The New Italian Guidelines for Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ART): Ethical and Medico-Legal Issues.

On 20 March 2024, the Italian Minister of Health, in collaboration with the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità) and the National Health Council (Consiglio Superiore di Sanità), issued updated guidelines for assisted reproduction technologies (ART). They introduced two key changes: (1) permitting post-mortem embryo transfers, allowing a woman to proceed with the procedure after her male partner's death, and (2) permitting embryo transfer even if the male partner is alive but the relationship has ended. : This study explores the ethical and medico-legal challenges posed by the updated Italian ART Guidelines, with a specific focus on the complexities of informed consent and the ethical dilemmas introduced by these provisions.

Cybersecuity Analysis of a Telemedicine Platform.

The global shift toward telemedicine, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has revolutionized healthcare delivery by enabling remote consultations and treatments. However, this rapid adoption has also introduced critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities, particularly in safeguarding sensitive medical data and ensuring the secure operation of telemedicine platforms. If not properly addressed, these vulnerabilities can compromise patient safety and the integrity of healthcare systems.

The Impact of a Healthy Lifestyle on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Erectile Function: A Prospective Study.

: The impact of lifestyle on lower urinary tract symptoms has been deeply evaluated in recent years; however, studies in the young population are missing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of alcohol intake, tobacco and cannabinoid smoking, physical activity, and dietary regime on urinary symptoms and sexual function in young adults under 30 years of age. : A prospectively enrolled population of healthy young adults of both sexes under 30 years of age was selected.

Advancements in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Screening Through Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Review.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent yet underdiagnosed condition associated with a major healthcare burden. Current diagnostic tools, such as full-night polysomnography (PSG), pose a limited accessibility to diagnosis due to their elevated costs. Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), including Machine Learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms, offer novel potential tools for an accurate OSA screening and diagnosis.

Enlightening Nursing Care: A Protocol for a Multicenter Observational Study Measuring Nursing Work in Hospital Settings.

: Rising costs and demands for improved quality of care present complex challenges for existing healthcare systems. The strain on healthcare resources is exacerbated by the increasing complexity of patient conditions. The Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) system classifies inpatients according to clinical and treatment criteria, controls healthcare expenditures, and ensures the sustainability of procedures.

Framing and Management of Migraines in Women: An Expert Opinion on Challenges, Current Approaches, and Future Multidisciplinary Perspectives.

Migraines are a common neurological disorder that significantly impact women, especially during their reproductive years. Hormonal, neurological, and lifestyle factors shape migraine patterns, with fluctuations during menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause influencing migraine prevalence and severity. This expert opinion explores current challenges, therapeutic strategies, and future directions for personalized care, addressing the limited inclusion of women in clinical research across different life stages.

Exploring Literacy and Knowledge Gaps and Disparities in Genetics and Oncogenomics Among Cancer Patients and the General Population: A Scoping Review.

Background: Genetic and genomic literacy is pivotal in empowering cancer patients and citizens to navigate the complexities of omics sciences, resolve misconceptions surrounding clinical research and genetic/genomic testing, and make informed decisions about their health. In a fast-evolving scenario where routine testing has become widespread in healthcare, this scoping review sought to pinpoint existing gaps in literacy and understanding among cancer patients and the general public regarding genetics and genomics.

Methods: Adhering to the PRISMA framework, the review included 43 studies published between January 2018 and June 2024, which evaluated the understanding of genetics and genomics among cancer patients, caregivers, and citizens.

Mindfulness-Oriented Professional Resilience (MOPR) Training to Reduce Compassion Fatigue in Healthcare Workers: A Pilot Study.

: Compassion Fatigue (CF) is a critical issue among healthcare professionals, exacerbated by exposure to trauma and chronic workplace stress. This pilot study evaluates the effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Oriented Professional Resilience (MOPR) program, a structured intervention designed to mitigate CF and enhance resilience in healthcare professionals. The program integrates mindfulness practices, arousal modulation techniques, and resilience-building strategies over six weekly sessions.

Data from Emergency Medical Service Activities: A Novel Approach to Monitoring COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases.

: Italy, particularly the northern region of Lombardy, has experienced very high rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Several indicators, i.e.

Advances in Cardiovascular Multimodality Imaging in Patients with Marfan Syndrome.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder affecting connective tissue, often leading to cardiovascular complications such as aortic aneurysms and mitral valve prolapse. Cardiovascular multimodality imaging plays a crucial role in the diagnosis, monitoring, and management of MFS patients. This review explores the advancements in echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), cardiac computed tomography (CCT), and nuclear medicine techniques in MFS.

Impact of Sex-Related Differences in Infrarenal Aortic Neck Morphology on Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair for Similar-Sized Aortic Aneurysm.

: This study aimed to evaluate whether gender-related anatomical differences in proximal aortic neck morphology affect the feasibility and outcomes of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) in women with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). : This study performed a retrospective analysis of patients electively treated by EVAR for infrarenal AAA between January 2019 and December 2023. Demographics, anatomical characteristics, and stent graft details were analyzed.

Artificial Intelligence and Radiomics in Cholangiocarcinoma: A Comprehensive Review.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignant biliary system tumor and the second most common primary hepatic neoplasm, following hepatocellular carcinoma. CCA still has an extremely high unfavorable prognosis, regardless of type and location, and complete surgical resection remains the only curative therapeutic option; however, due to the underhanded onset and rapid progression of CCA, most patients present with advanced stages at first diagnosis, with only 30 to 60% of CCA patients eligible for surgery. Recent innovations in medical imaging combined with the use of radiomics and artificial intelligence (AI) can lead to improvements in the early detection, characterization, and pre-treatment staging of these tumors, guiding clinicians to make personalized therapeutic strategies.

