Diet and Microbiota Modulation for Chronic Pouchitis: Evidence, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Chronic pouchitis occurs in about 50% of patients undergoing a restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis. This affection represents a significant therapeutic challenge, particularly for symptomatic patients who do not respond to antibiotic treatments and biologic therapies. Several dietary approaches, including low FODMAP diets and the Mediterranean diet, have shown promising results in improving symptoms and disease burden.

Erythrocyte Membrane Fluidity and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake: Current Outlook and Perspectives for a Novel, Nutritionally Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factor.

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce triglycerides and have several positive effects on different organs and systems. They are also found in the plasma membrane in variable amounts in relation to genetics and diet. However, it is still unclear whether omega-3 supplementation can reduce the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (MACEs).

Clinical Utility of Induced Sputum and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cultures in Diagnosing Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease.

Diagnosing non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) in patients unable to produce sputum spontaneously requires invasive procedures to obtain valid respiratory specimens. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the results of microbiological tests performed on respiratory samples of 132 patients affected by NTM-PD. In the diagnostic workout, 98 patients performed both induced sputum (IS) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and were enrolled in our study.

Infectious Risk in Pediatric Emergency Departments in Italy: A Survey by the Italian Society for Pediatric Emergency and Urgent Medicine (SIMEUP) on Available Preventive and Diagnostic Tools.

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of preparedness in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, especially in Emergency Departments (EDs), where initial patient assessments and triage occur. This study aims to evaluate the current practices and available tools for infection control in Pediatric EDs across Italy, focusing on the differences between various hospital types and regional settings. A cross-sectional national survey was conducted in February 2022, targeting healthcare workers in Pediatric EDs across Italy.

Exploring the Role of Variants in Italian ALS Patients.

Variants in Cyclin F () have been associated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and/or frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in a group of cases. The objectives of this study were to determine the contribution of in a large cohort of Italian ALS patients, to look for genotype-phenotype correlation of the mutations and to evaluate the -associated clinical features. We applied next-generation sequencing technologies on 971 unrelated Italian ALS patients and we filtered results to look for variants in gene.

"Pleiotropic" Effects of Antibiotics: New Modulators in Human Diseases.

Antibiotics, widely used medications that have significantly increased life expectancy, possess a broad range of effects beyond their primary antibacterial activity. While some are recognized as adverse events, others have demonstrated unexpected benefits. These adjunctive effects, which have been defined as "pleiotropic" in the case of other pharmacological classes, include immunomodulatory properties and the modulation of the microbiota.

Efficacy and Insights from an Extensive Series of Cytoreductive Surgery for Peritoneal Neoplasms: A High-Volume Single-Center Experience.

Advances in cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) have improved outcomes for selected patients with peritoneal surface malignancies (PSMs). This retrospective study analyzed 743 PSM patients treated at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli from January 2016 to February 2024. The primary aim was to assess median overall survival (mOS), median disease-free survival (mDFS), and median progression-free survival (mPFS) stratified by tumor origin.

The Role of Lymphadenectomy in the Surgical Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

: Lymphadenectomy in the operative management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial, with no recommendation for routine practice. Our study aimed to assess the effects of lymphadenectomy in addition to hepatic resection (HR) compared to HR alone for adults with HCC. : This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines until March 2023, searching and selecting the relevant literature comparing lymph node dissection or sampling, combined with HR, and with no lymph node removal.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound as a valuable tool to detect minimal inflammation in RA patients in sustained remission.

Objective: The study aimed to explore the utility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as a tool for detecting minimal inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in sustained remission (SR) and to correlate the findings with Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) status scores and various ultrasound (US) scores.

Patients And Methods: Thirty RA patients in SR (minimum 6 months), 12 with active disease, and 10 healthy controls were included. Clinical evaluations and US assessments were performed, including grayscale US (GSUS), power Doppler US (PDUS), and Global OMERACT-EULAR Synovitis Score (GLOESS).

Effectiveness and tolerability of rimegepant in the acute treatment of migraine: a real-world, prospective, multicentric study (GAINER study).

Background: Rimegepant, a novel oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist, has been recently approved for the acute migraine treatment. While its efficacy was confirmed in randomized clinical trials, no data is available regarding real-life effectiveness and tolerability. GAINER, a prospective, multicentric study, aimed to evaluate rimegepant effectiveness and tolerability in the real-world setting.

Correction of meta-analysis after retraction of article on the effects of anti-androgens in polycystic ovary syndrome.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.

Fecal Metaproteomics as a Tool to Monitor Functional Modifications Induced in the Gut Microbiota by Ketogenic Diet: A Case Study.

Metaproteomics is a valuable approach to characterize the biological functions involved in the gut microbiota (GM) response to dietary interventions. Ketogenic diets (KDs) are very effective in controlling seizure severity and frequency in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and in the weight loss management in obese/overweight individuals. This case study provides proof of concept for the suitability of metaproteomics to monitor changes in taxonomic and functional GM features in an individual on a short-term very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD, 4 weeks), followed by a low-calorie diet (LCD).

