Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Recent Advances and Insights.

Focal therapy has emerged as a balanced middle ground aiming to reduce overtreatment and the risk of progression, as well as patients' distress and anxiety. Focal therapy and partial gland ablation prioritize the precise elimination of the index lesion and a surrounding safety margin to optimize treatment outcomes and lower the risk of residual disease. The paradigm of whole-gland ablation has shifted towards more targeted approaches.

Posterior Urethral Valves and Fertility: Insight on Paternity Rates and Seminal Parameters.

Background: Posterior urethral valves (PUVs) represent the most common cause of male congenital lower urinary tract obstruction, often responsible for renal dysplasia and chronic renal failure. Despite recent improvements in patients' outcomes thanks to prenatal ultrasound early diagnosis, PUVs can still impact sexual function and fertility. This study aims to review the available evidence on fertility in PUV patients, examining paternity rates and semen parameters.

The impact of workplace violence on healthcare workers during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers, exposing them to unprecedented levels of aggression. Incidents of verbal abuse, threats, and physical assaults have increased, especially in high-stress environments such as emergency departments and intensive care units, exacerbating psychological challenges for healthcare staff. This commentary explores the profound impact of WPV on healthcare workers' mental health and job satisfaction.

Changes in adrenomedullin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with chorioamnionitis in a sheep-based model.

Background: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent angiogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory peptide protecting the developing lung from injury due to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) of the preterm infant. At this stage, no data on the potential effects of chorioamnionitis (CA) occurrence and glucocorticoids (GC) administration on AM in developing lungs are still lacking.

Objective: to investigate, in a sheep-based model, the positive/side-effects of combined exposure to CA and GC on AM concentrations measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).

An innovative microwave technology for the treatment of submental skin laxity.

Backgrounds And Aims: Submental skin laxity (SSL), manifesting as sagging skin and double chin, can significantly affect patients' self-perception and social interactions. While surgical treatments exist, non-invasive methods are increasingly sought for their minimal recovery time. This study assesses the safety and effectiveness of a novel microwave-based device for treating SSL, aiming to provide long-term improvements in skin tightness and appearance.

RETRACTED: Paola et al. Environmental Impact of Pharmaceutical Pollutants: Synergistic Toxicity of Ivermectin and Cypermethrin. 2022, , 388.

The journal retracts the article entitled "Environmental Impact of Pharmaceutical Pollutants: Synergistic Toxicity of Ivermectin and Cypermethrin" [...

Role of the androgen receptor in melanoma aggressiveness.

Malignant melanoma represents the fifth most common cancer in the world and its incidence is rising. Novel therapies targeting receptor tyrosine kinases, kinases and immune checkpoints have been employed with a significant improvement of the overall survival and long-term disease containment. Nevertheless, the disease often progresses and becomes resistant to the therapies.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery resection of subsolid or millimetric nodules using an innovative micro-coil technique: our experience.

Background: Sometimes, the identification of ground-glass opacities (GGOs), small or deep pulmonary nodules can be difficult also in expert hands. Usually for these lesions pulmonary lobectomy is an overtreatment, so we developed a technique to identify easily these nodules. The objective of this research is to assess the effectiveness and safety of using preoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to guide the placement of micro-coils in the lung parenchyma near GGO and small lesions.

Contribution of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha to pathogenesis of sarcomeric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) caused by autosomal-dominant mutations in genes coding for structural sarcomeric proteins, is the most common inherited heart disease. HCM is associated with myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and ventricular dysfunction. Hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1α (Hif-1α) is the central master regulators of cellular hypoxia response and associated with HCM.

Tremor as an intrinsic feature of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

We aim to understand whether tremor may be an intrinsic feature of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and whether individuals with JME plus tremor experience a different disease course. Thirty-one individuals with JME plus tremor (17 females, mean age = 33.9 ± 13.

Donor-derived GD2-specific CAR T cells in relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma.

Allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells targeting disialoganglioside-GD2 (ALLO_GD2-CART01) could be a therapeutic option for patients with relapsed or refractory, high-risk neuroblastoma (r/r HR-NB) whose tumors did not respond to autologous GD2-CART01 or who have profound lymphopenia. We present a case series of five children with HR-NB refractory to more than three different lines of therapy who received ALLO_GD2-CART01 in a hospital exemption setting. Four of them had previously received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Differential tractography identifies a distinct pattern of white matter alterations in essential tremor with or without resting tremor.

Essential Tremor (ET) is characterized by action tremor often associated with resting tremor (rET). Although previous studies have identified widespread brain white matter (WM) alterations in ET patients, differences between ET and rET have been less explored. In this study we employed differential tractography to investigate WM microstructural alterations in these tremor disorders.

PAK3 pathogenic variant associated with sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy in a family with parental mosaicism.

Protein-activated kinases mediate spine morphogenesis and synaptic plasticity. PAK3 is part of the p21-activated kinases (PAKs) family of Ras-signaling serine/threonine kinases. Pathogenic variants in the X-linked gene PAK3 have been described in patients with neurodevelopmental syndromes.

Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injection for pain relief in injured athletes: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: Sports injuries involving bi-articular muscles like the hip flexors, hamstrings, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius significantly affect athletes' performance and quality of life. Comprehensive rehabilitation is crucial for a pain-free return to play (RTP). Over the past 15 years, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged for its potential in tissue regeneration.

An Ascaris lumbricoides infection diagnosed by colonoscopy: A case report and a brief literature review.

Background: Ascaris lumbricoides is a nematode that parasitizes the human gastrointestinal tract, and it is the cause of the most common helminthic infections worldwide. It predominates in areas of poor sanitation. Early diagnosis of this intestinal infection is pivotal to avoid its severe and lethal complications such as gut obstruction, volvulus, and perforation.

Combining an Anterolateral Complex Procedure With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Reduces Graft Reinjury Without Increasing the Rate of Complications: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Anterolateral ligament reconstruction (ALLR) or lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) has been used more frequently in conjunction with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in recent years. However, there are still concerns that these procedures may lead to complications such as overconstraint of the lateral compartment, stiffness, infections, tunnel convergence, and other intra- and postoperative complications because of increased surgical time and the need for additional procedures.

Hypothesis/purpose: The lateral extra-articular procedure will reduce the failure rate of reconstructed ACLs without increasing the number of complications.

Prospective Multicenter Evaluation of the MDS "Suggestive of PSP" Diagnostic Criteria.

Background: The recent Movement Disorders Society (MDS)-progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) diagnostic criteria conceptualized three clinical diagnostic certainty levels: "suggestive of PSP" for sensitive early diagnosis based on subtle clinical signs, "possible PSP" balancing sensitivity and specificity, and "probable PSP" highly specific for PSP pathology.

Objective: The aim of this study was to prospectively validate the criteria against long-term clinical follow-up and characterize the diagnostic certainty increase over time.

Methods: Patients with "possible PSP" or "suggestive of PSP" diagnosis and clinical follow-up were recruited in two German multicenter longitudinal observational studies (ProPSP and DescribePSP).

Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fracture: When Should We Surgically Treat? A Case-Series.

: Supracondylar humerus fractures (SCHFs) are the most common pediatric elbow injuries and often require surgical intervention. Despite guidelines, optimal timing for surgical management, particularly for cases without neurovascular compromise, remains unclear. This study evaluates the influence of surgical timing on short-term outcomes, focusing on fracture reduction quality and surgical parameters.

The Role of GFAP in Post-Mortem Analysis of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, particularly in forensic settings where determining the cause of death and timing of injury is critical. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a biomarker specific to astrocytes, has emerged as a valuable tool in post-mortem analyses of TBI. A PRISMA-based literature search included studies examining GFAP in human post-mortem samples such as brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum, and urine.

The Role of Cardiac Troponins in Postmortem Diagnosis of Myocardial Ischemia: A Systematic Review.

Postmortem diagnosis of myocardial ischemia remains a challenge in forensic pathology, as traditional methods like autopsy and histology may not always provide conclusive results. Cardiac troponins, specifically cTnI and cTnT, are well-established biomarkers for myocardial injury in living patients, but their role in postmortem ischemia diagnosis is still under investigation. This systematic review aims to evaluate the role of troponins in diagnosing myocardial ischemia in postmortem cases, focusing on the diagnostic accuracy, sample types, and the influence of the postmortem interval (PMI).

The Protective Role of the FIFA 11+ Training Program on the Valgus Loading of the Knee in Academy Soccer Players Across a Season.

: Improper neuromuscular control with excessive dynamic valgus loading of the knee has been identified as one of the main anterior cruciate ligament injury risk factors. This study aimed to analyze the impact of the FIFA 11+ training program on the valgus loading of the knee in academy soccer players over a competitive season. : A prospective study was conducted on 85 players.

Pre-biologic FeNO might predict anti-IL-5/IL-5Rα response to treatment in severe asthmatics.

Objective: It remains unclear whether baseline FeNO levels can predict response to anti-IL5/5R biologic treatment in patients with severe asthma.

Methods: We recruited 104 patients with severe eosinophilic asthma treated with anti-IL5/anti-IL5R for at least one year who had measured FeNO values before the beginning of anti-eosinophilic treatment. Population was divided into subjects with FeNO < 25 and ≥25 ppb.

Racecadotril in the management of diarrhea: an underestimated therapeutic option?

Acute infectious diarrhea (AID) represents an important clinical entity both regarding morbidity and mortality rates, even in industrialized countries, and it leads to one of the major public health burdens, among gastroenterological diseases, with significant healthcare costs. Oral rehydration solution is the cornerstone of the therapy, but despite its proven efficacy in avoiding dehydration, it is still underused as it does not reduce the duration of diarrhea; hence, it is perceived as ineffective by caregivers. In this narrative review, we collected literature regarding the use of racecadotril, deeply discussing its role in the treatment of AID in both adults and children.