Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells as Novel Diagnostic Tools for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Visualizing Relationships with Known and Potential Disease Biomarkers.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a health emergency worldwide due to its high prevalence and the lack of specific therapies. Noninvasive biomarkers supporting NAFLD diagnosis are urgently needed. Liver mitochondrial dysfunction is a central NAFLD pathomechanism that changes throughout disease progression.

Functional and Clinical Importance of SGLT2-inhibitors in Frailty: From the Kidney to the Heart.

SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2) enables glucose and sodium reabsorption in the kidney. SGLT2-inhibitors (also known as gliflozins, which include canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and ertugliflozin) act by increasing glycosuria, thereby reducing glycemia. These drugs are critical to reach and keep glycemic control, a crucial feature, especially in patients with comorbidities, like frail individuals.

Insulin resistance drives cognitive impairment in hypertensive pre-diabetic frail elders: the CENTENNIAL study.

Aims: Pre-diabetes is a condition that confers an increased cardiovascular risk. Frailty is very common in hypertensive patients, and insulin resistance has been linked to frailty in older adults with diabetes. On these grounds, our aim was to evaluate the association between insulin resistance and cognitive impairment in hypertensive and pre-diabetic and frail older adults.

Behavior of Wildlife Species in Urban Areas to Changing Conditions during COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Review.

The COVID-19 crisis remains an international health disaster with serious impacts on health and business. As countries asked, and continue to ask, their human populations to stay at home to limit the spread of coronavirus, wild animals have been spotted exploring the empty streets of some of the world's largest urban areas.E This period of unusually reduced human mobility can provide invaluable insights into human-wildlife interactions.

Social networks and eating disorders during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the increase both in the use of the Internet and social media and in Google searches regarding eating disorders (ED) in Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our aim is also to verify the possible impact of such an increase on ED, since patients treated for ED by the National Health Service (NHS) have increased in the first 6 months of 2020 as well.

Method: We used data from Wearesocial surveys on Internet users in the first 6 months of 2020 and the Google searches related to the query of "food disorders" and "body shaming.

Changes in food choice following restrictive measures due to Covid-19.

Background And Aims: Following the Covid-19 proliferation beyond the borders of China at the beginning of 2020, containment measures have been taken by different countries around the globe. Citizens were forced to stay at home. The aim of this study is twofold.

Diastasis of rectus abdominis muscles: patterns of anatomical variation as demonstrated by ultrasound.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to categorise the anatomical variations of rectus abdominis muscle diastasis (diastasis recti) by using ultrasound (US).

Material And Methods: In a one-year period 92 women were evaluated with US because of suspected diastasis of rectus muscles. Patients were examined in a supine position, with head extended, upper limbs aligned to the trunk, and knees flexed.

Correction to: Nutrition behaviour and compliance with the Mediterranean diet pyramid recommendations: an Italian survey‑based study.

The article "Nutrition behaviour and compliance with the Mediterranean diet pyramid recommendations: an Italian survey‑based study", written by "Renata Bracale, Concetta M. Vaccaro, Vittoria Coletta, Claudio Cricelli, Francesco Carlo Gamaleri, Fabio Parazzini and Michele Carruba" was originally published electronically on the publisher's internet portal on 8th November 2019 without open access.

A bump: what to do next? Ultrasound imaging of superficial soft-tissue palpable lesions.

Soft-tissue palpable lesions are common in clinical practice, and ultrasound (US) represents the first imaging option in the evaluation of a patient with a soft-tissue swelling. A full and systematic US assessment is necessary, however. This includes grayscale, color- and power-Doppler, spectral-Doppler, and possibly elastography facilities, as well as a trained operator.

Nutrition behaviour and compliance with the Mediterranean diet pyramid recommendations: an Italian survey-based study.

Purpose: Adopting a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern may help in preventing several chronic diseases. We assessed the eating behaviour and compliance with the Mediterranean diet pyramid recommendations in Italy.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in subjects aged ≥ 20 years.

Essential Oils and Antifungal Activity.

Since ancient times, folk medicine and agro-food science have benefitted from the use of plant derivatives, such as essential oils, to combat different diseases, as well as to preserve food. In Nature, essential oils play a fundamental role in protecting the plant from biotic and abiotic attacks to which it may be subjected. Many researchers have analyzed in detail the modes of action of essential oils and most of their components.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Italian version of the Western Ontario Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder index (WOOS).

