Community case study for surveillance and early case-detection of SARS-CoV-2 infections across high-risk key populations: the Sentinella programme.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, an organisational framework was established between academic, local government and community partners to implement the "Sentinella - Identify, Trace and Prevent" screening programme in Verona, north-east Italy. Between September 2020 and May 2021, key populations not covered by any screening policies at the local and national level were screened for SARS-CoV-2. Target populations were: older adult residents (males >65 years and females >75 years), bus and taxi drivers, social workers, supermarket employees, hospital cleaning and catering staff, researchers working in the local hospitals, students, and people experiencing homelessness (PEH).

Chemosensory assessment and impact on quality of life in neurosensorial cluster of the post COVID 19 syndrome.

COVID-19 pandemic brought chemosensory impairment to the forefront of medicine, revealing gaps in the knowledge of pathophysiological mechanisms, true prevalence and preventive/therapeutic alternatives. This is a sub-study of the ORCHESTRA cohort focusing on post-COVID-19 chemosensory symptoms. Risk factors for neurosensorial cluster of post-COVID-19 syndrome (NSc-PCS) were assessed through multivariable analysis.

Manufacturing Process of Prostheses Using Semirigid Molds by Additive Technologies.

Prostheses play a vital role in restoring function and mobility to individuals with physical disabilities. This study focuses on the procedure to create customized prostheses using semirigid molds obtained from additive technologies. This innovative methodology aims to improve the fit and comfort of prostheses.

Antimicrobial Surface for Devices Used in Stem Culture Manipulation and In Vitro Biofabrication of Tissues.

Cell therapy and engineered tissue creation based on the use of human stem cells involves cell isolation, expansion, and cell growth and differentiation on the scaffolds. Microbial infections dramatically can affect stem cell survival and increase the risk of implant failure. To prevent these events, it is necessary to develop new materials with antibacterial properties for coating scaffold surfaces as well as medical devices, and all other surfaces at high risk of contamination.

Three-Dimensional Electrically Conductive Scaffolds to Culture Cardiac Progenitor Cells.

Three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds provide cell support while improving tissue regeneration through amplified cellular responses between implanted materials and native tissues. So far, highly conductive cardiac, nerve, and muscle tissues have been engineered by culturing stem cells on electrically inert scaffolds. These scaffolds, even though suitable, may not be very useful compared to the results shown by cells when cultured on conductive scaffolds.

Liquid biopsy in colorectal cancer: Onward and upward.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In recent years, liquid biopsy has emerged as one of the most interesting areas of research in oncology, leading to innovative trials and practical changes in all aspects of CRC management. RNAs and cell free DNA (cfDNA) methylation are emerging as promising biomarkers for early diagnosis.

Groin Pain Syndrome Italian Consensus Conference update 2023.

Groin pain syndrome (GPS) is a controversial topic in Sports Medicine. The GPS Italian Consensus Conference on terminology, clinical evaluation and imaging assessment of groin pain in athletes was organized by the Italian Society of Arthroscopy in Milan, on 5 February 2016. In this Consensus Conference (CC) GPS etiology was divided into 11 different categories for a total of 63 pathologies.

Clinical phenotypes and quality of life to define post-COVID-19 syndrome: a cluster analysis of the multinational, prospective ORCHESTRA cohort.

Background: Lack of specific definitions of clinical characteristics, disease severity, and risk and preventive factors of post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) severely impacts research and discovery of new preventive and therapeutics drugs.

Methods: This prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted from February 2020 to June 2022 in 5 countries, enrolling SARS-CoV-2 out- and in-patients followed at 3-, 6-, and 12-month from diagnosis, with assessment of clinical and biochemical features, antibody (Ab) response, Variant of Concern (VoC), and physical and mental quality of life (QoL). Outcome of interest was identification of risk and protective factors of PCS by clinical phenotype, setting, severity of disease, treatment, and vaccination status.

Second-line treatment strategies for RAS wild-type colorectal cancer: A systematic review and Network Meta-analysis (NMA).

Background: The optimal strategy for second-line (IIL) treatment in KRAS wt metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is not determined yet.

