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Abstract In the frontline high-dose phase 3 FIL-MCL0208 trial (NCT02354313), 8% of enrolled mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients could not be randomised to receive lenalidomide (LEN) maintenance vs observation after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) due to inadequate hematological recovery and 52% of those who started LEN, needed a dose reduction due to toxicity. We therefore focused on the role played by CD34 + hematopoietic stem cells (PBSC) harvesting and reinfusion on toxicity and outcome. Overall, 90% (n = 245) of enrolled patients who underwent the first leukapheresis collected ≥ 4 × 106 PBSC/kg, 2.6% (n = 7) mobilized 10 days) was associated with a worse outcome, both in terms of PFS and OS. In conclusion, although the harvesting procedures proved feasible for younger MCL patients, long-lasting cytopenia following ASCT remains a significant issue: this can hinder the administration of effective maintenance therapies, potentially increasing the relapse rate and negatively affecting survival outcomes.

Abstract Background The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene deficiency is known to cause impaired coronary vasodilating capability in animal models. In the general clinical population, the eNOS gene polymorphisms, able to affect eNOS activity, were associated with cardiometabolic risk features and prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Aim To investigate the association of eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism, cardiometabolic profile, obstructive CAD and inducible myocardial ischemia in patients with suspected stable CAD. Methods A total of 506 patients (314 males; mean age 62 ± 9 years) referred for suspected CAD was enrolled. Among these, 325 patients underwent stress ECG or cardiac imaging to assess the presence of inducible myocardial ischemia and 436 patients underwent non-invasive computerized tomography or invasive coronary angiography to assess the presence of obstructive CAD. Clinical characteristics and blood samples were collected for each patient. Results In the whole population, 49.6% of patients were homozygous for the Glu298 genotype (Glu/Glu), 40.9% heterozygotes (Glu/Asp) and 9.5% homozygous for the 298Asp genotype (Asp/Asp). Obstructive CAD was documented in 178/436 (40.8%) patients undergoing coronary angiography while myocardial ischemia in 160/325 (49.2%) patients undergoing stress testing. Patients with eNOS Asp genotype (Glu/Asp + Asp/Asp) had no significant differences in clinical risk factors and in circulating markers. Independent predictors of obstructive CAD were age, gender, obesity, and low HDL-C. Independent predictors of myocardial ischemia were gender, obesity, low HDL-C and Asp genotype. In the subpopulation in which both stress tests and coronary angiography were performed, the Asp genotype remained associated with increased myocardial ischemia risk after adjustment for obstructive CAD. Conclusion In this population, low-HDL cholesterol was the only cardiometabolic risk determinant of obstructive CAD. The eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism was significantly associated with inducible myocardial ischemia independently of other risk factors and presence of obstructive CAD.

Treatment options for secondary progressive MS (SPMS) are limited, especially considering that the new drugs recently approved are licensed for actively relapsing patients. We aimed to compare the disability progression in a real-world cohort of SPMS patients treated with natalizumab (NTZ) or interferon beta-1b (IFNb-1b). This multicenter retrospective enrolled patients with a diagnosis of SPMS according to 2014 Lublin criteria, who received NTZ or IFNb-1b for at least 48 months between the 1st June 2012 and the 15th May 2018 ​at 33 Italian MS centers contributing to the Italian MS Registry NTZ or IFNb-1b. Confirmed Expanded Disability Status Scale worsening (CEW) and progression independent of relapse (PIRA) were evaluated. In order to correct for non-randomization, a propensity score matching of the groups was performed. Out of 5206 MS patients identified at the time of data extraction, 421 SPMS patients treated with NTZ (224 [53.2%] females, mean age 45.3 ​± ​25.4 years) and 353 with IFNb-1b (133 [37.8%] females, mean age 48.5 ​± ​19.8 years) were enrolled. After applying the matching procedure, 102 patients were retained in the NTZ group and 98 in the IFNb-2b group. The proportion of patients who reached the 48-month 1-point CEW was significantly higher in IFNb-1b compared to NTZ group (58.2% versus 30.4%, p ​= ​0.01). The proportion of patients who developed PIRA at 48 months were significantly higher in IFNb-1b compared to NTZ (72.4% versus 40.2%, p ​= ​0.01). EDSS before treatment initiation and SPMS duration were risk factors for disability progression in terms of PIRA (HR 2.54, 25%CI 1.67–5.7; p ​= ​0.006 and HR 2.04, 25%CI 1.22–3.35; p ​= ​0.01, respectively). Patients treated with IFNb-1b were 1.64 times more to likely to develop PIRA (HR 1.64, 25%CI 1.04–4.87; p ​= ​0.001). Treatment with NTZ in SPMS patients showed more favorable disability outcomes compared to IFNb-1b with beneficial effects over 48 months.