Sample Tracking Tool: A Comprehensive Approach Based on OpenArray Technology and R Scripting for Genomic Sample Monitoring.

: Centralizing genetic sequencing in specialized facilities is pivotal for reducing the costs associated with diagnostic testing. These centers must be able to verify data quality and ensure sample integrity. This study aims at developing a protocol for tracking NGS-analyzed samples to prevent errors and mix-ups, ensuring proper quality control, accuracy, and reliability in genetic testing procedures.

Marker-Less Video Analysis of Infant Movements for Early Identification of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

The early identification of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in infants is crucial for effective intervention and improved long-term outcomes. Recent evidence indicates a correlation between deficits in spontaneous movements in newborns and the likelihood of developing NDDs later in life. This study aims to address this aspect by employing a marker-less Artificial Intelligence (AI) approach for the automatic assessment of infants' movements from single-camera video recordings.

Impact of Nasal Anatomical Variation Subtype on Surgical Outcomes for Rhinogenic Contact Point Headache.

Rhinogenic contact point headache (RCPH) is a controversial secondary headache disorder involving mucosal contact points in the nasal sinuses. The efficacy of surgical versus medical management has been debated, with some studies showing excellent long-term outcomes but others citing placebo effects. This study aimed to clarify the correlation with nasal anatomical variation detected by CT and RCPH treatment outcomes.

Pomegranate Juices: Analytical and Bio-Toxicological Comparison of Pasteurization and High-Pressure Processing in the Development of Healthy Products.

Two different produced and packaged commercial typologies of pomegranate juice were analyzed for their physicochemical, nutritional, and biological properties. The effects of classical pasteurization (PJ) and high-pressure processing (HP), applied during the productive cycle, were evaluated through several advanced analytical methods, such as CIEL*a*b* colorimetry, HPLC-DAD, DI-ESI-MS and MS/MS, and NMR analyses. Moreover, the exerted biological activity of the two pomegranate juices was monitored through Total Phenolic and Total Flavonoid Contents, antiradical, antioxidant and chelating activity.

Effects of Diets Containing Extruded Linseed and Algae on Meat Rabbit: Carcass Performance and Meat Quality.

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with extruded linseed (ELS) and algae extract (PP) on rabbit carcass and meat quality. Ninety-six rabbit carcasses from two production cycles were analyzed. In the first cycle (C1), rabbits were fed a control diet (1CNT), the same diet supplemented with 5% ELS (1ELS5%), and supplemented with 3.

Vis/NIR Spectroscopy and Vis/NIR Hyperspectral Imaging for Non-Destructive Monitoring of Apricot Fruit Internal Quality with Machine Learning.

The fruit supply chain requires simple, non-destructive, and fast tools for quality evaluation both in the field and during the post-harvest phase. In this study, a portable visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectrophotometer and a portable Vis/NIR hyperspectral imaging (HSI) device were tested to highlight genetic differences among apricot cultivars, and to develop multi-cultivar and multi-year models for the most important marketable attributes (total soluble solids, TSS; titratable acidity, TA; dry matter, DM). To do this, the fruits of seventeen cultivars from a single experimental orchard harvested at the commercial maturity stage were considered.

Predictive value of TG/HDL-C and GFR-adjusted uric acid levels on cardiovascular mortality: the URRAH study.

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) and serum uric acid (SUA) are closely interconnected: SUA contributes to adversely affects the insulin signaling pathway and contributes to IR, while IR is a known predictor for the development of hyperuricemia. The triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio has been proposed as an easily obtainable marker for IR. This research aimed to investigate the interaction between IR and glomerular filtration rate (GFR)-adjusted uricemia (SUA/GFR ratio) in determining CV risk in a large population cohort study.

Multiple Lurias. Reconstructing Alexander Romanovich's Life-Writing.

While widely considered Alexander Luria's (1902-1977) autobiography, The Making of Mind. A Personal Account of Soviet Psychology, published posthumously in 1979, is not a true autobiography but rather an autobiography with heterobiographic elements. However, the largely overlooked Spanish book, Mirando hacia atrás.

Biofeedback rehabilitation in patients with binocular inhibition due to macular disease.

Background: To investigate whether patients with binocular reading inhibition due to central vision loss benefit from a new biofeedback (BF) rehabilitation method that aimed at improving fixation stability and at establishing a correspondence between the monocular preferred retinal loci (PRLs) on functioning retina in both eyes.

Methods: Thirty-three patients with bilateral macular disease and with binocular reading inhibition participated in 10 training sessions consisting of 10-min visual stimulation for each eye to stabilize fixation and relocate the PRL (if needed) using the BF module of the MP-1 microperimeter (Nidek Technologies Srl., Vigonza, PD, Italy).

Critical mobility in policy making for epidemic containment.

When considering airborne epidemic spreading in social systems, a natural connection arises between mobility and epidemic contacts. As individuals travel, possibilities to encounter new people either at the final destination or during the transportation process appear. Such contacts can lead to new contagion events.

Multiomics approach identifies dysregulated lipidomic and proteomic networks in Parkinson's disease patients mutated in TMEM175.

Parkinson's disease (PD) represents one of the most frequent neurodegenerative disorders for which clinically useful biomarkers remain to be identified and validated. Here, we adopted an untargeted omics approach to disclose lipidomic, metabolomic and proteomic alterations in plasma and in dermal fibroblasts of PD patients carrying mutations in TMEM175 gene. We revealed a wide dysregulation of lysosome, autophagy, and mitochondrial pathways in these patients, supporting a role of this channel in regulating these cellular processes.