Lactate accumulation promotes immunosuppression and fibrotic transformation of bone marrow microenvironment in myelofibrosis.

Background: Clonal myeloproliferation and fibrotic transformation of the bone marrow (BM) are the pathogenetic events most commonly occurring in myelofibrosis (MF). There is great evidence indicating that tumor microenvironment is characterized by high lactate levels, acting not only as an energetic source, but also as a signaling molecule.

Methods: To test the involvement of lactate in MF milieu transformation, we measured its levels in MF patients' sera, eventually finding a massive accumulation of this metabolite, which we showed to promote the expansion of immunosuppressive subsets.

Old Plants for New Food Products? The Diachronic Human Ecology of Wild Herbs in the Western Alps.

This ethnobotanical study examines the traditional knowledge and usage patterns of wild plants in the western Alps, specifically within the Ubaye and Bellino Valleys, through a comparative analysis of data collected from 1983 (published in 1990) to 2024. Our study aims to assess the change in plant usage, species diversity, and the changing roles of plants in local traditions in the western Alpine mountain ecosystems. While the 1983 survey documented medicinal uses centered around pastoralist practices, the 2024 data highlight a notable increase in the use of synanthropic plants, now utilized both medicinally and as food.

Minimally invasive management of cervical spondylodiscitis. A multicenter experience.

The urgent etiological diagnosis represents the main management objective of cervical spondylodiscitis (CSD) to start as soon as possible antibiotic treatment to prevent neurological deterioration. The present study aimed to evaluate a multicenter experience implementing a minimally invasive surgical approach (MISA) to manage CSD such pathology vs the most complex and aggressive surgical strategies currently used.This retrospective multicenter study used a database of 70 patients from five European neurosurgical centers.

Assessing Quality of Life with the Novel QLQ-CAX24 Questionnaire and Body Composition Parameters in Rectal Cancer Patients: A Single-Center Prospective Study.

Background: Patients with rectal cancer (RC) are at risk of developing cancer-related cachexia, a complex metabolic syndrome that can negatively impact quality of life (QoL), treatment tolerance, and clinical response.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the possible associations of the novel European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-Cancer Cachexia (EORTC QLQ-CAX24) scores with body composition parameters and physical performance in patients with locally advanced RC (LARC).

Methods: This prospective observational study involved RC patients evaluated at the dedicated outpatient clinic of Clinical Nutrition at the Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS.

IgM Flare in Anti-MAG Neuropathy Post Rituximab Treatment: A Clinical Case and a Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background/objectives: Anti-MAG polyneuropathy is a demyelinating peripheral neuropathy associated with IgM monoclonal gammopathies, particularly MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) and Waldenström macroglobulinemia. It is characterized by a subacute onset of distal sensory symptoms, with distal motor dysfunction typically appearing only in the later stages of the disease. The condition is caused by the presence of autoantibodies directed against myelin-associated glycoprotein, a structural protein of myelin.