Abstract Background Relapse and refractory (R/R) rates after first‐line R‐CHOP in diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) are ~40% and ~15% respectively. Aims We conducted a retrospective real‐world analysis aimed at evaluating clinical outcomes of R/R DLBCL patients. Material and Methods Overall, 403 consecutive DLBCL patients treated in two large hematological centers in Torino, Italy were reviewed. Results At a median follow up of 50 months, 5‐year overall survival from diagnosis (OS‐1) was 66.5%, and 2‐year progression free survival (PFS‐1) was 68%. 134 (34.4%) patients relapsed (n = 46, 11.8%) or were refractory (n = 88, 22.6%) to R‐CHOP. Most employed salvage treatments included platinum salt‐based regimens in 38/134 (28.4%), lenalidomide in 14 (10.4%). Median OS and PFS after disease relapse or progression (OS‐2 and PFS‐2) were 6.7 and 5.1 months respectively. No significant difference in overall response rate, OS‐2 or PFS‐2 in patients treated with platinum‐based regimens versus other regimens was observed. By multivariate analysis, age between 60 and 80 years, germinal center B cell type cell of origin and extranodal involvement of

Among innovative food technologies, ultrasounds have demonstrated physical damages (provided by frequency and intensity factors) on bacterial structures while determining the microbiological stabilization of many foodstuffs. This study tested the efficacy of the thermosonication process on 16 Salmonella typhimurium strains belonging to the academic biobank (isolated from swine slaughterhouses). All strains were exposed to focused ultrasounds, generated by the Waveco® system (Milan, Italy), with the following settings: 40 KHz coupled with 80 W at different 5 min intervals starting from 5 to 15 ones, and focusing on two different temperatures: 40 °C and 50 °C. After each treatment, all strains were directly plated onto count agars immediately (t0) and after 24 h (t24) of storage at refrigerated temperature. The results showed bacterial reductions by prolonging the sonication treatments until 15 min (i.e., 50 °C for 15 min reduced of 2.16 log CFU/gr the initial loads). In the present in vitro study, the most considerable decrease was observed after 24 h. It meant that Salmonella strains were lethally damaged at the wall level, confirming the ultrasound bactericidal effect on loads. The present in vitro scientific investigation demonstrates the practical bactericidal effects of thermosonication, highlighting promising applications at the industry level for food microbial stabilization and shelf-life prolongation.

Pet nutrition awareness has risen enormously, with an increasing interest in homemade diets aimed at controlling food composition. The literature in this field is scarce, especially regarding the homemade diet’s long-term effects on pathological conditions. This prospective study encompassed 167 healthy and sick dogs subjected to a customized dietary plan based on homemade food. After an initial visit, dog owners provided questionnaires with follow-up data on their perceptions of physical sign changes or symptom modifications. A total of 104 (62%) subjects maintained the homemade diet, while 63 reverted to their previous diet. The median follow-up was 14 months. Out of 31 healthy dogs that continued the nutritional plan, 70% exhibited improvements in their coat condition and 47% a decrease in evacuation frequency. Regarding weight loss goals, 67% of dogs achieved their target. The 67 pathological dogs that completed the follow-up were primarily affected by gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders. Dogs with chronic enteropathy improved their symptoms in 95% of the cases, subjects with dermatological pathologies in 83%, and patients presenting both disorders in 100%. These clinical results are promising. Personalized and well-balanced homemade diets noticeably enhanced the overall pet’s health, with an almost complete remission of symptoms in pathological dogs.

