Outcomes of loop ileostomy after rectal resection for cancer: A prospective observational multicenter snapshot study from Multidisciplinary Italian Study group for STOmas (MISSTO).

Background: Diverting ileostomy is a common procedure in rectal cancer surgery, but it is sometimes associated with a nonnegligible rate of complications. The primary aim of this study was to analyze the incidence and types of stoma-related complications for ileostomy creation after rectal cancer resection. The secondary aims were to report the indications, the technical details, and the efficacy of stoma care provided by ostomy nurses.

Ustekinumab is a promising option for the treatment of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease.

Background And Aim: Postoperative recurrence (POR) following ileocolonic resection is a major concern in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The role of ustekinumab (UST) in this setting is poorly known.

Methods: All consecutive CD patients with a baseline colonoscopy at 6-12 months from ileocolonic resection showing POR (Rutgeerts score ≥ i2) who were treated with UST after the baseline colonoscopy and with an available post-treatment endoscopy, were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (SN-IBD).

Severe Activity of Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19.

Background: Data from the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic suggested that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not at higher risk of being infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) than the general population and that a worse prognosis is not associated with immunomodulatory drugs, with the possible exception of systemic steroids.

Methods: This retrospective, observational study included consecutive IBD patients from the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SN-IBD) cohort who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis (polymerase chain reaction-confirmed presence of the viral genome in a nasopharyngeal swab) during the second COVID-19 pandemic wave (September 2020 to December 2020). Data regarding demographics, IBD features and treatments, and comorbidities were analyzed in correlation with COVID-19 clinical outcomes.

Is Dual Mobility Total Hip Arthroplasty Surgery More Aggressive than Hemiarthroplasty when Treating Femoral Neck Fracture in the Elderly? A Multicentric Retrospective Study on 302 Hips.

Introduction: Bipolar hemiarthroplasty (BHA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) are validated treatments for displaced femoral neck fractures (DFNFs). BHA seldomly needs conversion to THA, but the latter has higher dislocation rate in FNFs. Dual Mobility THA offers a reduced dislocation rate and eliminates the risk of conversion.

Endocan and Circulating Progenitor Cells in Women with Systemic Sclerosis: Association with Inflammation and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by early vasculopathy and fibrosis in the skin, lungs, and other tissues. Vascular manifestations of SSc include Raynaud's phenomenon, digital ulcers, and pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). PAH is the second most common cause of mortality in SSc.

Sleep disorders and late-onset epilepsy of unknown origin: Understanding new trajectories to brain amyloidopathy.

The intertwining between epilepsy, sleep disorders and beta amyloid pathology has been progressively highlighted, as early identification and stratification of patients at high risk of cognitive decline is the need of the hour. Modification of the sleep-wake activity, such as sleep impairment or excessive daytime sleepiness, can critically affect cerebral beta amyloid levels. Both mice models and human studies have demonstrated a substantial increase in the burden of beta amyloid pathology after sleep-deprivation, with potential negative effects partially restored by sleep recovery.

Deletion of the Williams Beuren syndrome critical region unmasks facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Among 1339 unrelated cases accrued by the Italian National Registry for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), we found three unrelated cases who presented signs of Williams-Beuren Syndrome (WBS) in early childhood and later developed FSHD. All three cases carry the molecular defects associated with the two disorders. The rarity of WBS and FSHD, 1 in 7500 and 1 in 20,000 respectively, makes a random association of the two diseases unlikely.

Speckle tracking echocardiography as a new diagnostic tool for an assessment of cardiovascular disease in rheumatic patients.

Chronic inflammation represents the cornerstone of the raised cardiovascular (CV) risk in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD). Standardized mortality ratios are increased in these patients compared to the general population, which can be explained by premature mortality associated with early atherosclerotic events. Thus, IRD patients need appropriate CV risk management in view of this CV disease (CVD) burden.

Listeriolysin O antibodies detection in pregnant women: results from an Italian pilot study.

Background: Listeriosis is a rare infection affecting primarily pregnant women, the elderly and individuals with a weakened immune system and is caused by the ubiquitous bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Infection during pregnancy can cause severe consequences especially for the fetus, leading to sepsis, premature delivery, stillbirth and miscarriage.

Study Design: A pilot observational study has been conducted in order to establish the prevalence of seroconversion of specific antibodies against a peculiar toxin belonging to L.

Reclassification of good-risk seminoma: prognostic factors, novel biomarkers and implications for clinical management.

Germ cell tumors represent 11% of the cancers diagnosed in adolescent males and are the most common solid tumors in adult men between the ages of 20 and 35. Pure seminoma accounts for around 50% of all testicular germ cell tumors. The prognostic classification of the International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group for good-prognosis seminoma includes both nodal disease and pulmonary visceral metastases.

ADAPT technique with ACE68 and ACE64 reperfusion catheters in ischemic stroke treatment: results from the PROMISE study.

Background And Purpose: The recent randomized trials demonstrated the benefit of mechanical thrombectomy in stroke therapy. However, treatment using different strategies is an ongoing area of investigation. The PROMISE study analyzed the safety and effectiveness of the Penumbra System with the ACE68 and ACE64 reperfusion catheters in aspiration thrombectomy of stroke, using A Direct Aspiration First Pass Technique (ADAPT).

