Patient level dataset to study the effect of COVID-19 in people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, causing increased vulnerability to infections and disability among young adults. Ever since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections, there have been concerns among people with MS (PwMS) about the potential interactions between various disease-modifying therapies and COVID-19. The COVID-19 in MS Global Data Sharing Initiative (GDSI) was initiated in 2020 with the aim of addressing these concerns.

Clinical impact and evolution of mitral regurgitation after TAVI using the new generation self-expandable valves.

Background: Concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR) impaired prognosis in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). It has been suggested that the use of first generation self-expandable valve in patients with significant MR is associated with worse outcome as compared with balloon expandable valve. However, the impact of newer generation transcatheter devices on MR has not been investigated so far.

Thrombolysis in elderly stroke patients in Italy (TESPI) trial and updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Since its approval, the use of alteplase had been limited to patients aged ≤80 years.

Aims: TESPI trial had been designed to evaluate whether alteplase treatment within 3 h in patients with acute ischemic stroke aged >80 years resulted in favorable benefit/risk ratio compared with standard care. The meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was updated to put findings in the context of all available evidence.

Prediction of long-term patient outcome after contemporary left main stenting using the SYNTAX and SYNTAX II scores: A comparative analysis from the FAIL-II multicenter registry (failure in left main study with 2nd generation stents-Cardiogroup III study).

Aims: To establish the value of the SYNTAX Score-II (SS-II) in predicting long-term mortality of patients treated with left main PCI (LM-PCI) using second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES).

Methods And Results: The SYNTAX score (SS) and the SS-II were calculated in 804 patients included in the FAILS-2 registry (failure in left main study with 2nd generation stents). Patients were classified in low (SS-II ≤33; n = 278, 34.

Acute and long-term (2-years) clinical outcomes of the CoreValve 31mm in large aortic annuli: A multicenter study.

Introduction: Little is known about the early and late performance of the 31mm CoreValve Revalving System (CRS, Medtronic Inc., Galway, Ireland). Our aim was to compare acute and long-term results of the 31mm CRS with other valve sizes.

Age-Related Differences in 1- and 12-Month Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (from a Large Multicenter Data Repository).

Scarce data are available on the impact of age on transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) outcomes. We therefore, analyzed 1,845 consecutive patients from 9 Italian centers who underwent TAVI with the Corevalve Revalving System from September 2007 to March 2014; patients were dichotomized according to their age in the date of the procedure, as follows: 75 to 85 years old and >85 years old. End points were defined according to Valve Academic Research Consortium definitions.

Long-Term (≥10 Years) Safety of Percutaneous Treatment of Unprotected Left Main Stenosis With Drug-Eluting Stents.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of unprotected left main disease (ULM) with drug-eluting stents (DES) is hampered by lack of information on long-term (≥10 years) safety data. All patients treated with PCI on ULM in 9 international centers with at least 10 years follow-up were enrolled. Baseline and procedural features were recorded.

Provisional vs. two-stent technique for unprotected left main coronary artery disease after ten years follow up: A propensity matched analysis.

Aims: There is uncertainty on which stenting approach confers the best long-term outlook for unprotected left main (ULM) bifurcation disease.

Methods And Results: This is a non-randomized, retrospective study including all consecutive patients with 50% stenosis of the left main involving at least 1 of the arteries stemming from the left main treated with drug-eluting stents (DES) in 9 European centers between 2002 and 2004. Patients were divided into two groups: those treated with provisional stentings vs.

5-Year Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With CoreValve Prosthesis.

Objectives: The purpose of this analysis was to assess 5-year outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using the current technology of the self-expanding CoreValve prosthesis (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota).

Background: There is a paucity of evidence on long-term durability of currently available transcatheter heart valves.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Under Angiographic Guidance With and Without Adjunctive Transesophageal Echocardiography.

Although transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is still currently guided by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in a considerable number of hospitals, exclusive angiographic (Angio) guidance seems a reasonable approach in this setting. To date, however, no studies have directly compared the outcomes of TAVI according to the imaging modality used for procedural guidance. We, therefore, used data from a large multicenter data repository to compare the outcomes of TAVI guided exclusively by Angio and ATEE.

Impact of balloon post-dilation on clinical outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the self-expanding CoreValve prosthesis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and clinical impact of balloon post-dilation (BPD) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the CoreValve prosthesis (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota).