Customer requests are addressed to safe products that best express their characteristics of "naturalness" and "freshness" for the entire shelf life; therefore, scientific research has been exploring the use of "non-thermal technologies". Thermosonication using low-frequency focused ultrasound determines bacterial inactivation through the phenomenon of "cavitation", guaranteeing high-quality standards of safety, nutrition, and freshness of the products. The present work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium in culture broth by low-frequency focused thermosonication with two different operational parameters: sublethal temperature (40°C, 50°C) and treatment time (5, 10, and 15 minutes). Treatment determined a bacterial load reduction compared to the negative control (untreated inoculum), which was statistically significant at the T-test (p

The Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) combines thermal, visual, acoustic, and air-quality conditions in indoor environments and affects occupants’ health, well-being, and comfort. Performing continuous monitoring to assess IEQ is increasingly proving to be important, also due to the large amount of time that people spend in closed spaces. In the present study, the design, development, and metrological characterization of a low-cost multi-sensor device is presented. The device is part of a wider system, hereafter referred to as PROMET&O (PROactive Monitoring for indoor EnvironmenTal quality & cOmfort), that also includes a questionnaire for the collection of occupants’ feedback on comfort perception and a dashboard to show end users all monitored data. The PROMET&O multi-sensor monitors the quality conditions of indoor environments thanks to a set of low-cost sensors that measure air temperature, relative humidity, illuminance, sound pressure level, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and formaldehyde. The device architecture is described, and the design criteria related to measurement requirements are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to the calibration of the device to ensure the metrological traceability of the measurements. Calibration procedures, based on the comparison to reference standards and following commonly employed or ad hoc developed technical procedures, were defined and applied to the bare sensors of air temperature and relative humidity, carbon dioxide, illuminance, sound pressure level, particulate matter, and formaldehyde. The next calibration phase in the laboratory will be aimed at analyzing the mutual influences of the assembled multi-sensor hardware components and refining the calibration functions.

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is described in the literature as a beneficial dietary pattern for neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The objective of this study was to evaluate the dietary habits in people with MS (pwMS) and to test whether adherence to the MD could have an impact on the severity of the disease measured as the MS severity score (MSSS). Adherence to the MD was assessed in 31 PwMS using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), the Pyramid-based Mediterranean Diet Score (PyrMDS) index, and the Italian Mediterranean Index (IMI), and their eating habits were recorded in a food diary for a one-year follow-up. When data obtained from dietary analysis were compared to the MSSS, results showed that pwMS with lower MSSS adhere more to the MD than the other pwMS groups according to the MEDAS index. Furthermore, a high consumption of fiber in the MS mild severity class was observed. Further studies are needed to clarify which of the nutritional components of the MD may impact the course of MS and if the sensitization of pwMS to MD adherence can be a strategy for mitigating the disease.

Among innovative food technologies, ultrasounds have demonstrated physical damages (provided by frequency and intensity factors) on bacterial structures while determining the microbiological stabilization of many foodstuffs. This study tested the efficacy of the thermosonication process on 16 Salmonella typhimurium strains belonging to the academic biobank (isolated from swine slaughterhouses). All strains were exposed to focused ultrasounds, generated by the Waveco® system (Milan, Italy), with the following settings: 40 KHz coupled with 80 W at different 5 min intervals starting from 5 to 15 ones, and focusing on two different temperatures: 40 °C and 50 °C. After each treatment, all strains were directly plated onto count agars immediately (t0) and after 24 h (t24) of storage at refrigerated temperature. The results showed bacterial reductions by prolonging the sonication treatments until 15 min (i.e., 50 °C for 15 min reduced of 2.16 log CFU/gr the initial loads). In the present in vitro study, the most considerable decrease was observed after 24 h. It meant that Salmonella strains were lethally damaged at the wall level, confirming the ultrasound bactericidal effect on loads. The present in vitro scientific investigation demonstrates the practical bactericidal effects of thermosonication, highlighting promising applications at the industry level for food microbial stabilization and shelf-life prolongation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare lymphoproliferative neoplasm considered incurable, with a median survival of 3–5 years. In recent years, Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) have been introduced, demonstrating high therapeutic activity. However, the prognosis for MCL patients failing ibrutinib therapy is particularly poor, with a survival expectation of a few months. In this phase II trial, we assessed the efficacy and safety of the carfilzomib‐lenalidomide‐dexamethasone (KRD) combination in MCL patients who were relapsed/refractory (R/R) or intolerant to BTKi and in need of treatment. