Effectiveness of a social cognition remediation intervention for patients with schizophrenia: a randomized-controlled study.

This randomized-controlled study evaluates the effectiveness of a newly developed social cognition rehabilitation intervention, the modified Social Cognition Individualized Activity Lab (mSoCIAL), in improving social cognition and clinical and functional outcomes of persons with schizophrenia recruited in two Italian sites: University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" in Naples and ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco in Milan. mSoCIAL consists of a social cognitive training module focusing on different domains of social cognition and of a narrative enhancement module. We assessed changes in social cognition, clinical characteristics and functional variables in patients with schizophrenia who participated in 10 weekly sessions of mSoCIAL or received treatment as usual (TAU).

Rheology of dilute and semi-dilute non-Brownian suspensions made of irregular porous particles in a Newtonian fluid.

Hypothesis: The porosity affects the rheological response of porous particle suspensions.

Experiments: Non-Brownian suspensions of porous particles immersed in a Newtonian Polyisobutene are investigated. Three different particles, with different porosity, pore structure and similar size, and non-porous irregular particles are used.

Three-dimensional Morphometric Analysis of the Effectiveness of Kinesio Taping on Postoperative Discomfort Following Mandibular Third Molar Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Split-mouth Study.

This study investigates the efficacy of Kinesio taping (KT) in reducing postoperative discomfort, including edema, trismus, and pain, following mandibular third molar extraction. A prospective randomized split-mouth design was employed, involving 7 patients with impacted mandibular third molars. KT was applied immediately postsurgery, and outcomes were assessed on the third and seventh postoperative days using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, 3D morphometric analysis for swelling, and caliper measurements for trismus.

Hysteroscopic metroplasty and its reproductive impact among the social networks: A cross-sectional analysis on video quality, reliability and creators' opinions on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.

Background: Usefulness of hysteroscopic metroplasty to improve reproductive outcomes is controversial and debated among reproductive specialists and, consequently, patients.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis to assess the quality, reliability, and level of misinformation in YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok videos about hysteroscopic metroplasty. Videos on each social network retrieved using "hysteroscopy" and "septate uterus" or "uterine septum" as keywords were assessed using Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for audio-visual (PEMAT A/V) content, the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), Global Quality Scale (GQS), Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI) and Misinformation assessment.

A stratified treatment algorithm in psychiatry: a program on stratified pharmacogenomics in severe mental illness (Psych-STRATA): concept, objectives and methodologies of a multidisciplinary project funded by Horizon Europe.

Schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar (BD) and major depression disorder (MDD) are severe psychiatric disorders that are challenging to treat, often leading to treatment resistance (TR). It is crucial to develop effective methods to identify and treat patients at risk of TR at an early stage in a personalized manner, considering their biological basis, their clinical and psychosocial characteristics. Effective translation of theoretical knowledge into clinical practice is essential for achieving this goal.

Piezosurgery in Third Molar Extractions: A Systematic Review.

: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical efficacy, benefits, and limitations of piezosurgery in tooth extractions compared to conventional methods. Piezosurgery has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative, promoting better preservation of soft tissues and bone structures. Understanding its impact on postoperative outcomes such as pain, swelling, trismus, and bone healing is critical for its application in oral surgery; We restricted our search to English-language articles published between 1 January 2004 and 28 August 2024, in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Cognitive reserve predicts long-term cognitive trajectories in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: The effect of cognitive reserve (CR) on cognition in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS) has been partially investigated.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the long-term cognitive trajectories of pwRRMS based on their CR, measured using the Vocabulary Knowledge Test (VOC).

Methods: 78 pwRRMS underwent a neuropsychological evaluation at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 6.

High-resolution DNA methylation changes reveal biomarkers of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction versus reduced ejection fraction.

Novel biomarkers are needed to better identify-and distinguish-heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) from other clinical phenotypes. The goal of our study was to identify epigenetic-sensitive biomarkers useful to a more accurate diagnosis of HFpEF. We performed a network-oriented genome-wide DNA methylation study of circulating CD4 T lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) in two cohorts (i.

Effect of autoimmune comorbidities on multiple sclerosis course: An observational multicenter study.

Background: The study aims to examine the age and disability levels at diagnosis in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), with and without autoimmune comorbidities (AC), and the effect of AC on NEDA-3 status and to characterize AC associated with MS, comparing also therapeutic approaches between MS patients with and without other AC.

Methods: This population-based, multicentric study enrolled patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) with AC (AC group) or without AC (reference group) from 14 MS centers. Demographical, clinical features, treatment information, MRI activity, EDSS, and no evidence of disease activity (NEDA-3) status were assessed at T36 (enrollment time) and T0 (36 months prior).

Paclitaxel for second-line treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A multicenter retrospective Italian study.

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) accounts for 3% of all malignant tumors in Italy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy is first-line treatment for SCCHN; however, second-line treatment options are limited. Taxanes are widely used for combination therapy of SCCHN, as clinical trials have shown their efficacy in patients with this disease, particularly in patients with prior therapy.

European clinical practice guideline: managing and treating laryngopharyngeal reflux disease.

Objective: To propose a European consensus for managing and treating laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) to guide primary care and specialist physicians.

