Patent ductus arteriosus (also non-hemodynamically significant) correlates with poor outcomes in very low birth weight infants. A multicenter cohort study.

Objectives: To standardize the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and report its association with adverse neonatal outcomes in very low birth weight infants (VLBW, birth weight < 1500 g).

Study Design: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Emilia Romagna from March 2018 to October 2019. The association between ultrasound grading of PDA and adverse neonatal outcomes was evaluated after correction for gestational age.

Muscle MRI as a biomarker of disease activity and progression in myotonic dystrophy type 1: a longitudinal study.

Introduction: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by myotonia and progressive muscular weakness and atrophy. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of longitudinal muscle MRI in detecting disease activity and progression in DM1, and to better characterize muscle edema, fat replacement and atrophy overtime.

Materials And Methods: This is a prospective, observational, longitudinal study including 25 DM1 patients that performed at least two muscle MRIs.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) implementation in cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): Insights from Italian peritoneal surface malignancies expert centers.

Background: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a complex procedure that involves extensive peritoneal and visceral resections followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program aims to achieve faster recovery by maintaining pre-operative organ function and reducing the stress response following surgery. A recent publication introduced dedicated ERAS guidelines for CRS and HIPEC with the aim of extending the benefits to patients with peritoneal surface malignancies.

Comprehensive Analysis of Craniopharyngioma: Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics, Management Strategies, and Role of Radiotherapy.

Background/aim: Craniopharyngiomas pose challenges in diagnosis and management due to their rare occurrence and diverse clinical manifestations. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of cranio-pharyngioma, including its epidemiological trends, clinical presentations, radiological characteristics, surgical interventions, and the role of radiotherapy.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 23 patients diagnosed with craniopharyngioma at our hospital from August 2017 to July 2019.

Enhancing palliative care in vulnerable patients: Robot-assisted radiofrequency ablation for multiple spinal metastases - Technical insights and preliminary outcomes.

Background: Radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA) coupled with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty offers a minimally invasive, safe, and efficacious approach to palliate polymetastatic spine disease, particularly in medically fragile individuals. However, the application of robotic assistance to RFA for spinal metastases remains unexplored. This study elucidates the technical viability of robot-assisted RFA combined with vertebroplasty in patients afflicted by multiple spinal metastases and presents preliminary outcomes.

Spondylodiscitis: Understanding pathophysiology, surgical strategies, and postoperative management - A single-center study.

Background: Spondylodiscitis (SD) is an inflammatory condition affecting the intervertebral discs and adjacent structures, often leading to serious complications, including epidural abscesses. This study aimed to differentiate postoperative SD from spontaneous cases caused by osteoporotic defects and associated pathologies, evaluating the frequency of SD in spinal diseases at a single center.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective observational study involving 25 patients was conducted, analyzing variations between postoperative revisions in SD patients and spontaneous SD due to concurrent pathology and osteoporotic defects.

Comprehensive insights into lumbar epidural varicose veins: Three clinical cases and surgical strategies.

Lumbar epidural varicose veins (LEVs) present a challenging clinical scenario with limited literature. This series addresses the scarcity of comprehensive understanding, emphasizing the need for nuanced exploration. Varied prevalence estimates and clinical oversights underscore the urgency for a standardized approach to surgical interventions.

When It Rains It Pours...: Wernicke Encephalopathy with Sudden Blindness after Bariatric Surgery in a Patient with Congenital Deafness.

Background: Malabsorption syndromes are known chronic complications of bariatric surgery. Therefore, it is recommended to take oral supplementation with multivitamins. Wernicke's encephalopathy represents an acute neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with alcoholism or severe malnutrition; sporadic cases of this potential complication related to bariatric surgery are described in the literature.

Sofia Ionescu: Pioneering the Birth of Neurosurgery in Romania and Becoming the First Female Neurosurgeon in the World.

