Purpose: To report the visual and refractive outcomes of trocar-assisted sutureless intrascleral three-piece intraocular lens (IOL) fixation, and to compare the accuracy of different IOL power formulas in this setting.
Methods: Twenty eyes of 20 patients who underwent trocar-assisted sutureless three-piece IOL scleral fixation were included. Two trocar-cannula systems were placed at 3 and 9 o'clock position creating 2.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the most common etiologic agents of corneal disease and a significant cause of corneal blindness worldwide. Although most cases can be successfully managed with medical therapy, HSV keratitis associated with visually significant stromal scarring often requires corneal transplantation for visual rehabilitation. While penetrating keratoplasty (PK) represented the traditional keratoplasty technique, the past few decades have seen a shift towards lamellar keratoplasty procedures, including deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty and mushroom keratoplasty.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe increasing concern over environmental sustainability has prompted various industries to reassess their practices and explore greener alternatives. Dentistry, as a significant contributor to waste generation, is actively seeking methods to minimize its environmental footprint. This paper examines the environmental implications of clear aligner therapy (CAT) in orthodontics and explores strategies to prioritize sustainability in aligner manufacturing and usage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe arteriovenous fistula (AVF) represents the favorite vascular access in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Because AVF is a guarantee of survival for these patients, proper surgical packing and a timely follow-up program is crucial. Although a good objective examination of the limb site of FAV provides useful information both in planning the fistula surgery and in its surveillance and monitoring, it is now well established that the advent of instrumental diagnostics (ultrasonography, digital angiography, Angio-TC, MRI) has contributed significantly to improving primary and secondary patency of FAV and early diagnosis of vascular access complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGrowing evidence suggests that alterations in the gut microbiome impact the development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Although IBD often requires the use of immunosuppressant drugs and biologic therapies to facilitate clinical remission and mucosal healing, some patients do not benefit from these drugs, and the reasons for this remain poorly understood. Despite advancements, there is still a need to develop biomarkers to help predict prognosis and guide treatment decisions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: An increasing amount of evidence suggests the emerging role of the gut microbiota in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to elucidate the architecture of microbial communities within normal and neoplastic colonic mucosa.
Methods: Microbiota were analyzed by NGS and by an ensemble of metagenomics analysis tools in a total of 69 tissues from 9 patients with synchronous colorectal neoplasia and adenomas (27 specimens: 9 from normal tissues, 9 adenomas, and 9 tumours), 16 patients with only colonic adenomas (32 specimens: 16 from normal tissues and 16 adenomas), and from healthy subjects (10 specimens of normal mucosa).
Patients suffering from different forms of acute hepatic porphyria present a high risk of primary liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, determined by the activity of the disease even though an exact mechanism of carcinogenesis has not been recognized yet. Here, we present the clinical case of a 72-year-old woman who, approximately 29 years after the diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria, presented with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with a histological diagnosis of adenocarcinoma starting from the biliary-pancreatic ducts, which was diagnosed during the clinical and anatomopathological evaluation of a pathological fracture of the femur.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeme is a member of the porphyrins family of cyclic tetrapyrroles and influences various cell processes and signalling pathways. Enzyme deficiencies in the heme biosynthetic pathway provoke rare human inherited metabolic diseases called porphyrias. Protein levels and activity of enzymes involved in the heme biosynthetic pathway and especially 5'-Aminolevulinate Synthase 1 are featured by 24-h rhythmic oscillations driven by the biological clock.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe bioavailability of copper (Cu) in human cells may depend on a complex interplay with zinc (Zn) ions. We investigated the ability of the Zn ion to target the human Cu-chaperone Atox1, a small cytosolic protein capable of anchoring Cu(I), by a conserved surface-exposed Cys-X-X-Cys (CXXC) motif, and deliver it to Cu-transporting ATPases in the trans-Golgi network. The crystal structure of Atox1 loaded with Zn displays the metal ion bridging the CXXC motifs of two Atox1 molecules in a homodimer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this review is to illustrate the state of the art in high-power ultrasound (HPU) application for olive oil extraction with the most recent studies about the effects of HPU treatment on oil yield, quality, chemical composition, as well as on the consumer's perception. All the examined works reported an increase in oil yield and extractability index through the use of HPU, which was ascribed to reduced paste viscosity and cavitation-driven cell disruption. Olive oil legal quality was generally not affected; on the other hand, results regarding oil chemical composition were conflicting with some studies reporting an increase of phenols, tocopherols, and volatile compounds, while others underlined no significant effects to even slight reductions after HPU treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: Bevacizumab (B) in association with systemic chemotherapy is commonly used for the treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases. The aim of this study was to monitor tumor response, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) + B compared with TACE alone and to correlate the results with mutational status.
