COVID-19 pandemic and personal protective equipment shortage: protective efficacy comparing masks and scientific methods for respirator reuse.

Background And Aims: The abrupt outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 and its rapid spread over many healthcare systems throughout the world has led to a shortage in personal protective equipment (PPE), which cannot be solved by reducing their use or by increasing production. It is thus necessary to promote PPE rational use, highlighting possible differences in terms of efficacy and promoting an effective technique to reuse them.

Methods: A literature search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane database, and Google Scholar, and from the 25 top cited articles, 15 were selected for relevance and impact.

5-Aminolevulinic Acid and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound: The Combination of the Two Techniques to Optimize the Extent of Resection in Glioblastoma Surgery.

Background: The survival benefit in maximizing resection in glioblastomas (GBMs) has been demonstrated by numerous studies. The true limit of infiltration of GBMs has been an overwhelming obstacle, and several technological advances have been introduced to improve the identification of residual tumors.

Objective: To evaluate whether the integration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) with microbubble contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) improves residual tumor identification and has an impact on the extent of resection (EOR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS).

Increased dystrophin production with golodirsen in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Objective: To report safety, pharmacokinetics, exon 53 skipping, and dystrophin expression in golodirsen-treated patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) amenable to exon 53 skipping.

Methods: Part 1 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week dose titration of once-weekly golodirsen; part 2 is an ongoing, open-label evaluation. Safety and pharmacokinetics were primary and secondary objectives of part 1.

Blind-eye cannulation as a new method for ERCP training: Can we do more than merely teach?

 Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) requires extensive hands-on training. Currently in ERCP training there are two very important problems that need attention: lack of standardized commands for communication, and misunderstanding between the trainee and the trainer.  A method of "blind-eye" cannulation was developed with two paired trainees using the Boškoski-Costamagna ERCP Trainer.

Redo endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty: technical aspects and short-term outcomes.

Background: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a restrictive endoscopic bariatric procedure providing promising results. In this short case series, we analyze the technical aspects and short-term outcomes of the redo ESG.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was done on a prospective database of all patients that were selected by a multidisciplinary team that underwent ESG between March 2017 and May 2019.

Safinamide as an adjunct therapy in older patients with Parkinson's disease: a retrospective study.

Background: Safinamide, as a levodopa adjunct, is effective in reducing motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients; however, scarce evidence is available regarding its use in older PD patients.

Aim: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of safinamide as an adjunct therapy in patients aged ≥ 60 years with advanced PD.

Methods: A retrospective study including 203 PD patients admitted to a geriatric day hospital, who were evaluated following an extensive clinical protocol.

MYO-MRI diagnostic protocols in genetic myopathies.

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging has emerged as a useful imaging tool in diagnosing and characterizing the progression of myopathies and muscular dystrophies. Whole-body MRI indications and diagnostic efficacy are becoming better defined with the increasing number of cases, publications and discussions within multidisciplinary working groups. Advanced Whole-body MRI protocols are rapid, lower cost, and well-tolerated by patients.

Sarcopenia: A Time for Action. An SCWD Position Paper.

The term sarcopenia was introduced in 1988. The original definition was a "muscle loss" of the appendicular muscle mass in the older people as measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). In 2010, the definition was altered to be low muscle mass together with low muscle function and this was agreed upon as reported in a number of consensus papers.

Immediate effects of rhythmic auditory stimulation on gait kinematics in Parkinson's disease ON/OFF medication.

Objective: Gait impairment is a highly disabling symptom for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS), has shown to improve spatio-temporal gait parameters in PD, but only a few studies have focused on their effects on gait kinematics, and the ideal stimulation frequency has still not been identified.

Methods: We enrolled 30 PD patients and 18 controls.

Validation of ultrasound strategies to assess tumor extension and to predict high-risk endometrial cancer in women from the prospective IETA (International Endometrial Tumor Analysis)-4 cohort.

Objectives: To compare the performance of ultrasound measurements and subjective ultrasound assessment (SA) in detecting deep myometrial invasion (MI) and cervical stromal invasion (CSI) in women with endometrial cancer, overall and according to whether they had low- or high-grade disease separately, and to validate published measurement cut-offs and prediction models to identify MI, CSI and high-risk disease (Grade-3 endometrioid or non-endometrioid cancer and/or deep MI and/or CSI).

Methods: The study comprised 1538 patients with endometrial cancer from the International Endometrial Tumor Analysis (IETA)-4 prospective multicenter study, who underwent standardized expert transvaginal ultrasound examination. SA and ultrasound measurements were used to predict deep MI and CSI.

