Effect of Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Blood Inflammatory Markers in Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Pilot Study.

Background: Since one of the suggested mechanisms of action of VNS on epilepsy is the reduction of central inflammation, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of blood inflammatory markers in children considered for VNS surgery.

Materials And Methods: Five pediatric patients were studied. An extensive analysis of blood inflammatory markers was performed before surgery (T0) and six weeks after VNS implantation (T1).

Preoperative non-palpable breast lesion localization, innovative techniques and clinical outcomes in surgical practice: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pre-operative localization of non-palpable breast lesions with non-wired non-ionizing (NWNI) techniques may improve clinical outcomes as reoperation rate, cosmetic outcome and contribute to organizational aspects improvement in breast-conserving surgery (BCS). However only limited literature is available and clinical studies involving these forefront devices are often small and non-randomized. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus on free margins and cosmetic outcomes definitions.

Preventing infectious diseases in Intensive Care Unit by medical devices remote control: Lessons from COVID-19.

The management of COVID-19 patients in the ICUs requires several and prolonged life-support systems (mechanical ventilation, continuous infusions of medications and nutrition, renal replacement therapy). Parameters have to be entered continuously into the device user interface by healthcare personnel according to the dynamic clinical condition. This leads to an increased risk of cross-contamination, use of personal protective equipment and the need for stringent and demanding protocols.

Pembrolizumab Activity in Recurrent High-Grade Gliomas with Partial or Complete Loss of Mismatch Repair Protein Expression: A Monocentric, Observational and Prospective Pilot Study.

Introduction: Pembrolizumab demonstrated promising results in hypermutated tumors of diverse origin. Immunohistochemical loss of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins has been suggested as a surrogate of hypermutation in high-grade gliomas (HGG). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in relapsing HGGs with immunohistochemical loss of at least 1 MMR protein.

COVID-19: ensuring our medical equipment can meet the challenge.

To predict the spread of coronavirus disease globally and consequently prepare the hospital facilities with the required technology is a challenge. The availability of essential medical equipment to support patients affected by Covid-19 is globally limited. Areas covered This perspective gives a technical view of the pandemic focusing on the main actions taken by regulatory agencies to cope with the shortage of devices.

Cost-effectiveness of a melanoma screening programme using whole disease modelling.

Objective: To assess the potential impact of a melanoma screening programme, compared with usual care, on direct costs and life expectancy in the era of targeted drugs and cancer immunotherapy.

Methods: Using a Whole Disease Model approach, a Markov simulation model with a time horizon of 25 years was devised to analyse the cost-effectiveness of a one-time, general practitioner-based melanoma screening strategy in the population aged over 20, compared with no screening. The study considered the most up-to-date drug therapy and was conducted from the perspective of the Veneto regional healthcare system within the Italian National Health Service.

Clinical results and economic considerations of Ga-PSMA and radiolabeled choline in prostate cancer.

In recent years there was an impressive improvement in the options for the management of patients with prostate cancer. Nuclear Medicine has significantly enriched its diagnostic options, both in radiopharmacy and in instrumentation, in order to accurately target prostatic cancer cells, thus rendering the physicians able to adopt the best therapeutic strategy. In the present analysis, we have evaluated the available published data about 68Ga-PSMA and radio-labeled choline, two radiopharmaceutical agents for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) examination, by reporting clinical information and considering data about legal, economic and organization aspects.

Desmoid Fibromatosis of the Abdominal Wall: Surgical Resection and Reconstruction with Biological Matrix Egis.

Desmoid tumor is a rare monoclonal fibroblast proliferation that is regarded as benign. The clinical management of desmoid tumors is very complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach because of the unpredictable disease course. For those cases localized in the anterior abdominal wall, symptomatic and unresponsive to medical treatment, radical resection and reconstruction with a prosthetic device are indicated.

A Case of "en bloc" Excision of a Chest Wall Leiomyosarcoma and Closure of the Defect with Non-Cross-Linked Collagen Matrix (Egis).

Sarcomas arising from the chest wall account for less than 20% of all soft tissue sarcomas, and at this site, primitive tumors are the most frequent to occur. Leiomyosarcoma is a malignant smooth muscle tumor and the best outcomes are achieved with wide surgical excision. Although advancements have been made in treatment protocols, leiomyosarcoma remains one of the more difficult soft tissue sarcoma to treat.

[Increasing immunization coverage by intervening on determinants of refusal].

With the regional decree 3664/2008, the Veneto Region adopted measures for improvements in the immunization program, among which the "Investigation into determinants for vaccine refusal in the Veneto Region", entrusted by the Department of Prevention Local Health Unit 20 (Ulss 20) of Verona. The objective of the study was to understand which type of parent that accessed immunization services (total adherent, partial adherent or complete refusals) and what factors lead to their choice regarding immmunizations in order to better plan strategies to maintain vaccination coverage.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the characterization of axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer.

Purpose: To assess prospectively the accuracy of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in differentiating between metastatic and benign axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: In all, 215 patients with histologically proven breast cancer, prior to axillary dissection, underwent breast and axillary 1.5 T MRI.

HIV bio-behavioural survey among men who have sex with men in Barcelona, Bratislava, Bucharest, Ljubljana, Prague and Verona, 2008-2009.

Data from 23 European countries show that the annual number of HIV diagnoses in men who have sex with men (MSM) increased by 86% between 2000 and 2006. This paper reports the main preliminary results of a bio-behavioural survey in MSM with a specific focus on HIV prevalence and use of United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) indicators in six cities in Southern and Eastern Europe. Time-location sampling (TLS) was used.