Patients & Methods: This was an observational multicentric case-control study (NCT03732235) on the efficacy and safety of B administered after TACE.
The interaction of metallodrugs with proteins influences their mechanism of action and side effects. In the case of platinum drugs, copper transporters modulate sensitivity and resistance to these anticancer agents. To deepen the knowledge of the structural properties underlying the reactivity of platinum drugs with copper transporters, we studied the interaction of kiteplatin and two of its derivatives with the methionine-rich motif of copper importer Ctr1 and with the dithiol motif of the first domain of Menkes ATPase.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), are at risk of developing a colorectal cancer (CRC). No information is available on the contribution of patients' genetic background to CRC occurrence. This study investigates germline alterations in patients with IBD-associated CRC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To investigate long-term results of biliary biopsy performed with transluminal forceps in the setting of metastatic biliary involvement.
Materials And Methods: Between September 2014 and June 2019, 25 patients-18 males (72%)-with a mean age of 65 ± 15 years, underwent 26 biliary biopsy procedures with a dedicated forceps system. All patients presented with obstructive jaundice that was suspected of being malignant and underwent pre-procedural magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.
Introduction: For patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, switching from infliximab originator to biosimilars is effective and safe. Few data on single switch have been published, and data on multiple switches of different infliximab are unavailable.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who switched from CT-P13 to SB2, and of those with multiple switches among different infliximab compounds was conducted.
Purpose: Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) using irinotecan-eluting beads is an additional treatment option for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) patients that are not eligible for curative treatment approaches. This interim analysis focuses on feasibility of the planned statistical analysis regarding data distribution and completeness, treatment intention, safety and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the first 50 patients prospectively enrolled in the CIrse REgistry for LifePearl™ microspheres (CIREL), an observational multicentre study conducted across Europe.
Methods: In total, 50 patients ≥ 18 years diagnosed with CRLM and decided to be treated with irinotecan-eluting LifePearl™ microspheres TACE (LP-irinotecan TACE) by a multidisciplinary tumour board.
The use of liver magnetic resonance imaging is increasing thanks to its multiparametric sequences that allow a better tissue characterization, and the use of hepatobiliary contrast agents. This review aims to evaluate gadoxetic acid enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and staging of cholangiocarcinoma and its different clinical and radiological classifications proposed in the literature. We also analyze the epidemiology, risk factors in correlation with clinical findings and laboratory data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe identification of liquid biomarkers remains a major challenge to improve the diagnosis of melanoma patients with brain metastases. Circulating miRNAs packaged into tumor-secreted small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) contribute to tumor progression. To investigate the release of tumor-secreted miRNAs by brain metastasis, we developed a xenograft model where human metastatic melanoma cells were injected intracranially in nude mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: to assess efficacy and safety of chemoembolization alone (TACE) and followed by bevacizumab (TACE-B) in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRC-LM) (NCT03732235).
Patients And Methods: The study included 30 consecutive patients with CRC-LM. They were informed about the types of treatment available: TACE with irinotecan loaded into polythylene glycol embolics alone or followed by bevacizumab therapy.
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of Joubert syndrome (JS) in Italy applying standards of descriptive epidemiology and to provide a molecular characterization of the described patient cohort.
Methods: We enrolled all patients with a neuroradiologically confirmed diagnosis of JS who resided in Italy in 2018 and calculated age and sex prevalence, assuming a Poisson distribution. We also investigated the correlation between proband chronological age and age at diagnosis and performed next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis on probands' DNA when available.
Cancer cells cope with high oxidative stress levels, characterized by a shift toward the oxidized form (GSSG) of glutathione (GSH) in the redox couple GSSG/2GSH. Under these conditions, the cytosolic copper chaperone Atox1, which delivers Cu(I) to the secretory pathway, gets oxidized, i.e.
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