Background: BPD is a widely adopted strategy to reduce the degree of paraprosthetic regurgitation in case of transcatheter heart valve underexpansion.

Pancreata from pediatric donors restore insulin independence in adult insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus recipients.

Context: The use of pediatric donors can increase the number of donors available for pancreas transplantation.

Aim: The aim of this study was to verify if pancreas transplantation from pediatric donors is as effective as transplantation from adult donors to restore metabolic control in type 1 diabetic patients.

Materials And Methods: From 2000 to April 2009 we performed 17 pancreas transplantations from pediatric donors: 9 simultaneous kidney-pancreas (SPK), 6 pancreas transplantation alone (PTA), and 2 pancreas after kidney (PAK).

Active site plasticity revealed from the structure of the enterobacterial N-ribohydrolase RihA bound to a competitive inhibitor.

Background: Pyrimidine-preferring N-ribohydrolases (CU-NHs) are a class of Ca2+-dependent enzymes that catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of the N-glycosidic bond in pyrimidine nucleosides. With the exception of few selected organisms, their physiological relevance in prokaryotes and eukaryotes is yet under investigation.

Results: Here, we report the first crystal structure of a CU-NH bound to a competitive inhibitor, the complex between the Escherichia coli enzyme RihA bound to 3, 4-diaminophenyl-iminoribitol (DAPIR) to a resolution of 2.

Circulating endothelial cells and endothelial progenitors as predictive markers of clinical response to bevacizumab-based first-line treatment in advanced colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Despite the consistent clinical results demonstrated by studies on anti-angiogenic drugs targeted against the vascular endothelial growth factor in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, no specific direct/indirect biomarker of their efficacy has been validated. In this field, circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and endothelial progenitor cells (CEPs) have recently been proposed as noninvasive biomarkers.

Patients And Methods: The absolute numbers of CEPs, total CECs (tCECs) and their resting (rCECs) and activated subsets were evaluated by multiparameter flow cytometry in 40 mCRC patients at baseline and before the administration of the third and sixth course of a bevacizumab-based first-line treatment.

Laparoscopic treatment of deep pelvic endometriosis with rectal involvement.

Purpose: Our study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and outcome of laparoscopic excision of deep pelvic endometriosis with extensive rectal involvement causing severe symptoms.

Methods: Ten patients, mean age 32 years (range, 27-43), with deep pelvic endometriosis and rectal wall involvement, requiring surgical resection, were studied since January 2004. Prior to surgery and 6 months postsurgery, patients completed a 100-point rank questionnaire on intensity of intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms.

High relaxivity contrast agents in MR angiography of the carotid arteries.

Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) is one of the most practical diagnostic imaging modalities in the field of neurovascular imaging where risks associated with catheter angiography are high. Evaluation of the extracranial supraortic vessels, and in particular the carotid arteries, is the major field of application for MRA. Before the development of rapid contrast-enhanced (CE) acquisition sequences, the major limitations of MRA pertaining to the carotid arteries was the limited volume of study when 3D time-of-flight (TOF) images were acquired, and the saturation effects together with low spatial resolution and movement artifacts when 2D TOF images were acquired.

Is it clinically relevant to repair focal multiple sclerosis lesions?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, predominantly, but not exclusively, involving the normal appearing white matter. Until very recently we believed that nervous dysfunction in MS was completely depending on the accumulation of lesions in the white matter of the CNS. As a consequence, lesions seen by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been considered a potential surrogate end point in clinical trials assessing new MS treatments.

Comparison of glycerine trinitrate and botulinum toxin-a for the treatment of chronic anal fissure: long-term results.

Purpose: This study was designed to compare the efficacy of two different "chemical sphincterotomies" for chronic anal fissure.

Methods: From January to December 2001, 30 consecutive patients (17 males; mean age, 41.8 years) with chronic posterior anal fissure were enrolled.

New insights into the mechanism of nucleoside hydrolases from the crystal structure of the Escherichia coli YbeK protein bound to the reaction product.

Nucleoside hydrolases (NHs) are enzymes that catalyze the excision of the N-glycosidic bond in nucleosides to allow recycling of the nitrogenous bases. The fine details of the catalytic mechanism and the structural features imposing the substrate specificity of the various members of the NH family are still debated. Here we present the functional characterization of the Escherichia coli YbeK (RihA) protein as a pyrimidine nucleoside-preferring NH and its first crystal structure to 1.