plan strategies to ameliorate these effects.