Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate with transurethral intraprostatic anesthesia using Schelin catheter: a preliminary communication.

Introduction: This study was aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and advantages of the use of transurethral intraprostatic anesthesia (TUIA) using Schelin Catheter (SC) in patients undergoing holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP).

Material And Methods: TUIA was performed using SC, a catheter equipped with an operative channel with a retractile needle, a standard drainage outlet, and a balloon port. After inserting the SC into the patient's urethra and filling the balloon to anchor it in the bladder neck, four target injections with local anesthetic were performed, one in each quadrant in the base area of the prostate.

Deciphering Distinct Genetic Risk Factors for FTLD-TDP Pathological Subtypes via Whole-Genome Sequencing.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration with neuronal inclusions of the TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (FTLD-TDP) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with only a limited number of risk loci identified. We report our comprehensive genome-wide association study as part of the International FTLD-TDP Whole-Genome Sequencing Consortium, including 985 cases and 3,153 controls, and meta-analysis with the Dementia-seq cohort, compiled from 26 institutions/brain banks in the United States, Europe and Australia. We confirm as the strongest overall FTLD-TDP risk factor and identify as a novel FTLD-TDP risk factor.

Expansion of highly interferon-responsive T cells in early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Altered immune signatures are emerging as a central theme in neurodegenerative disease, yet little is known about immune responses in early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD).

Methods: We examined single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) data from CD4 T cells from participants with EOAD and clinically normal controls.

Results: We analyzed PBMCs from 16 individuals by scRNA-seq and discovered increased interferon signaling-associated gene (ISAG) expression and striking expansion of antiviral-like ISAG T cells in EOAD.

Expansion of highly interferon-responsive T cells in early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Altered immune signatures are emerging as a central theme in neurodegenerative disease, yet little is known about immune responses in early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD).

Methods: We examined single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and droplet digital (dd)PCR data from CD4 T cells from participants with EOAD and clinically normal controls.

Results: We analyzed ~182,000 PBMCs by scRNA-seq and discovered increased interferon signaling-associated gene (ISAG) expression and striking expansion of antiviral-like ISAG T cells in EOAD.

Comparison of microbiological profile of enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) isolates from subjects with colorectal cancer (CRC) or intestinal pre-cancerous lesions versus healthy individuals and evaluation of environmental factors involved in intestinal dysbiosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) isolates from colorectal biopsies of subjects with a histological analysis positive for colorectal cancer (CRC), pre-cancerous lesions (pre-CRC) or with a healthy intestinal tissue and to evaluate the environmental factors that may not only concur to CRC development but may also affect gut microbiota composition.

Methods: ETBF isolates were typed using the ERIC-PCR method, while PCR assays were performed to investigate the bft alleles, the B. fragilis pathogenicity island (BFPAI) region and the cepA, cfiA and cfxA genes.

Perinatal asphyxia partly affects presepsin urine levels in non-infected term infants.

Objectives: Standard of care sepsis biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) can be affected by several perinatal factors, among which perinatal asphyxia (PA) has a significant role. In this light, new early sepsis biomarkers such as presepsin (P-SEP) are needed to enact therapeutic strategies at a stage when clinical and laboratory patterns are still silent or unavailable. We aimed at investigating the potential effects of PA on longitudinal P-SEP urine levels.

Risk factors and abnormal cerebrospinal fluid associate with cognitive symptoms after mild COVID-19.

Cognitive post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) can occur after mild COVID-19. Detailed clinical characterizations may inform pathogenesis. We evaluated 22 adults reporting cognitive PASC and 10 not reporting cognitive symptoms after mild SARS-CoV-2 infection through structured interviews, neuropsychological testing, and optional cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) evaluations (53%).

Association of Polygenic Risk Score and Bacterial Toxins at Screening Colonoscopy with Colorectal Cancer Progression: A Multicenter Case-Control Study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and its incidence is correlated with infections, chronic inflammation, diet, and genetic factors. An emerging aspect is that microbial dysbiosis and chronic infections triggered by certain bacteria can be risk factors for tumor progression. Recent data suggest that certain bacterial toxins implicated in DNA attack or in proliferation, replication, and death can be risk factors for insurgence and progression of CRC.

Metformin exerts anti-cancerogenic effects and reverses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition trait in primary human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a highly aggressive cancer with marked resistance to chemotherapeutics without therapies. The tumour microenvironment of iCCA is enriched of Cancer-Stem-Cells expressing Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) traits, being these features associated with aggressiveness and drug resistance. Treatment with the anti-diabetic drug Metformin, has been recently associated with reduced incidence of iCCA.

Primary leiomyoma of the liver in an immunocompetent patient.

Primary leiomyoma of the liver (PLL) is a rare benign tumor occurring in immunosuppressed people. From 1926 less than fifty cases are reported in the scientific literature and about half are in immunocompetent patients. Etiology of this kind of lesion is not yet well known.

DCLK1, a Putative Stem Cell Marker in Human Cholangiocarcinoma.

