Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy VI-RADS Scores for Assessing Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy with Multiparametric MRI.

Background An accurate method of assessing the response of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) to neoadjuvant treatment is needed for selecting candidates for bladder-sparing strategies. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (nacVI-RADS) scores and posttreatment Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) scores when assessing MIBC response to neoadjuvant immunotherapy with multiparametric MRI (mpMRI). Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of MRI scans was conducted in patients enrolled in the PURE-01 study (NCT02736266) from February 2017 to December 2019 who underwent pre- and postimmunotherapy mpMRI before radical cystectomy.

The EASIX score as a predictor of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome and nonrelapse mortality in paediatric patients receiving allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

The endothelial activation and stress index (EASIX) score, calculated as [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; U/L) × serum creatinine (mg/dL)]/platelets (10e9/L)], has been shown to be predictive of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) and endothelial complications in adults receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT); however, definitive results are lacking for children. We retrospectively evaluated consecutive paediatric allo-HSCT recipients and calculated the log2 EASIX score every day from admission to day +35. In 167 allo-HSCT recipients, the EASIX score increased from before conditioning (-0.

PTX3 is expressed in terminal lymphatics and shapes their organization and function.

Introduction: The lymphatic system is a multifaceted regulator of tissue homeostasis and an integral part of immune responses. Previous studies had shown that subsets of lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC) express , an essential component of humoral innate immunity and tissue homeostasis.

Methods: In the present study using whole-mount imaging and image-based morphometric quantifications, -targeted mice and functional analysis, we investigated the involvement of PTX3 in shaping and function of the lymphatic vasculature.

Cell damage shifts the microRNA content of small extracellular vesicles into a Toll-like receptor 7-activating cargo capable to propagate inflammation and immunity.

Background: The physiological relevance of cell-to-cell communication mediated by small extracellular vesicle-encapsulated microRNAs (sEV-miRNAs) remains debated because of the limiting representativity of specific miRNAs within the extracellular pool. We hypothesize that sEV-miRNA non-canonical function consisting of the stimulation of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) may rely on a global shift of the sEV cargo rather than on the induction of one or few specific miRNAs. Psoriasis represents an ideal model to test such hypothesis as it is driven by overt activation of TLR7-expressing plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) following keratinocyte damage.

The challenge of the differential diagnosis between brown tumors and metastases in parathyroid carcinoma: a case report.

Background: Brown tumors are rare bone manifestations of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) that may occur at different sites either as single or multiple lesions and they can easily be mistaken for malignant lesions. Neither bone site nor morphological or functional imaging are useful to drive the differential diagnosis and biopsy is often the only conclusive procedure.

Case Description: We report the case of a 53 years-old man referred to our outpatient clinic for severe symptomatic PHPT complicated by nephrolithiasis and osteoporosis.

Long-Term Outcome of Patients with Low-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Treated with Total Thyroidectomy Alone.

Background: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), mainly papillary (PTC), at low risk of recurrence is currently managed with active surveillance strategies or less aggressive surgeries. However, total thyroidectomy with I treatment is still performed both if these tumors are diagnosed before or occasionally after surgery. This real-life study aimed to evaluate the rate of biochemical, structural, and functional events in a large series of consecutive DTCs at low risk of recurrence treated by total thyroidectomy, but not with I, in a medium-long-term follow-up.

Chemerin in immunity.

Chemerin is a distant member of the cystatin protein family, initially discovered as a chemotactic factor and subsequently also reported to act as adipokine and angiogenetic factor. The biological activity of chemerin is regulated at different levels, such as gene expression, protein processing and interaction with both signaling and nonsignaling receptors. Chemerin is mostly produced by stromal cells, such as adipocytes, fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells and circulates in almost all human tissues as a zymogen that needs to be proteolytically activated to exert its biological functions.

Insights into Ultrasound Features and Risk Stratification Systems in Pediatric Patients with Thyroid Nodules.

Thyroid nodules in pediatric patients are less common than in adults but show a higher malignancy rate. Accordingly, the management of thyroid nodules in pediatric patients is more complex the younger the patient is, needing careful evaluation by physicians. In adult patients, specific ultrasound (US) features have been associated with an increased risk of malignancy (ROM) in thyroid nodules.

Molecular profiling of low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (mPTC) on active surveillance.

Context: The active surveillance (AS) program for papillary thyroid carcinoma (≤ 1 cm) at low-risk (mPTC) showed a low percentage of progression.

Objective: The aim of this study was to find a molecular signature of cases that showed disease progression during AS, which would allow their early identification.

Methods: We performed next generation sequencing of 95 fine needle aspiration cytology specimens from cases prospectively enrolled in the AS program to analyze key somatic driver alterations or gene fusions implicated in PTC tumorigenesis.

Minor role of TP53 and TERT promoter mutations in medullary thyroid carcinoma: report of new cases and revision of the literature.

Purpose: Aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of TP53 and TERT mutations in Medullary Thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and their role in inducing aggressiveness in positive cases.

Methods: We performed a literature search in PubMed to identify studies investigating the prevalence of TERT and TP53 mutations in MTC. We also included data on MTC cases (n = 193) obtained at our center and unpublished.

Efficient Reinforcement Learning for 3D Jumping Monopods.

We consider a complex control problem: making a monopod accurately reach a target with a single jump. The monopod can jump in any direction at different elevations of the terrain. This is a paradigm for a much larger class of problems, which are extremely challenging and computationally expensive to solve using standard optimization-based techniques.

Extracellular vesicles at the crossroad between cancer progression and immunotherapy: focus on dendritic cells.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized heat-stable vesicles released by virtually all cells in the body, including tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells (DCs). By carrying molecules from originating cells, EVs work as cell-to-cell communicators in both homeostasis and cancer but may also represent valuable therapeutic and diagnostic tools. This review focuses on the role of tumor-derived EVs (TEVs) in the modulation of DC functions and on the therapeutic potential of both tumor- and DC-derived EVs in the context of immunotherapy and DC-based vaccine design.

Treatment of steroid-refractory graft versus host disease in children.

Systemic steroids are still the first-line approach in acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD), and the backbone of chronic GvHD management. Refractoriness to steroid represent a major cause of morbidity and non-relapse mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In both backgrounds, several second-line immunosuppressive agents have been tested with variable results in terms of efficacy and toxicity.

Inflammation-based scores in a large cohort of adrenocortical carcinoma and adrenocortical adenoma: role of the hormonal secretion pattern.

Background: Serum inflammation-based scores can predict clinical outcome in several cancer types, including adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). It is unclear whether the extent of inflammation-based scores alterations in ACC reflects malignancy, steroid excess, or both.

Methods: We investigated a large retrospective cohort of adrenocortical adenomas (ACA, n = 429) and ACC (n = 61) with available baseline full blood count and hormonal evaluation.

Timing and Ideal Patient for an Appropriate Search for Somatic Mutation in Medullary Thyroid Cancer.

RET somatic mutation analysis in sporadic MTC should be guided by postoperative evaluation results.