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ABSTRACT Introduction: Abdominal wall hernias encompass both ventral and incisional hernias, often poorly classified regarding complexity in general. This study aims to conduct a review on the primary topics related to defining the complexity of ventral hernias. Methods: this is a scope review conducted following the guidelines recommended by the PRISMA-ScR directive. Searches were carried out in electronic databases including PubMed, LILACS, and EMBASE, using the descriptors: Abdominal Hernia, Hernia, Ventral Hernia, Incisional Hernia, Complex, Classification, Classify, Grade, Scale, and Definition. Combinations of these terms were employed when appropriate. Inclusion criteria encompassed articles with definitions and classifications of complex hernias, as well as those utilizing these classifications to guide treatments and patient allocation. Synonyms and related topics were also considered. Articles outside the scope or lacking the themes in their title or abstract were excluded. The database search was conducted up to July 29, 2023. Results: several hernia classifications were identified as useful in predicting complexity. For this study, we considered six main criteria: size and location, loss of domain, use of abdominal wall relaxation techniques, characteristics of imaging exams, status of the subcutaneous cellular tissue, and likelihood of recurrence. Conclusion: complex abdominal wall hernias can be defined by characteristics analyzed collectively, relating to the patients previous clinical status, size and location of the hernia defect, status of subcutaneous cellular tissue, myofascial release techniques, and other complicating factors.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.

ABSTRACT Introduction: it is estimated that approximately 20 million people undergo inguinal hernia surgery annually in the world, with the Lichtenstein technique being the most performed surgical procedure. The objective of this study is to analyze the knowledge of the technical principles used in the Lichtenstein technique. Method: Survey-type intersectional study approved by the research ethics committee of São Camilo University Center (CAAE: 70036523.1.0000.0062). During the research period, 11,622 e-mails were sent to members of the main national surgical societies with research on the technical principles of Lichtenstein surgery. The survey was carried out using an electronic form with 10 multiple-choice questions. The form was answered anonymously on the SurveyMonkey and Google Forms platforms. Result: 744 responses were received to the electronic form. Based on this number of respondents, our survey has a confidence level of 95% with a margin of error of 3.5%. It was observed that there is no standardization of the technique among the majority of responders (53.4%). Many surgeons still perform digital dissection of the spermatic cord (47%). A small number of interviewees (15.2%) performed sutures with absorbable thread in the region of the internal oblique aponeurosis, while more than half (55.2%) continued to perform sutures with non-absorbable thread. Most surgeons use a small overlap or fix the mesh juxtaposed to the pubic symphysis (51%). Conclusion: Our research identified that a small percentage of respondents adequately know the technical principles of Lichtenstein surgery. The result brings us new insights into the need to review Lichtenstein technique.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a blood cancer caused by uncontrolled growth of clonal plasmacells. Bone disease is responsible for the severe complications of MM and is caused by myeloma cells infiltrating the bone marrow and inducing osteoclast activation. To date, no treatment for MM is truly curative since patients relapse and become refractory to all drug classes. Cannabinoids are already used as palliative in cancer patients. Furthermore, their proper anticancer effect was demonstrated in many cancer models in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical trials. Anyway, few information was reported on the effect of cannabinoids on MM and no data has been provided on minor phytocannabinoids such as cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinol (CBN), and cannabidivarin (CBDV). Scientific literature also reported cannabinoids beneficial effect against bone disease. Here, we examined the cytotoxic activity of CBG, CBC, CBN, and CBDV in vitro in MM cell lines, their effect in modulating MM cells invasion toward bone cells and the bone resorption. Subsequently, according to the in vitro results, we selected CBN for in vivo study in a MM xenograft mice model. Results showed that the phytocannabinoids inhibited MM cell growth and induced necrotic cell death. Moreover, the phytocannabinoids reduced the invasion of MM cells toward osteoblast cells and bone resorption in vitro. Lastly, CBN reduced in vivo tumor mass. Together, our results suggest that CBG, CBC, CBN, and CBDV can be promising anticancer agents for MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The COVID-19 outbreak and the related containment measures led to the emergence of psychological distress in youth populations, possibly due to concern for their families, social isolation, increased time spent on the Internet and social media, and anxiety about the future. Objectives The study aims to evaluate differences in the access of children, adolescents, and young adults to a psychiatric emergency setting before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Data concerning the psychiatric consultations carried out at the Emergency Department of the University Hospital of Perugia was collected. Socio-demographic and clinical information, including diagnostic and treatment features, was entered into an electronic database. We considered two different time spans, one before (01.06.2017-31.12.2018) and one after (01.06.2020-31.12.2021) the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The characteristics of consultations carried out before and after the pandemic outbreak were compared by means of bivariate analyses (p