Gastrointestinal obstruction caused by solidification and coagulation of enteral nutrition: pathogenetic mechanisms and potential risk factors.

Enteral nutrition (EN) is preferred in order to provide nutrition and reduce catabolism in critically ill patients. Recent studies suggest that the use of EN is successful and complications are rare. However, an underestimated mechanical complication of tube feedings seen in critically ill patients is the coagulation and solidification of the EN causing gastrointestinal obstruction.

The DETection of Arthritis in Inflammatory boweL diseases (DETAIL) questionnaire: development and preliminary testing of a new tool to screen patients with inflammatory bowel disease for the presence of spondyloarthritis.

To develop and to test in a preliminary way a new self-administered screening tool, called DETection of Arthritis in Inflammatory boweL diseases (DETAIL) questionnaire, in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) not previously diagnosed as having a spondyloarthritis (SpA). DETAIL questionnaire was realized through the interrogation of 95 experts. They were asked to rate the importance of a list of items, derived from a review of the referral models of SpA, to detect the SpA manifestations in IBD patients.

Gastric metastasis from ovarian adenocarcinoma presenting as a subepithelial tumor and diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition.

We describe an uncommon case of a patient with a metastatic adenocarcinoma of ovarian origin presented as a gastric subepithelial tumor (SET) and that was diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB). Malignant gastric lesions are rarely metastatic and the primary tumor is mainly breast, lung, esophageal cancer or cutaneous melanoma. Gastric metastasis from ovarian cancer is unusual, presenting synchronously with the primary tumor but also several years later than the initial diagnosis.

Training in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Tips and Tricks of the Trade.

Coronary artery bypass is often the first procedure cardiac surgeons are confronted with during their residencies. This article discusses the surgical steps and the potential difficulties encountered during this procedure and how they can be solved. The "point of view" of an experienced surgeon is provided to the trainees and to the readers.

Ischemic stroke due to hypoperfusion in a patient with a previously unrecognized Danon disease.

Danon disease, an X-linked multisystemic disorder, is due to deficiency of Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein 2 (LAMP2). It is usually characterized by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mental retardation and skeletal myopathy, sometimes also with atypical features. A 20-year-old man with cognitive impairment was admitted to the Emergency Room because of a sudden chest pain.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in saliva of women with HPV genital lesions.

Background: The human papilloma viruses (HPVs) are DNA viruses associated with benign and malignant lesions of skin and mucous membranes. The HPVs has been implicated as the cause of virtually all cervical cancers worldwide but studies showed that these viruses can cause numerous cancers in several tissues including Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). At least 90 % of HPV-positive OSCCs are associated with high-risk (or oncogenic) HPV-16 and oral infection confers an approximate 50-fold increase in risk for HPV-positive OSCC.

Hepatic Vein Arrival Time for Diagnosis of Liver Cirrhosis: A 10-Year Single-Center Experience With Contrast-Enhanced Sonography.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced sonography with a second-generation contrast agent in assessing the severity of chronic diffuse liver disease and differentiating cirrhotic from noncirrhotic liver disease.

Methods: Contrast-enhanced sonography was performed after intravenous bolus injection of a second-generation contrast agent in 14 healthy control participants and 160 consecutive patients with cirrhotic and noncirrhotic liver disease (n = 78 and 82, respectively) enrolled between March 2004 and April 2014. The intensity of enhancement in a main hepatic vein was used to determine hepatic vein arrival time, time to peak intensity, and peak contrast enhancement.

Nodal Ratio as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Four or More Positive Axillary Nodes Treated with Breast-conserving Therapy and Regional Nodal Irradiation.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the axillary lymph node ratio (i.e. positive axillary nodes to nodes removed) in patients with breast cancer treated with conservative surgery and regional radiotherapy.

Prognostic Implications of Acute Renal Failure after Surgery for Type A Acute Aortic Dissection.

Background: "Type A" acute aortic dissection (AAAD) is the most challenging among the emergency operations in cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the role of acute renal failure (ARF) in postoperative survival of patients operated for AAAD.

Methods: From February 2010 to April 2012, 37 consecutive patients were operated at our department for AAAD.

Higher levels of oxidative DNA damage in cervical cells are correlated with the grade of dysplasia and HPV infection.

The Human papillomavirus is responsible for the most common sexually transmitted infection and is also known to be an oncogenic virus that is associated with cervical, anogenital, and head-neck cancers. The present study aims to assess whether oxidative DNA damage is correlated with the grade of HPV-related lesions. Moreover, we evaluated clinical data and unhealthy lifestyles to verify their possible influence on the genesis of oxidative DNA damage in cervical cells.

Vitamin D Deficiency in HIV Infection: Not Only a Bone Disorder.

Hypovitaminosis D is a worldwide disorder, with a high prevalence in the general population of both Western and developing countries. In HIV patients, several studies have linked vitamin D status with bone disease, neurocognitive impairment, depression, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, infections, autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes mellitus, and cancer. In this review, we focus on the most recent epidemiological and experimental data dealing with the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and HIV infection.