Implications of AB0 blood group in hypertensive patients with covid-19.

Background: Hypertension is the most frequent co-morbidity in patients with covid-19 infection, and we might speculate that a specific blood group could play a key role in the clinical outcome of hypertensive patients with covid-19.

Methods: In this prospective study, we compared 0 vs. non-0 blood group in hypertensive patients with covid-19 infection.

Evaluation of virological response and resistance profile in HIV-1 infected patients starting a first-line integrase inhibitor-based regimen in clinical settings.

Background: Virological response and resistance profile were evaluated in drug-naïve patients starting their first-line integrase inhibitors (INIs)-based regimen in a clinical setting.

Study Design: Virological success (VS) and virological rebound (VR) after therapy start were assessed by survival analyses. Drug-resistance was evaluated at baseline and at virological failure.

Decision-Making, Impulsiveness and Temperamental Traits in Eating Disorders.

Objective: To explore decision-making, impulsiveness and temperamental traits in patients suffering from eating disorders (EDs), as compared with healthy controls (HC).

Method: Fifty-one patients affected by ED (fourteen with anorexia restricting subtype, AN-R; fourteen with bulimia, BN; thirteen with anorexia bingeing/purging subtype, AN-BP; ten with binge-eating disorder, BED) and twenty-eight HC. The patients, recruited at the Section of Psychiatry of the University of Pisa (Italy, were evaluated with a battery of neuropsychological questionnaires, including the IOWA Gambling Task (IGT), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D).

Outcomes after surgical ventricular restoration for ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Objective: The study objective was to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy after surgical ventricular restoration and to identify risk factors related to poor results.

Methods: Between August 2002 and April 2016, 62 patients affected by ischemic cardiomyopathy underwent surgical left ventricular restoration at our unit. Patients' mean age at operation was 63 years (39-79 years).

Stentless Pericarbon Freedom Versus Stented Perimount Aortic Bioprosthesis: Propensity-Matched Long-Term Follow-Up.

Objective: Stentless aortic valves have shown superior hemodynamic performance and faster left ventricular mass regression compared to stented bioprostheses. Yet, controversies exist concerning the durability of stentless valves. This case-matched study compared short- and long-term clinical outcomes of stentless LivaNova-Sorin Pericarbon Freedom™ (SPF) and stented Carpentier-Edwards Perimount (CEP) aortic prostheses.

Epidemic and pandemic viral infections: impact on tuberculosis and the lung: A consensus by the World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders (WAidid), Global Tuberculosis Network (GTN), and members of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Mycobacterial Infections (ESGMYC).

Major epidemics, including some that qualify as pandemics, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), HIV, influenza A (H1N1)pdm/09 and most recently COVID-19, affect the lung. Tuberculosis (TB) remains the top infectious disease killer, but apart from syndemic TB/HIV little is known regarding the interaction of viral epidemics and pandemics with TB. The aim of this consensus-based document is to describe the effects of viral infections resulting in epidemics and pandemics that affect the lung (MERS, SARS, HIV, influenza A (H1N1)pdm/09 and COVID-19) and their interactions with TB.

Verba volant, scripta manent: breastfeeding information and health messages provided to parents in the neonatal discharge summary in the Lazio Region, Italy.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the contents of the neonatal discharge summary (NDS), an important communication tool that should contain evidence-based information.

Methods: A quali-quantitative study of NDSs delivered from 29 hospitals of Lazio (Italy) in 2014 and 2017 was conducted. We used content analysis to assess the written information and logistic regression to estimate the association between outcomes (compliance with the International Code, health messages, and information on neonatal screenings) and some hospital's characteristics.

Sensitivity of occipito-temporal cortex, premotor and Broca's areas to visible speech gestures in a familiar language.

When looking at a speaking person, the analysis of facial kinematics contributes to language discrimination and to the decoding of the time flow of visual speech. To disentangle these two factors, we investigated behavioural and fMRI responses to familiar and unfamiliar languages when observing speech gestures with natural or reversed kinematics. Twenty Italian volunteers viewed silent video-clips of speech shown as recorded (Forward, biological motion) or reversed in time (Backward, non-biological motion), in Italian (familiar language) or Arabic (non-familiar language).

Negative impact of hyperglycaemia on tocilizumab therapy in Covid-19 patients.

Tocilizumab (TCZ) is used for treating moderate-to-severe Covid-19 pneumonia by targeting interleukin-6 receptors (IL-6Rs) and reducing cytokine release. Yet, in spite of this therapy, patients with vs. patients without diabetes have an adverse disease course.

Curcumin Enhances the Antitumoral Effect Induced by the Recombinant Vaccinia Neu Vaccine (rV-T) in Mice with Transplanted Salivary Gland Carcinoma Cells.

The survival rate for head and neck cancer patients has not substantially changed in the last two decades. We previously showed that two rV-T intratumoral injections induced an efficient antitumor response and rejection of transplanted Neu (rat oncogene-encoded protein)-overexpressing salivary gland tumor cells in BALB-T mice (BALB/c mice transgenic for the rat oncogene). However, reiterated poxviral vaccinations increase neutralizing antibodies to viral proteins in humans that prevent immune response against the recombinant antigen expressed by the virus.

Hypertension, Thrombosis, Kidney Failure, and Diabetes: Is COVID-19 an Endothelial Disease? A Comprehensive Evaluation of Clinical and Basic Evidence.

The symptoms most commonly reported by patients affected by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) include cough, fever, and shortness of breath. However, other major events usually observed in COVID-19 patients (e.g.

