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A comprehensive review comparing the effect of vegetarian (V) and non-vegetarian (NV) diets on the major cardiometabolic diseases' outcomes was performed. We performed literature research (up to December 31, 2022) of the evidence separately for vascular disease (VD), obesity (OB), dyslipidemia (Dysl), hypertension (HPT), type 2 diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome (MetS), analyzing only cohort studies and randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and comparing the effect of V and NV diets. Cohort studies showed advantages of V diets compared to NV diets on incidence and/or mortality risk for ischemic heart disease, overweight and OB risk. Most cohort studies showed V had lower risk of HPT and lower blood pressure (BP) than NV and V diets had positive effects on T2D risk or plasma parameters. The few cohort studies on the risk of MetS reported mixed results. In RCTs, V diets, mainly low-fat-vegan ones, led to greater weight loss and improved glycemic control than NV diets and in the only one RCT a partial regression of coronary atherosclerosis. In most RCTs, V diets significantly reduced LDL-C levels (but also decreased HDL-C levels) and BP. In this comprehensive review of the association between V diets and cardiometabolic outcomes, we found that following this type of diet may help to prevent most of these diseases. However, the non-uniformity of the studies, due to ethnic, cultural, and methodological differences, does not allow for generalizing the present results and drawing definitive conclusions. Further, well-designed studies are warranted to confirm the consistency of our conclusions. • A comprehensive review of the effect of vegetarian diets on health outcomes was performed. • The comprehensive review analyzed cohort studies and intervention trials. • Following vegetarian diets may help to prevent most of the analyzed diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interest in vegetarian diets is growing in Italy and elsewhere, as government agencies and health/nutrition organizations are emphasizing that regular consumption of plant foods may provide health benefits and help prevent certain diseases.Methods and Results: We conducted a Pubmed search, up to September, 2015, for studies on key nutrients (proteins, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, and n-3 fatty acids) in vegetarian diets. From 295 eligible publications the following emerged: Vegetarians should be encouraged to supplement their diets with a reliable source of vitamin B12 (vitamin-fortified foods or supplements). Since the plant protein digestibility is lower than that of animal proteins it may be appropriate for vegetarians to consume more proteins than recommended for the general population. Vegetarians should also be encouraged to habitually consume good sources of calcium, iron and zinc - particularly vegetables that are low in oxalate and phytate (e.g. Brassicaceae), nuts and seeds, and calcium-rich mineral water. Calcium, iron, and zinc bioavailability can be improved by soaking, germination, and sour-dough leavening that lower the phytate content of pulses and cereals. Vegetarians can ensure good n-3 fatty acid status by habitually consuming good sources of a-linolenic acid (walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and their oils) and limiting linoleic acid intake (corn and sunflower oils).Conclusions: Well-planned vegetarian diets that include a wide variety of plant foods, and a reliable source of vitamin B12, provide adequate nutrient intake. Government agencies and health/nutrition organizations should provide more educational resources to help Italians consume nutritionally adequate vegetarian diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of people are paying more attention to the concept of environmental sustainability, implementing sustainable eating practices to minimize the waste of resources, and the production of waste products related to the food production process. The careful application of sustainable eating practices makes it possible to help the environment, public health, and society by increasing the availability of food and farmland to feed every inhabitant on Earth. Individuals impact the environment through their eating because of three factors: food, energy used in the home, and transport. The most powerful of these factors is food. Animal food production involves a greater use of resources (raw materials, land, water, energy) and produces more pollutants (chemical residues from agriculture, greenhouse gases, manure) than plant-based food. Thus, a lifestyle based on eating plant foods is not only beneficial for the environment, but also protective of a consumer’s health. Alternative practices, such as using renewable energy sources or alternative fuels, however desirable they may be in combination with limiting the consumption of animal foods, are more difficult to implement across society. To change one’s eating habits is, on the other hand, a simple, fast, and inexpensive approach.

