The Cerebellar Dopaminergic System.

In the central nervous system (CNS), dopamine (DA) is involved in motor and cognitive functions. Although the cerebellum is not been considered an elective dopaminergic region, studies attributed to it a critical role in dopamine deficit-related neurological and psychiatric disorders [e.g.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (Wilkie Syndrome) with unusual clinical onset: Description of a rare case.

Wilkie's Syndrome is a very rare disease caused by reduction of aorto-mesenteric space with consequent duodenum compression. It can combine with left renal vein stenosis which, when symptomatic, is known as "Nutcracker Syndrome". We describe a clinical onset case with epigastric pain without vomiting in a normal weight patient.

Using single-nucleus RNA-sequencing to interrogate transcriptomic profiles of archived human pancreatic islets.

Background: Human pancreatic islets are a central focus of research in metabolic studies. Transcriptomics is frequently used to interrogate alterations in cultured human islet cells using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq). We introduce single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) as an alternative approach for investigating transplanted human islets.

Does cybersickness affect virtual reality training using the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN)? Preliminary results from a case-control study in Parkinson's disease.

Introduction And Objective: This pilot study aimed to evaluate whether and to what extent cybersickness (CS) may affect a rehabilitation program using the Computer-assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), a virtual reality (VR) computer-assisted device for clinical rehabilitation.

Methods: The study was carried out on 30 subjects, 15 patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and 15 healthy controls (HC), which underwent a set of four exergames programmed by our team for PD rehabilitation training.

Results: All participants completed the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire Short-form (MSSQ) before the training and the Motion Symptoms Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ) immediately after a single CAREN session.

In Vivo Super-Resolution Track-Density Imaging for Thalamic Nuclei Identification.

The development of novel techniques for the in vivo, non-invasive visualization and identification of thalamic nuclei has represented a major challenge for human neuroimaging research in the last decades. Thalamic nuclei have important implications in various key aspects of brain physiology and many of them show selective alterations in various neurologic and psychiatric disorders. In addition, both surgical stimulation and ablation of specific thalamic nuclei have been proven to be useful for the treatment of different neuropsychiatric diseases.

Impact of Cognitive Reserve and Premorbid IQ on Cognitive and Functional Status in Older Outpatients.

The study aimed to investigate cross-sectionally the associations of cognitive reserve (CR) and premorbid IQ with cognitive and functional status in a cohort of older outpatients. Additionally, we evaluated the association of CR and premorbid IQ with the worsening of patients' cognitive status at one-year follow-up. We originally included 141 outpatients (mean age 80.

Rates of hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia in medical settings.

Magnesium (Mg) is critically involved in the pathophysiology of multiple human diseases; nevertheless, Mg disorders are often poorly considered in the clinical practice. To update the prevalence and incidence of hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia in a real-life scenario, which better represents clinical practice, we analyzed data from 12,696 patients whose Mg serum levels were measured from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2017 at our University Hospital. Hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia were defined by Mg concentrations <1.

A feasibility study of preoperative pembrolizumab before radical nephroureterectomy in patients with high-risk, upper tract urothelial carcinoma: PURE-02.

Introduction: Advances in neoadjuvant therapy for patients with localized, nonmetastatic, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is needed.

Patients And Methods: PURE-02 was a feasibility study enrolling individuals with UTUC, at clinical stage N0M0, with high-risk features according to the modified European Association of Urology definition, based on the presence of either: high-grade disease, multifocality, tumor size ≥2 cm, and/or hydronephrosis. The treatment consisted of 3 courses of 200 mg pembrolizumab, intravenously, every 3 weeks, followed by radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Vitamin D Boosts Alendronate Tail Effect on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis.

Vitamin D modulates bisphosphonate (BP) efficacy, but its contribution to bone mineral density (BMD) after BP discontinuation is not known. To address this topic, we performed a retrospective analysis of postmenopausal women exposed to alendronate (ALN) to treat osteoporosis who regularly continued the supplementation of cholecalciferol or calcifediol at recommended doses. In the ninety-six recruited women (age 61.

Is There a Detrimental Effect of Antibiotic Therapy in Patients with Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab?

In locally advanced and metastatic malignancies, antibiotic (ATB) therapy has a negative effect on immunotherapy efficacy. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether ATB therapy and use of specific ATB classes with concomitant neoadjuvant pembrolizumab affected pathologic complete response (ypT0N0) and relapse-free survival (RFS) for patients with clinical T2-4N0M0 bladder cancer enrolled in the PURE-01 study. Of the 149 patients evaluated, 48 (32%) received any concomitant ATB therapy.