Background And Aims: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a very aggressive cancer showing the presence of high cancer stem cells (CSCs). Doublecortin-like kinase1 (DCLK1) has been demonstrated as a CSC marker in different gastroenterological solid tumors. Our aim was to evaluate in vitro the expression and the biological function of DCLK1 in intrahepatic CCA (iCCA) and perihilar CCA (pCCA).

Laparoscopic Liver Surgery: What Are the Advantages in Patients with Cirrhosis and Portal Hypertension? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Personal Experience.

Laparoscopic surgery is a choice of treatment for liver diseases; it can decrease postoperative morbidity and length of hospital stay (LOS). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension may benefit from minimally invasive liver resections (MILRs) instead of open liver resections (OLRs). Whether minimally invasive approaches are superior to conventional ones is still a matter of debate.

Robotic Liver Resections: Application of Difficulty Score Systems to an Initial Experience. Is a Specific Robotic Difficulty Score Necessary?

Recently, the minimally invasive surgical approach has been available for performing liver resections (LRs) with laparoscopic and robotic techniques. The robotic approach for LRs seems to overcome several laparoscopic limitations, which is a valid alternative when performed in high volume and specialized centers. Laparoscopic difficulty score systems (DSSs) should serve to guide the surgeon's choice in the best surgical approach to adopt for every single patient, giving the possibility to switch to the open approach when needed.

Anterior robotic approach in en-bloc sacrectomy: a preliminary experience.

En-bloc sacrectomy is a highly demanding surgical procedure necessary to obtain wide margin in sacral tumor. The double approach, anterior and posterior approach, is usually preferred for tumors extending proximally to S3 level where iliac internal vessels are at a higher risk for damage during posterior surgery. It can be justified also in selected cases to decrease the risk of posterior approach as in local recurrence or in patients who already underwent laparotomy.

[Endothoracic goitre: anatomoclinical and therapeutic considerations].

Substernal goitre is a clinical condition in which the masin bulk of the enlarged gland is firmly located in the chest. The incidence of this pathology ranges in literature from 1.7% and 30%.

Toward interactive scheduling systems for managing medical resources.

Managers of medico-hospital facilities are facing two general problems when allocating resources to activities: (1) to find an agreement between several and contrasting requirements; (2) to manage dynamic and uncertain situations when constraints suddenly change over time due to medical needs. This paper describes the results of a research aimed at applying constraint-based scheduling techniques to the management of medical resources. A mixed-initiative problem solving approach is adopted in which a user and a decision support system interact to incrementally achieve a satisfactory solution to the problem.

Student-faculty joint authorship: ethical and legal concerns.

Although faculty mentoring through joint authorship with students offers benefits to both, the claim of joint authorship of students' works by faculty members may raise ethical and legal concerns. Whether based on institutional policies, faculty members' mandates or suggestions, or even students' invitations, such claims may violate principles of autonomy, fidelity, veracity, and justice. Moreover, such claims may be contrary to basic requirements of copyright law relating to joint authorship and derivative works.

[Blind-ending branch of bifid ureter: apropos of a case].

The Authors report on a case of blind-ending ureter. A young woman (29 years old) underwent surgery because of recurrent urinary tract infections and left loin pain. The operation consisted in a radical resection of the blind branch together with Coen's operation for the coexistence of vesicoureteral reflux.

[Gastrointestinal carcinoids and carcinoid syndrome: classification, diagnosis and therapy].

Historically, carcinoids have long been known as a morphologically distinct class of rare intestinal tumors which behave less aggressively than the more common intestinal adenocarcinomas. In recent decades refined methods in pathology improved our knowledge on the diffuse neuroendocrine system, leading to some confusion in classification and nomenclature of carcinoids. The World Health Organization (WHO) classification of endocrine tumors has cleared the definition of carcinoids.

[Aneurysm of the hepatic artery. Case report and review of the literature].

Hepatic artery aneurysms (HAAs) are considered rare even though their reports in the literature are becoming more and more frequent. The great improvement in the diagnosis of vascular diseases and the increasing incidence of atherosclerosis have resulted in a wider recognition of these pathologies. Differently from other splanchnic locations HAAs have a high risk of rupture (up to 80%) so that an aggressive treatment is required.

[Cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Case report and review of the literature].

Pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma is a quite rare neoplasm. Due to the low incidence and recent nosographic arrangement, the natural evolution and the clinical development of this type of neoplasm are not well known. The Authors report their experience and a review of the Literature trying to establish the criteria for the classification, diagnosis and therapy of pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma.

[The intraoperative visualization of the bile ducts by the use of fluorescent substances. A feasibility study].

Iatrogenic bile duct injury during cholecystectomy is the most serious complication of this surgical procedure. Initial reports suggest that this complication is particularly problematic during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Proper identification of biliary anatomy in the subhepatic region is the only way to avoid this severe complication.

Intraoperative biliary tree imaging with cholyl-lysyl-fluorescein: an experimental study in the rabbit.

Iatrogenic bile duct injury during cholecystectomy is the most serious complication of this surgical procedure. Initial reports suggest that this complication is particularly troublesome during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Proper identification of the biliary anatomy in the subhepatic region is the only way to avoid this catastrophe.