Objectives: This independent prospective study evaluated the short-term effects and safety of photobiomodulation (PBM) in early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration., Methods: patients were treated with PBM in one eye. Functional parameters and drusen volume were measured at one (W4), three- (W12) and six-months (W24) after PBM., Results: The study included 38 subjects who completed the PBM protocol. Two patients developed macular neovascularization during the study period. Best corrected visual acuity improved from 77.82 ± 5.83 ETDRS letters at baseline to 82.44 ± 5.67 at W12 (p < 0.01), then declined to 80.05 ± 5.79 at W24 (p < 0.01 vs. baseline). Low luminance visual acuity showed a similar pattern, improving from 61.18 ± 8.58 ETDRS letters at baseline to 66.33 ± 8.55 at W12 (p < 0.01), and decreasing to 62.05 ± 9.71 at W24 (p = 0.02). Contrast sensitivity improved at W12 (20.11 ± 9.23 ETDRS letters, p < 0.01), but returned to baseline by W24 (16.45 ± 9.12, p = 0.5). Scotopic microperimetry showed a decrease in mean absolute retinal sensitivity from 9.24 ± 3.44 dB to 7.47 ± 4.41 dB at W24 (p < 0.01), while relative sensitivity decreased only at W24 (p = 0.04). Drusen volume decreased at W4 (0.018 ± 0.009 mm3, p < 0.01) and W12 (0.017 ± 0.009 mm3, p < 0.01), with a slight increase at W24 (0.019 ± 0.012 mm3, p = 0.154)., Conclusions: PBM resulted in temporary improvements in visual function and a reduction in drusen volume, but these effects were not sustained at six months. The long-term efficacy and impact on disease progression are uncertain, necessitating further research to confirm these findings and determine optimal patient selection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The embryonal central nervous system (CNS) tumor with PLAGL1 (pleomorphic adenoma gene-like) amplification is a novel type of pediatric neoplasm with a distinct methylation profile, described for the first time in 2022. It may be located anywhere in the neuroaxis and, as its name implies, it is driven by the amplification and overexpression of one of the PLAG family genes. Although the associated clinical, immunohistopathological, and molecular characteristics are well characterized in the seminal report of this entity, data on the radiological features is still lacking. Here, we present a case report of a 4-year-old girl with a biopsy-proven PLAGL1-amplified brainstem tumor and provide a detailed description of the corresponding conventional neuroimaging characteristics, aiming to better delineate this entity and to increase the awareness of this pathology in the radiological community., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Vegetarian diets are plant-based diets including all the edible foods from the Plant Kingdom, such as grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Dairy and eggs can be added in small amounts in the lacto-ovo-vegetarian subtype, or not at all in the vegan subtype. The abundance of non-processed plant foods-typical of all well-planned diets, including vegetarian ones-can provide the body with numerous protective factors (fiber, phytocompounds), while limiting the intake of harmful nutrients like saturated fats, heme-iron, and cholesterol. The beneficial effects on health of this balance have been reported for many main chronic diseases, in both observational and intervention studies. The scientific literature indicates that vegetarians have a lower risk of certain types of cancer, overall cancer, overweight-obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and vascular diseases. Since the trend of following a vegetarian diet is increasing among citizens of developed countries, the knowledge in the field will benefit from further studies confirming the consistency of these findings and clarifying the effects of vegetarian diets on other controversial topics.

Though Italy is a native land of Mediterranean diet, its adherence in the Italian population is low, witnessed by the high rates of overweight in its inhabitants. Vegetarian dietary patterns (i.e., lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan) are increasing in western countries, and also in Italy, where 9.5% of the population self-declared as vegetarian in 2023. Though the vegetarian diet has been associated with beneficial health effects, speculation on its alleged nutrient inadequacy exists. For this reason, we assessed the nutrient composition of the diet of 470 participants enrolled in an online survey (the INVITA study), who completed a weighted food questionnaire on three different days. Participants were divided into four dietary groups obtained according to their self-declared dietary intakes: 116 Meat Eaters (MEs), 49 Fish Eaters (FEs), 116 Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarians (LOVs), and 189 VegaNs (VNs). The mean intake of most of the main nutrients was similar among all groups and within the normal range expected for the Italian population, supporting the adequacy of diets within our Italian sample, especially the LOV and VN diet. Since the Mediterranean diet is a plant-based diet, some of its components still persist in the current Italian diet, representing a staple also for people adopting a vegetarian diet.