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the antitumor efficacy of the KRD combination in terms of 12‐month overall survival (12‐month OS). From September 2019 to December 2020, 16 patients were enrolled from 11 Italian centers. After a median follow‐up of 2.37 months (95% CI 0.92–6.47), the 12‐month OS was 13%. The rate of grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) was 35%, and the overall response rate (ORR) was 19%. These results led to the premature termination of enrollment, as defined in the protocol stopping rules. The efficacy of the KRD combination in advanced‐stage MCL patients who are R/R to BTKi is unsatisfactory and too toxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Customer requests are addressed to safe products that best express their characteristics of "naturalness" and "freshness" for their entire shelf life; therefore, scientific research has been exploring the use of "non-thermal technologies". Thermosonication using low-frequency focused ultrasound determines bacterial inactivation through the phenomenon of "cavitation", guaranteeing high-quality standards of safety, nutrition, and freshness of the products. The present work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium in culture broth by low-frequency focused thermosonication with two different operational parameters: sublethal temperature (40°C, 50°C) and treatment time (5, 10, and 15 minutes). Treatment determined a bacterial load reduction compared to the negative control (untreated inoculum), which was statistically significant at the t-test (p<0.05). Average decreases of 1.5 log and 3.5 CFU/mL were observed, respectively, after treatment and after 24 hours of storage at +4°C. Treatment at 50°C for 15 minutes was the most effective (average value: 3.06 log CFU/mL; minimum value: 2.13 log CFU/mL; maximum value: 4.59 log CFU/mL). However, strains have shown markable variability: one of them even showed an increase in the microbial load 24 hours after treatment at 40°C for 5 minutes (-0.20 log CFU/mL); however, the same treatment showed a reduction of bacterial charge in all the other strains (average value: 1.05 log CFU/mL; minimum value: -0.20 log CFU/mL; maximum value: 2.28 log CFU/mL). This study poses numerous perspectives on the use of low-frequency focused thermosonication treatment in the food industry as a sustainable and safe alternative to classic thermal treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: It is a fact that a pet's health is significantly influenced by proper nutrition. Pet owners increasingly seek support for cooking human-grade fresh food for their animals, driven by their concerns about commercial food quality and the rising prevalence of diet-related diseases. This shift in pet care practices provides nutritionists with an excellent opportunity to prevent future diseases or enhance the treatment of sick pets through customized homemade diets. Despite promising clinical data, the bibliography must make more scientific evidence or guidelines available. The present study contributes to this goal by presenting favorable results on a group of dogs that experienced improved wellbeing and reduced symptoms following a homemade dietary plan. Particularly impressive outcomes have been observed in dogs with gastrointestinal and dermatological pathologies. These findings underscore the potential benefits of personalized and balanced homemade diets, paving the way for further studies to explore this area. Pet nutrition awareness has risen enormously, with an increasing interest in homemade diets aimed at controlling food composition. The literature in this field is scarce, especially regarding the homemade diet's long-term effects on pathological conditions. This prospective study encompassed 167 healthy and sick dogs subjected to a customized dietary plan based on homemade food. After an initial visit, dog owners provided questionnaires with follow-up data on their perceptions of physical sign changes or symptom modifications. A total of 104 (62%) subjects maintained the homemade diet, while 63 reverted to their previous diet. The median follow-up was 14 months. Out of 31 healthy dogs that continued the nutritional plan, 70% exhibited improvements in their coat condition and 47% a decrease in evacuation frequency. Regarding weight loss goals, 67% of dogs achieved their target. The 67 pathological dogs that completed the follow-up were primarily affected by gastrointestinal and dermatological disorders. Dogs with chronic enteropathy improved their symptoms in 95% of the cases, subjects with dermatological pathologies in 83%, and patients presenting both disorders in 100%. These clinical results are promising. Personalized and well-balanced homemade diets noticeably enhanced the overall pet's health, with an almost complete remission of symptoms in pathological dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enzyme UDP-glucose: glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (UGGT) is the gatekeeper of protein folding within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). One-third of the human proteome traverses the ER where folding and maturation are facilitated by a complex protein homeostasis network. Both glycan modifications and disulfide bonds are of key importance in the maturation of these ER proteins. The actions of UGGT are intimately linked to the glycan code for folding and maturation of secretory proteins in the ER. UGGT selectively glucosylates the N-linked glycan of misfolded proteins so that they can reenter the lectin-folding chaperone cycle and be retained within