Liver necrosis following cholecystectomy in sickle cell disease.

Postoperative vaso-occlusive disease may be a life-threatening condition in patients affected by sickle cell disease, necessitating sometimes liver transplantation. After laparoscopic cholecystectomy, liver necrosis is usually secondary to intraoperative vascular injury. In this patient, the vaso-occlusive crisis mimicked a vascular injury with segmental postoperative necrosis.

Tachinid (Diptera, Tachinidae) parasitoids of (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) and other moths.

The present paper reports data on the biology of eleven species of tachinid flies collected in Italy and Spain on different host plants and emerged from different host larvae. An annotated list of the eleven species emerged from the collected lepidopterans is provided; information about distribution and biology are given as well as the description of their puparia. Two new parasitoid species of the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) were recorded: , whose host preferences were unknown so far, and .

A case of disseminated perforating necrobiosis lipoidica.

Perforating necrobiosis lipoidica (PNL) is a granulomatous inflammatory skin disease that usually occurs in patients with diabetic. We present a case of a female patient affected by a disseminated form of necrobiosis lipoidica.

PET/CT in pediatric oncology.

The use of PET/CT in adult oncology has been consolidated by several and authoritative multicentric studies, metanalyses and systematic reviews. International guidelines help everyday nuclear medicine specialists, oncologists and radiologists in choosing the most suitable diagnostic path for each patient. Classifications based on traditional imaging and PET/CT findings define the most appropriate treatment and can predict the outcome for different types of malignancies.

Recent Warnings about Antihypertensive Drugs and Cancer Risk: Where Do They Come From?

The recent decrease in mortality related to cardiovascular diseases has largely been due to the more effective treatment of cardiovascular risk factors and secondary prevention therapies. More people than ever are now on long-term medications. Hypertension, which is one of the most common cardiovascular risk factors, requires life-long treatment.

Voluntary Inhibitory Control of Chorea: A Case Series.

Background: Volitional control of involuntary movements has so far been considered a hallmark of tic disorders. However, modulation of involuntary movements can also be observed in other hyperkinesias.

Cases: Here, we present 6 patients with chorea able to suppress their involuntary movements, on demand.

Boosting basic-peptide separation through dynamic electrostatic-repulsion reversed-phase (d-ERRP) liquid chromatography.

The application of a novel chromatographic approach to therapeutic peptides bearing basic amino acids in their structure allowed unprecedented resolution of their related impurities (including epimeric isobaric ones), resulting in a superior analytical tool for the evaluation of the quality of these drugs in the market.

Glutathione increase by the n-butanoyl glutathione derivative (GSH-C4) inhibits viral replication and induces a predominant Th1 immune profile in old mice infected with influenza virus.

During aging, glutathione (GSH) content declines and the immune system undergoes a deficiency in the induction of Th1 response. Reduced secretion of Th1 cytokines, which is associated with GSH depletion, could weaken the host defenses against viral infections. We first evaluated the concentration of GSH and cysteine in organs of old mice; then, the effect of the administration of the N-butanoyl GSH derivative (GSH-C4) on the response of aged mice infected with influenza A PR8/H1N1 virus was studied through the determination of GSH concentration in organs, lung viral titer, IgA and IgG1/IgG2a production, and Th1/Th2 cytokine profile.

Support for collective action against refugees: The role of national, European, and global identifications, and autochthony beliefs.

To understand recent anti-refugee protests in Europe, we examined how different levels of inclusiveness of group identities (national, European, and global) are related to intentions to protest among native Europeans. We focused on the mediating role of autochthony (a belief that the first inhabitants of a territory are more entitled) and the moderating role of threat. Survey data from 11 European countries (=1,909) showed that national identification was positively associated with autochthony, and therefore, with the intention to protest against refugees.

Large neck metastasis of hypopharyngeal cancer.

Lateral neck masses may be due to congenital, infectious, or malignant disease. Sometimes, the mass can be the only sign of an asymptomatic cancer. A correct clinical approach and the differential diagnosis are the key points for a correct diagnosis.