Methods: A random-effect NMA of phase II/III RCTs was conducted to evaluate IIL treatment for all-RAS wt mCRC, comparing anti-EGFR or anti-VEGF, and chemotherapy (CT).

Results: Overall, 11 RCTs (3613 patients) were included.

A New Strong-Acid Free Route to Produce Xanthan Gum-PANI Composite Scaffold Supporting Bioelectricity.

Conductive hybrid xanthan gum (XG)-polyaniline (PANI) biocomposites forming 3D structures able to mimic electrical biological functions are synthesized by a strong-acid free medium. In situ aniline oxidative chemical polymerizations are performed in XG water dispersions to produce stable XG-PANI pseudoplastic fluids. XG-PANI composites with 3D architectures are obtained by subsequent freeze-drying processes.

Exploring the Use of Monoclonal Antibodies and Antiviral Therapies for Early Treatment of COVID-19 Outpatients in a Real-World Setting: A Nationwide Study from England and Italy.

Background: Real-world data on early treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outpatients with newly approved therapies are sparse.

Aim: To explore the pattern of use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)/antiviral therapies approved for early COVID-19 treatment in non-hospitalized patients from England and Italy from December 2021 to October 2022.

Methods: Public national dashboards on weekly mAb/antiviral use and/or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection diagnoses from the Italian Medicines Agency, the Italian National Institute of Health, National Health Service in England and the UK Government were explored.

Towards a Material-by-Design Approach to Electrospun Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Based on Statistical Design of Experiments (DOE).

Electrospinning bears great potential for the manufacturing of scaffolds for tissue engineering, consisting of a porous mesh of ultrafine fibers that effectively mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) and aid in directing stem cell fate. However, for engineering purposes, there is a need to develop material-by-design approaches based on predictive models. In this methodological study, a rational methodology based on statistical design of experiments (DOE) is discussed in detail, yielding heuristic models that capture the linkage between process parameters (Xs) of the electrospinning and scaffold properties (Ys).

Electrically conductive scaffolds mimicking the hierarchical structure of cardiac myofibers.

Electrically conductive scaffolds, mimicking the unique directional alignment of muscle fibers in the myocardium, are fabricated using the 3D printing micro-stereolithography technique. Polyethylene glycol diacrylate (photo-sensitive polymer), Irgacure 819 (photo-initiator), curcumin (dye) and polyaniline (conductive polymer) are blended to make the conductive ink that is crosslinked using free radical photo-polymerization reaction. Curcumin acts as a liquid filter and prevents light from penetrating deep into the photo-sensitive solution and plays a central role in the 3D printing process.

Host immunological responses facilitate development of SARS-CoV-2 mutations in patients receiving monoclonal antibody treatments.

BackgroundThe role of host immunity in emergence of evasive SARS-CoV-2 Spike mutations under therapeutic monoclonal antibody (mAb) pressure remains to be explored.MethodsIn a prospective, observational, monocentric ORCHESTRA cohort study, conducted between March 2021 and November 2022, mild-to-moderately ill COVID-19 patients (n = 204) receiving bamlanivimab, bamlanivimab/etesevimab, casirivimab/imdevimab, or sotrovimab were longitudinally studied over 28 days for viral loads, de novo Spike mutations, mAb kinetics, seroneutralization against infecting variants of concern, and T cell immunity. Additionally, a machine learning-based circulating immune-related biomarker (CIB) profile predictive of evasive Spike mutations was constructed and confirmed in an independent data set (n = 19) that included patients receiving sotrovimab or tixagevimab/cilgavimab.

The SAFFO Study: Sex-Related Prognostic Role and Cut-Off Definition of Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR) in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Emerging data suggest that gender-related immune system composition affects both immune response and efficacy of immunotherapy in cancer patients (pts). This study aimed to investigate the sex-related prognostic role of MLR in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) pts. Methods: We analyzed a retrospective consecutive cohort of 490 mCRC patients treated from 2009 to 2018 at the Oncology Departments of Aviano and Pordenone (training set) and Udine (validation set), Italy.

Chemotherapy in patients with early breast cancer: clinical overview and management of long-term side effects.

Introduction: Neo/adjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer has become increasingly common in the last few decades; as a consequence, the number of breast cancer survivors experiencing often debilitating long-term side effects has increased, and thus the need for a comprehensive approach to the variety of symptoms involved.