the ER for further attempts at folding. An intriguing aspect of UGGT function is its interaction with its poorly understood cochaperone, the 15 kDa selenoprotein known as SELENOF or SEP15. This small protein contains a rare selenocysteine residue proposed to act as an oxidoreductase toward UGGT substrates. AlphaFold2 predictions of the UGGT1/SEP15 complex provide insight into this complex at a structural level. The predicted UGGT1/SEP15 interaction interface was validated by mutagenesis and coimmunoprecipitation experiments. These results serve as a springboard for models of the integrated action of UGGT1 and SEP15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative diary study explored emotional responses of college students to social distancing (SD) protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty college students in an undergraduate senior capstone psychology course at a medium-sized public university in the Eastern USA wrote reflective diaries for several weeks. Their reactions to ongoing SD protocols were analyzed across four cohorts, from the virus onset in spring 2020 through late 2021. Entries related to SD protocols were selected, then coded with etic and emic coding strategies to characterize the aspects of SD and associated emotions. Participants discussed ten aspects of SD in passages that were complex in emotion, most strongly fear, joy, and sadness, and to a lesser extent, anger, disgust, and surprise. Gender differences in emotional reactions were minimal. Results are discussed in relation to student well-being, the socio-emotional toll of SD protocols, and ways to ease negative SD impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the frontline high-dose phase 3 FIL-MCL0208 trial (NCT02354313), 8% of enrolled mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients could not be randomised to receive lenalidomide (LEN) maintenance vs observation after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) due to inadequate hematological recovery and 52% of those who started LEN, needed a dose reduction due to toxicity. We therefore focused on the role played by CD34 + hematopoietic stem cells (PBSC) harvesting and reinfusion on toxicity and outcome. Overall, 90% (n = 245) of enrolled patients who underwent the first leukapheresis collected ≥ 4 × 106 PBSC/kg, 2.6% (n = 7) mobilized < 4 × 106 PBSC/kg and 7.7% (n = 21) failed the collection. Similar results were obtained for the planned second leukapheresis, with only one patient failing both attempts. Median count of reinfused PBSC was 5 × 106/kg and median time to recovery from neutropenia G4 was 10 days from ASCT. No impact of mobilizing subtype or number of reinfused PBSC on hematological recovery and LEN dose reduction was noted. At a median follow-up of 75 months from ASCT, PFS and OS of transplanted patients were 50% and 73%, respectively. A long lasting G4 neutropenia after ASCT (> 10 days) was associated with a worse outcome, both in terms of PFS and OS. In conclusion, although the harvesting procedures proved feasible for younger MCL patients, long-lasting cytopenia following ASCT remains a significant issue: this can hinder the administration of effective maintenance therapies, potentially increasing the relapse rate and negatively affecting survival outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first part of this Inter-Society Document describes the mechanisms involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases, particularly arterial hypertension, in adults and the elderly. It will also examine how consistent physical exercise during adolescence and adulthood can help maintain blood pressure levels and prevent progression to symptomatic heart failure. The discussion will include experimental and clinical evidence on the use of specific exercise programs for preventing and controlling cardiovascular diseases in adults and the elderly. In the second part, the clinical relevance of cardiac-specific biomarkers in assessing cardiovascular risk in the general adult population will be examined, with a focus on individuals engaged in sports activities. This section will review recent studies that suggest a significant role of biomarkers in assessing cardiovascular risk, particularly the presence of cardiac damage, in athletes who participate in high-intensity sports. Finally, the document will discuss the potential of using cardiac-specific biomarkers to monitor the effectiveness of personalized physical activity programs (Adapted Physical Activity, APA). These programs are prescribed for specific situations, such as chronic diseases or physical disabilities, including cardiovascular diseases. The purposes of this Inter-Society Document are the following: 1) to discuss the close pathophysiological relationship between physical activity levels (ranging from sedentary behavior to competitive sports), age categories (from adolescence to elderly age), and the development of cardiovascular diseases; 2) to review in detail the experimental and clinical evidences supporting the role of cardiac biomarkers in identifying athletes and individuals of general population at higher cardiovascular risk; 3) to stimulate scientific societies and organizations to develop specific multicenter studies that may take into account the role of cardiac biomarkers in subjects who follow specific exercise programs in order to monitor their cardiovascular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Relapse and refractory (R/R) rates after first‐line R‐CHOP in diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) are ~40% and ~15% respectively. Aims: We conducted a retrospective real‐world analysis aimed at evaluating clinical outcomes of R/R DLBCL patients. Material and Methods: Overall, 403 consecutive DLBCL patients treated in two large hematological centers in Torino, Italy were reviewed. Results: At a median follow up of 50 months, 5‐year overall survival from diagnosis (OS‐1) was 66.5%, and 2‐year progression free survival (PFS‐1) was 68%. 