Search Results (26)

Leptin, a hormone primarily produced by adipose tissue, regulates energy balance and appetite, while contributing significantly to obesity and cancer progression. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) refers to the process by which aggressive tumor cells form blood vessel-like structures, enabling blood supply independent of endothelial angiogenesis. Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) facilitates tumor progression and metastasis. This study investigated the role of MTA1 in the relationship between leptin and VM in human breast cancer cells. Leptin upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of MTA1, as revealed by a quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. However, the Western blot revealed that leptin-induced MTA1 upregulation was inhibited by the leptin receptor (Ob-R) blocker, Ob-R BP, and the signal transducer and activator of the transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor, AG490. The overexpression of MTA1 was observed to induce VM in a three-dimensional culture assay and to upregulate the expression of VM-related proteins, as confirmed by the Western blot. Conversely, silencing MTA1 suppressed leptin-induced VM and the expression of VM-related proteins. These findings indicate that leptin regulates MTA1 expression through the Ob-R/STAT3 signaling pathway and that MTA1 serves as a crucial mediator of leptin-induced VM. Full article

Background and Objectives: Although psychiatric disorders in early childhood are increasingly recognized, comprehensive clinical data from large samples in this age group remain limited. This study presents one of the largest and longest-term evaluations in Türkiye of children aged 0–72 months referred to child psychiatry. It aims to identify the most common presenting complaints, diagnostic patterns, and key predictors of psychotropic medication initiation in a previously understudied age group. Materials and Methods: This retrospective analysis included 3312 children aged 0–72 months who presented to the outpatient child psychiatry clinic of Trakya University Medical Faculty Hospital in Edirne, Türkiye. Clinical records were reviewed to extract data on presenting complaints, psychiatric diagnoses, psychotropic medication initiation, and demographic details, including age and sex. Results: The most common presenting complaints were “delayed speech development”, “irritability/frustration”, “hyperactivity”, “requests for medical reports”, and “stuttering.” These complaints were more prevalent among children who received psychiatric diagnoses. Psychiatric diagnoses were more common in boys. Boys also presented at older ages and had longer follow-up durations. Psychotropic medications were initiated in 26.9% of the cases. The most frequently reported side effects were loss of appetite and drowsiness. Logistic regression analysis revealed that specific complaints were significantly predictive of initiating medication. These included “inability to speak”, “irritability/frustration”, “hyperactivity”, “lack of eye contact”, “aggression”, “school refusal”, “sleep problems”, and “fears.” Conclusions: This study revealed that some early childhood complaints, such as “inability to speak”, “restlessness”, “hyperactivity”, and “not making eye contact”, are strong predictors of both psychiatric diagnosis and initiation of psychotropic medication. The findings highlight the usefulness of structured assessment protocols in early childhood psychiatric services. The implementation of systematic screening for risk symptoms may facilitate early diagnosis and support more appropriate and timely treatment approaches, especially in resource-limited regions. Full article

In-hospital patients who are in the gynecologic oncology setting often suffer from malnutrition, which is one of the primary problems, the rate of which reportedly ranges from 28% to 70%. Malnutrition is a significant risk factor for immunosuppression, negatively impacting immune response and postoperative recovery capacity. At the time of the surgeries, due to their wide scope and aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the situation becomes more serious. Those micronutrients taking part in immunonutrition, namely, arginine, omega-3 fatty acids, nucleotides, and antioxidants, have the potential to prevent inflammation, protect against infections, and promote healing after the surgery. Research has shown that immunonutrition can lower the risk of postoperative infection, promote the normal healing of wounds, and reduce the hospital stays of patients, as well as support malnutrition status during chemotherapy. This review is based on a literature search conducted in Medline, Scopus, Clinicaltrials.gov, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Google Scholar, with the last search date being November 2024. Some studies. found that perioperative immunonutrition decreases wound infections and affects some immune indexes in gynecologic oncology patients positively. However, factors such as non-compliant patients, high costs, and non-standard formulations can deter its wider use. Patient adherence drops postoperatively mainly due to nausea and decreased appetite, whereas the cost of enriched formulations acts as an economic barrier. Postoperative compliance drops from ~78% prior to surgery to ~28% due to nausea, anorexia, and chemotherapy. Additionally, cost remains a constraining factor since special formulas are 2–4 times that of normal nutrition. While immunonutrition reduces hospital stay (by ~2–3 days) and infection rate (by 25–40%), access is hindered by prohibitive initial costs and lack of insurance coverage. Approaches such as subsidized schemes, enhanced palatability, and cost–benefit analyses are required to increase adoption. In addition, the lack of standardized protocols makes the clinical community hesitant to adopt this approach. Immunonutrition is, despite these problems, still hoped to be the new adjunct to gynecologic oncology patients. In future studies, it is imperative to pay attention to the best formulations that produce the best outcomes and evaluate and implement guidelines that are based on evidence. Together, with these improvements, immunonutrition could very well be an integral part of perioperative care thus completing the process by which patients in intense treatments are benefited not only via treatment but also via quality of life. Full article