Areas Covered And Methods: We performed a literature search on the main public scientific databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and CrossRef) from 2000 to April 2022 to identify prevention and management strategies for the most common long-term side effects, including fatigue, insomnia, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive impairment, estrogen deprivation, cardiotoxicity, and second cancers.

Expert Opinion: Long-term toxicities may affect a majority of breast cancer survivors, significantly interfering with their quality of life.

Exploratory data on the clinical efficacy of monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant of concern.

Background: Recent in-vitro data have shown that the activity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) varies according to the variant of concern (VOC). No studies have compared the clinical efficacy of different mAbs against Omicron VOC.

Methods: The MANTICO trial is a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical efficacy of early treatments with bamlanivimab/etesevimab, casirivimab/imdevimab, and sotrovimab in outpatients aged 50 or older with mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Regenerative medicine technologies applied to transplant medicine. An update.

Regenerative medicine (RM) is changing how we think and practice transplant medicine. In regenerative medicine, the aim is to develop and employ methods to regenerate, restore or replace damaged/diseased tissues or organs. Regenerative medicine investigates using tools such as novel technologies or techniques, extracellular vesicles, cell-based therapies, and tissue-engineered constructs to design effective patient-specific treatments.

Clinical Impact of Monoclonal Antibodies in the Treatment of High-Risk Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections: The ORCHESTRA Prospective Cohort Study.

The clinical impact of anti-spike monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) breakthrough infections is unclear. We present the results of an observational prospective cohort study assessing and comparing COVID-19 progression in high-risk outpatients receiving mAb according to primary or breakthrough infection. Clinical, serological and virological predictors associated with 28-day COVID-19-related hospitalization were identified using multivariate logistic regression and summarized with odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Clinical efficacy of different monoclonal antibody regimens among non-hospitalised patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 at high risk for disease progression: a prospective cohort study.

This study aimed to compare the clinical progression of COVID-19 in high-risk outpatients treated with the monoclonal antibodies (mAb) bamlanivimab, bamlanivimab-etesevimab and casirivimab-imdevimab. This is an observational, multi-centre, prospective study conducted from 18 March to 15 July 2021 in eight Italian tertiary-care hospitals including mild-to-moderate COVID-19 outpatients receiving bamlanivimab (700 mg), bamlanivimab-etesevimab (700-1400 mg) or casirivimab-imdevimab (1200-1200 mg). All patients were at high risk of COVID-19 progression according to Italian Medicines Agency definitions.

From Soft to Hard Biomimetic Materials: Tuning Micro/Nano-Architecture of Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration.

Failure of tissues and organs resulting from degenerative diseases or trauma has caused huge economic and health concerns around the world. Tissue engineering represents the only possibility to revert this scenario owing to its potential to regenerate or replace damaged tissues and organs. In a regeneration strategy, biomaterials play a key role promoting new tissue formation by providing adequate space for cell accommodation and appropriate biochemical and biophysical cues to support cell proliferation and differentiation.

Systemic Treatments for Advanced Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma: A Systematic Review.

Unlabelled: Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare disease for which scarce evidence is available. We summarized data available on systemic treatment of advanced SBA.

Methods: Scientific literature was evaluated to find phase II or phase III clinical trials on systemic treatment for advanced SBA.

Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibody detection with a lateral flow immunoassay test.

The dramatic impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the worldwide public health has elicited the rapid assessment of molecular and serological diagnostic methods. Notwithstanding the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is based on molecular biology approaches including multiplex or singleplex real time RT-PCR, there is a real need for affordable and rapid serological methods to support diagnostics, and surveillance of infection spreading. In this study, we performed a diagnostic accuracy analysis of COVID-19 IgG/IgM rapid test cassette lateral flow immunoassay test (LFIA) assay.

Diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care tests in acute community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Point-of-care tests could be essential in differentiating bacterial and viral acute community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections and driving antibiotic stewardship in the community.

Objectives: To assess diagnostic test accuracy of point-of-care tests in community settings for acute community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections.

Data Sources: Multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Open Gray) from inception to 31 May 2021, without language restrictions.