134 (34.4%) patients relapsed (n = 46, 11.8%) or were refractory (n = 88, 22.6%) to R‐CHOP. Most employed salvage treatments included platinum salt‐based regimens in 38/134 (28.4%), lenalidomide in 14 (10.4%). Median OS and PFS after disease relapse or progression (OS‐2 and PFS‐2) were 6.7 and 5.1 months respectively. No significant difference in overall response rate, OS‐2 or PFS‐2 in patients treated with platinum‐based regimens versus other regimens was observed. By multivariate analysis, age between 60 and 80 years, germinal center B cell type cell of origin and extranodal involvement of <2 sites were associated with better OS‐2. Discussion: Our findings confirm very poor outcomes of R/R DLBCL in the rituximab era. Widespread approval by national Medicine Agencies of novel treatments such as CAR‐T cells and bispecific antibodies as second‐line is eagerly awaited to improve these outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: the poor adherence to guidelines approved by scientific societies are widely described as a possible cause of criticisms in the management of several diseases. In the setting of dyslipidemia, a lack of compliance with clinical and biochemical recommendations defining the informations that should be included in the laboratory report, could be a relevant issue. Methods: in order to verify the state-of-the art of this specific topic, a survey containing 8 questions spanning from the pre-analitycal phase (panel of tests, nonfasting testing), to analytical (types of methods and equations) and to post-analytical phase (reference interval, desirable values, therapeutic goals) was sent to the laboratory professionals registered in the Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SIBioC). Results: the most interesting results demonstrate that: about 40% of the laboratories add to the traditional lipid panels (total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, tryglicerides) the recommended measurement of apolipoproteins (Apo-A1, Apo-B and Lpa); 89% adopt the fasting testing; 73.6% use direct methods to measure HDL-C and 29% calculate LDL-C using Friedewald equation; 87.3% of the values are reported using the traditional (mg/dL) units; 64.5% use the reference interval as comparator, inadequate for the most part of lipid tests, 51.4% desirable levels, only 5.61% the recommended therapeutic goals. Discussion: on the basis of the obtained data, a shared improvement in the adoption and application of the recommendations published by SIBioC but poorly adopted until now, seems to be a fundamental activity that should be undertaken in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated plasma concentration of cholesterol bound to LDL (LDL-C) is the predominant risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) diseases. An important number of clinical trials demonstrated that the use of statins to reduce LDL-C is beneficial in terms of prevention of CV events in the entire population. Over time, specific LDL-C targets to be achieved have been established to guarantee the best outcome for the patient from the therapeutic intervention. The fundamental role of the clinical laboratory in diagnosis and treatment monitoring of dyslipidemias, requires that harmonization in the different phases of the laboratory process be pursued and achieved in order to allow the correct management of patients. The harmonization process has been the subject of national and international recommendations over time; however, a further recommendation is essential, considering that some recent evidences testify to a sub-optimal adoption of the indications by a non-negligible number of laboratories, confirming the need to repeat training and information activities. Aim of this joint document is to analyze the importance of the therapeutic targets to be achieved and the critical elements of laboratory diagnostic related to dyslipidemia, in order to provide indications for the harmonization of the reporting of the lipid profile. According to these recommendations, the lipid parameters should be reported accompanied by the therapeutic goals differentiated by the risk categories for LDL-C and non-HDL-C and by the threshold values for the other parameters. The use of comparison terms like Reference values or Normal values in the laboratory report must be definitely abandoned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene deficiency is known to cause impaired coronary vasodilating capability in animal models. In the general clinical population, the eNOS gene polymorphisms, able to affect eNOS activity, were associated with cardiometabolic risk features and prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Aim: To investigate the association of eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism, cardiometabolic profile, obstructive CAD and inducible myocardial ischemia in patients with suspected stable CAD. Methods: A total of 506 patients (314 males; mean age 62 ± 9 years) referred for suspected CAD was enrolled. Among these, 325 patients underwent stress ECG or cardiac imaging to assess the presence of inducible myocardial ischemia and 436 patients underwent non-invasive computerized tomography or invasive coronary angiography to assess the presence of obstructive CAD. Clinical characteristics and blood samples were collected for each patient. Results: In the whole population, 49.6% of patients were homozygous for the Glu298 genotype (Glu/Glu), 40.9% heterozygotes (Glu/Asp) and 9.5% homozygous for the 298Asp genotype (Asp/Asp). Obstructive CAD was documented in 178/436 (40.8%) patients undergoing coronary angiography while myocardial ischemia in 160/325 (49.2%) patients undergoing stress testing. Patients with eNOS Asp genotype (Glu/Asp + Asp/Asp) had no significant differences in clinical risk factors and in circulating markers. Independent predictors of obstructive CAD were age, gender, obesity, and low HDL-C. Independent predictors of myocardial ischemia were gender, obesity, low HDL-C and Asp genotype. In the subpopulation in which both stress tests and coronary angiography were performed, the Asp genotype remained associated with increased myocardial ischemia risk after adjustment for obstructive CAD. Conclusion: In this population, low-HDL cholesterol was the only cardiometabolic risk determinant of obstructive CAD. The eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism was significantly associated with inducible myocardial ischemia independently of other risk factors and presence of obstructive CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the evidence demonstrating the clinical utility of cardiac specific biomarkers in improving cardiovascular risk evaluation in several clinical conditions, even the most recent reviews and guidelines fail to consider their measurement in order to enhance the accuracy of the evaluation of cardiovascular risk in pregnant women. The aim of this review article was to examine whether the assay of cardiac specific biomarkers can enhance cardiovascular risk evaluation in pregnant women, first by reviewing the relationships between the physiological state of pregnancy and cardiac specific biomarkers. The clinical relevance of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)/NT-proBNP and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I/high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnI/hs-cTnT) assay in improving cardiovascular risk evaluation is examined based on the results of clinical studies on subjects with normal and those with complicated pregnancy. Finally, the analytical approaches and clinical objectives related to cardio specific biomarkers are advocated in order to allow an early and more accurate evaluation of cardiovascular risk in pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article discusses a recent study that evaluated a new method for measuring high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) levels in comparison to an established assay. The study found that the new method had high precision, sensitivity, and specificity, and its diagnostic performance was comparable to the established assay. The use of hs-cTnI methods has allowed for faster diagnosis of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), reducing the time to diagnosis from 6-12 hours to less than 3 hours. However, the article also highlights the importance of accurately evaluating the limit of blank values for hs-cTnI assays and discusses potential interferences that can affect the measurement of hs-cTnI and potentially lead to false diagnoses. The authors conclude that further studies using standardized protocols are needed to confirm the accuracy of the new method. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: Despite the impressive efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy in the treatment of some subtypes of lymphomas, many patients are either not eligible or relapse after treatment. Thus, great efforts are being made to further improve the depth and durability of clinical responses, as well as to expand the settings in which CAR-T cells can be employed. The present review aims to summarize those efforts, offering an overview of recent advances and future perspectives in the field. In the last decade, anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy has led to a treatment paradigm shift for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, first with the approval for relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphomas and subsequently for R/R mantle cell and follicular lymphoma. Many efforts are continuously being made to extend the therapeutic setting in the lymphoma field. Several reports are supporting the safety and efficacy of CAR-T cells in patients with central nervous system disease involvement. Anti-CD30 CAR-T cells for the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma are in development and early studies looking for the optimal target for T-cell malignancies are ongoing. Anti-CD19/CD20 and CD19/CD22 dual targeting CAR-T cells are under investigation in order to increase anti-lymphoma activity and overcome tumor immune escape. Allogeneic CAR product engineering is on the way, representing a rapidly accessible 'off-the-shelf' and potentially more fit product. In the present manuscript, we will focus on recent advances in CAR-T cell therapy for lymphomas, including new settings and future perspectives in the field, reviewing data reported in literature in the last decade up to October 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the case of a 69-year-old Caucasian woman who presented with an uncommon presentation of caecum cancer. The patient had a history of severe chronic constipation and faecal incontinence and had previously undergone an ileal neoappendicostomy for colonic irrigation. Colonoscopy and CT revealed a partially obstructing tumor in the caecum, and the patient underwent right colectomy. The post-operative period was uneventful, and the final histopathology report confirmed locally advanced cancer. The article also mentions the importance of establishing a strict screening program for patients undergoing surgery for chronic constipation. [Extracted from the article]