Long-Term Patient Symptoms and Quality of Life in Adults After COVID-19: A Real Life Study.

Objective: To characterize long-term patient-reported symptoms and quality of life, in adults after COVID-19.

Material And Methods: Cross-sectional study in Cantabria (Northern Spain) including adults with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection ( = 694) with a time period between 4.7 and 24 month post-SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, and their close contacts ( = 663) (PCR negative and without suspected infection) obtained from simple random sampling of a total of 47,773 cases and 94,301 close contacts.

Exploring parenthood in first episode of psychosis: the potential role of the offspring in the outcome of women.

Purpose: The study aimed to explore the role of parenthood at first episode of psychosis (FEP) on recovery, with a focus on potential sex differences.

Methods: Sociodemographic, clinical, and neurocognitive information was considered on 610 FEP patients form the PAFIP cohort (Spain). Baseline and three-year follow-up comparisons were carried out.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Based on Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) and Its Integration into Nanomedicine and Microfluidic Devices as Point-of-Care Testing (POCT).

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has highlighted the criticality of an accurate and rapid diagnosis in order to contain the spread of the virus. Knowledge of the viral structure and its genome is essential for diagnosis development. The virus is still quickly evolving and the global scenario could easily change.

A standardised protocol for blood and cerebrospinal fluid collection and processing for biomarker research in ataxia.

The European Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3/Machado-Joseph Disease Initiative (ESMI) is a consortium established with the ambition to set up the largest European longitudinal trial-ready cohort of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3/Machado-Joseph Disease (SCA3/MJD), the most common autosomal dominantly inherited ataxia worldwide. A major focus of ESMI has been the identification of SCA3/MJD biomarkers to enable future interventional studies. As biosample collection and processing variables significantly impact the outcomes of biomarkers studies, biosampling procedures standardisation was done previously to study visit initiation.

Analysis of retinal nerve layers in idiopathic, LRRK2-associated Parkinson's disease and unaffected carriers of G2019S mutation.

Introduction: In both prodromal and early symptomatic stages of idiopathic PD (iPD) peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and macular ganglion cell layer (mGCL) thinning have been identified. Here we assessed whether these alterations can also be detected in symptomatic and presymptomatic stages of LRRK2-PD.

Methods: 218 eyes belonging to 20 iPD, 19 LRRK2-PD (L2PD), 24 LRRK2 non-manifesting carriers (L2NMC), and 46 controls (HCs).

Extracellular vesicles from pristane-treated CD38-deficient mice express an anti-inflammatory neutrophil protein signature, which reflects the mild lupus severity elicited in these mice.

In CD38-deficient ( mice intraperitoneal injection of pristane induces a lupus-like disease, which is milder than that induced in WT mice, showing significant differences in the inflammatory and autoimmune processes triggered by pristane. Extracellular vesicles (EV) are present in all body fluids. Shed by cells, their molecular make-up reflects that of their cell of origin and/or tissue pathological situation.

The frequency of non-motor symptoms in SCA3 and their association with disease severity and lifestyle factors.

Background: Non-motor symptoms (NMS) are a substantial burden for patients with SCA3. There are limited data on their frequency, and their relation with disease severity and activities of daily living is not clear. In addition, lifestyle may either influence or be affected by the occurrence of NMS.

Differential Temporal Dynamics of Axial and Appendicular Ataxia in SCA3.

Background: Disease severity in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is commonly defined by the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) sum score, but little is known about the contributions and progression patterns of individual items.

Objectives: To investigate the temporal dynamics of SARA item scores in SCA3 patients and evaluate if clinical and demographic factors are differentially associated with evolution of axial and appendicular ataxia.

Methods: In a prospective, multinational cohort study involving 11 European and 2 US sites, SARA scores were determined longitudinally in 223 SCA3 patients with a follow-up assessment after 1 year.

Drug-refractory myasthenia gravis: Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcome.

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with refractory myasthenia gravis (MG) and to determine the effectiveness and side effects of the drugs used for their treatment.

Methods: This observational retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study was based on data from the Spanish MG Registry (NMD-ES). Patients were considered refractory when their MG Foundation of America post-interventional status (MGFA-PIS) was unchanged or worse after corticosteroids and two or more other immunosuppressive agents.

Online interventions to help college students to improve the degree of integration of their argumentative synthesis.

Unlabelled: Writing an argumentative synthesis is a common but demanding task, consequently undergraduates require some instruction. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of two interventions on integrative argumentation: one of them was focused on the product features of argumentative texts; and the other one on the processes involved in the written argumentation. Sixty-six undergraduate students participated voluntarily.

Serial DaT-SPECT imaging in asymptomatic carriers of LRRK2 G2019S mutation: 8 years' follow-up.

Background: Carriers of the G2019S mutation of LRRK2 provide a great opportunity to investigate the premotor stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). We have studied by serial clinical and dopamine transporter single photon emission computed tomography (DaT-SPECT) evaluations a cohort of asymptomatic carriers of the LRRK2-G2019S mutation in order to evaluate the usefulness of these tools as biomarkers. Here we report the results of the extended follow-up of this cohort at 8 years.

Polyglutamine-Expanded Ataxin-3: A Target Engagement Marker for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 in Peripheral Blood.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 is a rare neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the ataxin-3 gene. Although no curative therapy is yet available, preclinical gene-silencing approaches to reduce polyglutamine (polyQ) toxicity demonstrate promising results. In view of upcoming clinical trials, quantitative and easily accessible molecular markers are of critical importance as pharmacodynamic and particularly as target engagement markers.

Quantifying balance deficit in people with ankle fracture six months after surgical intervention through the Y-Balance test.

