Comparative Study of OLP and OLL: Demographic and Clinical Profile in a Reference Center in Brazil.

Objective: To compare the demographic and clinical profiles of oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) diagnosed at a reference center in Southern Brazil from 2010 to 2019.

Methods: This retrospective study included 117 cases of suspected OLP submitted for biopsy. Investigated variables comprised sociodemographic profiles, medical history, harmful habits, clinical characteristics, and histopathological features.

Changes in CD4 T cells subsets in patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis.

Alcohol-related cirrhosis (AC) is a condition that impacts in immunity. We analyzed changes over time in CD4subsets in AC-patients. We included patients with alcohol use disorder admitted at least twice for treatment.

Prognostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen in colorectal adenocarcinoma: expanding hypotheses into clinical practice.

Purpose: This study seeks to resolve a fundamental question in oncology: Why do appendiceal and colorectal adenocarcinomas exhibit distinct liver metastasis rates? Building on our prior hypothesis published in the British Journal of Surgery, our institution has investigated potential DNA mutations within the carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM5) gene's Pro-Glu-Leu-Pro-Lys (PELPK) motif to evaluate its role as a biomarker for liver metastasis risk.

Methods: Partnering with the Australian Genome Research Facility, the PELPK motif of CEACAM5 was analysed in colorectal and appendiceal adenocarcinomas to detect DNA mutations associated with liver metastasis. Additionally, our institution performed the COPPER trial to assess carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in portal versus peripheral blood in patients with appendiceal adenocarcinoma and a systematic review and meta-analysis of 136 studies on CEA's prognostic significance among patients with colorectal and appendiceal adenocarcinoma.

Donafenib activates the p53 signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma, induces ferroptosis, and enhances cell apoptosis.

Donafenib is an improved version of sorafenib in which deuterium is substituted into the drug's chemical structure, enhancing its stability and antitumor activity. Donafenib exhibits enhanced antitumor activity and better tolerance than sorafenib in preclinical and clinical studies. However, the specific mechanism of its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma has not been reported.

Reliability of the OMERACT Giant cell arteritis Ultrasonography Score (OGUS): results of a patient-based exercise involving experts and non-experts in vascular ultrasonography.

Objective: To test the reliability of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Giant cell arteritis (GCA) Ultrasonography Score (OGUS) and other composite scores in a patient-based exercise involving experts and non-experts in vascular ultrasonography.

Methods: Six GCA patients were scanned twice (two rounds separated ≥3 hours) by 12 experts and 12 non-experts. Non-experts received 90 min of theoretical and 240 min of practical training between rounds 1 and 2.

Primary tumor surgery in de novo metastatic breast cancer: Game-changer or misinterpretation?

The study titled "Primary tumor surgery in patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer: a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study in Belgium" opens an important discussion about the potential role of surgery in the treatment of de novo MBC; although the results are promising, they should be interpreted with caution given the limitations of the study design. The question remains whether surgery is truly a game-changer for all patients or whether its benefits are more nuanced depending on individual patient factors and disease characteristics. As the oncology community continues to explore this question, a modern breast surgeon should emphasize the importance of further prospective trials and personalized treatment strategies that consider not only surgery but also the growing arsenal of available systemic therapies.

Fascicle differentiation of upper extremity nerves on high-resolution ultrasound with multimodal microscopic verification.

This study aimed to compare the fascicular anatomy of upper limb nerves visualized using in situ high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) with ex vivo imaging modalities, namely, magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM), histological cross-sections (HCS), and optical projection tomography (OPT). The median, ulnar, and superficial branch of radial nerve (n = 41) were visualized in 14 cadaveric upper limbs using 22-MHz HRUS. Subsequently, the nerves were excised, imaged with different microscopic techniques, and their morphometric properties were compared.

The Italian Version of the Ward Safety and Security Rules Survey for Mental Health Nurses: A Validity Study.

Ensuring safety in psychiatry is crucial, but practices vary widely. This study aimed to validate the Italian version of the Ward Safety and Security Rules Survey (WSSRS-I). The validation process included cultural-linguistic adaptation, followed by content and face validation.

Traditional, alternative, and emerging therapeutics for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Introduction: Segmental focal glomerulosclerosis is a histological lesion characterized by podocyte damage. It may be a primary disease linked to an unknown circulating factor, secondary to viral infections, drug toxicity, or a disadaptive response to the loss of nephrons, or it may depend on gene mutations or have an indeterminate cause. The treatment of the primary form involves immunosuppressors.

Adoption of Digital Therapeutics in Europe.

Digital therapeutics (DTx) are an emerging medical therapy comprising evidence-based interventions that are regulatory approved for patient use, or are under development, for a variety of medical conditions, including hypertension, cancer, substance use disorders and mental disorders. DTx have significant potential to reduce the overall burden on healthcare systems and offer potential economic benefits. There is currently no specific legal regulation on DTx in the EU.

