Probability of Starting Two-Drug Regimen (2DR) vs. Three-Drug Regimen (3DR) in ART-Naïve and ART-Experienced Person with HIV (PWH) Across the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic.

: This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescriptions among persons living with HIV (PWH) in Italy. : Data from the ICONA cohort included ART-naïve individuals who started ART between January 2019 and December 2022, and ART-experienced individuals who started new ART with HIV RNA ≤50 cps/mL from January 2016 to December 2022. The analysis focused on the proportion of PWH starting or switching to dual (2DR) versus triple (3DR) ART regimens.

T Cell Responses to BA.2.86 and JN.1 SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Elderly Subjects.

Background/objectives: New SARS-CoV-2 variants are continuously emerging, making it essential to assess the efficacy of vaccine-induced immune protection. Limited information is available regarding T cell responses to BA.2.

Epigenetic Drift Is Involved in the Efficacy of HBV Vaccination.

: HBV infections can lead to serious liver complications that can have fatal consequences. In 2022, around 1.1 million individuals died from HBV-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Effect of Lipid Nanoparticle Physico-Chemical Properties and Composition on Their Interaction with the Immune System.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have shown promise as a delivery system for nucleic acid-based therapeutics, including DNA, siRNA, and mRNA vaccines. The immune system plays a critical role in the response to these nanocarriers, with innate immune cells initiating an early response and adaptive immune cells mediating a more specific reaction, sometimes leading to potential adverse effects. Recent studies have shown that the innate immune response to LNPs is mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and other pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which recognize the lipid components of the nanoparticles.

Curcumin Modulates Platelet Activation and ROS Production Induced by Amyloid Peptides: New Perspectives in Attenuating Prothrombotic Risk in Alzheimer's Disease Patients.

Background/objectives: Amyloid peptides, whose accumulation in the brain as senile plaques is associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease, are also found in cerebral vessels and in circulation. In the bloodstream, amyloid peptides promote platelet adhesion, activation, oxidative stress, and thrombosis, contributing to the cardiovascular complications observed in Alzheimer's disease patients. Natural compounds, such as curcumin, are known to modulate platelet activation induced by the hemostatic stimuli thrombin and convulxin.

Nutritional Prehabilitation Intervention in Hematological Patients Undergoing Bone Marrow Transplant: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background: Nutritional interventions play a critical role in bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients. This review evaluates the effectiveness of nutritional strategies in mitigating post-transplant malnutrition and improving clinical outcomes.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Embase.

Planetary Health Diet for Childhood Obesity Prevention: Integrating Nutritional Health with Environmental Stewardship.

Background: Childhood obesity is a critical public health challenge with a rising prevalence worldwide, contributing to numerous health risks and long-term societal burdens. Concurrently, climate change and environmental degradation demand sustainable approaches to dietary patterns. The Planetary Health Diet (PHD), initially designed for adults, emphasizes plant-based foods and sustainable practices.

Antibiotic Stewardship Based on Colonization with Multi-Drug-Resistant Bacteria in Liver Transplantation: A Narrative Review.

In solid organs post-transplant, bacterial infections can complicate the course of recovery with devastating consequences, such as graft loss and death. We provide an expert review on early post-liver transplant bacterial infections, with a focus on infections with multi-drug-resistant organism (MDRO) etiologies. Best practice recommendations are derived from a combination of available evidence and expert consensus.

Port-a-Cath Infection of : First Italian Case Report.

is a Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) belonging to the group, often associated with veterinary diseases, such as bovine farcy. However, it can also cause human infections and appears to be involved in Catheter-Associated Infections in immunocompromised patients. Here, we report the first Italian isolation of a strain of from a 16-year-old oncological female patient being treated at Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Pavia (Italy).

Tracing the Origin, Spread, and Molecular Evolution of Dengue Type 1 Cases That Occurred in Northern Italy in 2023.

The dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus endemic to many tropical and subtropical regions. Over the past few decades, the global incidence of dengue has risen dramatically, with the virus now present in over 100 countries, putting nearly half of the world's population at risk. This increase is attributed to several factors, including urbanization, climate change, and global travel, which facilitate the spread of both the virus and its mosquito vectors.

MOSFET-Based Voltage Reference Circuits in the Last Decade: A Review.

Voltage reference circuits are a basic building block in most integrated microsystems, covering a wide spectrum of applications. Hence, they constitute a subject of great interest for the entire microelectronics community. MOSFET-based solutions, in particular, have emerged as the implementation of choice for realizing voltage reference circuits, given the supply voltage scaling and the ever-lower power consumption specifications in various applications.

How Habitat Simplification Shapes the Morphological Characteristics of Ant Assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Different Biogeographical Contexts.

Human-driven changes in land cover and use can significantly impact species ants community structures, often leading to a decline in taxonomic diversity or species homogenization. Ant morphology, used as a proxy for ecological function, offers a valuable framework for understanding the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on ant diversity. This study explored the morphological diversity of ant assemblages in agricultural ecosystems and secondary forests in Italy and the Brazilian Amazon, analyzing how these communities are structured and adapted to different environments.

Phytochemical Profile and In Vitro Cytotoxic, Genotoxic, and Antigenotoxic Evaluation of L. Leaf Extract.

L. () is used in Italian folk medicine. This study was performed to determine genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of leaf extract against mitomycin C (MMC) using an in vitro cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN) in the Chinese Hamster Ovarian K1 (CHO-K1) cell line.

Conservative Treatment of Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy: A Narrative Review.

Neonatal brachial plexus palsy (NBPP) is a flaccid paralysis of the upper limbs that occurs in about 0.4 percent of live births. This condition can produce permanent disabilities; to date, there is no consensus on protocols to be applied for the rehabilitation of children with this condition.