Background: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is an aggressive, life-threatening condition commonly observed in young children. Distinguishing primary HLH from secondary HLH, such as malignancy-associated HLH, can be challenging, potentially leading to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Case presentation: A 16-month-old female presented with fever, decreased appetite, and rhinorrhea. A review of the peripheral blood smear revealed anemia and leukopenia, with absolute neutropenia characterized by a high lymphocyte count (approximately 80% were T cells by flow cytometry). Flow cytometry was negative for immunophenotypically abnormal cells. Initially, the cytopenia was attributed to a viral infection. However, the cytopenia did not improve, and a bone marrow evaluation revealed evidence of HLH but no immunophenotypically abnormal population. An extensive work-up for HLH, including next-generation sequencing (NGS) and cytogenetic testing identified the KMT2A::MLLT3 fusion transcript, indicating malignancy-associated HLH in the setting of evolving leukemia. Because there was no increase in blasts or immunophenotypically abnormal cells, the diagnosis of leukemia could not be made at that time. The patient was closely monitored and, seven weeks later, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia/acute monocytic leukemia. In addition to the KMT2A::MLLT3 fusion, pathogenic variants in the PTPN11 and FLT3 genes were detected by NGS. Conclusions: The presentation of evolving acute monocytic leukemia can be nonspecific, mimicking conditions such as HLH, without an initial increase in immature cells or monocytes. Maintaining a broad differential diagnosis and including comprehensive molecular genetic testing may facilitate early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Full article

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent one of the most critical factors contributing to the manifestation of psychiatric disorders later in life. Furthermore, such experiences are often associated with deficits in interpersonal relationships, manifesting as mistrust and violent behaviors, and are indicative of a fragmented personality. This study aimed to analyze the correlative relationships between personality deficits influenced by ACEs and the expression of reactive and appetitive aggression using self-report questionnaires in 53 male forensic psychiatric patients with a drug dependency background detained under §64 of the German Criminal Code between 2019 and 2022. Instruments included the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SF), the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure Scale–German Version (KERF), and the Appetitive and Facilitative Aggression Scale (AFAS). Specifically, the OPD-SF used the following subscales: self-perception, self-regulation, the regulation of object relations, emotional communication inward/outward, internal/external attachment, and total score. The results demonstrate a significant relationship between childhood traumatic experiences, personality structure, attachment capacity, self-perception, and regulation and the expression of both reactive and appetitive aggression. While the association with reactive aggression is intuitively plausible, the findings notably reveal that the propensity to derive pleasure from violence is also associated with personality deficits caused by adverse childhood experiences. These findings have important implications for the treatment of offenders with personality disorders and should be considered in therapeutic interventions. Full article

With generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) capturing public attention, the appetite of the technology sector for larger and more complex Deep Learning (DL) models is continuously growing. Traditionally, the focus in DL model development has been on scaling the neural network’s foundational structure to increase computational complexity and enhance the representational expressiveness of the model. However, with recent advancements in edge computing and 5G networks, DL models are now aggressively being deployed and utilized across the cloud–edge–IoT continuum for the realization of in situ intelligent IoT services. This paradigm shift introduces a growing need for AI practitioners, as a focus on inference costs, including latency, computational overhead, and energy efficiency, is long overdue. This work presents a benchmarking framework designed to assess DL model scaling across three key performance axes during model inference: classification accuracy, computational overhead, and latency. The framework’s utility is demonstrated through an empirical study involving various model structures and variants, as well as publicly available datasets for three popular DL use cases covering natural language understanding, object detection, and regression analysis. Full article

