Publications by authors named "Bianco L"

Purpose: This study examines the multimodal imaging (MMI) findings in two cases of unilateral Stellate Nonhereditary Idiopathic Foveomacular Retinoschisis (SNIFR), including detailed findings from the unaffected fellow eye.

Methods: Macular spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and 3x3 mm optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), microperimetry, full-field electroretinography (ff-ERG) for both the affected and the fellow eye were reviewed.

Results: The MMI findings were consistent across the two cases (71-year-old female and 60-year-old female).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a pathogen causing respiratory, renal and reproductive clinical forms in chickens of all ages and productive categories. Its proneness to mutation and recombination gave rise to a plethora of variants differing in terms of pathogenicity, antigenicity, and distribution, with relevant implications for disease control, mainly pursued by routine vaccination, and diagnosis, requiring a steady update of molecular and serological methods. Among the most recent additions to the current phylogenetic classification, based on S1 gene sequencing, is the discovery of an eighth genotype (GVIII), further divided into lineages GVIII-1 and GVIII-2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) contributes significantly to healthcare's carbon footprint. Worldwide about 100,000 dialysis machines end their life cycle each year. Our aim was to analyze the composition and the potential for recyclability of two dialysis machines, from the two companies with the largest market share, which had met their end-of-use terms (10-12 years of use according to French regulations).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen-like appearance (EMAP) was first described in France in 2009 as a symmetric and rapidly progressive form of macular atrophy primarily affecting middle-aged individuals. Despite the recent identification of a significant number of cases in Italy and worldwide, EMAP remains an underrecognized condition. The clinical triad typical of EMAP consists of vertically oriented macular atrophy with multilobular borders, pseudodrusen-like deposits across the posterior pole and mid-periphery, and peripheral pavingstone degeneration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To report a case of multifocal vitelliform lesions in a patient affected by metabolic encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) with the m.3243A>G variant.

Observations: A 37-year-old woman affected by MELAS was referred to our center for progressive vision deterioration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Scientists have created new flexible magnetic fibers that are inspired by spider silk, which is super strong and stretchy.
  • These special fibers are made using a process that is safe for the environment, and they can be produced in large amounts.
  • The fibers can move when a magnetic field is applied, making them useful for cool robotics that can change shape and recover after being stretched or bent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study addresses the incomplete knowledge of saproxylic hoverflies in the Piedmont region, highlighting historical specimens with vague locality information.
  • Recent findings include the rediscovery of rare species, such as a hoverfly last recorded in Italy in the 19th century, and new sightings of the "Chimera fly" and other endangered species.
  • Comprehensive data on these observations contribute to understanding the distribution and conservation status of saproxylic hoverflies in the area.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A study looked at how university students in Italy sleep and why they might not sleep well.
  • They used a survey to gather information from over 1,600 students about their sleep habits and lifestyles.
  • The results showed that many students had poor sleep, and better sleep was linked to being younger, studying in Northern Italy, and using less screen time before bed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Magnetically responsive soft biomaterials are at the forefront of bioengineering and biorobotics. We have created a magnetic hybrid material by coupling silk fibroin─i.e.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), the most common congenital heart defect, is a major cause of aortic valve disease requiring valve interventions and thoracic aortic aneurysms predisposing to acute aortic dissections. The spectrum of BAV ranges from early onset valve and aortic complications (EBAV) to sporadic late onset disease. Rare genomic copy number variants (CNVs) have previously been implicated in the development of BAV and thoracic aortic aneurysms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated neovascularization (NV) in patients with angioid streaks (AS) due to pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), aiming to explore its characteristics and outcomes while also proposing a classification system based on various imaging techniques.
  • It analyzed data from 85 patients, noting that 76% had type 1 NV, primarily around the optic disc, with many cases remaining nonexudative over five years, yet some progressed to more severe forms, increasing the risk of vision loss.
  • The research concluded that type 1 NV is common and can lead to significant visual impairment, while a newly developed classification system for AS ranges from non-NV stages to those with advanced NV
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Despite the introduction of targeted vaccines and screening protocols, locally advanced cervical cancer represents a median proportion of 37% among all cervical carcinomas. Compared to early stages, it presents significantly lower cure rates, with a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 68% and a 5-year overall survival rate of 74%. According to current guidelines, definitive radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy represents the gold standard for locally advanced cervical cancer treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Postmortem toxicology is evolving, with trends in benzodiazepines, particularly diazepam, alprazolam, and clonazepam, influenced by prescription habits and street use.
  • Bromazolam, a newly identified designer benzodiazepine, has been detected in increasing cases and poses a risk of contributing to CNS depression in opioid overdose situations.
  • Analysis of ten cases from the University of Alabama at Birmingham revealed a predominance of male, young white decedents with polydrug toxicity, underscoring the importance of documenting emerging drugs on death certificates for public health awareness and prevention efforts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Stent implantation, particularly of covered stents like the BeGraft, is increasingly used to treat vessel stenosis in patients with congenital heart diseases due to its potential to reduce complications in complex cases.* -
  • This study analyzed 107 BeGraft stent procedures performed across six European centers from 2016 to 2022, focusing on a diverse group of patients, primarily young, with various heart conditions.* -
  • Results showed that the BeGraft stent was successfully implanted in all cases with relatively low complication rates; however, further long-term studies are needed to assess durability and other potential issues.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study examines the characteristics of patients with inherited retinal diseases caused by RDH5 and RLBP1 gene variants, aiming to establish genotype-phenotype correlations.
  • A total of 27 patients were analyzed, with results indicating significant macular atrophy (MA) in about 80% of cases, and a notable difference in macular volume loss between the two genotypes.
  • Findings suggest that RDH5-related conditions lead to progressive MA and night blindness, while certain RLBP1 variants may result in milder symptoms, which could inform treatment approaches and patient prognoses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: The sweet chestnut Castanea sativa Mill. is the only native Castanea species in Europe, and it is a tree of high economic value that provides appreciated fruits and valuable wood. In this study, we assembled a high-quality nuclear genome of the ancient Italian chestnut variety 'Marrone di Chiusa Pesio' using a combination of Oxford Nanopore Technologies long reads, whole-genome and Omni-C Illumina short reads.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Lemon trees are really affected by spider mites, which are tiny pests that can harm them.
  • Scientists studied a special group of lemon trees to find what makes some of them resist these pests better than others.
  • They discovered a genetic marker linked to this resistance, which could help create stronger lemon trees in the future that are better at fighting off spider mites while still having good fruit quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To describe the clinical, electrophysiological and genetic spectrum of inherited retinal diseases associated with variants in the PRPH2 gene.

