Fragility

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare, idiopathic, progressive, obstructive, vasculopathy affecting primarily the terminal portions of the intracerebral internal carotid arteries, typically at the base of the brain. It is more commonly seen in people of East Asian descent. The moyamoya phenomenon refers to the characteristic appearance of the tangle of fine blood vessels, also described as a puff of smoke. Moyamoya syndrome (MMS) refers to the constriction-induced chronic brain ischemia that is believed to cause overexpression of proangiogenic factors, creating a fragile network of collateral capillaries...

OBJECTIVE: Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the leading monogenic cause of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. Currently, there are no established biomarkers for predicting and monitoring drug effects in FXS, and no approved therapies are available. Previous studies have shown electrophysiological changes in the brain using electroencephalography (EEG) in individuals with FXS and animal models. These changes may be influenced by drug therapies. In this study, we aimed to assess the reliability of resting-state EEG measures in individuals with FXS, which could potentially serve as a biomarker for drug discovery...

We present the case of a dialyzed patient with relapsed IgA and lambda free light chain multiple myeloma treated with elranatamab. Despite end-stage renal impairment, the treatment with anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA)xCD3 bispecific antibody proved to be feasible, without unexpected side effects. Increased attention to infectious risk is crucial for these doubly fragile patients.

BACKGROUND: Proximal anterior cerebral artery (PACA) aneurysms account for less than 1% of all intracranial aneurysms. These aneurysms possess a challenge to surgeons due to their small size, wide base, fragile wall, and accompanying vascular anomalies. Surgery and endovascular treatment are both effective treatment options for PACA aneurysms but there is currently no consensus on which is the method of choice. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate treatment strategies for aneurysms at proximal anterior cerebral artery...

Ex vivo tissue engineering is an effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of severe cartilage diseases that require tissue replenishment or replacement. This strategy demands scaffolds that are durable enough for long-term cell culture to form artificial tissue. Additionally, such scaffolds must be biocompatible to prevent the transplanted matrix from taking a toll on the patient's body. From the viewpoint of structure and bio-absorbability, a β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) fiber scaffold (βTFS) is expected to serve as a good scaffold for tissue engineering...

UNLABELLED: An artificial intelligence-based case-finding strategy has been developed to systematically identify individuals with osteoporosis or at varying risk of fragility fracture. This strategy has the potential to close the critical care gap in osteoporosis treatment in primary care, thereby lessening the societal burden imposed by fragility fractures. BACKGROUND: Osteoporotic fractures represent a major cause of morbidity and, in older adults, a precursor of disability, loss of independence, poor quality of life and premature death...

Schizophrenia is associated with increased risk of medical comorbidity, possibly including osteoporosis, which is a public health concern due to its significant social and health consequences. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to determine whether schizophrenia is associated with bone fragility. The protocol for this review has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020171959). The research question and inclusion/exclusion criteria were developed and presented according to the PECO (Population, Exposure, Comparison, Outcome) framework...

BACKGROUND: Quality assessment of modified or processed red blood cell (RBC) components, such as pathogen-reduced RBCs, using only in vitro testing may not always be predictive of in vivo performance. Mouse or rat in vivo models are limited by a lack of applicability to certain aspects of human RBC biology. Here, we used a guinea pig model to study the effects of riboflavin combined with UV light on the integrity of RBCs in vitro and following transfusion in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Guinea pig RBCs were collected from whole blood (WB) treated with varying UV doses (10, 20, 40 or 80 J/mL) in the presence of riboflavin (UVR-RBCs)...

According to international experience, the conditions for the successful outcome of a psychiatric reform are the following: (a) Existence of political will (supporting a national plan with assessment, monitoring, and corrective intervention procedures for structural dysfunctions, etc.). (b) Strong mental health leadership (executive expertise and skills that advance the public health agenda). (c) Challenging the dominance of the biomedical model in therapeutic practice through the promotion of holistic care practices, evidence-based innovative actions, collaborative care, the promotion of recovery culture, and the and the use of innovative digital tools...

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium (Ti) cranioplasty implants ideal outcomes are good esthetics, long-term stability, and protection of the fragile brain tissue. However, it is unclear whether PEEK implants can offer an equal alternative to Ti implants. This work aimed to critically review papers and case series published on both Ti and PEEK Cranioplasty regarding complications, clinical outcomes, ease of use, esthetics, manufacture and availability, cost and time-saving factors, postoperative quality of life (QOL), as well as their suitability for the fronto-orbito region reconstruction...