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological disease and lifelong condition. The treatment gap in ASD has led to growing interest in alternative therapies, particularly in phytocannabinoids, which are naturally present in Cannabis sativa. Studies indicate that treatment with cannabidiol (CBD)-rich cannabis may possess the potential to improve fundamental ASD symptoms as well as comorbid symptoms. This systematic review aims to assess the safety and efficacy of CBD-rich cannabis in alleviating the symptoms of ASD in both children and adults, addressing the treatment gap and growing interest in CBD as an alternative treatment. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in February 2024 using the PUBMED and Scopus databases while following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search focused on studies from 2020 onward involving human populations diagnosed with ASD and treated with CBD. Four studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The review included 353 participants with ASD from studies conducted in Israel, Turkey, and Brazil. The studies varied in design, sample size, dose, and treatment duration. Dosages of CBD were often combined with trace amounts of THC. Improvements were noted in behavioral symptoms, social responsiveness, and communication, but cognitive benefits were less consistent. Adverse effects ranged in severity. Mild effects such as somnolence and decreased appetite were common, while more concerning effects, including increased aggression, led to some cases of treatment discontinuation. CBD-rich cannabis shows promise in improving behavioral symptoms associated with ASD. However, variations in study designs, dosages, and outcome measures highlight the need for standardized assessment tools and further research to understand pharmacological interactions and optimize treatment protocols. Despite the mild adverse effects observed, larger, well-controlled trials are necessary to establish comprehensive safety and efficacy profiles. Full article

Numerous studies have linked lower levels of serum cholesterol with heightened aggression, violent crimes, and violent deaths across diverse populations, including forensic psychiatric patients, criminals, and the broad public. Interestingly, this association appears to be more pronounced in men than in women. Conversely, findings regarding serum triglycerides present a more nuanced picture, with some studies indicating heightened aggression with elevated levels and others suggesting the opposite. However, most studies have neglected to examine this phenomenon in conjunction with psychological traits. Additionally, no prior research has explored the association between serum lipid levels and different types of aggression, e.g., reactive, instrumental, or appetitive. Considering these gaps, our study aimed to assess serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels upon clinic admission and correlate them with scores from the Appetitive and Facilitative Aggression Scale (AFAS), a self-rating questionnaire assessing reactive and appetitive aggression. We conducted our investigation on a cohort of 135 forensic psychiatric patients undergoing drug addiction treatment under Section 64 of the German Criminal Code. This provision offers a nearly unique opportunity worldwide for individuals who have committed crimes under the influence of drugs or in the context of their addiction to receive specialized treatment. Using non-linear Spearman correlation analyses, we observed an inverse relationship between serum concentrations of both cholesterol and triglycerides and AFAS appetitive violence scores but not for reactive aggression. Additionally, triglyceride levels exhibited an inverse association with the prevalence of violent crimes as an index crime. In conclusion, blood lipids may affect numerous areas of health and disease beyond what is currently known, offering a potential shift in how we understand their role in aggression. Full article

The experience of bearing witness to the lack of appetite and involuntary weight loss that characterizes cancer anorexia–cachexia syndrome (CACS) is reported to be stressful for family members. Research identifies that family members engage in a wide range of behaviors in response to a relative who shows minimal interest in eating and is literally ‘wasting away’ before their eyes. Some families, though concerned about the symptoms of CACS, do not dwell excessively on the patient’s nutritional intake while others continually harass the patient to eat and petition health care providers for aggressive nutritional interventions to eat in an attempt to stave off further physical deterioration. While studies have detailed how family members respond to a terminally ill relative with CACS, empirical work explicating the explanatory models of CACS that they hold is lacking. Explanatory models (EMs) reflect the beliefs and ideas that families have about why illness and symptoms occur, the extent to which they can be controlled, how they should be treated, and how interventions should be evaluated. To address this gap in the literature, a grounded theory study guided by Kleinman’s Explanatory Model questions was conducted with 25 family members of advanced cancer patients. The core category of ‘Wayfaring’ integrates the key categories of the model and maps onto Kleinman’s questions about CACS onset, etiology, natural course, physiological processes/anatomical structures involved, treatment, and the impacts of disease on patient and family. Findings suggest that a divergence between some biomedical constructions of CACS and explanatory models held by family members may fuel the family–health care provider conflict, thereby providing direction for communication with families about care of the patient with anorexia–cachexia. Full article