Fatigue, sarcopenia, and frailty in older adults with inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterized by a multifactorial clinical picture, in which age-related physical, functional and psychological symptoms may coexist. The accurate evaluation and identification of such symptomatology acquires considerable importance in the context of older adults, since those core factors typical of IBD may also expose older patients to an increased risk for age-related negative outcomes, such as frailty and disability. The purpose of the present review was to provide an updated overview on the evaluation and management of IBD in the elderly population, with regard to fatigue, sarcopenia, and frailty.

A seven week observational analysis of clinical activities in a North Italian orthopaedic hospital during the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: far from usual volumes, but different from the first wave.

Purpose: We previously described the radical changes occurred in an orthopaedic hospital in Milan (Italy) during the first SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outbreak. Currently, during the second wave, the situation is still far from normality. Here we describe the changes that took place, and are still ongoing, in the clinical practice.

Use of the FebriDx point-of-care test for the exclusion of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis in a population with acute respiratory infection during the second (COVID-19) wave in Italy.

Objective: Evaluate the real-world accuracy of Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) detected by the rapid, point-of-care FebriDx test during the second-wave pandemic in Italy in patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI) and a clinical suspicion of COVID-19.

Design And Methods: Prospective, observational, diagnostic accuracy study whereby hospitalized patients with ARI were consecutively enrolled in a single tertiary care center in Italy from August 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021.

Results: COVID-19 was diagnosed in 136/200 (68.

Assessing in-hospital morbidity after urethroplasty using the European Association of Urology Quality Criteria for standardized reporting.

Purpose: To conduct a rigorous assessment of in-hospital morbidity after urethroplasty according with the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines for complication reporting.

Methods: We retrospectively (2015-2019) identified 469 consecutive patients receiving urethroplasty (e.g.

A Clinical Bridge between Family Caregivers and Older Adults: The Contribution of Patients' Frailty and Optimism on Caregiver Burden.

The association between caregiver burden and the physical frailty of older adults has been the object of previous studies. The contribution of patients' dispositional optimism on caregiver burden is a poorly investigated topic. The present study aimed at investigating whether older adults' multidimensional frailty and optimism might contribute to the burden of their family caregivers.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Combined with Hyaluronic Acid versus Leucocyte and Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Conservative Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis. A Retrospective Study.

: Knee osteoarthritis (KO) is one of the most common joint diseases, determining knee pain and reduction of mobility, with a negative effect on quality of life. Intra-articular injections of different formulations of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are an increasingly common non-surgical treatment for KO. Recently, in order to combine the anti-inflammatory effect of platelet rich plasma and the viscosupplementation effect of hyaluronic acid, a formulation of PRP combined with hyaluronic acid (PRP + HA) has been proposed.

Prospective Study on Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcome of Recurrent Infections.

Background: Limited and wide-ranging data are available on the recurrent infection (rCDI) incidence rate.

Methods: We performed a cohort study with the aim to assess the incidence of and risk factors for rCDI. Adult patients with a first CDI, hospitalized in 15 Italian hospitals, were prospectively included and followed-up for 30 d after the end of antimicrobial treatment for their first CDI.

Comparison of aspiration with sclerotherapy and laparoscopic deroofing for the treatment of symptomatic simple renal cysts: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There are currently several strategies for the treatment of symptomatic simple renal cysts, such as aspiration with sclerosants and laparoscopic deroofing. However, no clear indication exists for choosing between them. Here, we carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis of studies, which compared symptomatic and radiological success between aspiration with sclerotherapy and laparoscopic deroofing.

Applying a hierarchical clustering on principal components approach to identify different patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic across Italian regions.

Italy has experienced the epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, which spread at different times and with different intensities throughout its territory. We aimed to identify clusters with similar epidemic patterns across Italian regions. To do that, we defined a set of regional indicators reflecting different domains and employed a hierarchical clustering on principal component approach to obtain an optimal cluster solution.

Intermediate- and high-risk nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer: Where do we stand?

Introduction: The standard of care for intermediate- and high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients is transurethral resection of bladder tumor followed by intravesical adjuvant immunotherapy with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). However, a non-negligible portion of patients is doomed to fail BCG-therapy and, consequently, undergo radical cystectomy as only treatment option available. In this context, effective options to improve tumor response, thus delaying or even avoiding radical cystectomy, are urgently needed.

Open mini-incision vs laparoscopic appendectomy A retrospective single Centre study.

Introduction: Laparoscopy appendectomy (LA) is the most widely used method for the treatment of acute appendicitis (AA). The interest has shifted towards the mini-incision open method (MOA).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted considering all patients who underwent surgery due to suspected appendicitis from December 2014 to January 2019.

Expressive Flexibility and Dispositional Optimism Contribute to the Elderly's Resilience and Health-Related Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 outbreak had a negative impact on psychological status among elderly subjects, negatively affecting their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Psychological factors that promote resilience might beneficially contribute also to promoting a better HRQoL among elderly subjects. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the contribution of dispositional optimism and expressive flexibility on the HRQoL of elderly outpatients during the COVID-19 outbreak.