Development of the Italian version of the Motricity Index and evaluation of its reliability in adults with stroke.

Background: The Motricity Index (MI) is a commonly used method of measuring muscle strength in post-stroke hemiparesis. This study aimed to produce the MI Italian version (MI-IT) and assess its reliability in subjects with stroke.

Methods: Phase-1: stepwise approach to MI-IT production and pilot-testing with 10 health professionals to ensure clarity of each item and instructions for administration and scoring.

Quantitative EEG and prognosis for recovery in post-stroke patients: The effect of lesion laterality.

Objective: There is emerging confidence that quantitative EEG (qEEG) has the potential to inform clinical decision-making and guide individualized rehabilitation after stroke, but consensus on the best EEG biomarkers is needed for translation to clinical practice. This study investigates the spatial qEEG spectral and symmetry distribution in patients with a left/right hemispheric stroke, to evaluate their side-specific prognostic power in post-acute rehabilitation outcome.

Methods: Resting-state 19-channel EEG recordings were collected with clinical information on admission to intensive inpatient rehabilitation (within 30 days post stroke), and six months post stroke.

Autologous microfragmented adipose tissue treatment of knee osteoarthritis demonstrates effectiveness in 68% of patients at 4-year follow-up.

Background: Adipose tissue-derived stem cells are an interesting therapeutic option for early knee osteoarthritis (OA) treatment due to their high plasticity, easiness of harvesting and rapidity of administration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the medium-term effectiveness and safety of Microfragmented Autologous Fat Tissue (MFAT) injection treatment at 4-year follow-up and to investigate potential correlations among patients' pre-treatment clinical condition and clinical outcomes to identify possible predicting factors for procedure success or failure.

Patients And Methods: This is a prospective trial enrolling 46 patients with diagnosis of symptomatic knee OA and failure of previous conservative measures who underwent diagnostic arthroscopy and single autologous MFAT injection between June 2017 and July 2018.

Predicting the functional outcome of intensive inpatient rehabilitation after stroke: results from the RIPS Study.

Background: The complexity of stroke sequelae, the heterogeneity of outcome measures and rehabilitation pathways, and the lack of extensively validated prediction models represent a challenge in predicting stroke rehabilitation outcomes.

Aim: To prospectively investigate a multidimensional set of variables collected at admission to inpatient post-stroke rehabilitation as potential predictors of the functional level at discharge.

Design: Multicentric prospective observational study.

Depressive Symptoms Moderate the Association Between Functional Level at Admission to Intensive Post-Stroke Rehabilitation and Effectiveness of the Intervention.

Introduction: Previous studies showed that depression acts as an independent factor in functional recovery after stroke. In a prospective cohort of patients admitted to intensive inpatient rehabilitation after a stroke, we aimed to test depression as a moderator of the relationship between the functional level at admission and the effectiveness of rehabilitation at discharge.

Methods: All patients admitted to within 30 days from an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke to 4 intensive rehabilitation units were prospectively screened for eligibility to a multicenter prospective observational study.

Trunk Control Test as a Main Predictor of the Modified Barthel Index Score at Discharge From Intensive Post-acute Stroke Rehabilitation: Results From a Multicenter Italian Study.

Objectives: To verify whether trunk control test (TCT) upon admission to intensive inpatient post-stroke rehabilitation, combined with other confounding variables, is independently associated with discharge mBI.

Design: Multicentric retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting: Two Italian inpatient rehabilitation units.

Correlates of participation six months after stroke in an Italian population: results from the RIPS (Post-Stroke Intensive Rehabilitation) Study.

Background: Stroke survivors report physical, cognitive, and psychological impairments, with a consequent limitation of participation. Participation is the most context-related dimension of functioning, but the literature on participation in Italian stroke patients is scant.

Aim: This study aimed to describe the recovery of participation six months after stroke with a validated Italian version of the Frenchay Activity Index (FAI) and to investigate potential correlates with higher participation scores.

Design and implementation of a Stroke Rehabilitation Registry for the systematic assessment of processes and outcomes and the development of data-driven prediction models: The STRATEGY study protocol.

Background: Stroke represents the second preventable cause of death after cardiovascular disease and the third global cause of disability. In countries where national registries of the clinical quality of stroke care have been established, the publication and sharing of the collected data have led to an improvement in the quality of care and survival of patients. However, information on rehabilitation processes and outcomes is often lacking, and predictors of functional outcomes remain poorly explored.

A new protocol for validation of Chondro, Adipo and Osteo differentiation kit of Cultured Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSC) by real-time rt-QPCR.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells, originally derived from the embryonic mesenchyme, and able to differentiate into connective tissues such as bone, fat, cartilage, tendon, and muscle. Furthermore, MSCs derived from adipose tissue ADSC (Adipose derived Stem Cells) show a great potential for degenerative diseases treatment. In this study, we designed a series of experiments based on real-time rt-QPCR to validated a commercially available kit able to explore changes in gene expression under osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of human ADSC.

Intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Italian Fugl-Meyer assessment of upper and lower extremity.

Purpose: To assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability motor and sensory functioning, balance, joint range of motion and joint pain subscales of the Italian Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) and Lower Extremity (FMA-LE) at the item- subtotal- and total-level in patients with sub-acute stroke.

Materials And Methods: The FMA was administered to 60 patients with sub-acute stroke (mean age ± SD = 75.4 ± 10.

Italian translation and transcultural validation of an assessment tool for community ambulation in stroke survivors: the modified Functional Walking Categories (mFWC).