The Right to Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy in Italy: Taking Stock Forty Years after the Enactment of Law no. 194/1978. Comparative Law-based Remarks.

Forty years after the enactment of Law no. 194/78 that governs voluntary interruption of pregnancy, Italy has been experiencing difficulties guaranteeing that patients gain access to abortion procedures in a timely fashion. Conscientious objection detracts considerably from the very effectiveness of the law, as pointed out by major European institutions as well.

Thrombocytopenia and Mortality Risk in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: An Analysis From the START Registry.

Background Thrombocytopenia is associated with increased mortality in the general population, but few data exist in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) taking oral anticoagulants. We investigated factor determinants of thrombocytopenia in a large cohort of patients affected by AF and its association with total mortality. Methods and Results Multicenter prospective cohort study, including 5215 patients with AF from the START (Survey on Anticoagulated Patients Register) registry, 3877 (74.

Controversies in regenerative medicine: Should intervertebral disc degeneration be treated with mesenchymal stem cells?

Low back pain (LBP) can significantly reduce the quality of life of patients, and has a considerable economic and social impact worldwide. It is commonly associated with disc degeneration, even though many people with degenerate discs are asymptomatic. Degenerate disc disease (DDD), is thus a common term for intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration associated with LBP.

Phosphodiesterase 5 Associates With β2 Adrenergic Receptor to Modulate Cardiac Function in Type 2 Diabetic Hearts.

Background In murine heart failure models and in humans with diabetic-related heart hypertrophy, inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) by sildenafil improves cardiac outcomes. However, the mechanism by which sildenafil improves cardiac function is unclear. We have observed a relationship between PDE5 and β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR), which is characterized here as a novel mechanistic axis by which sildenafil improves symptoms of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Serum Albumin Is Inversely Associated With Portal Vein Thrombosis in Cirrhosis.

We analyzed whether serum albumin is independently associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) and if a biologic plausibility exists. This study was divided into three parts. In part 1 (retrospective analysis), 753 consecutive patients with LC with ultrasound-detected PVT were retrospectively analyzed.

Orthodontic screening and treatment timing in preschoolers.

Dental and stomatologic problems in childhood need to be diagnosed and managed with multidisciplinary protocols focusing around the children an appropriate prevention, diagnosis, and care program. Therefore, it is paramount to avail of screening tools that provide an indication of in-depth multidisciplinary diagnostic flow. The aim of this study is to detect and evaluate malocclusion problems and predisposing factors in an Italian preschooler population.

Delayed efficacy of radiofrequency catheter ablation on arrhythmias originating in the interventricular basal septum.

Delayed efficacy of radiofrequency energy can suppress ventricular arrhythmias after a failed ablation procedure. The implant of cardiac defibrillator for arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy should be procrastinated after a period of follow-up. Waiting for delayed efficacy is a reasonable choice to reduce the risk of complications associated with aggressive ablative approaches.

Cervical Dystonia Following Injury to the Cerebellar Pontine Angle: An Instructive Case.

A 38-year-old woman presented with cervical dystonia in the context of a recent surgery to remove a vestibular schwannoma. She initially presented to neurology with pain in the right arm, and MRI of the brain showed an incidental right-sided vestibular schwannoma (Video 1, Segment 1). An elective gamma-knife procedure was performed, which failed.

Platelet cut-off for anticoagulant therapy in thrombocytopenic patients with blood cancer and venous thromboembolism: an expert consensus.

Background: Management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with haematologic malignancies and thrombocytopenia is clinically challenging due to the related risks. No prospective studies or clinical trials have been carried out and, therefore, no solid evidence on this compelling issue is available.

Methods: Given this, an expert panel endorsed by the Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche dell'Adulto Working Party on Thrombosis and Haemostasis was set up to produce a formal consensus, according to the RAND method, in order to issue clinical recommendations about the platelet (PLT) cut-off for safe administration of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in thrombocytopenic (PLT <100×10/L) adult patients with haematologic malignancies affected by acute (<1 month) or non-acute VTE.