Effectiveness of pro-active organizational models in primary care for diabetes patients.

Background: Demographic changes and chronicity are posing new challenges to health care systems. Our study aimed to examine how effectively the three different types of proactive primary care models adopted by three different regional health care systems in Italy were improving the quality of diabetes management by general practitioners.

Methods: A coordinated Italian nationwide project to compare systematically the new proactive organizational models implemented at regional and local level (the MEDINA Project) involved several regions and their local health units (LHUs).

Management of Iatrogenic Bladder Injury due to Vascular Surgery: Case Report and Literature Review.

We report an unusual case of a 53-year-old male patient, previously undergone an extra-anatomic right-to-left iliofemoral bypass graft, who has developed gross hematuria after 4 months. The cystoscopic examination revealed a wall injury due to the presence of the graft crossing the bladder. Iatrogenic bladder injuries during vascular surgery are extremely rare.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patient's Voice About the Experience of Treatment-Free Remission Failure: Results From the Italian Sub-Study of ENESTPath Exploring the Emotional Experience of Patients During Different Phases of a Clinical Trial.

The main objective of this study is to gain further insights on how chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients involved in an interventional clinical trial with the purpose of reaching treatment free remission (TFR) phase, perceived and experienced TFR failure. TFR failure was defined for the individual patient as either not being eligible for drug discontinuation or as having relapse in the TFR phase with reintroduction of nilotinib treatment. Using a qualitative approach, out of 25 patients with CML who experienced TFR failure 14 were interviewed.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Aging: Insights from the Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles.

The progressive decline of cell function and integrity, manifesting clinically as increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes and death, is core to biological aging. Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, altered intercellular communication (including chronic low-grade inflammation), genomic instability, telomere attrition, loss of proteostasis, altered nutrient sensing, epigenetic alterations, and stem cell exhaustion have been proposed as hallmarks of aging. These "aging pillars" are not mutually exclusive, making the matter intricate and leaving numerous unanswered questions.

Revised upper limb module for spinal muscular atrophy: 12 month changes.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to assess 12 month changes in upper limb function in patients affected by spinal muscular atrophy type 2 and 3.

Methods: Longitudinal 12 month data was collected in 114 patients, 60 type 2 and 54 type 3, using the Revised Upper Limb Module.

Results: The 12 month changes ranged between -7 and 9 (mean: -0.

Administration of Enalapril Started Late in Life Attenuates Hypertrophy and Oxidative Stress Burden, Increases Mitochondrial Mass, and Modulates Mitochondrial Quality Control Signaling in the Rat Heart.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a relevant mechanism in cardiac aging. Here, we investigated the effects of late-life enalapril administration at a non-antihypertensive dose on mitochondrial genomic stability, oxidative damage, and mitochondrial quality control (MQC) signaling in the hearts of aged rats. The protein expression of selected mediators (i.

Impact of Exon 19 Deletion Subtypes in EGFR-Mutant Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With First-Line Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Background: Common epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) predict sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), with exon 19 deletions being associated with better outcome compared to L858R mutations. We aimed to investigate the impact of different exon 19 deletions on patient outcome in EGFR-mutant NSCLC treated with first-line TKIs.

Patients And Methods: In this retrospective analysis, 106 patients with metastatic NSCLC harboring EGFR exon 19 deletions and treated with first-line TKIs were included.

Organized screening programmes for breast and cervical cancer in 17 EU countries: trajectories of attendance rates.

Background: The aim was to analyse participation trajectories in organised breast and cervical cancer screening programmes and the association between socioeconomic variables and participation.

Methods: A pooled, cross-sectional, time series analysis was used to evaluate secondary data from 17 European countries in 2004-2014.

Results: The results show that the mammographic screening trend decreases after an initial increase (coefficient for the linear term = 0.

Increasing early surgery within 2 days for hip fracture: a time trend in 15 EU countries (2000-13).

Objective: To analyse the trajectories of hip-fracture surgery rates within 2 days of admission to the hospital and the ratios of procedures initiated within the same day (Day 0) and the following day (Days 0-1) to procedures performed on the 2nd day. To study the association between socioeconomic, health input variables and early surgery.

Design: A pooled, cross-sectional, time-series analysis was used to evaluate secondary data from 15 European countries, during 2000-13.

Laparoscopic approach for a presacral myelolipoma resembling a liposarcoma.

Myelolipomas are rare benign tumors that are commonly found in the adrenal glands. Extra-adrenal locations are rare, and presacral myelolipomas represent the most common extra-adrenal location. The differential diagnosis of malignant presacral neoplasms is very challenging.