Immune landscape and in vivo immunogenicity of NY-ESO-1 tumor antigen in advanced neuroblastoma patients.

Background: Indirect evidence suggesting the immunosensitivity/immunogenicity of neuroblastoma is accumulating. The aims of this study were to investigate the immune landscape of neuroblastoma and to evaluate the in vivo immunogenicity of the NY-ESO-1 tumor antigen in advanced neuroblastoma patients.

Methods: The immune infiltrating cells of the NY-ESO-1+ tumors from three HLA*A201 patients with metastatic neuroblastoma who relapsed after conventional treatments were evaluated by immunohistochemistry.

A machine learning approach to estimating preterm infants survival: development of the Preterm Infants Survival Assessment (PISA) predictor.

Estimation of mortality risk of very preterm neonates is carried out in clinical and research settings. We aimed at elaborating a prediction tool using machine learning methods. We developed models on a cohort of 23747 neonates <30 weeks gestational age, or <1501 g birth weight, enrolled in the Italian Neonatal Network in 2008-2014 (development set), using 12 easily collected perinatal variables.

Hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa: a practical framework for treatment optimization - systematic review and recommendations from the HS ALLIANCE working group.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)/acne inversa is a debilitating chronic disease that remains poorly understood and difficult to manage. Clinical practice is variable, and there is a need for international, evidence-based and easily applicable consensus on HS management. We report here the findings of a systematic literature review, which were subsequently used as a basis for the development of international consensus recommendations for the management of patients with HS.

[Onychomycosis: Practical treatment strategies].

Background: Onychomycosis is one of the most common nail diseases with an increasing number of cases. There is always a need for therapy because fungal nail infection never shows a tendency to spontaneous self-healing. Thus, the disease belongs to core competency of dermatologists.

The Close Relationship between Large Bowel and Heart: When a Colonic Perforation Mimics an Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Colonoscopic perforation is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of colonoscopy. Its incidence varies in frequency from 0.016% to 0.

Pancreas-sparing, ampulla-preserving duodenectomy for major duodenal (D1-D2) perforations.

Background: Ideal surgical treatment for acute duodenal injuries should offer a definitive treatment, with low morbidity and mortality. It should be simple and easily reproducible by acute care surgeons in an emergency. Duodenal injury, due to major perforated or bleeding peptic ulcers or iatrogenic/traumatic perforation, represents a surgical challenge, with high morbidity and mortality.

Peripheral neuroblastic tumor of the kidney: case report and review of literature.

Introduction: Peripheral neuroblastic tumors (PNTs) account for 8%-10% of all pediatric tumors. Adrenal glands and sympathetic ganglia are the commonest site of tumor growth. In the clinicopathologic spectrum of PNTs, neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroma are the most primitive and the most mature tumor form, while ganglioneuroblastoma represents an intermediate state of maturation.

Role of BDNF Signaling in Memory Enhancement Induced by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.

In the recent years numerous studies have provided encouraging results supporting the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as non-invasive brain stimulation technique to improve motor and cognitive functions in patients suffering from neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders as well as in healthy subjects. Among the multiple effects elicited by tDCS on cognitive functions, experimental evidence and clinical findings have highlighted the beneficial impact on long-term memory. Memory deficits occur during physiological aging as well as in neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation affects auditory cortex plasticity in normal-hearing and noise-exposed rats.

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive tool capable to modulate cortical functions by affecting neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity.

Objective: Here we investigated the effects of anodal tDCS on auditory cortex (ACx) in normal-hearing rats and following a paradigm of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), that causes morphological alterations in ACx pyramidal neurons.

Methods: Male rats exposed to intense pure tone (10 kHz) were subsequently subjected to unilateral anodal tDCS of ACx and changes in dendritic morphology and spines were assessed by Golgi-Cox staining 30 days after the onset of the acoustic trauma.

Evaluating Perceived Naturalness of Facial Expression After Fillers to the Nasolabial Folds and Lower Face With Standardized Video and Photography.

Background: Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are commonly used in treating facial wrinkles and folds but have not been studied with standardized methodology to include assessment of standard facial expressions.

Objective: To assess perceived naturalness of facial expression after treatment with 2 HA fillers manufactured with XpresHAn Technology (also known as Optimal Balance Technology).