Introduction: The growing prevalence of vegetarianism determines the need for comprehensive study of the impact of these diets on health and particularly on bone metabolism. We hypothesized that significant dietary differences between vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and omnivores also cause significant differences in their nutrient status, which may affect bone health., Methods: The study assessed dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry parameters in lumbar spine and femoral neck, average nutrient intake, serum nutrient concentrations, serum PTH levels, and urinary pH among 46 vegans, 38 lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and 44 omnivores., Results: There were no differences in bone mineral density (BMD) between the groups. However, the parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were still higher in vegans compared to omnivores, despite the same prevalence of hyperparathyroidism in all groups. These findings may probably be explained by the fact that each group had its own "strengths and weaknesses." Thus, vegans and, to a lesser extent, lacto-ovo-vegetarians consumed much more potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, and vitamins B 6 , B 9 , and C. At the same time, the diet of omnivores contained more protein and vitamins D and B 12 . All the subjects consumed less vitamin D than recommended. More than half of vegans and omnivores had insufficiency or even deficiency of vitamin D in the blood. Low serum concentrations of manganese with its quite adequate intake are also noteworthy: its deficiency was observed in 57% of vegans, 79% of lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and 63% of omnivores., Discussion: Currently, it is no longer possible to conclude that lacto-ovo-vegetarians have lower BMD than omnivores, as our research supported. Vegans in our study also did not demonstrate lower BMD values, only higher PTH blood concentrations, compared to omnivores, however, a large number of studies, including recent, show the opposite view. In this regard, further large-scale research is required. Vegans and lacto-ovo-vegetarians now have a variety of foods fortified with vitamins D and B 12 , as well as calcium. There is also a great diversity of ethically sourced dietary supplements. The found low concentrations of manganese require further investigation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Galchenko, Rizzo, Sidorova, Skliar, Baroni, Visaggi, Guidi and de Bortoli.)

Objective: Basic and translational research in pediatric cancer are essential to improve patient care. To critically assess the developments achieved in these areas in Latin America, we systematically reviewed information published between 2013 and 2023., Methods: Studies of basic and translational research performed by investigators in Latin America evaluating pediatric malignant solid and central nervous system tumors were retrieved from PubMed. Original articles published in English between 2013 and 2023 were included. Collaborations among Latin American authors or among Latin American authors working with researchers from other continents were also included. Studies were excluded if they focused only on adults or on basic research in tumor biology not specifically related to the tumor types analyzed in this review., Results: A total of 550 articles were retrieved, but after removal of duplicates, 514 articles were included in the analysis, the majority of which were authored by researchers affiliated with institutions in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. These countries also had the highest number of collaborations on original articles published with authors from Europe and North America. Argentina had the highest number of collaborations on original publications, with coauthors from Brazil and Uruguay. The median impact factor of the 244 journals in which articles were published was 3.5. The most commonly studied tumors were osteosarcomas, neuroblastomas and medulloblastomas; the most commonly studied areas were molecular analysis, tumor cell biology and biomarkers., Conclusions: In Latin America, research in pediatric oncology is on the agenda, despite a notable disparity in publication rates and frequency of collaboration between countries. There is a need to strengthen scientific collaboration within Latin America and with countries from other continents to promote research and to develop novel treatment strategies that reflect the local needs of children in Latin America who have solid tumors and brain cancer., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest. None declared.

Purpose: To describe the clinical and imaging features of a sellar-suprasellar pineoblastoma RB1 subgroup without pineal or retinal involvement., Case Report: An 11-month-old girl presented to the emergency department with fever, rhinorrhea, vomiting, altered level of consciousness, and one seizure. Head CT and brain MRI demonstrated a large lobulated mass with calcifications and heterogeneous enhancement in the suprasellar region causing mass effect to the ventricular system and hydrocephalus. Histology revealed a CNS embryonal tumor not otherwise specified (NOS) with small round nuclei with mitotic activity and necrosis. DNA methylation analysis classified the tumor in the pineoblastoma RB1 subgroup., Conclusion: Pineoblastoma RB1 subgroup should be considered in the differential diagnosis of large sellar-suprasellar masses with calcifications and heterogeneous enhancement in children younger than 18 months even in cases of absent pineal or retinal involvement. Molecular analysis with DNA methylation profiling is critical for diagnosis and management., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate functional and anatomical