Background: Ankle fractures are among the most common traumatic fractures and have a great socio-economic impact. Consequences of an ankle fracture requiring surgical treatment (e.g.

Isolation of Cancer-Derived Exosomes Using a Variety of Magnetic Nanostructures: From FeO Nanoparticles to Ni Nanowires.

Isolating and analyzing tumor-derived exosomes (TEX) can provide important information about the state of a tumor, facilitating early diagnosis and prognosis. Since current isolation methods are mostly laborious and expensive, we propose herein a fast and cost-effective method based on a magnetic nanoplatform to isolate TEX. In this work, we have tested our method using three magnetic nanostructures: (i) Ni magnetic nanowires (MNWs) (1500 × 40 nm), (ii) FeO nanorods (NRs) (41 × 7 nm), and (iii) FeO cube-octahedral magnetosomes (MGs) (45 nm) obtained from magnetotactic bacteria.

Neurofilaments in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: blood biomarkers at the preataxic and ataxic stage in humans and mice.

With molecular treatments coming into reach for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), easily accessible, cross-species validated biomarkers for human and preclinical trials are warranted, particularly for the preataxic disease stage. We assessed serum levels of neurofilament light (NfL) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy (pNfH) in ataxic and preataxic subjects of two independent multicentric SCA3 cohorts and in a SCA3 knock-in mouse model. Ataxic SCA3 subjects showed increased levels of both NfL and pNfH.

Physical Activity Is Associated With Better Executive Function in University Students.

: In recent years, the study of the benefits that physical exercise has on brain health has acquired special relevance. In order to implement exercise as an intervention to protect the brain, it is important to have a more clear idea of its effect in the young population. However, few studies have been carried out on these ages.

Prediction of Survival With Long-Term Disease Progression in Most Common Spinocerebellar Ataxia.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxias are rare dominantly inherited neurodegenerative diseases that lead to severe disability and premature death.

Objective: To quantify the impact of disease progression measured by the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia on survival, and to identify different profiles of disease progression and survival.

Methods: Four hundred sixty-two spinocerebellar ataxia patients from the EUROSCA prospective cohort study, suffering from spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, and spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, and who had at least two measurements of Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia score, were analyzed.

Tobacco Mosaic Virus-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles, a Wool-Ball-like Nanostructure for Drug Delivery.

The design of versatile tools to improve cell targeting and drug delivery in medicine has become increasingly pertinent to nanobiotechnology. Biological and inorganic nanocarrier drug delivery systems are being explored, showing advantages and disadvantages in terms of cell targeting and specificity, cell internalization, efficient payload delivery, and safety profiles. Combining the properties of a biological coating on top of an inorganic nanocarrier, we hypothesize that this hybrid system would improve nanoparticle-cell interactions, resulting in enhanced cell targeting and uptake properties compared to the bare inorganic nanocarrier.

Influence of the Varied Pitch Shape on Soccer Players Physiological Responses and Time-Motion Characteristics During Small-Sided Games.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pitch shape modifications on heart rate responses and time-motion characteristics in soccer players during 5-a-side small-sided games (SSGs). Players completed four different SSG dimensions: (1) short narrow pitch (SN; 40 × 25 m), (2) short wide pitch (SW; 66 × 25 m), (3) long narrow pitch (LN; 40 × 50 m), and (4) long wide pitch (LW; 66 × 50 m). Twenty amateur soccer players (age: 21 ± 5 yr; stature: 176.

Long-term evolution of patient-reported outcome measures in spinocerebellar ataxias.

Introduction: To study the long-term evolution of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in the most common spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), we analyzed 8 years follow-up data of the EUROSCA Natural History Study, a cohort study of 526 patients with SCA1, SCA2, SCA3 and SCA6.

Methods: To assess the functional capacity in daily living, we used the functional assessment (part IV) of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS-IV), for health-related quality of life the visual analogue scale of the EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D VAS), and for depressive symptoms the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Severity of ataxia was assessed using the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and neurological symptoms other than ataxia with the Inventory of Non-Ataxia Signs (INAS).

Synthesis of heterometallic metal-organic frameworks and their performance as electrocatalyst for CO reduction.

Herein we report the solventless synthesis and doping of the benchmark HKUST-1(Cu) as a facile route to afford heterometallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) having proficient behavior as electrocatalytic materials in the reduction of carbon dioxide. Zn(ii), Ru(iii) and Pd(ii) were selected as doping metals (M) with the aim of partially replacing the Cu(ii) atoms of the pristine structure to afford HKUST-1(Cu,M) type materials. Apart from the high yield and good crystallinity of the obtained materials, the extremely high reagent concentration that the reaction conditions imply makes it feasible to control dopant loading in all cases.

Survival in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 2, 3, and 6 (EUROSCA): a longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxias are dominantly inherited progressive ataxia disorders that can lead to premature death. We aimed to study the overall survival of patients with the most common spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, and SCA6) and to identify the strongest contributing predictors that affect survival.

Methods: In this longitudinal cohort study (EUROSCA), we enrolled men and women, aged 18 years or older, from 17 ataxia referral centres in ten European countries; participants had positive genetic test results for SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, or SCA6 and progressive, otherwise unexplained, ataxias.

Distribution and genotype-phenotype correlation of GDAP1 mutations in Spain.

Mutations in the GDAP1 gene can cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. These mutations are quite rare in most Western countries but not so in certain regions of Spain or other Mediterranean countries. This cross-sectional retrospective multicenter study analyzed the clinical and genetic characteristics of patients with GDAP1 mutations across Spain.