Deep Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Multimodal Analgesia in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery Performed via Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy.

Objective: This study investigated if the serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) within a multimodal analgesia scheme would reduce acute post-operative pain and intravenous opioid consumption in patients admitted to the intensive care unit after isolated minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the University Hospital of Siena (Italy).

Evidence of dissemination of a -type integrative and conjugative element to , mediating acquisition of and other resistance determinants.

A strain positive for the metallo-beta-lactamase gene and resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was unexpectedly isolated from a surveillance rectal swab. The characterization of the strain revealed carriage of a 91 kb integrative and conjugative element (ICE) harboring several resistance determinants [, , , , ∆, , and ], closely related with a group of -type ICEs widespread among and other pseudomonads. Results highlighted the possible spreading of similar elements to , mediating the acquisition of relevant resistances.

Temporomandibular disorders: A new list of key points to summarize the standard of care.

This letter is being sent to editors of major dental journals around the world. Attached to it is an Announcement that summarizes a recently published position paper which deals with the topic of standards of care for Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs). That paper, entitled "Temporomandibular disorders: INfORM/IADR key points for good clinical practice based on standard of care", was developed by a group of expert researchers and clinicians over a one-year period.

Restorative properties of chronic lurasidone treatment on emotional dysfunction in rats exposed to chronic unavoidable stress: a role for medial prefrontal cortex - nucleus accumbens network.

Anhedonia, a transdiagnostic symptom prevalent in depressive and psychotic disorders, poses a significant challenge for pharmacological intervention due to its association with impaired motivation. Understanding how psychotropic drugs can modulate this pathological domain and elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying such effects are crucial endeavors in psychiatric research. In this study, we aimed to investigate the pro-motivational properties of lurasidone in a rat (Sprague Dawley males) model of anhedonia and to unravel the interplay between lurasidone and the brain regions critical for reward processing.

Direct evidence of fetal responses to noxious stimulations: A systematic review of physiological and behavioral reactions.

Fetal pain is usually debated using data extrapolated from physiology and anatomy; whereas direct observation of fetal pain reactions is only marginally used. We present the first systematic review to carefully analyse this direct evidence. Our objective was to summarize the scientific literature based on the direct observation of fetal responses to noxious stimulation.

The role of multi-modality imaging for the assessment of left atrium and left atrial appendage. A clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Structural, architectural, contractile or electrophysiological alterations may occur in the left atrium (LA). The concept of LA cardiopathy is supported by accumulating scientific evidence demonstrating that LA remodeling has become a cornerstone diagnostic and prognostic marker. The structure and the function of LA and left atrial appendage (LAA) which is an integral part of the LA, are key elements for a better understanding of multiple clinical conditions, most notably atrial fibrillation (AF), cardioembolism, heart failure and mitral valve diseases.

Small molecules in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a systematic review and a multicenter case series about Janus kinase inhibitors and apremilast.

Objective: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are rare autoimmune diseases that primarily affect striated muscles; skin, joints, and lungs may be involved with different degrees of severity. Traditional treatment relies on high-dose glucocorticoids and conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Methods: A growing amount of evidence is demonstrating the potential role of novel treatments in the management of IIM.

Neurophysiological correlates of ketamine-induced dissociative state in bipolar disorder: insights from real-world clinical settings.

Ketamine, a dissociative compound, shows promise in treating mood disorders, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and bipolar disorder (BD). Despite its therapeutic potential, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ketamine's effects are not fully understood. This study explored acute neurophysiological changes induced by subanesthetic doses of ketamine in BD patients with depression using electroencephalography (EEG) biomarkers.

A graph neural network-based model with out-of-distribution robustness for enhancing antiretroviral therapy outcome prediction for HIV-1.

Predicting the outcome of antiretroviral therapies (ART) for HIV-1 is a pressing clinical challenge, especially when the ART includes drugs with limited effectiveness data. This scarcity of data can arise either due to the introduction of a new drug to the market or due to limited use in clinical settings, resulting in clinical dataset with highly unbalanced therapy representation. To tackle this issue, we introduce a novel joint fusion model, which combines features from a Fully Connected (FC) Neural Network and a Graph Neural Network (GNN) in a multi-modality fashion.

Regulatory T Cell Phenotype Related to Cytokine Expression Patterns in Post-COVID-19 Pulmonary Fibrosis and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Post-coronavirus disease 19 lung fibrosis (PCLF) shares common immunological abnormalities with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), characterized by an unbalanced cytokine profile being associated with the development of lung fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to analyze and compare the different subsets of CD4- and CD8-T cells, along with specific cytokine expression patterns, in peripheral blood (PB) from patients affected by PCLF and IPF and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: One-hundred patients followed at the Rare Lung Disease Center of Siena University Hospital were enrolled.

