Transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD) for hemorrhoidal disease: An Italian single-institution 5-year experience analysis and updated literature review.

Background: Hemorrhoidal disease is a highly prevalent, chronic disorder that usually compromise patients' quality of life. Despite recent advances in pharmacologic and surgical therapeutic options, a clear treatment "gold standard" is lacking. Our aim is to analyze the outcomes following Transanal Hemorrhoidal Dearterialization (THD) procedure.

Arsenic accumulation in Pteris vittata: Time course, distribution, and arsenic-related gene expression in fronds and whole plantlets.

In this work, arsenic (As) accumulation and distribution over time in Pteris vittata young fronds from adult plants and in whole plantlets, grown on a highly contaminated As-soil, was determined by μ-XRF. A linear increase in As content up to 60 days was found in young fronds at different times, and a progressive distribution from the apex to the base of the fronds was observed. In whole plantlets, As signal was detectable from 9 to 20 days in the apex of a few fronds and fiddleheads.

Impact of novel coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic in Italian pediatric emergency departments: a national survey.

Background: Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) has rapidly become a pandemic emergency, distressing health systems in each affected country. Preparation strategies for managing this pandemic have been keys to face the COVID-19 surge all over the world and all levels of care.

Materials And Methods: During the epidemic, the Italian society of pediatric emergency-urgency (SIMEUP) promoted a national survey aiming to evaluate preparedness and response of pediatric emergency departments (PED) critical in ensuring optimal management of COVID-19 cases.

Non-destructive characterization of mechanically processed waste printed circuit boards - particle liberation analysis.

This work aimed to develop and propose methods for evaluating the metal degree of liberation to characterize the metal deportment/concentration and liberation/association of mechanically processed waste Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) that hold the complex and heterogeneity structure and metal distribution/association. Waste PCBs passed through a series of mechanical processing (i.e.

The Big Five Personality Traits and Dispositional Mindfulness as Predictors of Alexithymia in College Students.

Objective: The aim of this research was to measure the relationship between the Big Five personality traits, dispositional mindfulness and alexithymia, and to investigate personality traits and dispositional mindfulness as predictors of alexithymia in a group of college students.

Method: In the present study, 150 college students at Tabriz University, aged between 18 and 26, were selected by convenient sampling method. NEO - Five Factor Inventory (NEO - FFI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS - 20), and Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI-SF) were used for data collection.

Residual depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance and perceived cognitive impairment as determinants of functioning in patients with bipolar disorder.

Background: Many patients with bipolar disorder (BD) experience residual symptoms during their inter-episodic periods. The study aimed to analyse the relationship between residual depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances and self-reported cognitive impairment as determinants of psychosocial functioning in a large sample of euthymic BD patients.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 468 euthymic BD outpatients.

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease and Osteoporosis During Androgen Deprivation Therapy Prescription Discordant to EAU Guidelines: Results From a Multicenter, Cross-sectional Analysis From the CHOsIng Treatment for Prostate canCEr (CHOICE) Study.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoporosis in patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer (PCa) but not adherent to European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines.

Materials And Methods: The CHOosIng Treatment for Prostate CanCEr (CHOICE) study was an Italian multicenter, cross-sectional study conducted from December 2010 to January 2012. A total of 1386 patients treated with ADT for PCa (first prescription or renewal of ADT) were selected.

Patient-reported impact of spondyloarthritis on work disability and working life: the ATLANTIS survey.

Background: The aim was to establish how patients experience the impact of spondyloarthritis (SpA) on work disability and working life.

Methods: The survey was performed in 17/20 regions in Italy (1 January to 31 March 2013). A multiple-choice questionnaire was published on the official website of the sponsor - the National Association of Rheumatic Patients (ANMAR) - and hard-copies were distributed at outpatient clinics for rheumatic patients.

The novel R347g pathogenic mutation of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase provides additional molecular insights into enzyme catalysis and deficiency.

