Intergenerational interventions and their impact on active aging: A systematic review.

Background: The aging of the world's population has led to a growing need for innovative strategies to promote active aging and bridge generational divides. Intergenerational Programs (IGPs) that engage young adults (18-30 years) and older adults (65 + years) have demonstrated the potential to improve well-being and reduce ageism. However, the evidence for this pairing of ages is still fragmentary.

High Efficiency Labeling of nerve Fibers in cleared tissue for light-sheet microscopy.

Background: Tissue clearing techniques combined with light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) enable high-resolution 3D imaging of biological structures without physical sectioning. While widely used in neuroscience to determine brain architecture and connectomics, their application for spinal cord mapping remains more limited, posing challenges for studying demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis. Myelin visualization in cleared tissues is particularly difficult due to the lipid-removal nature of most clearing protocols, and alternative immunolabeling approaches failed to reach satisfying results.

Optimizing timing and dose of exogenous melatonin administration in neuropsychiatric pediatric populations: a meta-analysis on sleep outcomes.

Melatonin is known to be effective in improving sleep in pediatric patients affected by neurological and psychiatric conditions. However, no guidelines exist advising the most effective treatment schedule. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify the dose, time of administration and treatment duration associated with the maximal treatment efficacy.

Pathophysiology and treatment of exercise-associated hyponatremia.

Exercise associated hyponatremia (EAH) is a medical condition that can occur during physical exertion. Initially, EAH was considered to be restricted to extreme endurance activities, such as ultramarathons and Ironman triathlons. However, it has been more recently recognized in a variety of sports, including team sports and in shorter-duration events.

Prognostic immunotherapy score (PIS) in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab: real-world data and validation from ARON-2 dataset.

Recent years have seen the development and advent of novel combinatorial strategies based on immunotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) - based treatment has established itself as a mainstay in the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). Herein, we aimed to validate the prognostic value of a previously developed score, the Prognostic Immunotherapy Score (PIS), including female sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) and liver metastases, in patients treated with pembrolizumab for advanced UC from the ARON-2 dataset. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from Metastatic UC patients diagnosed at age ≥ 18 years.

Real-world effectiveness of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis in the UK.

Background: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is increasingly used as a one-off disease-modifying therapy for aggressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). We report real-world effectiveness of AHSCT for MS in the UK.

Methods: This retrospective open-label study included patients with (pw)MS treated with AHSCT between 2002 and 2023 in 14 UK centres.

NMR insights on multidomain proteins: the case of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein.

Studying multidomain proteins, especially those combining well-folded domains with intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), requires specific Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques to address their structural complexity. To illustrate this, we focus here on the nucleocapsid protein from SARS-CoV-2, which includes both structured and disordered regions. We applied a suite of NMR methods, combining ARTINA software for automatic assignment and structure modelling with multi-receiver experiments that simultaneously capture signals from different nuclear spins, increasing both data quality and acquisition efficiency.

A Rare Case of Single Coronary Artery With Pulmonary Artery Fistula.

Background: Single coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly. Its coexistence with coronary artery fistula is exceedingly uncommon.

Case Summary: A 61-year-old woman with no cardiovascular risk factors underwent her first cardiological evaluation after incidental detection of atrial fibrillation.

Gastrointestinal involvement in very early and established systemic sclerosis: insights from the SPRING-SIR national Italian registry.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and Very Early Diagnosis of SSc (VEDOSS), identify clinical and serological features associated with GI involvement, and explore a cranio-caudal pattern of symptom distribution, using data from the Italian SPRING-SIR registry.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included patients fulfilling 2013 ACR/EULAR SSc or VEDOSS criteria. GI involvement was defined as symptoms in at least one GI tract segment and categorized as upper and lower.

Step-by-step anatomical photovaporization of the prostate using 180-W XPS greenlight laser: optimizing functional outcomes through energy modulation.

Background: The surgical management of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has considerably evolved through recent years. Nonetheless, benefits and harms of several laser procedures are still to be determined. The study aimed to report perioperative and early functional results of patients treated with anatomical photo vaporization of the prostate (aPVP).

Persistent progression independent of relapse activity in multiple sclerosis.

Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) may experience disability progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA), which can be an early sign of secondary progressive MS (SPMS). We defined persistent PIRA as ongoing sustained disability over the entire available follow-up period. However, PIRA events can regress over time.

Sex differences in brain glucose metabolism in alzheimer's disease: A voxel-based study.

A growing body of evidence shows significant sex differences in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) epidemiology, clinical presentation, and pathology burden; however, sex differences in neuroimaging biomarkers remain underexplored, prompting recent calls to action for more targeted research in this field. We analyzed static brain positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 2-[F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) from 247 elderly individuals with AD dementia, including 151 women and 96 men. Voxel-based analysis was used to detect reductions in FDG uptake in each sex relative to a publicly shared normative database and to identify sex differences in FDG uptake within the AD cohort.

Deep Learning Modeling to Differentiate Multiple Sclerosis From MOG Antibody-Associated Disease.

Background And Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is common in adults while myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is rare. Our previous machine-learning algorithm, using clinical variables, ≤6 brain lesions, and no Dawson fingers, achieved 79% accuracy, 78% sensitivity, and 80% specificity in distinguishing MOGAD from MS but lacked validation. The aim of this study was to (1) evaluate the clinical/MRI algorithm for distinguishing MS from MOGAD, (2) develop a deep learning (DL) model, (3) assess the benefit of combining both, and (4) identify key differentiators using probability attention maps (PAMs).

Cerebrovascular Reactivity at Rest and Its Association With Cognitive Function in People With Genetic Frontotemporal Dementia.

