Epiretinal Membrane and Senile Cataract: Combined vs Sequential Surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of combined phacovitrectomy versus sequential phacoemulsification and vitrectomy in patients with both senile cataract and epiretinal membrane (ERM).

Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was conducted between 2014 and 2022 at two hospitals in Italy. Patients with idiopathic ERM and senile cataract in the same eye were enrolled and underwent either combined (n=38) or sequential surgery (n=38), performed by a single surgeon.

Predictive Factors for Long-Term Disease Control in Systemic Treatment-Naïve Oligorecurrent Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Up-Front Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR).

Background: Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is emerging as a potential local treatment option for oligometastatic RCC. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of SABR in patients with oligorecurrent RCC.

Methods: A total of 50 patients with histologically confirmed RCC underwent SABR for oligorecurrence between 2006 and 2022.

Adjuvant Hypofractionated Whole Breast Irradiation (WBI) vs. Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) in Postmenopausal Women with Early Stage Breast Cancer: 5Years Update of the HYPAB Trial.

Therapeutical strategies in breast cancer are continuously updating. Recent researches assessed the possibility of irradiating only the surgical bed in selected patients (Partial Breast Irradiation, PBI). In 2014 we designed a study to evaluate toxicity and cosmesis of APBI using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy-Rapid Arc compared with hypofractionated whole breast irradiation (WBI).

Long term update on toxicity and survival of a phase II trial of linac-based stereotactic body radiation therapy for low-intermediate risk prostate cancer.

Background: In 2016 we published a phase II study exploring safety and efficacy of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) delivered with Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and Flattening Filter Free (FFF) beams techniques in prostate cancer (PC) patients. We present herein the updated results on late toxicity and long-term survival.

Methods: Patients enrolled in the study had a biopsy-confirmed localized PC and the features of a low- or intermediate-risk disease (National Comprehensive Network Criteria).

Beyond vision:Cataract and health status in old age, a narrative review.

Cataract is a leading cause of visual impairment in old age. Lens opacification is notoriously associated with several geriatric conditions, including frailty, fall risk, depression and cognitive impairment. The association is largely attributable to visual impairment, while other mechanisms, associated with extraocular comorbidity and lifestyle, might partly explain this correlation.

Radiation Therapy in the Management of Adrenal Metastases.

Adrenal glands represent a common site of metastases from several primary tumors, including lung cancer, breast cancer and melanoma. Surgical resection is considered the standard of care, but surgery is not always feasible given the challenges related to anatomical site and/or due to patient and/or disease characteristics. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) represents a promising treatment for oligometastases, though the literature on its role for adrenal metastases is still heterogeneous.

Internal Guidelines for Reducing Lymph Node Contour Variability in Total Marrow and Lymph Node Irradiation.

Background: The total marrow and lymph node irradiation (TMLI) target includes the bones, spleen, and lymph node chains, with the latter being the most challenging structures to contour. We evaluated the impact of introducing internal contour guidelines to reduce the inter- and intraobserver lymph node delineation variability in TMLI treatments.

Methods: A total of 10 patients were randomly selected from our database of 104 TMLI patients so as to evaluate the guidelines' efficacy.

Predictive value of clinical and radiomic features for radiation therapy response in patients with lymph node-positive head and neck cancer.

Background: Prediction of survival and radiation therapy response is challenging in head and neck cancer with metastatic lymph nodes (LNs). Here we developed novel radiomics- and clinical-based predictive models.

Methods: Volumes of interest of LNs were employed for radiomic features extraction.

The pattern of failure after Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) for oligo-metastases: predictive factors for poly-progression.

Purpose: Patients with oligo-metastatic disease (OMD) can be safely treated with Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT). Further disease progression is common in these patients. In most cases, patients relapse again with oligo-metastases, however some can experience a poly-progression after a local ablative treatment (LAT).

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Lung and Liver Oligometastases from Breast Cancer: Toxicity Data of a Prospective Non-Randomized Phase II Trial.

Aims: We report the mature toxicity data of a phase II non-randomized trial on the use of SBRT for lung and liver oligometastases.

Methods: Oligometastatic patients from breast cancer were treated with SBRT for up to five lung and/or liver lesions. Inclusion criteria were: age > 18 years, ECOG 0-2, diagnosis of breast cancer, less than five lung/liver lesions (with a maximum diameter <5 cm), metastatic disease confined to the lungs and liver or extrapulmonary or extrahepatic disease stable or responding to systemic therapy.

A virtual reality home-based training for the management of stress and anxiety among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Healthcare workers represent one of the most affected categories by the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. Excessive stress and anxiety are critical factors that could compromise work performance. Besides, high levels of stress and anxiety may have long-term physical and psychological consequences.

Phase II trial of stereotactic body radiation therapy on adrenal gland metastases: evaluation of efficacy and impact on hormonal production.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess prospectively the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for adrenal gland metastasis, with a focus on the assessment of the irradiated subjects' endocrinological function.

Materials And Methods: A total of 36 patients were enrolled from 2017 to 2020 in this prospective phase II trial. Patients were treated with Linac-based SBRT, with a dose of 45 Gy in 3 consecutive fractions.

Exploring Agreement between MB-CDI Short Forms for Evaluating the Language Skills of Italian Children Aged 18-24 Months.