Rare variants in the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) are associated with abdominal fat and insulin resistance in youth with obesity.

Background: Rare variants in melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) result in a severe form of early-onset obesity; however, it is unclear how these variants may affect abdominal fat distribution, intrahepatic fat accumulation, and related metabolic sequelae.

Methods: Eight hundred seventy-seven youth (6-21 years) with overweight/obesity, recruited from the Yale Pediatric Obesity Clinic in New Haven, CT, underwent genetic analysis to screen for functionally damaging, rare variants (MAF < 0.01) in MC4R.

HBV and HCV testing outcomes among marginalized communities in Italy, 2019-2024: a prospective study.

Background: The health of the marginalized populations is crucial for public health and inequalities. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Hepatitis Report 2024 stated that over 304 million people were living with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)/Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection in 2022. We performed HBV/HCV screenings among marginalized communities to reveal hidden infections and link-to-care positive participants.

Dysphagia in multiple sclerosis: pathophysiology, assessment, and management-an overview.

Dysphagia is a frequent and life-threatening complication of multiple sclerosis (MS). Swallowing disturbances may be present at all stages of MS, although their prevalence increases with age, with disease duration, and in progressive phenotypes. The pathophysiology of dysphagia in MS is likely due to a combination of factors, including the involvement of corticobulbar tracts, the cerebellum, and the brainstem.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a tool to prevent cerebral desaturation in newborns with bradycardia events: A systematic review.

Objective: Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive tool providing real-time continuous measurement of regional cerebral blood oxygenation and indirect blood flow. The aim of this review is to determine the best evidence to guide the use of NIRS to detect and avoid abnormalities of cerebral perfusion and oxygenation in newborns with bradycardia.

Design: For this systematic review according to PRISMA Statement, we reviewed papers from 2000 to 2023.

Ascertainment of small airway dysfunction using oscillometry to better define asthma control and future risk: are we ready to implement it in clinical practice?

The small airways comprise generations 8 to 23 of the bronchial tree, consist of airways with an internal diameter <2mm, and are classically difficult to assess and treat in persistent asthma. Small airways dysfunction (SAD) is integral to the asthma management paradigm as it is associated with poorer symptom control, greater levels of type 2 inflammation, and has been proposed as a potential treatable asthma trait. Although identification of SAD by oscillometry has been found to be clinically useful in managing asthma, very few physicians, including specialists, use this technique as part of standard or adjunct evaluation of lung function to diagnose asthma, grade severity of airway obstruction, ascertain disease control or the risk for future exacerbations or to make management decisions.

Acute suppurative thyroiditis in a child secondary to pyriform sinus fistula: From single case to systematic review.

Acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST), a rare yet potentially life-threatening infection, comprises less than 1 % of neck pathologies and requires prompt treatment. Symptoms range from neck pain and fever to dysphagia and possible abscess formation. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are the primary treatment; however, surgical drainage may be necessary for abscesses to prevent systemic infection.

Allogenic faecal microbiota transplantation for antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in critically ill patients (FEBATRICE)-Study protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial (phase II).

Background: Exposure of critically ill patients to antibiotics lead to intestinal dysbiosis, which often manifests as antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Faecal microbiota transplantation restores gut microbiota and may lead to faster resolution of diarrhoea.

Methods: Into this prospective, multi-centre, randomized controlled trial we will enrol 36 critically ill patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.

Exploring Nurses' and Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Coercive and Technological Measures in Mental Health: A Conceptual Framework and Study Protocol.

Background/objectives: The use of coercive measures (CMs) and security technologies (STs) in mental healthcare continues to raise ethical and practical concerns, affecting both patient and staff well-being. Mental health nurses (MHNs) and nursing students (NSs) play a key role in the decision-making process regarding these interventions. However, their attitudes, particularly toward STs, remain underexplored in Italy.

Eating- and Weight-Related Disorders in the Armed Forces.

Background/objectives: Like in the general population, the prevalences of eating- and weight-related health issues in the armed forces are increasing. Relevant medical conditions include the eating disorders (EDs) anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), as well as body dysmorphic disorder, muscle dysmorphia, and the relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) syndrome.

Methods: We performed a narrative literature review on eating- and weight-related disorders in the armed forces.

Cerebral Amyloid-β Deposition, Axial Features, and Cognitive Alterations in Patients with Parkinson's Disease Treated with Bilateral STN-DBS: A Long-Term Cohort Study.

Our aim was to evaluate the possible long-term cerebral deposition of amyloid-β in patients with PD treated with subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) and its possible influence on axial and cognitive variables. Consecutive PD patients treated with bilateral STN-DBS with a long-term follow-up were included. The amyloid-β deposition was evaluated postoperatively through an 18F-flutemetamol positron emission tomography (PET) study.