As research and services in the Mediterranean region continue to increase, so do opportunities for global collaboration. To support such collaborations, the Alzheimer's Association was due to hold ...its seventh Alzheimer's Association International Conference Satellite Symposium in Athens, Greece in 2021. Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the meeting was held virtually, which enabled attendees from around the world to hear about research efforts in Greece and the surrounding Mediterranean countries. Research updates spanned understanding the biology of, treatments for, and care of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD_ and other dementias. Researchers in the Mediterranean region have outlined the local epidemiology of AD and dementia, and have identified regional populations that may expedite genetic studies. Development of biomarkers is expected to aid early and accurate diagnosis. Numerous efforts have been made to develop culturally specific interventions to both reduce risk of dementia, and to improve quality of life for people living with dementia.
Background
The relationship between anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies and cardiovascular events is uncertain and may vary according to arterial location.
Materials and methods
FRENA is an ongoing ...registry of stable outpatients with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD) or peripheral artery disease (PAD). The rate of subsequent ischaemic events was cross‐referenced with the presence of aCL antibodies (any isotype, IgG or IgM).
Results
As of June 2017, 1387 stable outpatients were recruited. Of these, 120 (8.7%) showed positive levels of aCL antibodies. Over an average follow‐up of 18 months, 250 patients developed subsequent events: 101 myocardial infarction, 57 ischaemic stroke and 92 critical leg events. Patients with positive aCL antibodies had a higher risk of distal artery events (a composite of ischaemic stroke or critical leg events) than patients with undetectable or low levels (rate ratio: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.07‐2.60). However, an association with central coronary events was not found. The multivariate Cox analysis after adjustment for relevant clinical covariates showed that positivity of aCL antibodies is an independent risk factor for distal events (hazard ratio: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.01‐2.55; P < .05).
Conclusions
Positivity of aCL antibodies is associated with an increased risk of subsequent distal artery ischaemic events (cerebral or leg arteries) but not coronary artery events. Anticardiolipin antibodies appear to have a different relationship on the localisation of ischaemic events in patients with symptomatic artery disease.
Spheroids are three-dimensional cellular models with widespread basic and translational application across academia and industry. However, methodological transparency and guidelines for spheroid ...research have not yet been established. The MISpheroID Consortium developed a crowdsourcing knowledgebase that assembles the experimental parameters of 3,058 published spheroid-related experiments. Interrogation of this knowledgebase identified heterogeneity in the methodological setup of spheroids. Empirical evaluation and interlaboratory validation of selected variations in spheroid methodology revealed diverse impacts on spheroid metrics. To facilitate interpretation, stimulate transparency and increase awareness, the Consortium defines the MISpheroID string, a minimum set of experimental parameters required to report spheroid research. Thus, MISpheroID combines a valuable resource and a tool for three-dimensional cellular models to mine experimental parameters and to improve reproducibility.
This study aimed to explore different substances (or cold sea water) as potential anesthetic agents to facilitate short-term handling in
Octopus maya
juveniles. We investigated oxygen consumption ...before (baseline), during (first 600 s of exposure) and after anesthesia (recovery) of octopuses (
n
= 98; 1.67 ± 0.5 g) exposed to cold sea water (SW; 11 and 13°C), ethanol (EtOH; 0.5; 1.5 and 3.0%), magnesium chloride (MgCl
2
; 0.75; 1.5 and 3.75%), ethanol combined with magnesium chloride (Mix; 1.5:0.75%; 0.75:1.13%; and 2.25:0.37%) and clove oil (0.15 mL L
–1
). After exposure, the animals were handled for 180 s (exposed to air) and weighted. Two experimental groups not exposed to anesthetics (with or without handling) were also evaluated. The criteria for general anesthesia were analysed. Times of induction and recovery, incidence of attack response after recovery and possible longer-term effects of repeated general anesthesia on growth and mortality of the octopuses were evaluated. During anesthesia,
O. maya
juveniles exposed to SW (11 and 13°C), EtOH (0.5; 1.5 and 3.0%), Mix (0.75:1.13%), and clove oil, presented a significant decrease on oxygen consumption. In animals exposed to different concentrations of EtOH and Mix 0.75:1.13%, this decrease was registered after an increase on oxygen consumption. Animals exposed to MgCl
2
did not show significant changes on oxygen consumption, except for animals exposed MgCl
2
3.75%, which showed a significant increase on oxygen consumption. At the end of recovery, except for octopuses exposed to clove oil and MgCl
2
0.75%, the values of oxygen consumption observed were comparable to the ones registered during baseline. Animals exposed to SW 11°C, EtOH 3.0%, Mix 1.5:0.75% and MgCl
2
3.75% fulfilled the criteria defined for general anesthesia. Exposure to MgCl
2
(all concentrations), SW 13°C and clove oil reduced or inhibited the incidence of attack response after recovery. Except for animals exposed to clove oil, growth of the juveniles was not affected by the exposure to the different substances. Short-term handling (180 s) of
O. maya
juveniles can eventually be carried out without anesthesia. However, to facilitated handling, we suggest the use of EtOH 3.0% or cold sea water 11°C.
The Paediatric Eosinophilic Oesophagitis Module (PedsQL-EoE) was developed in English as a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with EoE. The ...aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the PedsQL-EoE that was previously adapted to Spanish by our group.
This cross-sectional multicentre study was conducted in 36 paediatric gastroenterology units. Groups with and without dietary restrictions were studied separately. The PedsQL-EoE consists of 33 items divided into seven factors. Age-specific versions of the PedsQL-EoE were sent by e-mail to children and parents. Statistical analysis was used to study the questionnaire structure by means of exploratory factor analysis and interitem correlations. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to verify the proposed model as well as its psychometric properties through SMSR (standardized root mean square), outer loadings and R-square. To study construct validity and reliability, Cronbach´s alpha coefficient, convergent validity (AVE), discriminant validity (HTMT) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used.
