This study aimed to investigate the gut microbiota composition in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical (NT) children, with a focus on identifying potential differences in gut bacteria between these groups. The microbiota was analyzed through the massive sequencing of region V3–V4 of the 16S RNA gene, utilizing DNA extracted from stool samples of participants. Our findings revealed no significant differences in the dominant bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobiota) between the ASD and NT groups. However, at the genus level, notable disparities were observed in the abundance of Blautia, Prevotella, Clostridium XI, and Clostridium XVIII, all of which have been previously associated with ASD. Furthermore, a sex-based analysis unveiled additional discrepancies in gut microbiota composition. Specifically, three genera (Megamonas, Oscilibacter, Acidaminococcus) exhibited variations between male and female groups in both ASD and NT cohorts. Particularly noteworthy was the exclusive presence of Megamonas in females with ASD. Analysis of predicted metabolic pathways suggested an enrichment of pathways related to amine and polyamine degradation, as well as amino acid degradation in the ASD group. Conversely, pathways implicated in carbohydrate biosynthesis, degradation, and fermentation were found to be underrepresented. Despite the limitations of our study, including a relatively small sample size (30 ASD and 31 NT children) and the utilization of predicted metabolic pathways derived from 16S RNA gene analysis rather than metagenome sequencing, our findings contribute to the growing body of evidence suggesting a potential association between gut microbiota composition and ASD. Future research endeavors should focus on validating these findings with larger sample sizes and exploring the functional significance of these microbial differences in ASD. Additionally, there is a critical need for further investigations to elucidate sex differences in gut microbiota composition and their potential implications for ASD pathology and treatment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of fatalities worldwide. The case of pediatric cancer patients stands out since, despite being considered a population at risk, few studies have been carried out concerning symptom detection or the description of the mechanisms capable of modifying the course of the COVID-19 disease, such as the interaction and response between the virus and the treatment given to cancer patients. By synthesizing existing studies, this paper aims to expose the treatment challenges for pediatric patients with COVID-19 in an oncology context. Additionally, this updated review includes studies that utilized the antiviral agents Remdesivir and Paxlovid^TM in pediatric cancer patients. There is no specific treatment designed exclusively for pediatric cancer patients dealing with COVID-19, and it is advisable to avoid self-medication to prevent potential side effects. Managing COVID-19 in pediatric cancer patients is indeed a substantial challenge. New strategies, such as chemotherapy application rooms, have been implemented for children with cancer who were positive for COVID-19 but asymptomatic since the risk of disease progression is greater than the risk of complications from SARS-CoV-2.

Pilomatricoma is a rare benign cutaneous neoplasm that may occur more frequently in syndromic conditions such as Turner syndrome (TS). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of pilomatricoma and its association with clinical factors, serum vitamin D (VD) levels, and genetic variants in the VD pathway in patients with TS. Clinical variables and serum VD levels were obtained from medical records, and single-nucleotide variants in the GC, NADSYN1, and VDR genes were analyzed by allelic discrimination using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Among 97 patients with TS, six cases of histopathologically confirmed pilomatricoma were identified, corresponding to a prevalence of 6.2%, with lesions predominantly located on the head and upper extremities. Four patients (66.7%) had renal malformations. In exploratory multivariable analysis, renal malformations were significantly associated with pilomatricoma (adjusted OR = 14.2; 95% CI: 2.1–95.4; nominal p = 0.008; FDR-adjusted p = 0.032). No significant associations were observed with serum VD levels or the analyzed genetic variants. These findings suggest that pilomatricoma may be more frequent in TS than previously reported and identify an exploratory association between pilomatricoma and renal malformations. Given the small number of pilomatricoma cases, this association requires confirmation in larger independent cohorts.

Turner syndrome (ST) is a common genetic disorder. ST-phenotype includes short stature, gonadal dysgenesis, cardiac and kidney malformations, low bone mineral density (low-BMD) and thyroiditis. ST-...