First recognized 15 years ago, Heartland virus disease (Heartland) is a tickborne infection contracted from the transmission of Heartland virus (HRTV) through tick bites from the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and potentially other tick species. Heartland symptoms include a fever <100.4 °F, lethargy, fatigue, headaches, myalgia, a loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, arthralgia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. We reviewed the existing peer-reviewed literature for HRTV and Heartland to more completely characterize this rarely reported, recently discovered illness. The absence of ongoing serosurveys and targeted clinical and tickborne virus investigations specific to HRTV presence and Heartland likely contributes to infection underestimation. While HRTV transmission occurs in southern and midwestern states, the true range of this infection is likely larger than now understood. The disease’s proliferation benefits from an expanded tick range due to rising climate temperatures favoring habitat expansion. We recommend HRTV disease be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients with a reported exposure to ticks in areas where HRTV has been previously identified. HRTV testing should be considered early for those matching the Heartland disease profile and nonresponsive to initial broad-spectrum antimicrobial treatment. Despite aggressive supportive therapy, patients deteriorating to sepsis early in the course of the disease have a very grim prognosis. Full article

Background and objectives: Russian military aggression in Ukraine has exposed children to extremely high levels of acute and chronic stressors that are incomparable to stress levels in peaceful countries. Such stressors can impact children’s eating behavior, for example, by altering the psychological climate within families. We aimed to determine the prevalence of war-induced, stress-related disruptions in the eating behavior of Ukrainian children. Methods: We used a cross-sectional survey to determine stress-related disordered eating behavior among school-aged children under conditions of stress caused by the war in Ukraine. A total of 5162 parents or guardians used an electronic questionnaire to report changes in the children’s eating behavior (EB) in various stressful conditions, including being in close proximity to the combat zone, residing in occupied or peaceful territories, displacement from homes, abroad, and other. 311 (6%) of participants did not report the age of the child or reported on behalf of a child who was younger than 5 years or older than 17 years, and were thus excluded. Thus, the final sample included 4854 (94%) parents. Results: of the guardians, 63% reported changes in children’s EBs during the war, with the highest frequency observed among 5 to 10-year-olds. The most common EB changes observed during wartime included food cravings (38%), food fussiness (37%), aversion to certain foods (29%), and decreased appetite (24%). 40% of the reported EB changes were long-term, lasting over a month and related to altered attitudes towards food. Food insecurity, residing in occupied territories, and displacement emerged as the most influential determinants of EB changes. Discussion: The findings underscore a significant and robust association between various war-related exposures and an increased risk of frequent eating behavior changes. As healthy eating behaviors are learned during childhood and have been shown to track into adulthood, the identified disruptions in eating behavior may have significant long-term consequences for the physical and mental health of the Ukrainian children. More research is needed to determine whether the intensity of the identified changes in children’s eating habits is linked to the severity of the stressors. Full article

Behaviour changes (BCs) are common in young-onset dementia (YOD). Access to knowledgeable and age-appropriate support services is needed to assist with the appropriate management of BCs. We sought to investigate the types of YOD-related BCs that most commonly require support, the formal services being accessed for support, and the experiences of those seeking support in Australia. We employed a cross-sectional online questionnaire for individuals living with YOD as well as individuals providing informal or formal care for someone with YOD. Thirty-six questionnaire responses were recorded. Of the total sample, 83% reported YOD-related BCs requiring support, the most common being appetite/eating changes, followed by agitation/aggression and apathy/indifference. Seventy-six percent of these individuals had attempted to seek support from a formal service, with Dementia Australia, Dementia Support Australia, and general practitioners most commonly approached. Responses suggested that the support access pathway is suboptimal, with a lack of clarity about what services to approach for support and long wait times. Furthermore, 28% of participants had not gained access to support utilizing non-pharmacological strategies. Individuals who need support for YOD-related BCs demonstrated a high rate of help-seeking from formal support services; however, the support access pathway is slow, is difficult to navigate, and does not result in the best-practice management of BCs. Formal services resourced to provide efficient support with the implementation of behavioural strategies are needed, along with clear, accessible guidelines on the pathway to access them. Full article

