Spinal vascular lesions: anatomy, imaging techniques and treatment.

Background: Vascular lesions of the spinal cord are rare but potentially devastating conditions whose accurate recognition critically determines the clinical outcome. Several conditions lead to myelopathy due to either arterial ischemia, venous congestion or bleeding within the cord. The clinical presentation varies, according with the different aetiology and mechanism of damage.

Patient's point of view on the use of telemedicine in multiple sclerosis: a web-based survey.

Restrictions in the access to healthcare facilities during COVID-19 pandemic have raised the need for remote monitoring of chronic medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS). In order to enable the continuity of care in these circumstances, many telemedicine applications are currently tested. While physicians' preferences are commonly investigated, data regarding the patients' point of view are still lacking.

Feasibility and outcomes of ERAS protocol in elective cT4 colorectal cancer patients: results from a single-center retrospective cohort study.

Background: Programs of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery reduces morbidity and shorten recovery in patients undergoing colorectal resections for cancer. Patients presenting with more advanced disease such as T4 cancers are frequently excluded from undergoing ERAS programs due to the difficulty in applying established protocols. The primary aim of this investigation was to evaluate the possibility of applying a validated ERAS protocol in patients undergoing colorectal resection for T4 colon and rectal cancer and to evaluate the short-term outcome.

Confocal Microscopy and Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of the Ocular Surface and Bleb Morphology in Medically and Surgically Treated Glaucoma Patients: A Review.

Glaucoma patients often suffer from ocular surface disease (OSD) caused by the chronic administration of topical anti-glaucoma medications, especially in cases of long-term therapy with preserved or multiple drugs. Additionally, glaucoma surgery may determine ocular surface changes related to the formation and location of the filtering bleb, the application of anti-mitotic agents, and the post-operative wound-healing processes within the conjunctiva. Recently, several studies have evaluated the role of advanced diagnostic imaging technologies such as in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and anterior segment-optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in detecting microscopic and macroscopic features of glaucoma therapy-related OSD.

Role of Physical Activity in Bone-Muscle Crosstalk: Biological Aspects and Clinical Implications.

Bone and muscle tissues influence each other through the integration of mechanical and biochemical signals, giving rise to bone-muscle crosstalk. They are also known to secrete osteokines, myokines, and cytokines into the circulation, influencing the biological and pathological activities in local and distant organs and cells. In this regard, even osteoporosis and sarcopenia, which were initially thought to be two independent diseases, have recently been defined under the term "osteosarcopenia", to indicate a synergistic condition of low bone mass with muscle atrophy and hypofunction.

The Impact of Vegan Diet in the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review.

A protective effect of vegan diets on health outcomes has been observed in previous studies, but its impact on diabetes is still debated. The aim of this review is to assess the relationship between vegan diets and the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) along with its effect on glycemic control and diabetes-related complications. In accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, Pubmed and Cochrane library databases were systematically searched for all relevant studies.

T-Score and Handgrip Strength Association for the Diagnosis of Osteosarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Osteosarcopenia is a recently identified condition caused by the coexistence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia that affects the frail elderly population, leading to an increased risk of falls and fractures. Given the recent socio-economic interest associated with osteosarcopenia, the aim of this meta-analysis is to provide an overview of the factors potentially involved in its pathogenesis, assessing its population type, prevalence, and associated variables.

Methods: A comprehensive systematic search for relevant studies, published from 2015 to 2020, was performed by using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases.

Evaluation of Immunity for Mumps among Vaccinated Medical Students.

Healthcare workers are considered at higher risk for mumps infection than the general population. Since 2017, the national immunization plan recommended the administration of a dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine to the healthcare operators who are unable to demonstrate a complete vaccination history or that are seronegative for at least one of the three agents. Regarding mumps infection, based on actual concerns regarding the loss of protection over the years after vaccination, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended to administer a third dose of vaccine to operators previously vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine who belong to a group at increased risk of mumps infection in the event of an epidemic.

SEM characterization and ageing analysis on two generation of invisible aligners.

Background: The purpose of the in vitro study is to investigate and compare the morphological features and the chemical stability in weight of two different polyurethane-based blends, Smart Track (LD30) and Exceed30 (EX30), used for orthodontic aligners manufacture before and after the oral usage.

Methods: Twenty orthodontic aligners were randomly selected: 10 LD30 and 10 EX30, each group was divided in two subgroups, never used and intra-orally aged. By the employment of a Stereomicroscope, a section of 5 × 5 mm was cut from the buccal surface of the incisal region of each aligner.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of 3D T1 Silent imaging.

Purpose: To compare brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using T1 3D Silent and fast T1 3D Gradient-Echo (GRE) BRAin VOlume (known as BRAVO) sequences. The primary aim is to assess the quantitative and qualitative analysis of Silent and BRAVO images by the measurement of the contrast (C), the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The second aim is to estimate the subjective sound levels and the specific absorption rate (SAR).