Background And Objectives: Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is an indicator of cerebrovascular health, and its signature in familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD) remains unknown. The primary aim was to investigate CVR in genetic FTD using an fMRI index of vascular contractility termed resting-state fluctuation amplitudes (RSFAs) and to assess whether RSFA differences are moderated by age. A secondary aim was to study the relationship between RSFA and cognition.

Estrogen-regulated renal progenitors determine pregnancy adaptation and preeclampsia.

The global burden of kidney disease displays marked sexual dimorphism. Lineage tracing and single-cell RNA-sequencing revealed that starting from puberty, estrogen signaling in female mice supports self-renewal and differentiation of renal progenitors to increase filtration capacity, reducing sensitivity to glomerular injury compared with that of males. This phenomenon accelerated as female kidneys adapted to the workload of pregnancy.

Use of fexinidazole in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: a retrospective analysis of cases treated in Lui Hospital, South Sudan (2018-2024).

Purpose: Fexinidazole, an oral molecule, replaced pentamidine and combined treatment with nifurtimox and eflornithine (NECT) therapy for stage 1 and non-severe stage 2 gambiense human African Trypanosomiasis (g-HAT), respectively. The study aims to evidence differences of outcome at discharge and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) between fexinidazole and pentamidine/NECT regimens in patients with stage 1 and non-severe stage 2 g-HAT admitted to Lui Hospital (Western Equatoria, South Sudan), a historical g-HAT focus.

Methods: Data of patients (n = 86) admitted to Lui Hospital from July 2018 to June 2024 with g-HAT diagnosis were included.

A Journey between Neurons and Astrocytes: A Tribute to Giorgio Carmignoto.

The intimate relation between astrocytes and blood vessels was proposed by Camillo Golgi in 1870. Santiago Ramon y Cajal subsequently introduced the idea of astrocytes as regulators of functional hyperaemia accompanying neuronal activity in 1895. In 2003 Giorgio Carmignoto, Micaela Zonta, Tullio Pozzan and their colleagues revealed mechanisms of astrocytic control over vasodilatation.

Dietary Cannabidiol Supplementation on Growth Performance, Behavior, Blood Profile, Metabolomic Analysis, and Fatty Acid Composition in Rabbits: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Improve Welfare and Productivity.

This study evaluated the effects of dietary cannabidiol (CBD) supplementation on behavior, blood parameters, oxidative status, metabolomic profile, and the fatty acid composition of meat and liver in rabbits. A total of 42 New Zealand White × California rabbits (60 days old; 1:1 sex ratio; average weight 1621.3 ± 46.

Quaternary Habitat Fluctuations and Demographic Dynamics in Turtles Inferred From Environmental Niche Modelling and Whole Genome Data.

Quaternary climatic fluctuations had a substantial influence on ecosystems, species distribution, phenology and genetic diversity, driving extinction, adaptation and demographic shifts during glacial periods and postglacial expansions. Integration of genomic data and environmental niche modelling can provide valuable insights on how organisms responded to past environmental variations and contribute to assessing vulnerability and resilience to ongoing climatic challenges. Among vertebrates, turtles are particularly vulnerable to habitat changes because of distinctive life history traits and the effect of environmental conditions on physiology and survival.

TDP-43-immunity-microbiota axis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A potential pathogenic mechanism.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating neurodegenerative disease marked by progressive motor neuron degeneration. Despite extensive research, effective treatments remain elusive, underscoring the need to explore the molecular mechanisms driving disease progression. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis complexity is further compounded by its large heterogeneity, encompassing both genetic and sporadic forms, diverse phenotypic presentations, and highly variable progression rates.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis affects intestinal sensitivity through epithelium-to-neuron signaling: novel insights from a colon organoid-based model to improve visceral pain therapy.

Chronic gastrointestinal pain is a hallmark of most intestinal pathologies, yet effective treatments remain elusive given the complexity of the underlying mechanisms. Aiming to investigate the intestinal epithelium contribution to visceral pain modulation in dysbiosis context, we first demonstrated that intracolonic instillation of microbe-free fecal supernatants from mice with post-inflammatory dysbiosis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (FS) provokes visceral hypersensitivity in recipient mice. Epithelium involvement in the response to FS was analyzed through a novel approach comprising murine epithelial colon organoids and primary dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons.

Incidence, etiologies, and outcomes of severe pediatric community-acquired empyema before and after the pandemic: an Italian multicentric study.

Unlabelled: An increase in severe and invasive infections has been reported since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, most evidence comes from monocentric studies without nationwide representativeness. This multicenter, nationwide, retrospective study, conducted within the network of the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SITIP), aimed to compare the severity of empyema at presentation in children (aged 1 month to 18 years) admitted to 19 Italian hospitals before, during, and after the pandemic.

Adaptation of the Italian Version of the Mealtime Assessment Scale in Pediatric Population (MAS-p).

Unlike what is observed in the adult population, in paediatric rehabilitation, no reliable and validated observational tools are available in the Italian language to evaluate subjects considered to be at risk for swallowing disorders, regardless of the pathology. The aim of this study was to adapt the Mealtime Assessment Scale (MAS) to a paediatric population. Additionally, internal consistency, intra-rater and inter-rater agreement, concurrent validity and discriminative ability were investigated to assess validity and reliability of the scale.

Triple A Plus (AAA) Survival Prediction Model for Essential Thrombocythemia: Analysis Involving 7308 Patients.

Survival prediction models in essential thrombocythemia (ET) include the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSET) and the more recently introduced triple-A (AAA) prognostic score. The latter enlists age and absolute neutrophil (ANC) and lymphocyte (ALC) counts as risk variables. In the current study, a Mayo Clinic discovery cohort of 658 patients with ET was used to identify AAA-independent risk variables.