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Background: In Cri du Chat (CdC), cancer as comorbidity is extremely rare. In databases from Denmark, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, no cancer was reported; in Italy and Germany, four cancers were identified out of 321 CdCs. Methods: In a 29-year-old CdC patient, clinical investigations following hematemesis led to the diagnosis of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). A high pain threshold was also observed. Conventional and molecular cytogenetic defined the size of the deletion, and exome analysis on the trio completed the molecular work. Results: Cytogenetic analysis showed a de novo chromosomal alteration: 46,XY,ishdel(5)(p14.3)(D5S28-) and arr[GRCh37] 5p15.33p14.3(1498180_19955760)x1. A quantitative sensory test demonstrated a high heat threshold. A 18f-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/TC scan of the brain failed to detect reduction of metabolism in the somatosensory area or insular cortex. Exome analysis in the trio (patient and parents) failed to identify variants to be interpreted as a likely risk factor for EAC. Conclusion: We conclude that the presence of well-known risk factors (maleness, obesity, gastroesophageal reflux, and Barrett's metaplasia) in a patient with very limited capability of expressing discomfort or referring clinical symptoms have been the main risk factors for developing EAC. At present, based on the available data, there is no evidence of any increased risk of developing cancer in CdC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When pedaling, the excessive pressure on the seat has the potential to produce injuries and this can strongly affect sport performance. Recently, a large effort has been dedicated to the reduction of the pressure occurring at the saddle region. Our work aims to verify the possibility of modifying cyclists' pedaling posture, and consequently the pressure on the saddle, by applying a proprioceptive stimulus. Equistasi® (Equistasi srl, Milano, Italy) is a wearable device that emits focal mechanical vibrations able to transform the body temperature into mechanical vibratory energy via the embedded nanotechnology. The data acquired through a pressure mapping system (GebioMized®) on 70 cyclists, with and without Equistasi®, were analyzed. Pedaling in three positions was recorded on a spin trainer: with hands on the top, hands on the drop handlebar, and hands on the lever. Average force, contact surface, and average and maximum pressure each in different regions of the saddle were analyzed, as well as integral pressure time and center of pressure. In the comparisons between hands positions, overall pressure and force variables were significantly lower in the drop-handlebar position at the rear saddle (p < 0.03) and higher in hand-on-lever and drop-handlebar positions at the front saddle (p < 0.01). When applying the Equistasi device, the contact surface was significantly larger in all hand positions (p < 0.05), suggesting that focal stimulation of the lumbar proprioceptive system can change cyclists' posture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Several studies have demonstrated the capability of PD subjects to improve gait if appropriate visual cues are provided. Possible explanations referred to attentional factors and to the presence of optic flow on peripheral vision. The aim of the present study was to evaluate separately these two mechanisms in a group of fifteen subjects with Parkinson's Disease at different stages and in a group of ten age-matched controls. Methods A microprocessor-controlled portable device implementing two different optical stimulation modalities has been used: bilateral continuous optic flow and unilateral reciprocal optical stimulus that is synchronized to the swing phase of gait. The latter allowed for the implementation of an attentional strategy. Results Results showed that mild PD subjects (H&Y2) tend to be more responsive to the attentional strategy, through an increase of stride length (+ 19.8%) and a compensatory decrease of cadence (- 16.2%). Conclusion Although stated with caution due to the limited number of considered subjects, a possible descriptive model explaining the above findings is proposed, which correlates the different responsiveness to visual stimulation strategies with the progression of pathology and the consequent changes on the activation levels of the involved motor and associative areas.

One of the most productive aspects of a modern scientific approach is trying to learn and import information, and solutions from one topic to another, first finding a common point. Cocaine addiction, gambling and dopaminergic dysregulation syndrome in patients with Parkinson's disease, despite their clinical diversity, contain neurobiological circuits in common which allow us to adopt a perspective of shared rehabilitation strategy. In this project, we propose a multidisciplinary rehabilitative approach for 30 patients affected of cocaine addiction, pathological gambling and l-dopa addiction in people with Parkinson's disease, through a psychoeducational path combined with 12 neuromodulation sessions through transient current direct stimulation (TDCS) with 20 minutes of anodic right/cathodic left stimulation on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex The selection criteria for the various categories of patients were: for cocaine addiction and for pathological gamblers diagnosis of according to DSM 5 criteria and active addiction; for patients with Parkinson's disease a positive Quiprs Questionnaire score for Dopamine dysregulation syndrome and a Levodopa Equivalent Daily Dosage over 600 mg/die. The psychoeducational path consists in focusing on the most dangerous individual trigger situations without implementing the addictive behavior, replacing it with personal and social resources. The integrated method is based on the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy approach and in particular the exposure with prevention of the response Exposure/Prevention) in imagination. As indicators of the rehabilitation process we have considered: the compilation of ad hoc diaries, the neuropsychological follow-up of executive functions and craving and biological markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction to: A video of best practice recommendations for making botulinum toxin therapy safe during the COVID-19 pandemic The author names inside the institutional group "Italian Botulinum Toxin Network -study group of Italian Society of Neurology" were missing in the xml tagging. The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05375-z B Correction to: Neurological Sciences (2021) 42:3937-3938 b https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05375-z The above article was published with error. [Extracted from the article]