We report here a clinical case of a patient with a novel mutation (Arg347→Gly) in the gene encoding aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) that is associated with AADC deficiency. The variant R347G in the purified recombinant form exhibits, similarly to the pathogenic mutation R347Q previously studied, a 475-fold drop of kcat compared to the wild-type enzyme. In attempting to unravel the reason(s) for this catalytic defect, we have carried out bioinformatics analyses of the crystal structure of AADC-carbidopa complex with the modelled catalytic loop (residues 328-339).

The Challenging Intrauterine Contraceptive: In-office Hysteroscopic Approach.

Study Object: To describe 3 cases of misplaced or retained Intrauterine Contraceptive (IUC) that were successfully resolved by hysteroscopy performed in an ambulatory setting using miniaturized electrosurgical and mechanical operative instruments.

Design: Step-by-step description of the technique using slides, pictures, and video (educative video) (Canadian Task Force classification III).

Setting: Misplaced or retained IUC may be related to several causes; incorrect insertion is the leading cause.

Bilateral uveitis with hypopyon as a presenting symptom of metastatic peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Purpose: To report the association between bilateral uveitis with hypopyon and metastatic peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Methods: A 76-year-old woman presented bilateral diffuse uveitis with hypopyon. She was in good health.

Reliability of transcranial magnetic stimulation-related measurements of tibialis anterior muscle in healthy subjects.

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-related measurements linked to the corticospinal control of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle in healthy subjects.

Methods: Inter-investigator and intra-investigator (within-session with a 1.5-h interval; between-session with a 4-week interval) reliability of the motor threshold, recruitment curve with its slope and MEP area at the plateau, MEP latency, maximum MEP (MEPmax) area, and duration of the maximum and minimum silent period (SPmax and SPmin) were assessed in 50 (29 men and 21 women) healthy subjects (mean age 44.

Effects of 8-week strength training with two models of chest press machines on muscular activity pattern and strength.

The purposes of this study were to assess: (i) the effects of 8-week training programs with constrained-path and unconstrained-path chest press machines on 1-RM; (ii) the different activity patterns of selected arm and shoulder girdle muscles during push movement performed on the different machines; (iii) the transfer of the training effects from one machine to the other. Twenty healthy, sedentary women (mean+/-SD age, 24.8+/-1.

Long-term results of laparoscopic versus open colorectal resections for cancer in 235 patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 years.

Background: Laparoscopic resection for cure of colorectal cancer is controversial. More investigations on long-term results are required. This study aimed to compare the long-term outcome with a minimum follow-up of 5 years between laparoscopic or open approach for the treatment of colo-rectal cancer.

Transcranial Doppler in 178 patients before, during, and after carotid endarterectomy.

From July 1991 to March 1995, 178 patients who underwent 198 carotid surgical repairs were investigated preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively by transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD). Preoperative TCD evaluation showed stenosis of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 4 patients (2.2%), siphon stenosis in 3 (1.

Biocompatibility in hemapheresis: new materials.

The development of new technologies implying the use of semidialytic synthetic membranes in therapeutic apheresis, lays stress also on the problem of biocompatibility. The first alterations of plasma proteins and of the immune system are observable 15 minutes after the beginning of the apheretic session. This may suggest that the acute clinical reactions observed during apheresis are related to biocompatibility.

External carotid artery repair in cerebrovascular insufficiency.

From January 1985 to October 1992 ten patients were submitted to reconstruction of the external carotid artery (ECA). Nine were males and one female with age that ranged from 64 to 74 years, mean 68. All were symptomatic due to TIAs in seven and amaurosis fugax in four of this group, previous completed stroke plus TIAs in two and chronic low perfusion in one.

Cell kinetics and tumor-associated antigen expression in human mammary carcinomas.

Twenty-six primary breast carcinomas were studied to evaluate cell proliferation as assessed by thymidine labeling index (TLI), and antigenic phenotype, as defined by immunohistochemistry using eight monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). The majority of tumors had low TLI values. Reactivity to MAbs B72.