Materials And Methods: Treatment was directed to the nasolabial folds (NLFs) and at least 1 additional lower face wrinkle or fold.

Correction to: Results of nimotuzumab and vinorelbine, radiation and re-irradiation for diffuse pontine glioma in childhood.

The therapeutic experience reported in the paper was conceived after the use of nimotuzumab and radiotherapy (BSCPED-05 international multicentric trial, EUDRACT 2005-003100-11) in 2009 when we decided to explore the activity of the same combination plus vinorelbine (see the paper for the rationale).

Robotic-assisted approach to Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome with left gastric artery originating directly from the aorta. Report of a case and review of the current mini-invasive treatment modalities.

Background: Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) is a rare clinical condition.

Methods: Through the analysis of a case report and a review of the international literature, we examined whether robotic and laparoscopic MAL release are safe and feasible.

Results: Of 354 and 19 patients who underwent laparoscopic MAL release (LMALr) and robotic-assisted MAL release (RMALr), respectively, conversion to open surgery occurred in 6.

High volume of polysorbate-containing (Tween 80) solutions induces false-positive results in intradermal test.

Background: Intradermal test is used to detect causative allergens in IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. The surfactant polysorbate 80 can be added to intradermal test solutions to more reliably dissolve the allergen and ensure a constant bioavailability of the injected allergen. Polysorbate 80 has, however, some histamine-releasing properties which could blur the difference to the histamine-induced wheal.

[About the good use of illusions in oncology. End-of-life experiences and communications in adolescent patients.].

The issue of quality of life, particularly of patients affected by cancer, is very controversial, especially with adolescent patients who have no prospects of recovery. This article aims to describe the psychological mechanisms, which affect teenage patients with terminal cancer, in order to allow the best quality of life possible. The adaptation of teenager patients suffering from terminal illnesses is also related to other non-medical issues such as psychological, legal and ethical considerations.

Thyroid cancer in adolescents and young adults.

In adolescents and young adults, thyroid cancer accounts for 13% of all invasive neoplasms, being three times more frequent in females, but overdiagnosis and overtreatment are common. There are two therapeutic approaches, one radical and no longer preferred in all instances, and the other conservative. Permanent complications of surgery and metabolic irradiation can affect quality of life and carry an economic burden.

Dreams and illusions in adolescents with terminal cancer.

Being diagnosed with cancer in adolescence generally has important emotional consequences: adolescent cancer patients need to be seen as special cases with particular medical and psychosocial needs. This is especially true when a young patient is faced with a progressive, incurable disease. Herein, we report the story of a 17-year-old girl with a metastatic refractory soft tissue sarcoma who tells her dream to the psychologist of the ward.

Melanoma and tattoos: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Malignant melanoma cases arising in tattoos have been increasingly described, however, there is no clear relationship between this practice and the development of cutaneous malignancies.

Objectives: We report a new case of melanoma in a dark-blue tattoo and we review all cases of melanoma reported in the medical literature from 1938 to date.

Materials & Methods: Pubmed and Google Scholar were searched using the terms "melanoma tattoo", "tattoo skin tumour" and "ink melanoma".

Laparoscopic appendectomy vs antibiotic therapy for acute appendicitis: a propensity score-matched analysis from a multicenter cohort study.

Acute appendicitis (AA) is among the most common causes of acute lower abdominal pain leading patients to the emergency department. Significant debate remains on whether AA should be operated or not. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed in seven Italian Hospitals, with the aim to assess safety and feasibility both nonoperative management with antibiotics (AT) and surgical therapy with appendectomy (ST) for patients with AA.

Primary metastatic osteosarcoma: results of a prospective study in children given chemotherapy and interleukin-2.

To improve the poor prognosis for children with metastatic osteosarcoma (OS), interleukin-2 (IL-2) was added to the standard treatment due to its capacity to activate lymphocytes and differentiate lymphocyte subsets into lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells that are capable of recognizing and killing various tumor cells. This study concerns a cohort of unselected patients aged < 18 years with metastatic OS, who were treated with IL-2, high-dose methotrexate, doxorubicin, cisplatin, ifosfamide, LAK reinfusion, and surgery, between 1995 and 2010. Thirty-five patients aged 4-17 years were involved.