Early treatment discontinuation in patients with deficient mismatch repair or microsatellite instability high metastatic colorectal cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are recommended to treat patients with deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability high (dMMR/MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Pivotal trials have fixed a maximum ICI duration of 2 years, without a compelling rationale. A shorter treatment duration has the potential to improve patients' quality of life and reduce both toxicity and cost without compromising efficacy.

The effect of epilepsy surgery on tonic-clonic seizures.

Objective: Epilepsy surgery outcomes tend to be judged by the percentage in seizure reduction without considering the effect on specific seizure types, particularly tonic-clonic seizures, which produce the greatest morbidity and mortality. We assess how often focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (BTCS) stop and how often they appear de novo after epilepsy surgery.

Methods: Analysis of a prospectively maintained epilepsy surgery database between 1986 and 2022 that characterizes the burden of BTCS after resective epilepsy surgery.

Serum Biomarkers in Transthyretin Amyloidosis: An Overview of Neurofilaments, Cardiac, Renal, and Gastrointestinal Involvement.

Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv, v for variant) is a genetic disorder characterized by the deposition of misfolded transthyretin (TTR) protein in tissues, resulting in progressive dysfunction of multiple organs, including the nervous system, heart, kidneys, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Noninvasive serum biomarkers have become key tools for diagnosing and monitoring ATTRv. This review examines the role of available biomarkers for neurological, cardiac, renal, gastrointestinal, and multisystemic involvement in ATTRv.

Reliability of the OMERACT Giant cell arteritis Ultrasonography Score (OGUS): results of a patient-based exercise involving experts and non-experts in vascular ultrasonography.

Objective: To test the reliability of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Giant cell arteritis (GCA) Ultrasonography Score (OGUS) and other composite scores in a patient-based exercise involving experts and non-experts in vascular ultrasonography.

Methods: Six GCA patients were scanned twice (two rounds separated ≥3 hours) by 12 experts and 12 non-experts. Non-experts received 90 min of theoretical and 240 min of practical training between rounds 1 and 2.

Advantage of bedside versus conventional operating room surgery in the management of term and preterm newborn infants: a single center retrospective observational study.

Purpose: To compare postoperative outcomes of bedside surgery (BS) with those of surgery performed in the operating room (ORS) in preterm and full-term neonates.

Methods: Data from neonates undergoing major surgical interventions were retrospectively evaluated. Primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative hypothermia.

Primary tumor surgery in de novo metastatic breast cancer: Game-changer or misinterpretation?

The study titled "Primary tumor surgery in patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer: a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study in Belgium" opens an important discussion about the potential role of surgery in the treatment of de novo MBC; although the results are promising, they should be interpreted with caution given the limitations of the study design. The question remains whether surgery is truly a game-changer for all patients or whether its benefits are more nuanced depending on individual patient factors and disease characteristics. As the oncology community continues to explore this question, a modern breast surgeon should emphasize the importance of further prospective trials and personalized treatment strategies that consider not only surgery but also the growing arsenal of available systemic therapies.

Low-grade endometrial endometrioid carcinoma of the p53-abnormal group: case presentation and diagnostic issues.

P53-abnormal endometrial carcinomas are high-grade and aggressive tumors which should be treated with chemo-/radiotherapy. In low-grade endometrioid carcinoma (LGEC), abnormal expression of p53 is an exceptional finding and is typically accompanied by patchy p16 positivity and diffuse hormone receptor expression. Herein, we report a case of LGEC exhibiting both p53 and p16 overexpression, highlighting the diagnostic pitfalls related to such phenotype.

Development of a recombinant human IgG1 monoclonal antibody against the TRBV5-1 segment of the T cell receptor for the treatment of mature T cell neoplasms.

Background: Mature T-cell neoplasms arise from the neoplastic transformation of a single T lymphocyte, and all cells in a neoplastic clone share the same V segment in the beta chain of the T-cell receptor (TCR). These segments may represent an innovative target for the development of targeted therapies.

Methods: A specific V segment of the TCR beta chain (TRBV5-1) was analyzed using bioinformatic tools, identifying three potential antigenic peptides.

Synovitis scoring in hand osteoarthritis with ultrasonography: the performance of the Global OMERACT/EULAR Ultrasound Synovitis Score (GLOESS) is comparable to synovial thickening alone.

Background: Inflammation is increasingly recognised as a treatment target in hand osteoarthritis, and therefore correct measurement of local inflammation is essential. This study aimed to assess ultrasound scoring of synovitis and the additional value of the Global OMERACT/EULAR Ultrasound Synovitis Score (GLOESS) in hand osteoarthritis.

Methods: Data from the randomised, double-blinded Hand Osteoarthritis Prednisolone Efficacy (HOPE) trial were used.