Background: The Western Ontario Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder index (WOOS) has been introduced as a disease-specific quality of life measurement in patients with glenohumeral arthritis. The aim of the present study was to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the English version of the WOOS to Italian and to assess its validity, reliability and responsiveness in patients with glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis treated conservatively.

Material And Methods: The adaptation process was carried out following the simplified Guillemin criteria.

Mineral essential elements for nutrition in different chocolate products.

In this work, the essential mineral nutritional elements in cocoa beans, in chocolates at different cocoa percentage (60,70,80 and 90%) and in milk chocolate are evaluated. Dark chocolates are confirmed as an excellent source of magnesium (252.2 mg/100 g) and iron (10.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adolescents (Tanner stages 2 and 3).

Purpose: Management of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in skeletally immature patients (in Tanner stages 2 and 3) is controversial. Conventional reconstruction used in adults can cause iatrogenic growth disturbance due to physeal damage, and studies that report long-term results using a specific technique are scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate in a large series the mid- and long-term results of a partial transphyseal technique and define the safe percentage of lesions of the femoral growth plate.

Lateral tibial plateau autograft in revision surgery for failed medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: Revision surgery for failed unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) with bone loss is challenging. Several options are available including cement augmentation, metal augmentation, and bone grafting. The aim of the present study was to describe a surgical technique for lateral tibial plateau autografting and report mid-term outcomes.

Family lifestyle and childhood obesity in an urban city of Northern Italy.

Purpose: Over the last decades, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in elementary school children has steadily increased worldwide. This phenomenon is also linked to food habits. The main purpose of our study was to understand the role that environmental factors may play in this context; in particular, we investigated how and to what extent family food habits and children lifestyle are associated with the spread of children obesity.

Particulate Matter deposition on Quercus ilex leaves in an industrial city of central Italy.

A number of studies have focused on urban trees to understand their mitigation capacity of air pollution. In this study particulate matter (PM) deposition on Quercus ilex leaves was quantitatively analyzed in four districts of the City of Terni (Italy) for three periods of the year. Fine (between 0.

Detection and characterization of focal liver lesions by split-bolus multidetector-row CT: diagnostic accuracy and radiation dose in oncologic patients.

Aim: To assess the diagnostic accuracy and radiation dose of split-bolus multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) protocol in the detection and characterization of focal liver lesions in oncologic patients.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed triphasic CT at initial diagnosis and follow-up split-bolus 64-detector row CT protocol in 48 oncologic patients with focal liver lesions. Split-bolus MDCT protocol by i.

Medial capsule reefing in patellar instability.

Purpose: The efficacy of medial capsule reefing in the treatment of patellar instability is well documented. Aim of the present study was to prospectively evaluate the outcomes of an all-arthroscopic medial capsule reefing technique in young patients with painful patella syndrome and potential patellar instability.

Methods: Thirty patients with painful patellar syndrome and potential patellar instability having undergone a minimum of 6 months of intensive rehabilitation were enrolled in the present study.

Knee flexion after total knee arthroplasty reduces blood loss.

Purpose: Extensive blood loss after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may be a potential problem since it leads to anaemia, increased need for transfusion and prolonged hospitalization. Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of postoperative knee flexion after TKA on blood loss and the need for transfusion.

Methods: One hundred consecutive patients undergoing primary TKA from 2012 to 2013 were randomizely divided into two groups.

Patellar resurfacing complications in total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: The ideal management of the patella during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is still controversial. Patellar retention is generally associated with an increased rate of anterior knee pain; however, patient satisfaction is similar in cases of replacement or retention. When the patella is replaced, potential severe complications can occur.

Childhood obesity, overweight and underweight: a study in primary schools in Milan.

Aims: The study aims to assess the prevalence of obesity, overweight and underweight in children enrolled in government primary schools (6-11 years of age) in the city of Milan, Italy.

Methods: One hundred and nine schools were randomly selected for the study. A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and June 2008.

Standard laparoscopic versus single-incision laparoscopic colectomy for cancer: early results of a randomized prospective study.

Background: Standard laparoscopic colectomy (SLC) for cancer is a safe, feasible, and oncologically effective procedure with better short-term and similar long-term results of open colectomy. Conversely, owing to technical difficulties in colonic resection and full mesenteric dissection, single-incision laparoscopic colectomy (SILC) has been considered unsuitable for oncologic purposes. We compared the technical feasibility and early clinical outcomes of SLC and SILC for cancer.