changes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with a loading dose of faricimab intravitreal injections (IVIs)., Methods: Eighteen eyes of 18 patients with active macular neovascularization and nAMD were enrolled at the Ophthalmology Clinic of University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Italy. All patients were scheduled for faricimab IVI as per label. Enrolled patients underwent complete ophthalmic evaluation, including optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography. All measurements were evaluated at baseline (T0) and then monthly up to week 20 (T4). Main outcome measures were changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) presence and maximum height (PED-MH), intraretinal fluid (IRF) presence, subfoveal subretinal fluid (SSRF) presence and thickness., Results: BCVA improved and CMT reduced significantly during follow-up (p &lt; 0.001). In addition, SFCT decreased significantly (p = 0.031). Between T0 and T4, SSRF presence reduced from 55.6 to 16.7% (p = 0.045); IRF presence changed from 50 to 22.2%, respectively (p = 0.074). PED-MH was reduced in 58.8% of patients at T4. At week 20, 72.3% of patients were in the q12/q16 interval., Conclusion: Faricimab showed efficacy in the treatment of naïve nAMD patients with an improvement of anatomical and functional parameters and a treatment interval after the loading phase equal or greater than 12 weeks in the majority of patients., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rapidly progressive, life-threatening infection, involving the skin, soft tissue and fascia. We evaluated outcomes of its surgical management in diabetic foot (DF) patients in a tertiary referral centre. We retrospectively searched for NF in the database of our DF Section from 2016 to 2018. All cases were treated according to a multiprofessional integrated protocol, with Prompt Identification, Surgical debridement and systemic Antibiotic therapy (P.I.S.A. Protocol). We analysed short-term evolution (surgical procedures and major amputations), and long-term outcomes (survival and healing rates). Sixty-eight patients were referred to our DF clinic for suspicion of NF. The diagnosis was confirmed in 54 (79.4%; male/female 40/14; type 1/2 diabetes 6/48; age 62.8 ± 8.1 years; duration of diabetes 13.6 ± 10.1 years). According to the microbiological results, cases were classified as Type 1 (33-61.2%), 2 (7-12.9%) and 3 (14-25.9%). No significant differences were observed. All patients underwent a decompressive fasciotomy. Six patients (11.1%) required also a forefoot amputation and 12 (22.2%) a toe or ray amputation. No major amputation was performed in the short-term period. During the follow-up (26 ± 12 months) 46 patients (85%) healed in 94 ± 11 days. Of the remaining 8: 5 (9.2%) died for other reasons before healing, 2 (3.7%) recurred and one (1.9%) required a major amputation. Our experience reveals a relatively high prevalence of NF in DF; despite this, we observed how, when promptly and aggressively treated, NF has a good prognosis and it is not associated with an excess of limb loss and deaths., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a clinical condition with a prevalence of up to 25% in Western countries. Typical GERD symptoms include heartburn and retrosternal regurgitation. Lifestyle modifications, including diet, are considered a first-line therapeutic approach. To evaluate the impact of life habits on GERD in this cross-sectional study, we used data collected through an online survey from 1146 participants. GERD was defined according to the Montreal Consensus. For all participants, clinical and lifestyle characteristics were recorded. Overall, 723 participants (63.1%) consumed a diet including animal food (non-vegans), and 423 participants (36.9%) were vegans. The prevalence of GERD was 11% (CI 95%, 9-14%) in non-vegans and 6% (CI 95%, 4-8%) in vegans. In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for confounding factors, subjects on a non-vegan diet were associated with a two-fold increase in the prevalence of GERD compared to vegans (OR = 1.96, CI 95%, 1.22-3.17, p = 0.006). BMI and smoking habits were also significantly associated with GERD. This study shows that an animal food-based diet (meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs) is associated with an increased risk of GERD compared to a vegan diet. These findings might inform the lifestyle management of patients with GERD-related symptoms.

The relationship between food and the pathophysiological mechanisms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is unclear. There are few data on the impact of dietary habits on GERD symptoms and on the incidence of GERD in subjects undergoing plant-based diets. In this study, we investigated the association between diet and GERD, using data collected through an online survey of the Italian general population. In total, 1077 subjects participated in the study. GERD was defined according to the Montreal Consensus. For all subjects age, gender, body mass index (BMI), marital status, education, occupation, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits were recorded. All participants also completed the SF-36 questionnaire on Quality of Life. A total of 402 subjects (37.3%) were vegans and 675 (62.7%) non-vegans. The prevalence of GERD in the total population was 9%. Subjects with GERD-related symptoms recorded a worse quality of life according to SF-36 analysis ( p < 0.05 for all dimensions). In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for confounders, participants undergoing a vegan diet had a significantly lower risk of GERD (OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.28-0.81, p = 0.006). These findings should be taken into account to inform the lifestyle management of GERD.