INTRODUCTION: In bilingual communities, knowing the language each speaker uses may support language separation and, later, guide language use in a context-appropriate manner. Previous research has shown that infants begin to form primary associations between the face and the language used by a speaker around the age of 3 months. However, there is still a limited understanding of how robust these associations are and whether they are influenced by the linguistic background of the infant...

INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of diseases often characterized by poor sociability and challenges in social communication. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a core brain region for social function. Whether it contributes to the defects of social communication in ASD and whether it could be physiologically modulated to improve social communication have been poorly investigated. This study is aimed at addressing these questions. METHODS: Fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) mutant and valproic acid (VPA)-induced ASD mice were used...

This paper investigates the effects of the economic shock produced by the COVID-19 outbreak and diffusion on households'. Through a survey administered to Italian households, without loss of generality, we investigate changes in financial and economic decisions and the households' ability to cope with daily purchases, repay their debt obligations and face unexpected expenses. The paper also applies a statistical learning model through a synthetic indicator for the financial vulnerability of households, integrating the relevant information on the financial literacy and education of the surveyed individuals...

BACKGROUND/AIM: There are no current guidelines to help clinicians decide whether patients with adult neuromuscular disease (NMD) should be screened or treated for osteoporosis (OP). This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of OP in patients with various types of NMD and to examine the relationship between OP evaluation parameters and functional status, daily living activities, balance, and ambulation levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 45 patients with NMDs...

BACKGROUND: Prion diseases in mammals are caused by the structural conversion of the natural prion protein (PrPC ) to a pathogenic isoform, the "scrapie form of prion protein (PrPSc )." Several studies reported that the shadow of prion protein (Sho), encoded by the shadow of prion protein gene ( SPRN ), is involved in prion disease development by accelerating the conformational conversion of PrPC to PrPSc . Until now, genetic polymorphisms of the SPRN gene and the protein structure of Sho related to fragility to prion disease have not been investigated in pheasants, which are a species of poultry...

AIM: This study aimed to analyse perceptions, knowledge and ways of incorporating screening tools for mental disorders (MDs) into the daily practice of physicians working in primary health care (PHC) in the Brazilian public health system. METHODS: This is a descriptive qualitative study with a sample of 24 physicians. The data collected in the semi-structured interviews were subjected to reflective thematic analysis. RESULTS: The use of screening tools was low, not only due to lack of knowledge, but also due to reasoned criticism of this strategy developed by physicians trained in PHC...

Global developmental delay (GDD) and intellectual disability (ID) are relatively common neurodevelopmental disorders that significantly impact affected children, their families, and society. The etiology of GDD/ID is notably diverse, encompassing both genetic and acquired factors. Although the precise cause of most GDD/ID cases remains unclear, an estimated half of all cases can be attributed to genetic factors. Thus, a detailed medical history and comprehensive physical examination remain pivotal for guiding diagnostic investigations into the underlying causes of GDD/ID...

Cardiac amyloidosis represents a spectrum of conditions characterized by the accumulation of insoluble fibrils, resulting in progressive deposition and myocardial dysfunction. The exact mechanisms contributing to the heightened risk of thromboembolic events and bleeding tendencies in cardiac amyloidosis remain unclear. Proteins such as transthyretin in transthyretin amyloidosis and light chains in light chain amyloidosis, along with acute phase proteins in AA amyloidosis, play complex roles in the coagulation cascade, affecting both coagulation initiation and fibrinolysis regulation...

The exceptional biocompatibility and adaptability of hydrogels have garnered significant interest in the biomedical field for the fabrication of biomedical devices. However, conventional synthetic hydrogels still exhibit relatively weak and fragile properties. Drawing inspiration from the photosynthesis process, we developed a facile approach to achieve a harmonious combination of superior mechanical properties and efficient preparation of silk fibroin hydrogel through photo-cross-linking technology, accomplished within 60 s...

PURPOSE: The bone strain index (BSI) is a marker of bone deformation based on a finite element analysis inferred from dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, that has been proposed as a predictor of fractures in osteoporosis (i.e., higher BSI indicates a lower bone's resistance to loads with consequent higher risk of fractures). We aimed to investigate the association between lumbar BSI and vertebral fractures (VFs) in acromegaly. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with acromegaly (13 males, mean age 58 years; three with active disease) were evaluated for morphometric VFs, trabecular bone score (TBS), bone mineral density (BMD) and BSI at lumbar spine, the latter being corrected for the kyphosis as measured by low-dose X-ray imaging system (EOS®-2D/3D)...