Publications by authors named "Luca R"

Article Synopsis
  • The study aims to provide updated evidence for managing stage I colon cancer (CC) post-surgery, focusing on recurrence rates and risk factors.
  • Despite low recurrence risk, some guidelines suggest intensive follow-up is unnecessary, but data on actual recurrence rates is limited.
  • The findings reveal a 5% recurrence rate, primarily systemic, with significant risk factors including tumor characteristics and patient demographics, suggesting a need for improved postoperative follow-up strategies.
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Aging is a multifactorial biological process characterized by a decline in physiological function and increasing susceptibility to various diseases, including malignancies and gastrointestinal disorders. Helicobacter pylori () infection is highly prevalent among older adults, particularly those in institutionalized settings, contributing to conditions such as atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric carcinoma. This review examines the intricate interplay between aging, gastrointestinal changes, and pathogenesis.

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Background: Diverting ileostomy is a common procedure in rectal cancer surgery, but it is sometimes associated with a nonnegligible rate of complications. The primary aim of this study was to analyze the incidence and types of stoma-related complications for ileostomy creation after rectal cancer resection. The secondary aims were to report the indications, the technical details, and the efficacy of stoma care provided by ostomy nurses.

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Background: Consensus on the nomenclature and indications for reoperation for post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is lacking. This study explores the available literature to classify the different types of reoperations and report outcomes.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed, including articles from 2010 to 2024 reporting reoperations for POPF after PD.

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: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that requires comprehensive and personalized rehabilitation. This retrospective study focused primarily on the usability and patient acceptability of the innovative pathway. In addition, the secondary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized and multidisciplinary rehabilitation pathway on cognitive function, especially executive functions.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) involves challenges in social communication and daily functioning. Emerging research highlights that virtual reality (VR) interventions can significantly improve social skills in adults with ASD by providing immersive, controlled practice environments. This systematic review will assess the effectiveness of VR-based interventions for improving social skills in adults with ASD.

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Article Synopsis
  • Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder causing motor and cognitive issues, and current treatments mainly address symptoms.
  • This study explored the combination of Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) with a virtual reality platform called Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) to enhance rehabilitation for PD patients.
  • Results showed significant cognitive improvements in the experimental group using NMT and CAREN, indicating this method could be a more effective way to address cognitive deficits in PD compared to traditional approaches.
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Malnutrition is common in patients affected by esophago-gastric cancers and has a negative impact on both clinical and economic outcomes. Yet not all patients at risk of malnutrition are routinely assessed and receive appropriate support. Further, available research does not provide a mean for standardization of timing, route, and dosage for nutritional support, and this is particularly true for enteral nutrition via feeding jejunostomy.

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  • Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method showing promise in treating consciousness disorders when combined with robotic verticalization training (RVT).
  • A study involving 24 patients with chronic minimally conscious states assessed the effects of this combination on cognitive and motor recovery.
  • Results showed significant improvements in cognitive functioning and reduced P300 latency in patients receiving the combined treatment compared to those who only received RVT, indicating the potential benefits of this integrated therapy.
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  • CAR T-cell therapies targeting specific antigens have been approved for treating B- and plasma-cell cancers, but their efficacy is limited by low antigen expression and safety issues due to the lack of control over their activity.
  • A new approach, called adaptor-CAR (AdFITC-CAR) T-cells, was developed to target a broader range of AML antigens and allow for modulation of T-cell activity, potentially avoiding damage to healthy cells.
  • Experiments showed that AdFITC-CAR T-cells, especially when combined with multiple adaptor proteins, significantly improved the killing of AML cells and demonstrated effective therapy in mouse models, suggesting a promising advance in treating AML.
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Introduction: Apraxia is a neurological disorder that is common after a stroke and impairs the planning and execution of movements. In the rehabilitation field, virtual reality (VR) presents new opportunities and offers advantages to both rehabilitation teams and individuals with neurological conditions. Indeed, VR can stimulate and improve cognitive reserve and abilities, including executive function, and enhance the patient's emotional status.

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Recombinant cytokine products have emerged as a promising avenue in cancer therapy due to their capacity to modulate and enhance the immune response against tumors. However, their clinical application is significantly hindered by systemic toxicities already at low doses, thus preventing escalation to therapeutically active regimens. One promising approach to overcoming these limitations is using antibody-cytokine fusion proteins (also called immunocytokines).

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Antibodies that target the tumor microenvironment can be used to deliver pro-inflammatory payloads, such as cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins able to modulate the activity of the immune system, and antibody-cytokine fusion proteins have been tested in preclinical and clinical settings. In this study, we describe Tripokin, a novel multi-specific fusion protein that combines interleukin-2 and a single amino acid mutant of tumor necrosis factor.

