Predicting mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement using AI-based fully automated left atrioventricular coupling index.

Background: This study aimed to determine whether artificial intelligence (AI)-based automated assessment of left atrioventricular coupling index (LACI) can provide incremental value above other traditional risk factors for predicting mortality among patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA) before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated patients with severe AS who underwent CCTA examination before TAVR between September 2014 and December 2020. An AI-prototype software fully automatically calculated left atrial and left ventricular end-diastolic volumes and LACI was defined by the ratio between them.

The α-synuclein seed amplification assay: Interpreting a test of Parkinson's pathology.

The α-synuclein seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA) sensitively detects Lewy pathology, the amyloid state of α-synuclein, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The αSyn-SAA harnesses the physics of seeding, whereby a superconcentrated solution of recombinant α-synuclein lowers the thermodynamic threshold (nucleation barrier) for aggregated α-synuclein to act as a nucleation catalyst ("seed") to trigger the precipitation (nucleation) of monomeric α-synuclein into pathology. This laboratory setup increases the signal for identifying a catalyst if one is present in the tissue examined.

Robot-assisted Kidney Transplantation: The 8-year European Experience.

Background And Objective: Evidence regarding perioperative results and long-term functional outcomes of robotic-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT) is limited. We evaluated perioperative surgical results and long-term functional outcomes of RAKT in patients receiving kidney transplants from living donors.

Methods: This retrospective analysis is based on a prospective multicenter cohort study conducted from July 2015 to October 2023 across ten European centers.

Management of B3 breast lesions: Potential clinical implications from a retrospective study conducted in an accredited Breast Unit following the 2024 EUSOMA guidelines.

B3 breast lesions present significant challenge in breast surgery. Despite their relatively low risk of malignancy without cellular atypia, overtreatment remains common. We retrospectively evaluate the management of B3 lesions in an accredited-EUSOMA Breast Unit, comparing 10-years practices with 2016 and 2019 international Consensus Conferences and with 2024 EUSOMA guidelines.

Novel 3-Sulfonamide Dual-Tail Pyrrol-2-one Bridged Molecules as Potent Human Carbonic Anhydrase Isoform Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Molecular Modeling Investigation, and Anticancer Activity in MeWo, SK-BR-3, and MG-63 Cell Lines.

Novel 3-sulfonamide pyrrol-2-one derivatives containing two sulfonamide groups were synthesized via a one-pot, three-component method using trifluoroacetic acid as a catalyst. Structural confirmation was achieved using spectroscopic techniques. The compounds were tested against four selected human carbonic anhydrase isoforms (hCA I, hCA II, hCA IX, and hCA XII).

Enhancing Lumpy Skin Disease control: effective competitive and indirect ELISAs for serological surveillance.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD), caused by the LSD virus (LSDV) from the Capripoxvirus genus, affects cattle, water buffalo, and wild bovines, leading to significant economic losses. Characterised by fever, skin nodules, and mucosal lesions, LSD raises global concerns due to vector-borne transmission. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) classifies LSD as a notifiable disease, emphasising the need for rapid diagnostic methods for timely disease confirmation and control.

Diagnostic approach in Giant cell arteritis.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), also known as temporal arteritis, is the most common form of vasculitis in the elderly. While initially described as involving the temporal arteries, GCA can also affect the aorta and its major branches. Despite the increased use of imaging modalities and the availability of temporal artery biopsy, diagnosing GCA remains challenging.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of bulevirtide monotherapy for up to 96 weeks in patients with HDV-related cirrhosis.

Background And Aims: Bulevirtide (BLV) 2 mg/day is EMA approved for treatment of compensated chronic hepatitis due to Delta virus (HDV) infection, however real-life data in large cohorts of patients with cirrhosis are lacking.

Methods: Consecutive HDV-infected patients with cirrhosis starting BLV 2 mg/day since September 2019 were included in a European retrospective multicenter real-life study (SAVE-D). Patient characteristics before and during BLV treatment were collected.

Tamuzimod in patients with moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 induction trial.

Background: Tamuzimod (VTX002) is a selective sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 modulator in development for ulcerative colitis. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of tamuzimod in patients with moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis.

Methods: This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 induction trial was conducted at 122 centres across 15 countries in Asia, Europe, and North America.

A rare case of extracranial schwannoma in the masticator space removed by endoscopic assisted transoral approach (EATA).

Background: Extracranial schwannomas, particularly those arising from the masticator space, are rare entities. Given the challenges in pre-operative diagnosis and the potential for misdiagnosis, accurate localization and differential diagnosis are crucial for optimal surgical planning.

Case Report: A 42-year-old woman underwent a head and neck MRI for unrelated reasons and was incidentally found to have a mass in the left masticator space.

Pelvic insufficiency fractures in locally advanced cervical cancer: the diagnostic yield of post-treatment MRI in a tertiary centre.

Purpose: To assess the incidence of pelvic insufficiency fractures (PIFs) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC), their time of onset and risk factors. We also analysed the inter-observer agreement between gynaecologic radiologists (GYN readers) and radiologists expert in musculoskeletal imaging (MSK reader) in detecting PIFs in our tertiary care centre.

Methods: Patients with confirmed LACC who underwent concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) at our institution from June 2019 to November 2022 were retrospectively included.

Seasonal dynamics of kiwifruit microbiome: A case study in a KVDS-affected orchard.