Methods: A total of 241 patients from 168 families across 15 sites in 9 countries with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in PRPH2 were included. Records were reviewed for age at symptom onset, visual acuity, full-field ERG, fundus colour photography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and SD-OCT.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To compare non-syndromic and syndromic forms of -related retinitis pigmentosa (RP) by means of structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-angiography (OCTA).

Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study. All patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement, OCT (Spectralis HRA + OCT, Heidelberg Engineering) and OCTA (OCT DRI Topcon Triton, Topcon Corporation).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To describe the clinical outcome and late-stage findings of extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen-like appearance (EMAP).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: Seventy-eight patients (156 eyes) affected by EMAP.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect in adults, but it can also lead to serious issues in children.
  • Adults with significant BAV complications before age 30 tend to have more severe symptoms, require more surgeries, and often have additional heart defects compared to those whose BAV issues arise after age 50.
  • This underscores the importance of early detection, ongoing monitoring, and focused treatment strategies for patients experiencing early complications from BAV.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) is a rare lymphoma affecting the vitreous and the retina. Clinical diagnosis is challenging and often delayed and may lead to aggravated prognosis. This study aims to review multimodal imaging findings in VRL.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hospital medical records are valuable and cost-effective documents for assessing the quality of healthcare provided to patients by a healthcare facility during hospitalization. However, there is a lack of internationally validated tools that measure the quality of the whole hospital medical record in terms of both form and content. In this study, we developed and validated a tool, named MeReQ (medical record quality) tool, which quantifies the quality of the hospital medical record and enables statistical modeling using the data obtained.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To analyze the alterations at the level of the inner retina in patients affected by Stargardt disease (STGD1).

Methods: Cross-sectional investigation involving STGD1 patients with genetically confirmed diagnosis, who underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT), optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and microperimetry.

Results: Overall, 31 patients (62 eyes) with genetically confirmed STGD1 were included in the study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF