Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of an Attitude about Euthanasia Scale in Portuguese Older Adults with Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder.

On 25 May 2023, the Portuguese parliament approved the decriminalisation of euthanasia for incurable illnesses. As the experiences of other countries show us, it will be a matter of time before mental disorders are addressed. Studying the phenomenon, particularly in vulnerable groups, in advance is essential for proper law drafting.

Effects of non-invasive respiratory support in post-operative patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Re-intubation secondary to post-extubation respiratory failure in post-operative patients is associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality. Non-invasive respiratory support (NRS) alternative to conventional oxygen therapy (COT), i.e.

Gram-negative bacterial colonizations before bilateral lung transplant. The impact of 'targeted' versus 'standard' surgical prophylaxis.

Background: Infections are one of the most common causes of death after lung transplant (LT). However, the benefit of 'targeted' prophylaxis in LT recipients pre-colonized by Gram-negative (GN) bacteria is still unclear.

Methods: All consecutive bilateral LT recipients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital of Padua (February 2016-2023) were retrospectively screened.

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Does Not Influence Spinal Excitability in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

(1) : Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has beneficial effects on physical functions in Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these functional improvements are still unclear. This study aims at comparing acute responses in spinal excitability, as measured by soleus Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex), between MS patients and healthy individuals, under three experimental conditions involving the ankle planta flexor muscles: (1) passive NMES (pNMES); (2) NMES superimposed onto isometric voluntary contraction (NMES+); and (3) isometric voluntary contraction (ISO).

Clozapine-Induced Eosinophilia: a Case Report.

Introduction: Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug eligible for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. It frequently represents the best and the only choice in resistant schizophrenia. However, its use is feared by many professionals due to its possible adverse effects, such as eosinophilia.

Inappropriate Citation of Retracted Articles in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine Publications.

Background: Retracted articles represent research withdrawn from the existing body of literature after publication. Research articles may be retracted for several reasons ranging from honest errors to intentional misconduct. They should not be used as reliable sources, and it is unclear why they are cited occasionally by other articles.

Anomic aphasia after COVID-19 infection: a case report.

Purpose: This case reports on anomic aphasia related to COVID-19. Increasing knowledge about rare symptoms and complications may aid in the characterization of the disease, understand its pathophysiology, identify more quickly possible infected people and break the transmission chain.

Case Description: This work reports on the case of a middle-aged man who presented to his assistant psychiatrist complaining about difficulty with naming objects in his daily routine surroundings, with ten weeks of duration and following a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Research on SARS-COV-2 pandemic: a narrative review focused on the Italian contribution.

Background: Since late 2019, a severe acute respiratory syndrome, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread with overwhelming speed causing over 214 million confirmed infections and more than 4.5 million deaths worldwide. In this framework, Italy had the second highest number of SARS-CoV-2 infections worldwide, and the largest number of deaths.

Clozapine-Induced Eosinophilia: a Case Report.

Introduction: Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug eligible for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. It frequently represents the best and the only choice in resistant schizophrenia. However, its use is feared by many professionals due to its possible adverse effects, such as eosinophilia.

HMGB1 expression in leukocytes as a biomarker of cellular damage induced by [Tc]Tc-HMPAO-labelling procedure: A quality control study.

Purpose: Autologous White Blood Cells (WBC) scintigraphy is based on a multi-step sequence of cell separation and radiolabelling. Besides in vivo imaging quality control, no molecular tool is available to evaluate WBC damage secondary to cell manipulation. High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) is a protein of the alarmins family, secreted by innate immune cells and released from the nucleus of damaged cells following different types of injury.

Multiple Myeloma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Induce Osteoclastogenesis through the Activation of the XBP1/IRE1α Axis.

Bone disease severely affects the quality of life of over 70% of multiple myeloma (MM) patients, which daily experience pain, pathological fractures, mobility issues and an increased mortality. Recent data have highlighted the crucial role of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated unfolded protein response (UPR) in malignant transformation and tumor progression; therefore, targeting of UPR-related molecules may open novel therapeutic avenues. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and UPR pathways are constitutively activated in MM cells, which are characterized by an increased protein turnover as a consequence of high production of immunoglobulins and high rates of protein synthesis.

Functional lung volume mapping with perfusion Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography scan for radiotherapy planning in patients with locally advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Objectives: Radical chemotherapy-radiotherapy represents the standard treatment for locally-advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Conventional radiotherapy achieves limited local tumor control, but dose escalation to the primary tumor is prevented by radiotherapy-induced toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate feasibility of tailored intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning based on lung single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion data and to compare functional and conventional dose-volume parameters.