Radiomics in breast cancer classification and prediction.

Breast Cancer (BC) is the common form of cancer in women. Its diagnosis and screening are usually performed through different imaging modalities such as mammography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. However, mammography and ultrasound-imaging techniques have limited sensitivity and specificity both in identifying lesions and in differentiating malign from benign lesions, especially in presence of dense breast parenchyma.

Correction to: The burden of chronic diseases across Europe: what policies and programs to address diabetes? A SWOT analysis.

It was highlighted that in the original article [1] Fig. 2 was incorrect and the link for the Additional File was missing. This Correction article provides the correct Fig.

Modulation of SERCA in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Treated by Epicardial Thoracoscopic Ablation: The CAMAF Study.

Objectives: To evaluate atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence and Sarcoplasmic Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase (SERCA) levels in patients treated by epicardial thoracoscopic ablation for persistent AF.

Background: Reduced levels of SERCA have been reported in the peripheral blood cells of patients with AF. We hypothesize that SERCA levels can predict the response to epicardial ablation.

Inflammatory Related Cardiovascular Diseases: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Targets.

Inflammation is a pathogenic response to multiple factors, that causes over-activation of different molecules and pro-inflammatory cellular lines. Different behavioral factors and risk factors might enhance the inflammatory stress, and this might cause cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is the world's leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and it is represented by hypertension, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and cardiomyopathies.

Probabilistic Template of the Lateral Parabrachial Nucleus, Medial Parabrachial Nucleus, Vestibular Nuclei Complex, and Medullary Viscero-Sensory-Motor Nuclei Complex in Living Humans From 7 Tesla MRI.

The lateral parabrachial nucleus, medial parabrachial nucleus, vestibular nuclei complex, and medullary viscero-sensory-motor (VSM) nuclei complex (the latter including among others the solitary nucleus, vagus nerve nucleus, and hypoglossal nucleus) are anatomically and functionally connected brainstem gray matter structures that convey signals across multiple modalities between the brain and the spinal cord to regulate vital bodily functions. It is remarkably difficult to precisely extrapolate the location of these nuclei from atlases to conventional 3 Tesla images; thus, a probabilistic brainstem template in stereotaxic neuroimaging space in living humans is needed. We delineated these nuclei using single-subject high contrast 1.

The burden of chronic diseases across Europe: what policies and programs to address diabetes? A SWOT analysis.

Background: Promoting the well-being at all ages and reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major target of the Sustainable Development Goals. In the frame of the JA-CHRODIS, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis was conducted to provide different countries' insights on what makes a policy/programme addressing NCDs applicable, sustainable and effective, with a focus on diabetes.

Methods: A qualitative study has been performed using a SWOT analysis on policies/programmes at the national/federal or subnational level.

HIV MDR is still a relevant issue despite its dramatic drop over the years.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and therapeutic relevance of drug resistance among isolates from ART-experienced HIV-1-infected patients over the past two decades in Italy.

Methods: Dynamics of resistance to one, two and three or more antiretroviral classes were evaluated from 1999-2018. Virological success (VS) after the latest therapy switch was evaluated according to cumulative class resistance and cumulative genotypic susceptibility score (Stanford HIV_DB algorithm).

Altered mitochondrial function in cells carrying a premutation or unmethylated full mutation of the FMR1 gene.

Fragile X-related disorders are due to a dynamic mutation of the CGG repeat at the 5' UTR of the FMR1 gene, coding for the RNA-binding protein FMRP. As the CGG sequence expands from premutation (PM, 56-200 CGGs) to full mutation (> 200 CGGs), FMRP synthesis decreases until it is practically abolished in fragile X syndrome (FXS) patients, mainly due to FMR1 methylation. Cells from rare individuals with no intellectual disability and carriers of an unmethylated full mutation (UFM) produce slightly elevated levels of FMR1-mRNA and relatively low levels of FMRP, like in PM carriers.

Internal consistency and validity of the Jebsen-Taylor hand function test in an Italian population with hemiparesis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the internal consistency and validity of the Italian version of the Jebsen- Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT-IT) in Italian post-stroke adults with chronic hemiplegia or hemiparesis.

Methods: The test's internal consistency and validity were assessed by following international guidelines. Its internal consistency was examined using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient.

Tumor antigens heterogeneity and immune response-targeting neoantigens in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is both the most common type of cancer and the most frequent cause of cancer mortality in women, mainly because of its heterogeneity and limited immunogenicity. The aim of specific active cancer immunotherapy is to stimulate the host's immune response against cancer cells directly using a vaccine platform carrying one or more tumor antigens. In particular, the ideal tumor antigen should be able to elicit T cell and B cell responses, be specific for the tumor and be expressed at high levels on cancer cells.

Time-resolved connectome of the five-factor model of personality.

The human brain is characterized by highly dynamic patterns of functional connectivity. However, it is unknown whether this time-variant 'connectome' is related to the individual differences in the behavioural and cognitive traits described in the five-factor model of personality. To answer this question, inter-network time-variant connectivity was computed in n = 818 healthy people via a dynamical conditional correlation model.

Latest Advances in Annuloplasty Protheses for Valvular Reconstructive Surgery.

This is the third and final part of our update on the latest advances in cardiac valvular replacement. Part 1 was dedicated to cardiac valvular replacement, and Part 2 focused on transcatheter cardiac valvular treatment. This part concerns annuloplasty prostheses for valvular reconstructive surgery.