The Role of Therapeutic Endoscopic Ultrasound in Management of Malignant Double Obstruction (Biliary and Gastric Outlet): A Comprehensive Review with Clinical Scenarios.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided interventions have revolutionized the management of malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) and gastric outlet obstruction (GOO), providing minimally invasive alternatives with improved outcomes. These procedures have significantly reduced the need for high-risk surgical interventions or percutaneous alternatives and have provided effective palliative care for patients with advanced gastrointestinal and bilio-pancreatic malignancies. EUS-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) techniques, including hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS), choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS), and antegrade stenting (EUS-AS), offer high technical and clinical success rates, with a good safety profile particularly when Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is not feasible.

A Machine Learning Model Based on MRI Radiomics to Predict Response to Chemoradiation Among Patients with Rectal Cancer.

Background: With rectum-sparing protocols becoming more common for rectal cancer treatment, this study aimed to predict the pathological complete response (pCR) to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (pCRT) in rectal cancer patients using pre-treatment MRI and a radiomics-based machine learning approach.

Methods: We divided MRI-data from 102 patients into a training cohort ( = 72) and a validation cohort ( = 30). In the training cohort, 52 patients were classified as non-responders and 20 as pCR based on histological results from total mesorectal excision.

Advancements and Strategies in Robotic Planning for Knee Arthroplasty in Patients with Minor Deformities.

Knee arthroplasty, commonly performed to treat osteoarthritis, necessitates precise surgical techniques for optimal outcomes. The introduction of systems such as the Persona Knee System (Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, IN, USA) has revolutionized knee arthroplasty, promising enhanced precision and better patient outcomes. This study investigates the application of robotic planning specifically in knee prosthetic surgeries, with a focus on Persona Knee System prostheses.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Different Types of Professional Tooth Whitening: A Systematic Review.

Background/objectives: Tooth whitening is a cosmetic dental treatment that improves the color of natural teeth, making them whiter and brighter; this review aimed to evaluate the greater effectiveness of in-office, at-home, and combined bleaching with hydrogen or carbamide peroxide, also in relation to possible relapses and side effects (tooth sensitivity).

Methods: A literature search has been carried out through electronic databases, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library, focused on the use of the effectiveness of in-office, at-home, and combined dental bleaching. This review has been registered on PROSPERO (ID613248).

Pimozide Inhibits Type II but Not Type I Hair Cells in Chicken Embryo and Adult Mouse Vestibular Organs.

Background: Pimozide is a conventional antipsychotic drug of the diphenylbutylpiperidine class, widely used for treating schizophrenia and delusional disorders and for managing motor and phonic tics in Tourette's syndrome. Pimozide is known to block dopaminergic D2 receptors and various types of voltage-gated ion channels. Among its side effects, dizziness and imbalance are the most frequently observed, which may imply an effect of the drug on the vestibular sensory receptors, the hair cells.

Comparative Evaluation of Major Robotic Systems in Microanastomosis Procedures: A Systematic Review of Current Capabilities and Future Potential.

Robotic-assisted surgery has revolutionised modern medicine, enabling greater precision and control, particularly in microsurgical procedures. This systematic review evaluates the current state of robotic-assisted surgery across various specialties, focusing on four major robotic systems: Symani, Da Vinci, ZEUS, and MUSA. The review systematically analyses the effectiveness of these systems in performing vascular, lymphatic, and nervous anastomoses, comparing key metrics such as procedure time, success rates, and learning curves against manual techniques.

Astrocytes and Tinnitus.

Tinnitus is correlated with anomalies of neural plasticity and has been found to be affected by inflammatory status. The current theories on tinnitus, although still somewhat incomplete, are based on maladaptive plasticity mechanisms. Astrocytes play a major role in both neural responses to inflammation and plasticity regulation; moreover, they have recently been discovered to encode "context" for neuronal circuits, which is similar to the "expectation" of Bayesian brain models.

Investigating the Local Effectiveness of Carbon Ion Radiotherapy for Unresectable Female Genital Tract Melanomas: A Preliminary Real-World Study.

: Primary gynecological melanomas are rare malignancies with lower survival rates compared to cutaneous melanomas. Both preclinical and clinical data support the evidence that mucosal melanomas are photon-radioresistant but responsive to carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT). The aim of this study is to assess, in a real-world cohort, the effectiveness and tolerability of radical CIRT in patients with inoperable gynecological mucosal melanoma.

An Iterative Pseudo Label Generation framework for semi-supervised hyperspectral image classification using the Segment Anything Model.

Hyperspectral image classification in remote sensing often encounters challenges due to limited annotated data. Semi-supervised learning methods present a promising solution. However, their performance is heavily influenced by the quality of pseudo labels.

Low condylectomy and functional therapy alone for unilateral condylar osteochondroma treatment: case report and literature review.

Osteochondroma (OC) is a common bone tumour that rarely affects the mandibular condylar process. This pathology can show typical clinical features, such as facial asymmetry, deviation of the chin and dental inferior midline, changes in condylar morphology and malocclusion with an increased posterior mandibular vertical height. The management of condylar OC is a debated topic among surgeons.

Factors influencing audiologic outcomes in ossiculoplasty for chronic otitis media: a prospective multicentre study.

Objectives: Chronic otitis media (COM) is a prevalent condition affecting auditory function. Ossiculoplasty is a known treatment strategy, but its effectiveness concerning the presence of cholesteatoma has not been extensively studied.

Methods: We conducted a multicentre study involving 153 patients diagnosed with COM without cholesteatoma (ncCOM) and with cholesteatoma (cCOM).