A total of 341 children and 394 parents participated with 307 matched answers. The median age was 12 years, and 75% were male. The questionnaire structure explained 68% and 66% of the total variance for parents and children, respectively. Five items showed negative correlations and were removed from the questionnaire. CFA applied to the new model supported the following construct: SMRS was less than 0.08, outer loadings measured above 0.5, and R
explained more than 89% of the total variance. Once the modifications were performed, good internal consistency was demonstrated, with Cronbach's alpha values > 0.7, AVE values > 0.5 and HTMT < 0.9 with good child/parent agreement (ICC = 0.80). The most robust model of the PedsQL-EoE module was formed by seven factors: Symptoms I (6 items), Symptoms II (4 items), Treatment (4 items), Worries (3 items), Communication (5 items), Food and Eating (3 items) and Food Feelings (3 items).
The final PedsQL-EoE Module version, after the removal of five items, is a valid and reliable tool to be used in children with EoE. The Spanish validated version appears to be a useful instrument for measuring the impact of EoE on Spanish children´s quality of life.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This article reports on the effect of Al2O3 and B2O3 added as dopants on the preparation of glass‐ceramics (GCs) belonging to the lithium silicate glass system. The GCs are prepared by sintering ...route using glass powders. The reasons for the crystallization of the metastable crystalline phase lithium metasilicate (LS) are discussed and the impact of the dopants on the thermodynamics and kinetics of crystallization is investigated. The addition of dopants modifies the thermodynamic equilibrium of the system and this change is mainly entropy driven and also slowdown the kinetics of crystallization. Differential thermal analysis and hot‐stage microscopy are employed to investigate the glass‐forming ability, sintering, and crystallization behavior of the studied glasses. The crystalline phase assemblage studied under nonisothermal heating conditions in the temperature range of 800°C–900°C in air. Well sintered and dense glass‐ceramics are obtained after sintering of glass powders at 850°C–900°C for 1 h featuring crystalline phase assemblage dominated by lithium disilicate (LS2).
This is the first report on the association between trauma exposure and depression from the
dvancing
nderstanding of
ec
very afte
traum
(AURORA) multisite longitudinal study of adverse post-traumatic ...neuropsychiatric sequelae (APNS) among participants seeking emergency department (ED) treatment in the aftermath of a traumatic life experience.
We focus on participants presenting at EDs after a motor vehicle collision (MVC), which characterizes most AURORA participants, and examine associations of participant socio-demographics and MVC characteristics with 8-week depression as mediated through peritraumatic symptoms and 2-week depression.
Eight-week depression prevalence was relatively high (27.8%) and associated with several MVC characteristics (being passenger
driver; injuries to other people). Peritraumatic distress was associated with 2-week but not 8-week depression. Most of these associations held when controlling for peritraumatic symptoms and, to a lesser degree, depressive symptoms at 2-weeks post-trauma.
These observations, coupled with substantial variation in the relative strength of the mediating pathways across predictors, raises the possibility of diverse and potentially complex underlying biological and psychological processes that remain to be elucidated in more in-depth analyses of the rich and evolving AURORA database to find new targets for intervention and new tools for risk-based stratification following trauma exposure.
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult-onset, sporadic synucleinopathy characterized by parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and dysautonomia. The genetic architecture of MSA is poorly understood, and ...treatments are limited to supportive measures. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of whole genome sequence data from 888 European-ancestry MSA cases and 7,128 controls to systematically investigate the genetic underpinnings of this understudied neurodegenerative disease. We identified four significantly associated risk loci using a genome-wide association study approach. Transcriptome-wide association analyses prioritized USP38-DT, KCTD7, and lnc-KCTD7-2 as novel susceptibility genes for MSA within these loci, and single-nucleus RNA sequence analysis found that the associated variants acted as cis-expression quantitative trait loci for multiple genes across neuronal and glial cell types. In conclusion, this study highlights the role of genetic determinants in the pathogenesis of MSA, and the publicly available data from this study represent a valuable resource for investigating synucleinopathies.
Display omitted
•Generation of a foundational genomic resource in multiple system atrophy•GWAS identifies novel risk loci at GAB1, lnc-LRRC49-3, TENM2, and RABGEF1•Functional genomics implicates USP38-DT, KCTD7, and lnc-KCTD7-2 within these loci•Gene-burden analysis identifies nominal enrichment of rare missense mutations in KCTD7
Chia et al. comprehensively analyzed genome sequence data from patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and controls. The study identified four novel risk loci associated with MSA and prioritized significantly associated genes (USP38-DT, KCTD7, and lnc-KCTD7-2) within these loci. This initiative's data constitute a valuable resource for the research community.
Objective
To assess the quality of the therapeutic approach in Specialized Headache Units in Spain.
Methods
An observational (prospective) study was conducted. Anonymized data of 313 consecutive ...patients during a defined period of time were analyzed and a comparison of performance in 13 consensual quality indicators between Specialized Headache Units and neurology consultations was calculated. Specialized Units and neurology consultations represented the type of provision that Spaniards receive in hospitals.
Results
The consensus benchmark standard was reached for 8/13 (61%) indicators. Specialized Headache Units performed better in the indicators, specifically in relation to accessibility, equity, safety, and patient satisfaction. Patients attended in Specialized Headache Units had more complex conditions.
Conclusion
Although there is variability among Specialized Headache Units, the overall quality was generally better than in traditional neurology consultations in Spain.
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