Over the past decade, Italian kiwifruit orchards and overall production have faced a significant threat from Kiwifruit Vine Decline Syndrome (KVDS). Despite the insights gained from metagenomics studies into the microbial communities associated with the disease, unanswered questions still remain. In this study, the evolution of bacterial, fungal, and oomycetes communities in soil and root endosphere at three different time points during the vegetative season was investigated for the first time in a KVDS-affected orchard in the Lazio Region.

A first-in-human phase 1/2 dose-escalation study of MAK683 (EED inhibitor) in patients with advanced malignancies.

Purpose: MAK683, a first-in-class and highly selective allosteric inhibitor of the embryonic ectoderm development subunit of polycomb repressive complex 2, has shown sustained antitumor activity in tumor xenograft models. This first-in-human phase 1/2 study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and clinical activity of single-agent MAK683 in advanced malignancies.

Methods: MAK683 was administered fasted once daily or twice daily continuously in 28-day treatment cycles.

Emergency department crowding: An assessment of the potential impact of the See-and-Treat protocol for patient flow management at an Italian hospital.

Background: Crowding and patient flow management are among the most relevant issues for emergency departments (EDs). This results in delayed treatment, adverse outcomes and increased costs. For these reasons, nurse-independent treatment protocols were developed aimed at managing non-emergency patients outside EDs thus improving patient flow.

Rare massive thoracic metastasis of endometrial cancer: Chest wall demolition and reconstruction. A case report.

Introduction: Distant recurrences are a major problem after surgical treatment for endometrial carcinoma; metastases to the bone are usually restricted to the axial skeleton, cases of costal localization are few. We present a case of a massive costal metastases successfully treated in our department.

Case Presentation: A 60-year-old woman underwent bilateral hysteroannessectomy followed by adjuvant radiotherapy for endometrial adenocarcinoma pT3a FIGO IIIA.

A reproducibility study on invasion in small pulmonary adenocarcinoma according to the WHO and a modified classification, supported by biomarkers.

Objectives: Evaluating invasion in non-mucinous adenocarcinoma (NMA) of the lung is crucial for accurate pT-staging. This study compares the World Health Organization (WHO) with a recently modified NMA classification.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted on small NMA pT1N0M0 cases with a 5-year follow-up.

Cyberknife radio-neurosurgery for secreting pituitary adenomas treated with single fraction radio-neurosurgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is one of the treatment options for the management of residual or recurrent secreting pituitary adenomas (PA). While the role of radiosurgery (RS) by Gamma Knife (GK) has been clearly established, Cyberknife (CK) RS has been evaluated in fewer series.

Material And Methods: To perform a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis, with the aim of focusing on the effect of CK RS on secreting PA.

The role of executive functions in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder: A short narrative review.

Atypical executive functions (EFs) are well-documented in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across all ages. However, most research focuses on EFs impairments in school-aged children and older, with less attention to preschool children. Understanding EF deficits in this age group is challenging and underexplored due to limited studies and measurement difficulties.

H-F cross-polarization magic angle spinning dynamic nuclear polarization NMR investigation of advanced pharmaceutical formulations.

A new 3.2 mm H-F-X magic angle spinning dynamic nuclear polarization NMR (MAS DNP-NMR) probe was developed with a unique coil design with separate radiofrequency channels for H excitation and C or F detection to enable acquisition of H-F cross-polarization (CP) MAS experiments, direct-detected F spectra with proton decoupling, and acquisition on C with simultaneous double decoupling on the H and 19F channels as well as H-F-C double-CP experiments under low temperature MAS DNP conditions. We use these sequences to study AZD2811, which is an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), in its pure dry state as well as in its corresponding drug delivery formulation consisting of drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs).

The effectiveness of tumescent anesthesia in managing pain for enzymatic debridement of burns. A case-control study.

Introduction: Burn injuries are a global health challenge, causing significant pain, tissue damage and complex wound management issues. Traditional treatments like surgical debridement, while effective, pose challenges such as blood loss, grafting requirements, and prolonged hospital stays. Enzymatic debridement, such as the Nexobrid procedure, effectively removes necrotic tissue but can be painful for patients.

The carbon cost of impaired welfare on sheep farms.

In the face of global climate threats, farm and land-management decisions must balance climate concerns with profitability, animal welfare, and ecosystem health. However, few comprehensive studies have quantified the relationship between animal welfare and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and no study focuses specifically on sheep farms. The present study aims to quantify the effects of impaired welfare on GHG emissions for common welfare challenges faced in UK lowland (L) and hill (H) sheep farming systems.

Contamination of the terrestrial food chain by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and related human health risks: A systematic review.

Background: PFAS contamination is a global issue, affecting various food sources, especially animal-based products like eggs and dairy.

Objective: Collect scientific evidence of the presence of PFAS in diverse food and edible resources along with the related risks to human health, pursuing the following objectives: determination of the level of terrestrial food chain contamination; determination of the related human health risk.

Data Source: Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases.

Global perspectives in acute and emergency general surgery in low and middle-income countries: a WSES project protocol for scoping review on global surgery.

Background: Around five billion people globally lack access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical facilities and care in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global initiatives have been launched, including efforts led by organizations. Also, regional efforts have shed light on the unique challenges faced by different areas within LMICs.

Deep mantle earthquakes linked to CO degassing at the mid-Atlantic ridge.

Volatiles (CO, HO) play a fundamental role in mantle melting beneath ocean spreading centers, but what role they play during the melt migration remains unknown. Using seismological data recorded by ocean-bottom seismometers, here we report the presence of deep earthquakes at 10-20 km depth in the mantle along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, much below the brittle-ductile boundary. Syntheses of regional basaltic rock samples and their geochemical analyses indicate the presence of an abnormally high quantity of CO (~0.