26RFa, also referred to as QRFP, is a hypothalamic neuropeptide mainly known for its role in the regulation of appetite and glucose metabolism. Its possible relevance to emotional regulation is largely unexplored. To address this, in the present exploratory study, we analyzed the plasma concentrations of 26RFa in humans characterized by different levels of anxiety and aggressive behavior. For this purpose, the study included 13 prison inmates who have committed violent crimes and 19 age-matched healthy men from the general population as controls. Anxiety, depression and aggressive behavior were evaluated in both groups using standard questionnaires. The inmate group was characterized by increased aggression and anxiety compared to the controls. We found that the mean plasma levels of 26RFa did not significantly differ between the inmates and the controls. However, several high outliers were present only in the inmate group. The plasma levels of 26RFa correlated positively with the anxiety scores in all the studied subjects and controls. After removing the high outliers in the inmate group, positive correlations of 26RFa with anxiety and a subscale of hostility in the aggression scale were also recorded in this group. No significant correlations of 26RFa with depression scores or other parameters of aggressive behavior were found. Thus, the present results did not support an involvement of 26RFa in aggressive behavior in humans but pointed to a link between this neuropeptide and anxiety. Nevertheless, considering the exploratory nature of the present study, this conclusion should be verified in a larger cohort, including the clinical degree of anxiety. Full article

Serotonin receptors are involved in a number of physiological functions and regulate aggression, anxiety, appetite, cognition, learning, memory, mood, nausea, sleep, and thermoregulation. Here we report synthesis and detailed structural and behavioral studies of three indole derivatives: D2AAK5, D2AAK6, and D2AAK7 as serotonin 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_2A receptor ligands. X-ray studies revealed that the D2AAK5 compound crystallizes in centrosymmetric triclinic space group with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The main interaction between the ligands and the receptors is the salt bridge between the protonatable nitrogen atom of the ligands and the conserved Asp (3.32) of the receptors. The complexes were stable in the molecular dynamic simulations. MD revealed that the studied ligands are relatively stable in their binding sites, with the exception of D2AAK7 in the serotonin 5-HT_1A receptor. D2AAK7 exerts anxiolytic activity in the EPM test, while D2AAK5 has a beneficial effect on the memory processes in the PA test. Full article

Dorper rams (n = 24) were evaluated during the sexual resting season to determine their social rank (SR), either high (HSR) or low (LSR), under intensive management conditions in northern Mexico (25° N). Aggressive behaviors were quantified during male-to-male interactions, and appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviors during male-to-female interactions. Morphometric, live weight (LW), and body condition score (BCS) were recorded. During the early reproductive season, male-to-female behaviors were newly itemized simultaneously by seminal quality and quantity sampling. Finally, the dependent variables of the hemogram components were also quantified. Neither LW (61.25 ± 2.4 kg) nor morphometric variables differed between SR groups. However, BCS (2.25 vs. 2.66 u), sexual behaviors (i.e., approaches: 59.6 vs. 21.73 n, mating with ejaculation: 77.7 vs. 42.86 %, latency to ejaculation: 16.6 vs. 143.07 s), ejaculate volume (0.57 vs. 0.23 mL), and hemogram components favored the HSR rams (p < 0.05). Moreover, in their first male-to-female interaction, >50% of the LSR rams failed to display any sexual activity. HSR rams displayed a greater number of threatening behaviors, managing to displace LSR rams when exposed to estrus ewes during the male sexual resting season; more sexual behaviors; and an increased seminal volume in a non-live weight-dependent fashion. Full article