Temporomandibular disorders in migraine and tension-type headache patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

The simultaneous occurrence of primary headaches and temporomandibular disorders can pose a challenge in determining the best clinical management of patients. Therefore, we aimed to summarize evidence regarding the risk and prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in migraine and tension-type headaches (TTH) patients. Cross-sectional studies published in English comparing the presence of TMDs in adults with TTH or migraine to subjects without headaches were included, International Classification of Orofacial Pain, Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders or Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders, and large epidemiological studies (sensitive diagnostic criteria (SDC)).

Self-reported mandible bracing and teeth clenching are associated with anxiety and depression traits in a group of healthy young individuals.

To assess the correlation between awake bruxism (AB) behaviors and psychological status in a group of healthy young adults. Participants were recruited at the University of Siena, Siena, Italy, by advertising the initiative. The reported frequency of AB behaviors was evaluated through the Oral Behavior Checklist (OBC).

Fat vs. Sugar: The Case for a Saturated Fat Tax in Italy.

When judging the distributional impact of unhealthy food taxes, what matters is not just how much low income people would pay but how much the such taxes would benefit or harm them overall. In this paper, we assess the consumer welfare impact of a fat tax net of its expected benefits computed as savings from weight loss. Using Italian data, we estimate a censored Exact Affine Stone Index (EASI) incomplete demand system for food groups, simulating changes in purchases, calorie intake, consumer welfare, and the monetary value of short-run health benefits.

Preliminary Evidence for Perturbation-Based tACS-EEG Biomarkers of Gamma Activity in Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by impaired inhibitory circuitry and GABAergic dysfunction, which is associated with reduced fast brain oscillations in the gamma band (γ, 30-90 Hz) in several animal models. Investigating such activity in human patients could lead to the identification of novel biomarkers of diagnostic and prognostic value. The current study aimed to test a multimodal "Perturbation-based" transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation-Electroencephalography (tACS)-EEG protocol to detect how responses to tACS in AD patients correlate with patients' clinical phenotype.

Evaluation of polygenic risk scores for hormones and receptors levels in patients with vestibulodynia: a case-control study.

Background: Vulvodynia is a multifactorial disease affecting 7%-16% of reproductive-aged women in general population; however, little is still known about the genetics underlying this complex disease.

Aim: To compare polygenic risk scores for hormones and receptors levels in a case-control study to investigate their role in vulvodynia and their correlation with clinical phenotypes.

Methods: Our case-control study included patients with vestibulodynia (VBD) and healthy women.

Echocardiography in the Ventilated Patient: What the Clinician Has to Know.

Heart and lung sharing the same anatomical space are influenced by each other. Spontaneous breathing induces dynamic changes in intrathoracic pressure, impacting cardiac function, particularly the right ventricle. In intensive care units (ICU), mechanical ventilation (MV) and therefore positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) are often applied, and this inevitably influences cardiac function.

Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction and Its Relationship with Biliary Cancer: An Updated and Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Behalf of TROGSS-The Robotic Global Surgical Society.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the degree to which pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) increases the risk of different types of biliary cancer (BC).

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out using the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct. We systematically searched from inception to April 2024.

Fertility Sparing in Endometrial Cancer: Where Are We Now?

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological neoplasm with an increased incidence in the premenopausal population in recent decades. This raises the problem of managing endometrial cancer in fertile women who have not yet achieved pregnancy. In these women, after careful selection, hysterectomy may be postponed in favor of conservative management if specific requirements are met.

Progress and Challenges in Integrating Nutritional Care into Oncology Practice: Results from a National Survey on Behalf of the NutriOnc Research Group.

Introduction: Nutritional care is a cornerstone of cancer treatment, with the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes by addressing malnutrition and enhancing recovery. Despite growing awareness, the integration of evidence-based nutritional strategies into oncology remains inconsistent. Following a 2020 survey that highlighted critical gaps, the NutriOnc Research Group launched targeted initiatives to raise awareness and improve practices.

Clinical Presentations of Celiac Disease: Experience of a Single Italian Center.

Background/objectives: In Italy, the prevalence of celiac disease (CeD) among children exceeds 1.5% and has steadily increased with a linear trend over the past 25 years. The clinical presentation is heterogenous and a change in onset symptoms has been described in recent years.

Food Protein-Induced Allergic Proctocolitis: Real-World Experience from an Italian Cohort.

: Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP) is a non-IgE-mediated food allergy, usually presenting as bloody stools in breastfed, well-appearing, and regularly growing infants. The aim of our study was to describe the clinical features of Italian infants affected by FPIAP and their management and natural history in a real-life setting. : A retrospective, observational study was performed at two tertiary pediatric hospitals (Florence and Trieste), including FPIAP-diagnosed infants between 2012 and 2022.

Antioxidant Bio-Compounds from Chestnut Waste: A Value-Adding and Food Sustainability Strategy.

In an era of escalating environmental challenges, converting organic residues into high-value bioactive compounds provides a sustainable way to reduce waste and enhance resource efficiency. This study explores the potential of the circular bioeconomy through the valorization of agricultural byproducts, with a focus on the antioxidant properties of specific chestnut burr cultivars. Currently, over one-third of food production is wasted, contributing to both humanitarian and environmental crises.