Exit strategies for "needle fatigue" in multiple sclerosis: a propensity score-matched comparison study.

Patients with multiple sclerosis on long-term injectable therapies may suffer from the so-called "needle fatigue", i.e., a waning commitment to continue with the prescribed injectable treatment.

Treatment with Dimethyl Fumarate Enhances Cholinergic Transmission in Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) exerts anti-inflammatory effects in multiple sclerosis by activating the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway, which is also stimulated by acetylcholine via alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In animal models, Nrf2 potentiates cholinergic synaptic plasticity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test whether treatment with DMF modulates cholinergic pathways in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

The influence of physiotherapy intervention on patients with multiple sclerosis-related spasticity treated with nabiximols (THC:CBD oromucosal spray).

Background: Nabiximols (THC/CBD Oromucosal Spray, Sativex) is used as an add-on therapy to treat moderate to severe spasticity of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Objectives: To examine the impact of physiotherapy (PT) programs on effectiveness and persistence of nabiximols treatment in people with MS-related spasticity.

Methods: This is an observational multicenter study with a follow-up period of 12 weeks, conducted in routine care settings in Italy.

In Vivo Microbial Targeting of 99mTc-Labeled Human β-Defensin-3 in a Rat Model of Infection.

Objective: Differentiation of infection from aseptic inflammation represents a major clinical issue. None of the commercially available compounds (labeled granulocytes, antigranulocyte antibodies, Ga-citrate, labeled immunoglobulin G, F-FDG) is capable of this differentiation, producing a nonnegligible false-positive rate. Recently, our group reported on a reliable labeling procedure of the antimicrobial peptide human β-defensin 3 (HBD-3) with Tc.

Oral D-Aspartate enhances synaptic plasticity reserve in progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background: Synaptic plasticity reserve correlates with clinical recovery after a relapse in relapsing-remitting forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is significantly compromised in patients with progressive forms of MS. These findings suggest that progression of disability in MS is linked to reduced synaptic plasticity reserve. D-Aspartate, an endogenous aminoacid approved for the use in humans as a dietary supplement, enhances synaptic plasticity in mice.

Delayed treatment of MS is associated with high CSF levels of IL-6 and IL-8 and worse future disease course.

Background: Clinical deterioration of relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS) patients reflects not only the number and severity of overt inflammatory and demyelinating episodes, but also subtle central damage caused by persistent exposure to inflammatory molecules.

Objective: To explore the correlation between levels of CSF inflammatory molecules at the time of diagnosis and both demographic and clinical characteristics of a large sample of RR-MS patients, as well as the predictive value of cytokine levels on their prospective disease course.

Methods: In 205 patients diagnosed with RR-MS, we measured at the time of diagnosis the CSF levels of inflammatory molecules.

SWATH-MS based quantitative proteomics analysis reveals that curcumin alters the metabolic enzyme profile of CML cells by affecting the activity of miR-22/IPO7/HIF-1α axis.

Background: Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder caused by expression of the chimeric BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase oncogene, resulting from the t(9;22) chromosomal translocation. Imatinib (gleevec, STI-571) is a selective inhibitor of BCR-ABL activity highly effective in the treatment of CML. However, even though almost all CML patients respond to treatment with imatinib or third generation inhibitors, these drugs are not curative and need to be taken indefinitely or until patients become resistant.

Safety and Efficacy of Dimethyl Fumarate in Multiple Sclerosis: An Italian, Multicenter, Real-World Study.

Background: Two phase III trials have demonstrated the clinical and radiological efficacy of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). However, data on its safety and effectiveness in real-world practice are still limited.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to explore the safety and tolerability profile of DMF in RRMS.

Abortion induces reactivation of inflammation in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To investigate clinical and radiological outcomes of women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) undergoing abortion.

Methods: An independent, multicentre retrospective study was conducted collecting data from eight Italian MS centres. We compared the preconception and postabortion annualised relapse rate (ARR) and number of Gadolinium enhancing (Gd+) lesions, by analyses of covariance.

The phospholipase DDHD1 as a new target in colorectal cancer therapy.

Background: Our previous study demonstrates that Citrus-limon derived nanovesicles are able to decrease colon cancer cell viability, and that this effect is associated with the downregulation of the intracellular phospholipase DDHD domain-containing protein 1 (DDHD1). While few studies are currently available on the contribution of DDHD1 in neurological disorders, there is no information on its role in cancer. This study investigates the role of DDHD1 in colon cancer.