Late Presenters with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Call to Action.

The emphasis on timely coronary reperfusion in the setting of ST-segment elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) comes from older studies suggesting a significant reduction in mortality among patients treated with fibrinolytic therapy during the first hours after onset of symptoms and a progressive increase in fatal events in those presenting later [...

Questions and answers on the use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in diabetes.

Patients with diabetes have a prothrombotic state and a 2 to 4 times higher risk of cardiovascular events than those without diabetes. Aspirin is the cornerstone of treatment in patients withcardiovascular disease, irrespective of diabetes status, being able to confer a 19% relative risk reduction per year in serious vascular events compared with placebo at long-term follow-up (6.7% vs 8.

Acute coronary syndrome and renal impairment: a systematic review.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) may reciprocally influence each other. Patients with CAD and CKD have an increased risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic events.

Methods: In the present review, we summarize the existing literature focusing on the relationship between kidney dysfunction and acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in terms of risk factors, complications, and prognosis.

Antithrombotic Strategies in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndromes Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). After percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the antithrombotic therapy consists of a combination of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents to reduce the ischemic and thromboembolic risk, at the cost of increased bleeding events. In the past few years, several randomized clinical trials involving over 12,000 patients have been conducted to compare the safety of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) and direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in association with a single- or double-antiplatelet agent, in the so-called dual- (DAT) or triple-antithrombotic therapy (TAT).

Immunohistochemical typing of amyloid in fixed paraffin-embedded samples by an automatic procedure: Comparison with immunofluorescence data on fresh-frozen tissue.

Amyloidosis comprises a spectrum of disorders characterized by the extracellular deposition of amorphous material, originating from an abnormal serum protein. The typing of amyloid into its many variants represents a pivotal step for a correct patient management. Several methods are currently used, including mass spectrometry, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and immunogold labeling.

Targeting IL-3Rα on tumor-derived endothelial cells blunts metastatic spread of triple-negative breast cancer via extracellular vesicle reprogramming.

The lack of approved targeted therapies highlights the need for new treatments for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. Interleukin-3 (IL-3) acts as an autocrine factor for tumor-endothelial cells (TEC), and exerts pro-angiogenic paracrine action via extracellular vesicles (EVs). IL-3Rα blockade on TEC changes TEC-EV (anti-IL-3R-EV) microRNA (miR) content and promotes the regression of established vessels.

Prognostic role of PD-L1 and immune-related gene expression profiles in giant cell tumors of bone.

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a locally aggressive and rarely metastatic tumor, with a relatively unpredictable clinical course. A retrospective series of 46 GCTB and a control group of 24 aneurysmal bone cysts (ABC) were selected with the aim of investigating the PD-L1 expression levels and immune-related gene expression profile, in correlation with clinicopathological features. PD-L1 and Ki67 were immunohistochemically tested in each case.

Resident memory T cells: Possible players in periodontal disease recurrence.

Background/objectives: Tissue-resident memory T cells (Trm) represent a new subset of long-lived memory T cells that remain in barrier tissues after previous bacterial or viral infection to support early/immediate defense mechanisms, providing site-specific protection from pathogen challenge. As data on Trm cells in human gingiva are just emerging, the aim of the present study was to explore their presence and distribution in epithelial and connective periodontal tissues in relation to microbial exposure and periodontal damage.

Material And Methods: Periodontitis tissue specimens were collected from 20 generalized chronic periodontitis patients at the time of osseous resective surgery.

Safe transportation of formalin-fixed liquid-free pathology specimens.

Diagnostic pathology activities are largely based on fixation of tissues in 4% formaldehyde, which has recently been re-classified as a carcinogenic compound and banned in several countries. Hospitals that do not have in-house pathology services need to send surgical and biopsy specimens to referral centers. These are generally transferred in liquid containers, under suboptimal safety conditions, as accidental spillage of potentially dangerous substances may occur.

Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction/Xenohybrid Bone Scaffold: An Alternative Source for Bone Regeneration.

Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) are a promising tool for the treatment of bone diseases or skeletal lesions, thanks to their ability to potentially repair damaged tissue. One of the major limitations of ASCs is represented by the necessity to be isolated and expanded through culture; thus, a strong interest was generated by the adipose stromal vascular fraction (SVF), the noncultured fraction of ASCs. SVF is a heterogeneous cell population, directly obtained after collagenase treatment of adipose tissue.

A new magnetic device for quadriplegia.

Study Design: Case report.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether a new custom-made magnetic device might enable a patient affected with quadriplegia to self-feed.

Setting: Day Hospital of the Unipolar Spinal Unit, CTO Hospital, Turin, Italy.

Stem cell augmented mesh materials: an in vitro and in vivo study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: To test in vitro and in vivo the capability of mesh materials to act as scaffolds for rat-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) and to compare inflammatory response and collagen characteristics of implant materials, either seeded or not with rMSCs.

Methods: rMSCs isolated from rat bone marrow were seeded and cultured in vitro on four different implant materials. Implants showing the best rMSC proliferation rate were selected for the in vivo experiment.

Innovative therapeutic approach: sequential treatment with plasma exchange and eculizumab in a pregnant woman affected by atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

The atypical HUS (aHUS) is a rare genetic disease, with poor prognosis, characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure. This syndrome is often related to mutations in the genes encoding complement regulatory proteins. A 26-year-old woman with homozygous mutation in complement factor H (CFH) developed a relapse of aHUS at 17th week of pregnancy.

Wrist-ankle acupuncture as perineal pain relief after mediolateral episiotomy: a pilot study.

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in relieving perineal pain after mediolateral episiotomy during childbirth.

Design And Subjects: Women with mediolateral episiotomy during delivery were enrolled in this study and were assigned to be treated or not with acupuncture.

Outcomes Measures: Perineal pain relieving effect of acupuncture was evaluated considering oral analgesics request during post-partum period and was the main outcome of this trial.