Introduction: The short forms of MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-CDI) are widely used for assessing communicative and linguistic development in infants and toddlers. Italian norms for the Words and Gestures (WG) and Words and Sentences (WS) short forms overlap between 18 and 24 months.

Objective: To evaluate the agreement between these two forms.

The Italian Words and Sentences MB-CDI: normative data and concordance between complete and short forms.

One of the most popular and widely used parent report instruments for assessing early language acquisition is the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-CDI). This study compares normative data of the Italian Words and Sentences complete form (WS-CF) and short form (WS-SF). The samples included 752 children for the WS-CF and 816 children for the WS-SF designed for children aged 18-36 months.

Study of manganese binding to the ferroxidase centre of human H-type ferritin.

Ferritins are ubiquitous and conserved proteins endowed with enzymatic ferroxidase activity, that oxidize Fe(II) ions at the dimetal ferroxidase centre to form a mineralized Fe(III) oxide core deposited within the apo-protein shell. Herein, the in vitro formation of a heterodimetal cofactor constituted by Fe and Mn ions has been investigated in human H ferritin (hHFt). Namely, Mn and Fe binding at the hHFt ferroxidase centre and its effects on Fe(II) oxidation have been investigated by UV-Vis ferroxidation kinetics, fluorimetric titrations, multifrequency EPR, and preliminary Mössbauer spectroscopy.

(123) I-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane single photon emission computed tomography and (123) I-metaiodobenzylguanidine myocardial scintigraphy in differentiating dementia with lewy bodies from other dementias: A comparative study.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic value of striatal (123) I-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane ((123) I-FP-CIT) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and (123) I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ((123) I-MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy in differentiating dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from other dementia types.

Methods: This prospective longitudinal study included 30 patients with a clinical diagnosis of DLB and 29 patients with non-DLB dementia (Alzheimer disease, n = 16; behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, n = 13). All patients underwent (123) I-FP-CIT SPECT and (123) I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy within a few weeks of clinical diagnosis.

What and why understanding in autism spectrum disorders and williams syndrome: similarities and differences.

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and children with Williams syndrome (WS) show divergent social phenotypes, but also several similarities in their socio-cognitive deficits. Cross-syndrome direct comparisons could lead to a better understanding of mechanisms that determine deficits in social cognition in the two syndromes. A fundamental factor for social cognition is the ability to understand and predict others' actions (e.

From allo- to egocentric spatial ability in early Alzheimer's disease: a study with virtual reality spatial tasks.

The ability to orient in space constitutes a main sign of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Presently, a peculiar aspect of topographical disorientation in AD linked with spatial reference frame congruence appears to have been only minimally investigated. We aim to study whether there is a decline in performing the allo- to egocentric translation of spatial knowledge during different types of wayfinding in AD patients.

A developmental study on children's capacity to ascribe goals and intentions to others.

The capacity to ascribe goals and intentions to others is a fundamental step in child cognitive development. The aim of the present study was to assess the age at which these capabilities are acquired in typically developing children. Two experiments were carried out.

Kineococcus radiotolerans Dps forms a heteronuclear Mn-Fe ferroxidase center that may explain the Mn-dependent protection against oxidative stress.

Background: The ferroxidase center of DNA-binding protein from starved cells (Dps) is a major player in the iron oxidation/detoxification process that leads to a decreased reactive oxygen species production. The possible Mn(II) participation in this process has been studied in Dps from Kineococcus radiotolerans, a radiation-resistant bacterium with a high cytosolic Mn/Fe ratio and a high capacity to survive ionizing and stress conditions.

Methods: The X-ray structure of recombinant K.

Degenerative effects in rat eyes after experimental ocular hypertension.

This study was used to evaluate the degenerative effects on the retina and eye-cup sections after experimental induction of acute ocular hypertension on animal models. In particular, vascular events were directly focused in this research in order to assess the vascular remodeling after transient ocular hypertension on rat models. After local anaesthesia by administration of eye drops of 0.

Assessing lexicon: validation and developmental data of the Picture Naming Game (PiNG), a new picture naming task for toddlers.

Background: Understanding lexical abilities in infants and toddlers is important, yet no single tool can be used.

Aims: To perform a validation of a new tool (known as the Picture Naming Game, or 'PiNG') for assessing lexical comprehension and production in toddlers and to obtain developmental trends for Italian children.

Methods & Procedures: PiNG consists of four subtests: Noun Comprehension (NC), Noun Production (NP), Predicate Comprehension (PC) and Predicate Production (PP), each containing 20 lexical targets.

Understanding motor acts and motor intentions in Williams syndrome.

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder associated with unusually hyper-social demeanor and ease with strangers. These personality traits are accompanied by difficulties in social interactions, possibly related, at least in part, to a difficulty in understanding others' mental states. Studies on mentalizing capacities in individuals with WS have often led to contrasting results, some studies revealing specific impairments, others highlighting spared mentalizing capacities.

Physiological and morphological factors influencing wear resistance and recovery in C and C turfgrass species.

High turfgrass wear resistance and recovery are the most sought after characteristics in turfgrass species when used for sports turf, but they are also very important in home gardens and public parks. Several wear resistance investigations have been conducted in field conditions in recent years, but these investigations involved the use of machinery and techniques that are not able to segregate the plant wounding and death effects from soil compaction effects that are generally associated with turfgrass wear. The same can be said of wear recovery investigations, with an extensive use of agronomical machinery for field trials.