Methods: Twenty-three European experts (otolaryngologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons) participated in a modified Delphi process to revise 38 statements about the definition, clinical management, and treatment of LPRD. Three voting rounds were conducted on a 5-point scale and a consensus was defined a priori as agreement by 80% of the experts.

Haemodynamic effects of fludrocortisone and midodrine in patients with symptoms due to hypotension.

Aim: The study aimed to assess the haemodynamic effects of fludrocortisone and midodrine, alone or combined, in patients with recurrent syncope and/or symptoms due to hypotension and ≥ 1 daytime systolic blood pressure (SBP) drop < 90 mmHg or ≥ 2 daytime SBP drops < 100 mmHg recorded by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM1).

Method: A total of 53 patients (mean age, 40.9 ± 18.

An evaluation of talazoparib plus enzalutamide for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Introduction: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer diagnosis among men worldwide, with poor prognosis in its advanced stage. Treatment strategies have evolved, including the use of androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis).

Areas Covered: This review evaluates the clinical efficacy, safety, and future potential of combining talazoparib, a potent PARPi, with enzalutamide, a strong androgen receptor (AR) antagonist.

The Correlation Between Body Mass Index and Prostate Volume: A Retrospective Analysis of Pre and Postoperative Measurements in Prostate Cancer Patients.

Background: This study aims to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and prostate volume, utilizing pre and postoperative measurements.

Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted at a single site using data from an institutional database. Medical records of patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy were reviewed.

Surgical parameters affecting procedure duration of hysteroscopic fibroid resection: results of a retrospective longitudinal study.

Purpose: To identify and analyze the main surgical parameters affecting the operative time of hysteroscopic fibroid resection.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 65 cases of outpatient hysteroscopic fibroid resection performed between March 2021 and May 2023 in outpatient office setting. Patients aged 18-50 with various indications such as infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, or abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) were included.

Comparison of original and new South African formulae for age estimation in African Black and white children and adolescents using dental and hand-wrist methods.

Background: Methods for age estimation in children involve measurements of: (1) the projections of open apices and tooth heights (T), (2) the total area of the carpal bones and the epiphyses of the ulna and radius (HW), and (3) a combination of these parameters (THW). This study aimed to compare the accuracy of the original formulae for T, HW, and THW in Black South African (BSA) and White South African (WSA) samples of children and adolescents.

Materials And Methods: The sample comprised 556 subjects, 164 BSA (71 males and 93 females) and 392 WSA (171 males and 221 females) aged 6 to 16 years.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) Isolation and Induction of Acute and Replicative Senescence.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a heterogeneous population of non-hematopoietic adult stem cells derived from the embryonic mesoderm. They possess self-renewal and multipotent differentiation capabilities, allowing them to give rise to mesodermal cell types, such as osteoblasts, chondroblasts, and adipocytes, as well as non-mesodermal cells, including neuron-like cells and endothelial cells. MSCs play a vital role in maintaining homeostasis across various tissues by facilitating tissue repair, immune regulation, and inflammatory response balance.

Value of autopsy in the modern age: Discrepancy between clinical and autopsy diagnoses.

Background: Autopsy is a medical procedure that consists of the examination of the corpse to determine the cause of death and obtain information on pathological conditions or injuries. In recent years, there has been a reduction in hospital autopsies and an increase in forensic autopsies.

Aim: To evaluate the utility of autopsy in the modern age and the discrepancy between clinical and autopsy diagnoses.

The interplay between lung galectins and pro-fibrotic markers in post-COVID-19 fibrogenesis: A pilot study.

Aims: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can lead to serious lung conditions, notably interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.

Main Methods: Our study tracked the progression of fibrosis markers in serial bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) measurements collected from 16 COVID-19 patients at 1, 3, and 6 months post-infection. Additionally, BAL samples from 10 healthy control subjects were included.

Antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs): Current evidence and open questions.

With the increasing use of cardiac electronic implantable devices in recent years, the identification of asymptomatic atrial arrhythmias, including atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) and device-detected subclinical atrial fibrillation (SCAF), has become common in clinical practice. AHREs have potentially important clinical implications because they are considered precursors of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although to a lesser extent than clinical AF, both AHREs and device-detected SCAF are associated with thromboembolic events, however routine use of anticoagulants in these conditions is not recommended.

The inactivation of the Niemann Pick C1 cholesterol transporter restricts SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells by decreasing ACE2 abundance at the plasma membrane.

Background: The Niemann Pick C1 (NPC1) protein is an intracellular cholesterol transporter located in the late endosome/lysosome (LE/Ly) that is involved in the mobilization of endocytosed cholesterol. Loss-of-function mutations in the NPC1 gene lead to the accumulation of cholesterol and sphingolipids in LE/Ly, resulting in severe fatal NPC1 disease. Cellular alterations associated with NPC1 inactivation affect both the integrity of lipid rafts and the endocytic pathway.

Hymenoptera venom allergy in children.

From a taxonomic point of view, Hymenoptera are subclassified into families: Apidae, including honeybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus), and Vespidae, which, in turn, are divided into the subfamilies of Vespinae (wasps, including hornets, vespules, dolichovespules) and Polistinae (paper wasp). Hypersensitivity to Hymenoptera venom can be linked to immunological (IgE-mediated or non-IgE-mediated) and non-immunological mechanisms. Reactions are classified into local reactions, large local reactions, systemic reactions, toxic reactions, and unusual reactions.