Incidence of pneumomediastinum in COVID-19: A single-center comparison between 1st and 2nd wave.

In this study, we compared the incidence of pneumomediastinum in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients during the ascending phases of the 1st and 2nd epidemic waves. Crude incidence was higher during the 2nd wave at a quasi-significant level (0.68/1000 vs.

Introducing 3D printed models of the upper urinary tract for high-fidelity simulation of retrograde intrarenal surgery.

Purpose: Training in retrograde intrarenal surgery for the treatment of renal stone disease is a challenging task due to the unique complexity of the procedure. This study introduces a series of 3D printed models of upper urinary tract and stones designed to improve the training process.

Methods: Six different models of upper urinary tract were algorithmically isolated, digitally optimized and 3D printed from real-life cases.

Position paper on liver and kidney diseases from the Italian Association for the Study of Liver (AISF), in collaboration with the Italian Society of Nephrology (SIN).

Liver and kidney are strictly connected in a reciprocal manner, in both the physiological and pathological condition. The Italian Association for the Study of Liver, in collaboration with the Italian Society of Nephrology, with this position paper aims to provide an up-to-date overview on the principal relationships between these two important organs. A panel of well-recognized international expert hepatologists and nephrologists identified five relevant topics: 1) The diagnosis of kidney damage in patients with chronic liver disease; 2) Acute kidney injury in liver cirrhosis; 3) Association between chronic liver disease and chronic kidney disease; 4) Kidney damage according to different etiology of liver disease; 5) Polycystic kidney and liver disease.

PTX3 Effects on Osteogenic Differentiation in Osteoporosis: An In Vitro Study.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a glycoprotein belonging to the humoral arm of innate immunity that participates in the body's defence mechanisms against infectious diseases. It has recently been defined as a multifunctional protein, given its involvement in numerous physiological and pathological processes, as well as in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis. Based on this evidence, the aim of our study was to investigate the possible role of PTX3 in both the osteoblastic differentiation and calcification process: to this end, primary osteoblast cultures from control and osteoporotic patients were incubated with human recombinant PTX3 (hrPTX3) for 72 h.

Acute appendicitis in elderly during Covid-19 pandemic.

Purpose: During the past months, the Italian Government has reduced the restrictions and access to hospitals. Since then, up to 40% of non-traumatic abdominal emergencies have had unusual delayed treatment. Given the rapidly evolving situation and the absence of evidence to support recommendations during the pandemic, it is useful to assess how the current situation is influencing the management of elderly with acute appendicitis.

The long pentraxin PTX3: a novel serum marker to improve the prediction of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis bone-related phenotypes.

Background: The long pentraxin PTX3 is generating great interest given the recent discovery of its involvement in bone metabolism. This study investigates the role of circulating PTX3 as a marker of bone-related phenotypes in patients with osteoporosis (OP) and osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Serum PTX3 levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a total of OP (n=32), OA (n=19) patients and healthy controls (CTR; n=25).

DNA Methylation Signatures of Bone Metabolism in Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis Aging-Related Diseases: An Updated Review.

DNA methylation is one of the most studied epigenetic mechanisms that play a pivotal role in regulating gene expression. The epigenetic component is strongly involved in aging-bone diseases, such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Both are complex multi-factorial late-onset disorders that represent a globally widespread health problem, highlighting a crucial point of investigations in many scientific studies.

Enamel interproximal reduction during treatment with clear aligners: digital planning versus OrthoCAD analysis.

Background: The aim of the study was to compare the amount of interproximal enamel reduction (IPR) provided on ClinCheck software with the amount of IPR carried out by the orthodontist during treatment with clear aligners.

Methods: 30 subjects (14 males, 16 females; mean age of 24.53 ± 13.

Prognostic and Theranostic Applications of Positron Emission Tomography for a Personalized Approach to Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) represents a condition of progressive disease in spite of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), with a broad spectrum of manifestations ranging from no symptoms to severe debilitation due to bone or visceral metastatization. The management of mCRPC has been profoundly modified by introducing novel therapeutic tools such as antiandrogen drugs (i.e.

Citicoline in Ophthalmological Neurodegenerative Disease: A Comprehensive Review.

Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine has been widely studied in systemic neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and brain ischemia. The rationale for the use of citicoline in ophthalmological neurodegenerative diseases, including glaucoma, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy, is founded on its multifactorial mechanism of action and the involvement in several metabolic pathways, including phospholipid homeostasis, mitochondrial dynamics, as well as cholinergic and dopaminergic transmission, all being involved in the complexity of the visual transmission. This narrative review is aimed at reporting both pre-clinical data regarding the involvement of citicoline in such metabolic pathways (including new insights about its role in the intracellular proteostasis through an interaction with the proteasome) and its effects on clinical psychophysical, electrophysiological, and morphological outcomes following its use in ophthalmological neurodegenerative diseases (including the results of the most recent prospective randomized clinical trials).