Irisin Concentrations in Children and Adolescent Cancer Survivors and Their Relation to Metabolic, Bone, and Reproductive Profile: A Pilot Case-Control Study.

: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) experience chronic health problems and significant metabolic burden. Timely identification of CCS at higher metabolic risk requires novel biomarkers. Irisin, a novel myokine/adipokine has been associated with metabolic, bone and reproductive diseases, but its role in the health of CCS is unknown.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Evaluation of the Stress System in Acute and Chronic Cardiac Disease.

Various cardiac pathologies such as ischemic/non-ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease and genetic heart disease may impair cardiac function and lead to heart failure (HF). Each individual condition but also the common endpoint of HF may involve the brain and the immune system next to the heart. The interaction of these systems plays an important role, particularly in the pathogenesis and prognosis of HF, and stress plays a pivotal role in this interaction.

From Fragile Lives to Forensic Truth: Multimodal Forensic Approaches to Pediatric Homicide and Suspect Death.

Forensic investigation of child homicides presents unique challenges due to the vulnerability of children and the complexity of distinguishing between natural, accidental, and intentional manner of death. A multidisciplinary approach integrating traditional forensic methods with emerging technologies is crucial to ensure accurate diagnosis and effective legal outcomes. This review examines current and emerging forensic techniques used in neonate, infant, and older child homicide investigations.

The Impact of Lifestyle Medicine on Quality of Life in Female Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aims to critically evaluate the outcomes and characteristics of lifestyle medicine interventions among breast cancer survivors (BCS), with a particular emphasis on improvements in various dimensions of quality of life (QoL). A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted to identify original articles published in English from September 2012 to July 2024. Databases included PubMed, Embase, and secondary sources such as BMC, Sage Journals, Korea Science and Google Scholar.

Allostatic load and psychological characteristics of transgender individuals. Preliminary case-control findings.

Despite considerable social progress, transgender people still face multiple chronic stressors. This study evaluated the allostatic load index and assessed specific psychological characteristics between transgender and cisgender participants who were matched based on age and assigned-at-birth gender. Twenty-one transgender people (52.

Global burden of disease attributable to metabolic risk factors in adolescents and young adults aged 15-39, 1990-2021.

Background: Metabolic risk factors are a significant cause of global burden among adolescents and young adults, but there is a lack of attention to the burden attributable to these metabolic risk factors globally.

Aims: This study aims to provide comprehensive estimates of five important metabolic risk factors and the attributable disease burden in people aged 15-39 years from 1990 to 2021, based on the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) database.

Methods: Global total deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were used to describe the burden attributable to five common metabolic risk factors, including high fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high systolic blood pressure (SBP), high body mass index (BMI), and kidney dysfunction, in adolescents and young adults.

Health technology assessment of medicinal products in Greece: a 5-year (2018-2023) review of timelines and productivity.

Objectives: To assess the health technology assessment (HTA) process in Greece from its establishment in 2018 until 2023 in terms of timeliness and productivity.

Methods: Data were collected from the HTA Committee's database and other publicly available sources. The overall study timeframe was divided into three periods: (i) July 2018-January 2020, (ii) January 2020-July 2021, and (iii) July 2021-February 2023.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Ferroptosis: Following Ariadne's Thread.

Recent literature suggests that ferroptosis (FPT) may be a key player in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) pathogenesis, but the underlying mechanism(s) remain(s) unclear. Therefore, herein, we made an effort to reproduce the molecular signature of the syndrome by including FPT and exploring novel drug targets for PCOS. (a) Our previously constructed PCOS interactions molecular network was extended with the addition of FPT-associated genes (interaction score above 0.

The Role of Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 5 (Sfrp5) in Overweight and Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence.

Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (Sfrp5) is an anti-inflammatory adipokine that has been implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity and its metabolic complications. Despite the fact that numerous studies have been carried out in adults, limited data on Sfrp5 exist for youth, especially in relation to overweight and obesity. In our study, we assessed the concentrations of Sfrp5, total oxidative (TOS) and antioxidative (TAS) status, high-sensitivity -reactive protein (hs-CRP), and several cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, TNF-α) in 120 children and adolescents (mean age ± SE: 11.

Genetic determinants of age at menarche: does the LIN28B gene play a role? A narrative review.

Menarche, the first menstrual period marking the onset of female reproduction, is a milestone of female puberty. The timing of menarche determines the timing of later phases of pubertal maturation in girls and has major implications for health later in life, including behavioral and psychosocial disorders during adolescence and fertility problems and increased risk for certain diseases in adulthood. Over the last few decades, a continuous decline in age at menarche has been noted, with environmental factors contributing to this change in the timing of menarche.