Background: Community ambulation ability is one of the most important functional loss after stroke. The assessment of the level of community walking plays an important role in the multidimensional bio-psycho-social approach, to improve quality of life and social participation of stroke survivors. The modified Functional Walking Categories (mFWC) is a worldwide widely used tool to assess community ambulation in stroke survivors, but no Italian version is yet available.

Predictors of Mortality in 433 Nonagenarians Inside the Mugello Study: A 10 Years Follow-Up Study.

Objective: to identify the predictors of mortality in a cohort of nonagenarians inside the "Mugello study" after 10 years follow-up.

Methods: Information on sociodemographic data, cognitive and functional status, lifestyle, medical history, and drug use was collected from 433 non-selected participants aged 90-99 years, living in the Mugello area (Italy). Participants were followed over 10 years and their dates of death were retrieved from the municipal registers.

12-month survival in nonagenarians inside the Mugello study: on the way to live a century.

Background: Life expectancy has increased over the last century and a growing number of people is reaching age 90 years and over. However, data on nonagenarians' health trends are scarce due to difficulties in investigating this specific population. This study aims to identify risk factors for one-year mortality in nonagenarians using data collected within the "Mugello Study".

Italian translation and cross-cultural validation of an assessment tool for participation in stroke survivors: the Frenchay Activities Index.

Purpose: Participation needs to be assessed objectively, to state accurate rehabilitation objectives. The Frenchay Activities Index (FAI) is a widely used tool to measure participation in stroke patients. To date, no cross-culturally validated Italian version of FAI is available.

Factors influencing trunk control recovery after intensive rehabilitation in post-stroke patients: a multicentre prospective study.

Background: Trunk control plays a crucial role in the stroke rehabilitation, but it is unclear which factors could influence the trunk control after an intensive rehabilitation treatment.

Objectives: To study which demographic, clinical and functional variables could predict the recovery of trunk control after intensive post-stroke inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods: Subjects with acute, first-ever stroke were enrolled and clinical and data were collected at admission and discharge.

Predictors of Function, Activity, and Participation of Stroke Patients Undergoing Intensive Rehabilitation: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study Protocol.

The complex nature of stroke sequelae, the heterogeneity in rehabilitation pathways, and the lack of validated prediction models of rehabilitation outcomes challenge stroke rehabilitation quality assessment and clinical research. An integrated care pathway (ICP), defining a reproducible rehabilitation assessment and process, may provide a structured frame within investigated outcomes and individual predictors of response to treatment, including neurophysiological and neurogenetic biomarkers. Predictors may differ for different interventions, suggesting clues to personalize and optimize rehabilitation.

Development and implementation of a stroke rehabilitation integrated care pathway in an Italian no profit institution: an observational study.

Background: To standardize assessment and coordinate processes in stroke rehabilitation, an integrated care pathway (ICP) was developed in an Italian Rehabilitation and Research Institution by a knowledge-translation interdisciplinary process, from evidence-based guidelines to rehabilitation practice. The ICP was implemented in two pilot Tuscan rehabilitation Centers.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe ICP development and assess the ICP effects on postacute stroke inpatient rehabilitation outcomes.

Enhanced Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Effect of New Colistin-Loaded Human Albumin Nanoparticles.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), such as and , are responsible for severe hospital-acquired infections. Colistin, despite its toxicity and low tissue penetration, is considered the last resort antibiotic against these microorganisms. Of concern, the use of Colistin has recently been compromised by the emergence of Colistin resistance.

Evidence-Based Clinical Efficacy of Leukocyte and Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Maxillary Sinus Floor Lift, Graft and Surgical Augmentation Procedures.

Bone augmentation techniques have increasingly been indicated for re-creating adequate bone height and volume suitable for dental implant sites. This is particularly applicable in the severely atrophic posterior maxilla where sinus perforation (ruptured Schneiderian membrane) is a very common complication and sinus floor elevation or lift is frequently considered a standard procedure. The augmentation of the maxillary sinus can be performed with or without grafting biomaterials.

Transcultural translation and validation of Fugl-Meyer assessment to Italian.

Purpose: The Fugl-Meyer Assessment is the most used and highly recommended clinical assessment of sensorimotor function after stroke. A standardized use of the scale in different countries requires translation and cultural validation to the target language. The objective of the study was to develop an official Italian version of the scale by transcultural translation and validation.

CSF1R Is Required for Differentiation and Migration of Langerhans Cells and Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder characterized by tissue accumulation of CD1aCD207 LCH cells. In LCH, somatic mutations of the gene have been detected in tissue LCH cells, bone marrow CD34 hematopoietic stem cells, circulating CD14 monocytes, and BDCA1 myeloid dendritic cells (DC). Targeting in clonal Langerhans cells (LC) and their precursors is a potential treatment option for patients whose tumors have the mutation.

Independent Functioning in Nonagenarians Living in a Rural Italian Community: The Mugello Study.

Nonagenarians are a fast-growing population deserving specific research. We explored the prevalence and characteristics of functionally independent nonagenarians from a rural community-dwelling Italian population. Data were collected in the Mugello Study; 475 persons aged ≥90 years (median age, 92) underwent a home-based clinical and functional assessment, including psychosocial, clinical, functional, and lifestyle history and status and physical and instrumental examinations.

In Vitro Enhanced Skin Permeation and Retention of Imiquimod Loaded in β-Cyclodextrin Nanosponge Hydrogel.

Imiquimod (IMQ) is an immune response modifier clinically used for the treatment of various topical diseases. However, its poor aqueous solubility and skin penetration capability make the topical delivery of IMQ a challenging task. This work aims at developing a nanomedicine-based topical formulation, carrying IMQ to control the scarring process for the treatment of aberrant wounds.