Introduction Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults (AYA) (Czyz EK, King CA. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol.2015;44(1):181-19), and psychiatric disorders are a major contributing factor (WHO Global Health Estimates 2000-2019). Studies focusing on suicidality in Italian inpatients samples are scant. Objectives The present cross-sectional study aimed to define clinical variables associated with suicidality related phenomena in a sample of young inpatients. The main objectives were to assess the prevalence of suicidal ideation and deliberate self-harm in inpatients aged 16–24 years and to determine the relationship between suicidal behaviours and psychiatric disorders. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in a naturalistic setting, at the Psychiatric Inpatient Unit, Perugia Hospital/Local Mental Health Unit 1, from January 2018 to December 2019. Sociodemographic information, clinical history, diagnostic and treatment features were collected. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed (p

Introduction Circadian rhythms, defined as endogenous oscillations that regulate metabolism, physiology and behaviour, may be frequently disrupted in mood disorders, influencing their clinical presentation and course (Srinivasan V. et al. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2006;7(3):138-151). Objectives To characterise circadian rhythm disruptions in a population of patients with mood disorders, analysing clinical and course differences in subjects with and without clinically significant circadian rhythm alterations Methods Patients selected for this cross-sectional study were assessed with CGI-BP, HAM-D, MRS, and PANSS. Circadian rhythm disturbances were evaluated with BRIAN. Patients with clinically relevant circadian rhythm disturbances were defined as BRIAN > 36 (Mondin TC et al. J Psychiatr Res. 2017;84:98-104). Bivariate analyses were subsequently performed to compare subgroups of patients. Results In our study, 61 subjects with DD or DB were enrolled. The overall mean BRIAN test score was 40.08 ± 10.26. When comparing the BRIAN test scores, both total and subscales, between subjects with DB and DD, social rhythms were significantly more altered in subjects with DB (8.63 ± 2.90 VS 6.80 ± 2.11, p=0.034). Subjects with disruption of circadian rhythms displayed greater severity of depressive symptoms (mean total HAM-D test score 16.06±8.61 VS 8.94±5.85; p

Introduction: Calcium flux is the master second messenger that influences the proliferation–apoptosis balance. The ability of calcium flux alterations to reduce cell growth makes ion channels interesting targets for therapy. Among all, we focused on transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, a ligand-gated cation channel with selectivity for calcium. Its involvement in hematological malignancies is poorly investigated, especially in the field of chronic myeloid leukemia, a malignancy characterized by the accumulation of immature cells.Methods: FACS analysis, Western blot analysis, gene silencing, and cell viability assay were performed to investigate the activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, by N-oleoyl-dopamine, in chronic myeloid leukemia cell lines.Results: We demonstrated that the triggering of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 inhibits cell growth and promotes apoptosis of chronic myeloid leukemia cells. Its activation induced calcium influx, oxidative stress, ER stress, mitochondria dysfunction, and caspase activation. Interestingly, a synergistic effect exerted by N-oleoyl-dopamine and the standard drug imatinib was found.Conclusion: Overall, our results support that transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 activation could be a promising strategy to enhance conventional therapy and improve the management of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Therefore, it is necessary to identify new targets and therapeutic strategies to improve the prognosis of patients with PDAC. Integrative therapies are increasingly being used to boost the efficacy of the known anticancer therapeutic approaches. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of a novel combination of different potential anticancer molecules, melatonin (MLT), cannabidiol (CBD), and oxygen–ozone (O2/O3) to treat PDAC using in vitro and in vivo models of human PDAC. The effect of this combination was investigated in combination with gemcitabine (GEM), the most common chemotherapeutic drug used for PDAC treatment. The combination of MLT + CBD + O2/O3 was more effective than the individual treatments in inhibiting PDAC cell viability and proliferation, inducing cell death, and modulating the RAS pathway protein levels. Moreover, different combinations of treatments reduced tumor mass in the PDAC mouse model, thus promoting the effect of GEM. In conclusion, a mixture of MLT + CBD + O2/O3 could serve as a potential adjuvant therapeutic strategy for PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to construct an eukaryotic expression vector, pEGFP‐N1‐MIC‐1, for overexpressing the mouse macrophage inhibitory cytokine‐1 (MIC‐1) gene. Additionally, we transfected the MFC cell line to observe the upregulation of MIC‐1 gene expression and assess its impact on macrophage phenotype conversion. Enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing confirmed the successful construction of the pEGFP‐N1‐MIC‐1 vector. The transfected MFC cells exhibited a significant increase in MIC‐1 protein expression levels. Furthermore, transfection with pEGFP‐N1‐MIC‐1 increased the migration and colony formation capabilities of MFC cells. These results may contribute to future research and the development of therapeutic interventions targeting MIC‐1 in macrophages, particularly in the context of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common type of cancer worldwide. Among targeted therapies for Hormone Receptor-positive (HR+) and Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2-negative (HER2−) BC, the Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDK4/6) are targeted by inhibitors such as Ribociclib (Rib); however, resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors frequently develops. The aim of this work is to assess in vitro activity of Rib and Everolimus (Eve) in HR+HER2− MCF-7 and HR−HER2−BT-549 BC cell lines. Methods HR+HER2− MCF-7 and HR−HER2− BT-549 BC cell lines were treated with increasing concentration of Rib and Eve (up to 80 μg/mL) for 48–72 h. Subsequently, HR+HER2− MCF-7 cells were silenced for Retinoblastoma (Rb) gene, and thus, the effect of Rib in sequential or concurrent schedule with Eve for the treatment of both Rb wild type or Rb knock-down MCF-7 in vitro was evaluated. Cell viability of HR+HER2− MCF-7cells treated with sequential and concurrent dosing schedule was analyzed by MTT assay. Moreover, cell cycle phases, cell death and senescence were evaluated by cytofluorimetric analysis after treatment with Rib or Eve alone or in combination. Results The sequential treatment didn’t produce a significant increase of cytotoxicity, compared to Rib alone. Instead, the cotreatment synergized to increase the cytotoxicity compared to Rib alone. The cotreatment reduced the percentage of cells in S and G2/M phases and induced apoptosis. Rib triggered senescence and Eve completely reversed this effect in Rb wild type BC cells. Rib also showed Rb-independent effects as shown by results in Rb knock-down MCF-7. Conclusion Overall, the Rib/Eve concurrent therapy augmented the in vitro cytotoxic effect, compared to Rib/Eve sequential therapy or single treatments.

