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Objectives: Mood disorders are trending to be among the leading causes of years lived with disability. Despite multiple treatment options, around 30% patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) develop treatment resistant depression (TRD) and fail to respond to current pharmacological therapies. This study aimed to explore the potential benefits of nutritional treatment strategies, along with their molecular mechanisms of action, focusing especially on low-carbohydrate diet (LCHD), ketogenic diet (KD) and other strategies based on carbohydrates intake reduction. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to determine the impact of LCHD on alleviating depressive symptoms in patients with MDD, along with an explanation of its mode of action. Results: The study revealed significant impact of nutritional interventions based on restriction in carbohydrate intake such as LCHD, KD or sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) exclusion on anxiety or depression symptoms reduction, mood improvement and lower risk of cognitive impairment or depression. The efficacy of these approaches is further substantiated by their underlying molecular mechanisms, mainly brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is a potential key target of sugar restriction diets in terms of neuroplasticity. Discussion: Healthcare professionals may consider implementing LCHD strategies for MDD and TRD patients to modify the disease process, maintain euthymia, and prevent depressive episode relapses. Ranging from the exclusion of SSB to the adherence to rigorous LCHD regimens, these nutritional approaches are safe, straightforward to implement, and may confer benefits for well-being and relapse prevention in this specific patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, yet they can induce immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including cutaneous toxicities such as lichenoid eruptions. Pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, is known for its association with lichen-planus-like reactions, while the side effect profile of combining immunotherapy with MK-4830, a novel fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody that targets ILT-4, remains limited. Case report: We present a case of a 47-year-old female with metastatic breast cancer who developed a grade 2 Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) lichenoid reaction after 9 months of MK-4830 and pembrolizumab use. Confluent, erythematous papules with Wickham's striae appeared predominantly on the extremities. Initial therapy with high-potency topical corticosteroids proved insufficient, however prednisone 40 mg daily resulted in satisfactory remission of lichen-planus-like reaction, permitting continued immunotherapy without dosage adjustment. Conclusion: This case highlights the novel occurrence of lichenoid eruption induced by MK-4830 and pembrolizumab in breast cancer treatment. The patient was successfully treated with oral prednisone, which controlled the skin symptoms without interrupting ICI therapy. We emphasize that early diagnosis and treatment of low-grade lichenoid eruption can prevent the cessation of ICIs, thereby combining the benefits of managing irAEs and avoiding cancer progression, leading to a better long-term prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a letter to the editor commenting on a study that characterizes patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) based on flare patterns and disease severity. The letter raises concerns about the study's focus on comorbidities and suggests that other chronic diseases, particularly psychiatric disorders, could also contribute to AD flares. It also highlights the importance of considering seasonal stress and psychological counseling in the treatment of AD. The authors commend the study but emphasize the need for increased awareness of mental health issues in AD patients. [Extracted from the article]

Microbiota studies have uncovered numerous associations between human gut microbes and health-related outcomes. However, since most of these correlations were observed in cross-sectional studies, the causal inference is limited. The causal contribution of microbiota can be evidenced through disease induction or exacerbation in animal models after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from patients. In this article we present a protocol for a scoping review on the subject of FMT from humans to animals. Besides assessing how the published studies were conducted, in that scoping review we aim to find out whether enough literature exists to conduct a systematic review of the evidence for microbiota participation in the pathophysiology of any human non-infectious disease or phenotypic trait. We will conduct searches on the Web of Science platform and databases: MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE. Citation chasing of included studies will be done. We will include studies assessing the effects of FMT collected from people with certain medical conditions on animals. Studies that recruited only healthy humans or used other animals as donors will be excluded. The results of this literature search will be tabulated and discussed. Moreover, we will provide a short list of human non-infectious diseases or traits with the highest number of FMT patient-to-animal studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]