Additional dorsal interspinous stabilisation has no advantage after decompression of degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

Introduction: Interspinous devices are an alternative to instrumented fusion for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with radiological instability or deformity. The devices claim to improve clinical symptoms by indirect foraminal decompression with fewer complications and similar functional outcomes compared to conventional fusion techniques, and by avoiding a (further) deterioration of the anatomy of the spine while being less invasive than instrumented fusion.

Research Question: Do interspinous devices provide a benefit in combination with a decompression of degenerative LSS?

Material And Methods: In this observational study, 117 patients were treated by decompression surgery alone (n = 37), decompression plus instrumented spinal screw fixation and anterior cage support (n = 41) or decompression plus stabilisation with interspinous devices (n = 39).

The Role and Effectiveness of Photodynamic Therapy on Patients With Actinic Keratosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Actinic keratoses (AKs) are the most common neoplastic lesions and are recognized as a precursor to squamous cell skin cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic option for multiple AKs in line with field cancerization. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of PDT on patients with AKs using a meta-analysis, in order to evaluate the possible superiority of one treatment over the others.

An Epitope Platform for Safe and Effective HTLV-1-Immunization: Potential Applications for mRNA and Peptide-Based Vaccines.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection affects millions of individuals worldwide and can lead to severe leukemia, myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, and numerous other disorders. Pursuing a safe and effective immunotherapeutic approach, we compared the viral polyprotein and the human proteome with a sliding window approach in order to identify oligopeptide sequences unique to the virus. The immunological relevance of the viral unique oligopeptides was assessed by searching them in the immune epitope database (IEDB).

COVID19 outbreak in Lombardy, Italy: An analysis on the short-term relationship between air pollution, climatic factors and the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Short-term exposure to air pollution, as well as to climate variables have been linked to a higher incidence of respiratory viral diseases. The study aims to assess the short-term influence of air pollution and climate on COVID19 incidence in Lombardy (Italy), during the early stage of the outbreak, before the implementation of the lockdown measures. The daily number of COVID19 cases in Lombardy from February 25th to March 10th 2020, and the daily average concentrations up to 15 days before the study period of particulate matter (PM, PM), O, SO and NO together with climate variables (temperature, relative humidity - RH%, wind speed, precipitation), were analyzed.

Risk assessment in medically treated chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients.

Abbreviated versions of the risk stratification strategy of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) pulmonary hypertension guidelines have been recently validated in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. We aimed to investigate their prognostic value in medically treated chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients from the COMPERA registry, which collects six variables of interest (World Health Organization Functional Class, 6-min walk distance, brain natriuretic peptide, right atrial pressure, cardiac index and mixed venous oxygen saturation).We included patients with at least one follow-up visit, no pulmonary endarterectomy and at least three of the six variables available, and classified the patients into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups.

Acid Ceramidase Deficiency is characterized by a unique plasma cytokine and ceramide profile that is altered by therapy.

Acid Ceramidase Deficiency (Farber disease, FD) is an ultra-rare Lysosomal Storage Disorder that is poorly understood and often misdiagnosed as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Hallmarks of FD are accumulation of ceramides, widespread macrophage infiltration, splenomegaly, and lymphocytosis. The cytokines involved in this abnormal hematopoietic state are unknown.

GM-CSF as successful salvage therapy of metamizole (dipyrone)-induced agranulocytosis with Fournier's gangrene and severe septic shock in an adolescent.

This case report describes the successful use of granulocyte and macrophage colony-stimulating factor as salvage therapy and an alternative to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a 14-year-old adolescent with metamizole (dipyrone)-induced agranulocytosis and severe septic shock.

Pre-Capillary, Combined, and Post-Capillary Pulmonary Hypertension: A Pathophysiological Continuum.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is hemodynamically classified as pre-capillary (as seen in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension [IPAH]) or post-capillary (as seen in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction [HFpEF]). Overlaps between these conditions exist. Some patients present with risk factors for left heart disease but pre-capillary PH, whereas patients with HFpEF may have combined pre- and post-capillary PH.

Serum microRNAs are early indicators of survival after radiation-induced hematopoietic injury.

Accidental radiation exposure is a threat to human health that necessitates effective clinical planning and diagnosis. Minimally invasive biomarkers that can predict long-term radiation injury are urgently needed for optimal management after a radiation accident. We have identified serum microRNA (miRNA) signatures that indicate long-term impact of total body irradiation (TBI) in mice when measured within 24 hours of exposure.

Socket augmentation using a commercial collagen-based product--an animal study in pigs.

The aim of the present study was to identify properties of pure collagen for augmentation techniques and compare to a proved xenogenic material and natural bone regeneration. For that the osteogenesis of extraction alveoli after augmentation with a collagen cone covered with an absorbable collagen membrane in a single product (PARASORB Sombrero®, Resorba) was evaluated in a pig model. Extraction alveoli were treated with the collagen cone and the collagen membrane in a single product (test group; n=7) or demineralized bovine bone mineral and a collagen membrane (two separate products; positive control; n=7).

The effect of a repeated immunoadsorption in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy after recurrence of severe heart failure symptoms.

Background: In patients suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), immunoadsorption with subsequent IgG substitution (IA/IgG) leads to an acute and prolonged improvement of hemodynamics and heart failure symptoms. However, some patients receiving IA/IgG experience recurrence of heart failure after an initial benefit. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a second IA/IgG treatment episode improves left ventricular systolic function and further mitigates heart failure symptoms in these patients.

A functional screen identifies miRs that induce radioresistance in glioblastomas.

Unlabelled: The efficacy of radiotherapy in many tumor types is limited by normal tissue toxicity and by intrinsic or acquired radioresistance. Therefore, it is essential to understand the molecular network responsible for regulating radiosensitivity/resistance. Here, an unbiased functional screen identified four microRNAs (miR1, miR125a, miR150, and miR425) that induce radioresistance.

Osseointegration of short titan implants: A pilot study in pigs.

Reduced vertical bone level in the implantation area is often considered one of the limiting factors before implant insertion. Inserting implants of reduced length might be useful in order to avoid vertical bone augmentation prior to implantation. To the present day, no official guidelines exist as to the optimal length for these implants.