This paper presents the project Comprehensive spAce wEather Studies for the ASPIS prototype Realization (CAESAR), which aims to tackle the relevant aspects of Space Weather (SWE) science and develop a prototype of the scientific data centre for Space Weather of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) called ASPIS (ASI SPace Weather InfraStructure). To this end, CAESAR involves the majority of the SWE Italian community, bringing together 10 Italian institutions as partners, and a total of 92 researchers. The CAESAR approach encompasses the whole chain of phenomena from the Sun to Earth up to planetary environments in a multidisciplinary, comprehensive, and unprecedented way. Detailed and integrated studies are being performed on a number of well-observed “target SWE events”, which exhibit noticeable SWE characteristics from several SWE perspectives. CAESAR investigations synergistically exploit a great variety of different products (datasets, codes, models), both long-standing and novel, that will be made available in the ASPIS prototype: this will consist of a relational database (DB), an interface, and a wiki-like documentation structure. The DB will be accessed through both a Web graphical interface and the ASPIS.py module, i.e., a library of functions in Python, which will be available for download and installation. The ASPIS prototype will unify multiple SWE resources through a flexible and adaptable architecture, and will integrate currently available international SWE assets to foster scientific studies and advance forecasting capabilities.

Evidence suggests that transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels dysfunction significantly contributes to the physiopathology of metabolic and neurological disorders. Dysregulation in functions and expression in genes encoding the TRP channels cause several inherited diseases in humans (the so-called ‘TRP channelopathies’), which affect the cardiovascular, renal, skeletal, and nervous systems. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of ion channels in the forebrain of rats with diet-induced obesity (DIO). DIO rats were studied after 17 weeks under a hypercaloric diet (high-fat diet, HFD) and were compared to the control rats with a standard diet (CHOW). To determine the systemic effects of HFD exposure, we examined food intake, fat mass content, fasting glycemia, insulin levels, cholesterol, and triglycerides. qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunochemistry analysis were performed in the frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampus (HIP). After 17 weeks of HFD, DIO rats increased their body weight significantly compared to the CHOW rats. In DIO rats, TRPC1 and TRPC6 were upregulated in the HIP, while they were downregulated in the FC. In the case of TRPM2 expression, instead was increased both in the HIP and in the FC. These could be related to the increase of proteins and nucleic acid oxidation. TRPV1 and TRPV2 gene expression showed no differences both in the FC and HIP. In general, qRT-PCR analyses were confirmed by Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical procedures highlighted the expression of the channels in the cell body of neurons and axons, particularly for the TRPC1 and TRPC6. The alterations of TRP channel expression could be related to the activation of glial cells or the neurodegenerative process presented in the brain of the DIO rat highlighted with post synaptic protein (PSD 95) alterations. The availability of suitable animal models may be useful for studying possible pharmacological treatments to counter obesity-induced brain injury. The identified changes in DIO rats may represent the first insight to characterize the neuronal alterations occurring in obesity. Further investigations are necessary to characterize the role of TRP channels in the regulation of synaptic plasticity and obesity-related cognitive decline.