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Article Synopsis
  • Anti-PD-1 antibodies have transformed cancer treatment by achieving lasting remission in some patients, leading researchers to seek ways to enhance their effectiveness with new biomarkers and drugs.
  • This study introduces F8(scDb)-IL7, a novel fusion protein targeting EDA-FN, which is present in most tumors but rare in healthy tissue, potentially improving cancer therapy at the disease site.
  • F8(scDb)-IL7 was shown to boost T Cell Factor 1 expression in CD8+T cells and effectively eradicates sarcoma lesions when used alongside anti-PD-1 treatment, suggesting a promising combination for cancer patients.
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Cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) is a devastating complication of cancer that can significantly impact a patient's health and life. The incidence of CAT is approximately 20%, and 1 in 5 cancer patients will develop CAT annually. Indeed, CAT can promote pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, leading to increased morbidity and mortality that dramatically impact survival.

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The oral cavity's soft and hard tissues create a conducive environment for microbial proliferation and biofilm development, facilitating the colonization of prosthodontic and implant materials such as titanium (Ti) and zirconia (Zr). This study aimed to compare the efficacy of conventional decontamination methodologies (i.e.

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: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in the workloads of healthcare workers (HCWs). The fear of contracting the new virus with the frequent medical consequences has affected their mental health. As a result, they are at high risk of compassion fatigue (CF).

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Article Synopsis
  • * An adult woman with ongoing respiratory issues underwent extensive genetic testing, leading to the identification of the novel haplotype F508del/E583G, with bioinformatics analyses suggesting that the E583G variant may be harmful.
  • * The research highlights the importance of updated CFTR-RD guidelines, emphasizing the need for thorough evaluations when discovering new variants to provide better diagnostic and treatment options.
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The secretion of cortisol in humans and corticosterone (Cort) in rodents follows a daily rhythm which is important in readying the individual for the daily active cycle and is impaired in chronic depression. This rhythm is orchestrated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which governs the activity of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus that produce the corticotropin-releasing hormone (PVH neurons). The dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (DMH) serves as a crucial intermediary, being innervated by the SCN both directly and via relays in the subparaventricular zone, and projecting axons to the PVH, thereby exerting influence over the cortisol/corticosterone rhythm.

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Background: Acquired brain injuries (ABI) represent neurological disorders that can arise after traumatic and non-traumatic events. In addition to the physical, emotional and cognitive challenges that patients face, these injuries can bring changes in the life of the patient and his or her family.

Objective: This study aims to understand how the occurrence of an ABI condition can disrupt and reshape family functioning by examining certain dimensions such as role in the family, gender and age, which may have a major influence on family dynamics.

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Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a hands-on therapy aiming to achieve the global homeostasis of the patient. OMT focuses on treating the somatic dysfunctions characterized by tissue modifications, body asymmetry, and range-of-motion restrictions. The benefits related to OMT are thought to be associated with the interconnectedness of the body's systems and the inherent capacity for self-healing.

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DNA-Encoded Libraries (DELs) allow the parallel screening of millions of compounds for various applications, including discovery or affinity maturation campaigns. However, library construction and HIT resynthesis can be cumbersome, especially when library members present an unknown stereochemistry. We introduce a permutational encoding strategy suitable for the construction of highly pure single-stranded single-pharmacophore DELs, designed to distinguish isomers at the sequencing level (e.

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Article Synopsis
  • Stroke affects not just patients, but also their families, creating new challenges for caregivers who may feel stressed and unsure of how to help.
  • A study looked at 30 patients with stroke and their caregivers in Italy to see how caregiving affects them during recovery.
  • The results showed that as patients improved, their caregivers also felt changes in their emotions, suggesting that helping both patients and caregivers is important for everyone's well-being.
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Vascular dementia, the second most common type of dementia, currently lacks a definitive cure. In the pursuit of therapies aimed at slowing its progression and alleviating symptoms, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) emerges as a promising approach, characterized by its non-invasive nature and the ability to promote brain plasticity. In this study, the primary objective was to investigate the effects of a two-week cycle of tDCS on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and neurophysiological functioning in thirty patients diagnosed with vascular dementia.

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In recent years, new technologies have been applied in cerebral palsy. Among these, immersive virtual reality is one with promising motor and cognitive effects along with the reduced costs of its application. The level of immersion of the subject in the illusional world gives the feeling of being a real part of the virtual environment.

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