A variety of advanced available analytical techniques were identified that may help to provide additional detail on cellular, structural, and compositional characteristics in rare bone diseases complementing classical histopathology. Discussion To date, these techniques have only been used in research and not in daily clinical practice. Clinical application of bone quality assessment techniques depends upon several aspects such as availability of the technique in hospitals, the existence of reference data, and a cooperative network of researchers and clinicians. The evaluation of rare metabolic bone disorders requires a repertoire of different methods, owing to their distinct bone tissue characteristics. The broader use of bone material obtained from biopsies could provide much more information about pathophysiology or treatment options and establish bone biopsies as a valuable tool in rare metabolic bone diseases.Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is in biomedical focus as a treatment option for metabolic diseases, given that administration improves metabolism in mice and humans. The metabolic effects of exogenous FGF21 administration are well-characterized, but the physiological role of endogenous FGF21 has not been fully understood yet. Despite cold-induced FGF21 expression and increased circulating levels in some studies, which co-occur with brown fat thermogenesis, recent studies in cold-acclimated mice demonstrate the dispensability of FGF21 for maintenance of body temperature, thereby questioning FGF21’s role for thermogenesis. Here we discuss the evidence either supporting or opposing the role of endogenous FGF21 for thermogenesis based on the current literature. FGF21, secreted by brown fat or liver, is likely not required for energy homeostasis in the cold, but the nutritional conditions could modulate the interaction between FGF21, energy metabolism, and thermoregulation.Over the last decades, the adverse effects of human exposure to the so-called “endocrine disruptors” have been a matter of scientific debate and public attention. Bisphenols are synthetic chemicals, widely used in the manufacture of hard plastic products. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the best-known environmental toxicants proven to alter the reproductive function in men and to cause other health problems. Consumer concern resulted in “BPA free” products and in the development of bisphenol analogs (BPA-A) to replace BPA in many applications. However, these other bisphenol derivatives seem to have effects similar to those of BPA. Although a number of reviews have summarized the effects of BPA on human reproduction, the purpose of this article is to review the effects of bisphenols on testicular steroidogenesis and to explore their mechanisms of action. Testicular steroidogenesis is a fine-regulated process, and its main product, testosterone (T), has a crucial role in fetal development and maturation and in adulthood for the maintenance of secondary sexual function and spermatogenesis. Contradictory outcomes of both human and animal studies on the effects of BPA on steroid hormone levels may be related to various factors that include study design, dosage of BPA used in in vitro studies, timing and route of exposure, and other confounding factors. We described the main possible molecular target of bisphenols on this complex pathway. Cordycepin nmr We report that Leydig cells (LCs), the steroidogenic testicular component, are highly sensitive to BPA and several mechanisms concur to the functional impairment of these cells.Valproate is a drug widely used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and occasionally to prevent migraine headache. Despite its clinical efficacy, prenatal exposure to valproate is associated with neurodevelopmental impairments and its use in children and adults was associated with rare cases of reversible brain atrophy and ventricular enlargement. To determine whether valproate use is related with structural brain changes we examined through a cross-sectional study cortical and subcortical structures in a group of 152 people with epilepsy and a normal clinical brain MRI. Patients were grouped into those currently using valproate (n = 54), those taking drugs other than valproate (n = 47), and drug-naïve patients (n = 51) at the time of MRI, irrespectively of their epilepsy syndrome. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were analyzed using Freesurfer, version 5.0. Subjects exposed to valproate (either in mono- or polytherapy) showed reduced cortical thickness in the occipital lobe, more precisely in the pilepsy.Actinomycosis is a slowly progressing infection caused by Actinomyces species, which consists of filamentous gram-positive bacteria. Intraspinal actinomycosis is very rare and most of the previous cases presented with epidural lesions. Only two cases of intrathecal actinomycosis have been described. We reported a case of intrathecal actinomycosis in a 46-year-old woman. Our patient presented with multisegmental root failure, which was different from previous intrathecal cases mainly involving the spinal cord. The manifestations, cervical MR imaging results, biopsy and histopathological features, and treatment history of the patient were reviewed. Clinical features of this disease resemble intraspinal neoplasms, other infectious processes, and granulomatous diseases, thus being difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Histopathological evidence from the biopsy is important for timely diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment may greatly improve the prognosis.Purpose To evaluate the role of the ophthalmologist in the management of children with arterial stroke, at presentation and during follow-up. Methods This retrospective case series comprised children with arterial stroke who were followed for at least 12 months in a tertiary pediatric medical center in 2005-2016. Demographic data and findings on radiological neuroimaging and ophthalmological and neurological examination were retrieved from the medical files. Results The cohort included 26 children with stroke. Underlying disorders included metabolic syndrome (n = 5, 19.2%), cardiac anomaly or Fontan repair (n = 3 each, 11.5%), vascular anomaly (n = 3, 11.5%), head trauma with traumatic dissection (n = 3, 11.5%), and hypercoagulability (n = 1, 3.8%); in eight patients (30.8%), no apparent cause was found. Eleven patients (42.3%) had a non-ophthalmological neurological deficit as a result of the stroke. Eye examination was performed in nine patients (34.6%) during follow-up. Ophthalmological manifestations included hemianopic visual field defect in seven patients (7.