Publications by authors named "Maria Failla"

Diffuse midline glioma (DMG), H3 K27-altered, is a WHO grade 4 malignant glioma located at midline structures, including the thalamus, brainstem and spinal cord. While H3 K27-altered DMG is more common in pediatric age in which it shows a uniformly aggressive clinical behavior, its occurrence is relatively unusual among adults, and its clinico-pathological and prognostic features are not fully characterized in this age group. In this present paper, a review of the literature, including all cases of adult H3 K27-altered DMG published from January 2010 to December 2023 was performed, and the following clinical parameters were evaluated: sex, age (median and range), anatomic site, median follow-up, leptomeningeal dissemination, local recurrence and treatment.

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Fluoroedenite-induced pleural mesothelioma (FE-induced-PM) is a rare and small subset of PM that shares with its asbestos-induced counterpart the same aggressive biological behavior and poor prognosis, but that differs from it from a pathogenetic point of view as it is associated with exposure to fluoroedenite, a carcinogenic agent that shows similarities with tremolite amphibolic asbestos fibers. Although it has been demonstrated that asbestos-induced PMs frequently harbor CDKN2A homozygous deletion and that the immunohistochemical loss of MTAP may represent a cheap and reliable surrogate marker for this molecular alteration, little is known about the molecular landscape and the reliability of MTAP immunohistochemistry in this peculiar subset of PM. The study herein presented investigated the prevalence of CDKN2A homozygous deletion and its concordance with MTAP immunohistochemical status on a cohort of 10 cases of FE-induced-PM from patients with environmental exposure to FE fibers, who were residents in the small town of Biancavilla (Sicily, Italy) or nearby areas.

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PReferentially expressed Antigen in Melanoma (PRAME) is a cancer testis antigen, first isolated in tumor-reactive T-cell clones from a metastatic melanoma patient. It has been widely studied in skin pathology as an immunohistochemical marker capable of distinguishing between benign nevi and malignant melanomas. PRAME has been found to be also expressed in non-melanocytic tumors, including lung, breast, kidney and ovarian cancer.

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Background: In Sicily, the first wave of COVID-19 showed a low epidemic impact in paediatric population, while the second and the third waves had a higher impact on clinical presentation of COVID-19 in children and a significantly higher severe outcome in patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), with a frequent life-threatening progression.

Methods: We describe a cohort of 22 Sicilian children (11 M; 11 F; age: 1.4-14 years), presenting with clinical features compatible with MIS-C.

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Prostate Cancer (PCa) is still ranked as the first cancer in the male population and evidences have suggested an alteration of glycemic and lipidic metabolism that are related to its progression and prognosis. The aim of the study is to investigate associations between enzymes' expression, especially involved in the lipidic pathway, and PCa aggressiveness. We retrospectively analyzed data from 390 patients with PCa or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) at the Department of Urology, University of Catania.

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Article Synopsis
  • * This study analyzes 21 cases of PP to identify key histologic features, including parakeratosis, dilated vessels, and various forms of skin layer changes.
  • * It also discusses important diagnostic indicators and how to distinguish PP from other similar skin conditions based on histological findings.
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Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults. To date, the main strategies to counteract its progression consist of focal radiation on the tumor site and ocular enucleation. Furthermore, many UM patients develop liver metastasis within 10 years following diagnosis, eventually resulting in a poorer prognosis for those patients.

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BACKGROUND To date, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a global health concern, with fatalities mostly in older age groups with underlying medical conditions, while children are less likely to manifest severe symptoms. CASE REPORT We describe the clinical cases of 2 brothers admitted to our Children's Hospital for persistent fever and cough during the COVID-19 pandemic. Case 1.

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Background: The ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic represents an unprecedented global health challenge. Many COVID-19 symptoms are similar to symptoms that can occur in other infections. Malaria should always be considered in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection returning from endemic areas.

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Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults and usually has a very poor prognosis. Histologically, UMs have been classified in epithelioid cell type, spindle cell type, and mixed cell type. Balloon cells are large pale cells that contain small, hyperchromatic, central nuclei with vesiculated, clear, and lipid-rich cytoplasm.

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BACKGROUND Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has recently been described in children infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This report describes 2 children with MIS-C who were initially diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome but who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, supporting the diagnosis of MIS-C. CASE REPORT Case 1.

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Bronchiolitis is the most common disease of the lower respiratory tract occurring in children during their first year of life, becoming the most frequent cause of hospitalization. Although the disease can also be caused by other viruses, more than 70% of bronchiolitis cases are caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV bronchiolitis clinically presents rhinitis, coughing, increased breathing and eating difficulties; the symptoms are usually mild, but in some cases may be so severe as to require hospitalization.

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POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein and skin signs) and AESOP (adenopathy and extensive skin patch overlying a plasmacytoma) syndromes are rare paraneoplastic conditions due to an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia. We report a 70-year-old patient with the rare coexistence of POEMS and AESOP syndromes and in whom skin signs, that differ both clinically and histologically, were the clues to the diagnosis of a plasma cell disorder. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A overexpression seems to be the common pathogenetic link of the different clinicopathological presentations of the skin lesions.

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Background: Relatively common in adults, intestinal tuberculosis is considered rare in children and adolescents. The protean manifestations of intestinal tuberculosis mean that the diagnosis is often delayed (sometimes even for years), thus leading to increased mortality and unnecessary surgery. The main diagnostic dilemma is to differentiate intestinal tuberculosis and Crohn's disease because a misdiagnosis can have dramatic consequences.

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Article Synopsis
  • Acute osteomyelitis is uncommon in newborns but can lead to serious health issues and even death.
  • Early detection and treatment are crucial for effective recovery.
  • A specific case is discussed involving a 30-day-old baby with acute osteomyelitis in the talus caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis.
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This report describes a case of acute pancreatitis in a 2-year-old boy following rotavirus gastroenteritis. Its characteristics are analyzed and discussed in the light of another 4 cases of pancreatitis associated with rotavirus infection found through a systematic review of the international literature. None of the five children underwent surgery or was referred to an intensive care unit and all 5 children recovered with normalization of pancreatic enzymes within 5-10 days.

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Intestinal intussusception is the invagination of an intestinal segment into another. Childhood intussusception is usually idiopathic, whereas adult intussusception is usually due to a definable intraluminal lesion or to a systemic disease. Although the aetiology of idiopathic forms often remains unclear, there is appreciable evidence to support an indirect role played by certain infectious agents.

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