Study of , , and Polymorphisms of in Relation to Age at Menarche in Girls of Greek Descent.

Background: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in , critical regulators of female growth and puberty, have been linked to age at menarche.

Methods: We assessed the association of , , and with menarcheal age in girls of Greek descent. We reviewed the records of 248 girls who had their first menstruation before 18 years and who attended the Greek Departments of Pediatric Endocrinology from January 2021 to July 2023.

Earlier Menarche in Greek Girls Born by Caesarean Section: A Case-Control Study.

The purpose of this study was to report on the menarcheal age in girls of Greek origin and assess its potential associations with their demographic and perinatal data, as well as their maternal menarcheal age. In this case-control study, adolescent girls were recruited between September 2021 and September 2022 from two Pediatric Endocrinology Units, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Eligible participants included Greek girls up to the age of 18 years, with menarche and the absence of chronic disease or chronic medication use.

Fingerprinting Breast Milk; insights into Milk Exosomics.

Breast milk, often referred to as "liquid gold," is a complex biofluid that provides essential nutrients, immune factors, and developmental cues for newborns. Recent advancements in the field of exosome research have shed light on the critical role of exosomes in breast milk. Exosomes are nanosized vesicles that carry bioactive molecules, including proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and miRNAs.

Combined Brain-Heart Imaging in Takotsubo Syndrome: Towards a Holistic Patient Assessment.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a type of cardiomyopathy usually precipitated by either emotional or physical stress and potentially leading to reversible heart failure. There is emerging evidence indicating an interaction between the brain and the heart in patients with TTS. Nevertheless, these new insights are not reflected in the current clinical approach to TTS.

Indications of younger age at menarche in Greek adolescents but with no relation to body mass index.

Purpose: This study aimed to present recent trends in the pubertal timing of a Greek female sample.

Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from medical records of healthy females aged 6-18 years who attended a tertiary Adolescent Friendly Health Center over a 5-year period (2016-2020) and included gestational age, birth anthropometrics, and age of thelarche and/or pubarche and/or menarche, along with corresponding anthropometric, hormonal, and biochemical measurements.

Results: Data from 298 girls' medical records were included in the analysis.

The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Youth with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age and female adolescents. The diagnosis of PCOS is difficult during puberty due to overlapping of the criteria with normal variations of menstruation during this age period. There are insufficient data on the gut microbiome and PCOS and potential mechanisms linking the two.

Non-Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescents with Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome May Predict Future Cardiovascular Disease.

Obesity in adolescence is associated with significant morbidity and predisposes adolescents to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although a number of traditional CVD risk factors have been identified in youth, limited data exist regarding non-traditional CVD risk factors. In 89 adolescents with metabolic syndrome (MetS), with 60 age-, gender-, and BMI-matched controls, we determined the non-traditional CVD risk factors (hs-CRP, TG/HDL ratio, ApoB/ApoA1 ratio, NAFLD) in order to investigate whether they may be used as biomarkers for predicting future CVD, and we evaluated their response to the implementation of a multidisciplinary, personalized, lifestyle intervention program for 1 year.

Childhood and Adolescent Obesity with Somatic Indicators of Stress, Inflammation, and Dysmetabolism before and after Intervention: A Meta-Analysis.

There have been numerous attempts to establish a correlation between obesity and stress, inflammatory, and dysmetabolism biomarkers in children and adolescents. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of existing studies to shed light on the elusive correlations of childhood and adolescent obesity with physiological indicators of stress, inflammation, and metabolism before and after lifestyle interventions. Observational studies, meta-analyses, narrative and systematic reviews were excluded.

Hepatokine Profile in Adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.

The current guidelines suggest routine screening for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Hepatokines seem to be promising surrogate endpoints for the diagnosis and severity of NAFLD. PCOS has its onset in adolescence and its metabolic sequalae begin during the same period.

A Systematic Review on the Adult Alpha Brainwave Activity After Essential Oil Inhalation.

Aroma extracts from plant species have been utilized since ancient times for a variety of discomforting circumstances. Aromatherapy is a recognized complementary therapeutic treatment performed in various ways such as massage or dermal application, with its main uses involving relaxation, pain relief, and stress management. Several studies have outlined that inhalation of fragrance may influence the brain function since their components can cross the blood-brain barrier and interact with central nervous system receptors.