Background: Sofia Ionescu (1920-2008) was the first female neurosurgeon in the world, pioneering her field with skill, dedication, and humility. Born in Romania, she began her career amid the tumult of World War II, performing her first neurosurgical procedure in 1944. Despite initial skepticism, her talent and commitment earned her recognition, culminating in her acknowledgment as the first female neurosurgeon by the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies in 2005.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) gene signatures predict outcomes in breast and prostate tumor patients.

Background: Over the last two decades, tumor-derived RNA expression signatures have been developed for the two most commonly diagnosed tumors worldwide, namely prostate and breast tumors, in order to improve both outcome prediction and treatment decision-making. In this context, molecular signatures gained by main components of the tumor microenvironment, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), have been explored as prognostic and therapeutic tools. Nevertheless, a deeper understanding of the significance of CAFs-related gene signatures in breast and prostate cancers still remains to be disclosed.

The G Protein Estrogen Receptor (GPER) is involved in the resistance to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in breast cancer.

Background: The cyclin D1-cyclin dependent kinases (CDK)4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy shows remarkable efficacy in the management of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (BC). Nevertheless, resistance to palbociclib frequently arises, highlighting the need to identify new targets toward more comprehensive therapeutic strategies in BC patients.

Methods: BC cell lines resistant to palbociclib were generated and used as a model system.

Clinical, prognostic and pathophysiological implications of MOG-IgG detection in the CSF: the importance of intrathecal MOG-IgG synthesis.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein IgG (CSF MOG-IgG) are found in a proportion of patients with MOG antibody-associated disorder (MOGAD) and have been associated with severe disease presentations. However, most studies did not systematically investigate the role of MOG-IgG intrathecal synthesis (ITS).

Methods: We retrospectively studied 960 consecutive patients with paired serum and CSF samples screened for MOG-IgG using a live cell-based assays.

Association between procedural time and outcome in unsuccessful mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke: analysis from the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke.

Background: We aim to assess the association between procedural time and outcomes in patients in unsuccessful mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for anterior circulation acute stroke.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study on prospectively collected data from patients with M1 and/or M2 segment of middle cerebral artery occlusion with a thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 0-1 at the end of procedure. Primary outcome was 90-day poor outcome.

Phase 3 Trial of Crinecerfont in Adult Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

Background: Adrenal insufficiency in patients with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is treated with glucocorticoid replacement therapy. Control of adrenal-derived androgen excess usually requires supraphysiologic glucocorticoid dosing, which predisposes patients to glucocorticoid-related complications. Crinecerfont, an oral corticotropin-releasing factor type 1 receptor antagonist, lowered androstenedione levels in phase 2 trials involving patients with CAH.

Phase 3 Trial of Crinecerfont in Pediatric Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

Background: Children with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency require treatment with glucocorticoids, usually at supraphysiologic doses, to address cortisol insufficiency and reduce excess adrenal androgens. However, such treatment confers a predisposition to glucocorticoid-related complications. In 2-week phase 2 trials, patients with CAH who received crinecerfont, a new oral corticotropin-releasing factor type 1 receptor antagonist, had decreases in androstenedione levels.

Transorbital penetrating intracranial injury involving bilateral frontal lobes with evisceration of right eye: A case report.

Key Clinical Message: Timely diagnosis, multidisciplinary surgical intervention, and appropriate imaging are crucial in managing transorbital-penetrating intracranial injuries (TOPIs), minimizing morbidity, and optimizing patient outcomes.

Abstract: Transorbital-penetrating intracranial injuries (TOPIs) are rare occurrences with potential for severe neurological complications and high mortality rates. Prompt diagnosis and management are essential to mitigate adverse outcomes.

Radioligand Therapy in Patients with Lung Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Systematic Review on Efficacy and Safety.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), arising from various sites, present therapeutic challenges. Radioligand therapy (RLT) is effective for unresectable/metastatic NENs with increased somatostatin receptor uptake. While evidence supports RLT's efficacy in midgut NETs, its role in lung NETs remains underexplored.