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La laguna Unamuno se localiza en el sudoeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina) y pertenece a la cuenca del arroyo Napostá Chico. Su origen se relaciona con la topografía y con el incremento de las precipitaciones promedio de la región durante las últimas décadas. Debido a que no existen experiencias de riego con agua de la laguna, el objetivo de este trabajo es determinar su aptitud para riego y el riesgo de sodificación del suelo de la cubeta de inundación. El grado de dicho riesgo es un aporte al conocimiento del estado actual de los suelos de la cubeta de inundación y es un parámetro a tener en cuenta en futuros planes de manejo para el uso de la laguna en suelos aledaños. Los parámetros físicos y químicos del agua se obtuvieron a partir del análisis de muestras correspondientes al período abril/04-junio/05. Se aplicó el índice de absorción de sodio y el de carbonato sódico residual. Se determinó que existe un alto riesgo de sodificación de los suelos que están en contacto con el agua de la laguna. Sin embargo, la permanencia de los mismos y la variación areal de la laguna contrarrestaron los efectos de la permanencia de agua con alto contenido de sodio(Na), cloro y sulfatos sobre tierras productivas.

Precision Forestry is an emerging approach that uses digital technologies for data-driven decision-making in environmental management. Traditional methods for assessing tree risk are often subjective and focus on individual trees using mechanical approaches. The #SecureTree model offers an innovative alternative by deploying sensors to measure biophysical parameters like temperature, humidity, and acceleration. Data from these sensors is processed to create a risk assessment map based on the progression of trees' behaviors. This model is non-invasive and objective, addressing risk more effectively than current methods. Field tests validated the model's accuracy and highlighted its potential to identify long-term risk trends, enabling better planning for disruptive events and the development of digital strategies for emergency management.

Objectives: To test the Reason for Exam Imaging Reporting and Data System (RI-RADS) in assessing the quality of radiology requests in an Italian cohort of inpatients; to evaluate the interobserver reliability of RI-RADS., Methods: A single-center quality care study was designed to retrospectively identify consecutive radiology request forms for computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and conventional radiography examinations. One radiologist scored the requests using the RI-RADS. The association between RI-RADS and clinical request variables (urgent request, on-call requests, indication for imaging, requesting specialty, imaging modality, and body region) was evaluated. We calculated interobserver agreement between four readers in a subset of 450 requests., Results: We included 762 imaging requests. RI-RADS grades A (adequate request), B (barely adequate request), C (considerably limited request), D (deficient request), and X were assigned to 8 (1%), 49 (7%), 237 (31%), 404 (53%), and 64 (8%) of cases, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the indication for imaging, body region, and requesting specialty significantly influenced the RI-RADS. Indications for imaging with a high risk of poor RI-RADS grade were routine preoperative imaging and device check requests. The upper extremity was the body region with the highest risk of poor RI-RADS grade. Requesting specialties with a high risk of poor RI-RADS grade were cardiovascular surgery, intensive care medicine, and orthopedics. The analysis of the interobserver agreement revealed substantial agreement for the RI-RADS grade., Conclusion: The majority of radiology exam requests were inadequate according to RI-RADS, especially those for routine imaging. RI-RADS demonstrated substantial reliability, suggesting that it can be satisfactorily employed in clinical settings., Critical Relevant Statement: The implementation of RI-RADS can provide a framework for standardizing radiology requests, thereby enabling quality assurance and promoting a culture of quality improvement., Key Points: RI-RADS aims to grade the completeness of radiology requests. Over half of the imaging requests were RI-RADS D grade; RI-RADS demonstrated substantial reliability. Most radiology requests were inadequate and RI-RADS could classify them in clinical practice., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Eyelid melanoma (EM) is a malignant neoplasm accounting for around 1% of eyelid malignancies. Because of its rarity, most of our knowledge of EM is currently based on studies of cutaneous melanomas located elsewhere. Accordingly, this study aimed to specifically evaluate EM characteristics, management strategies, and prognosis. A retrospective study was carried out on patients diagnosed with EM at Careggi University Hospital, Florence between May 2012 and May 2022. In addition, a systematic review of relevant literature was conducted, encompassing studies published from 2013 to 2023. Clinical, histopathological, therapeutical, and prognostic data were analyzed to assess the metastasis rate and the 5-year survival rate of patients with EM. Separate data were extracted for in situ and invasive disease. Our original study included 19 patients diagnosed with EM with a 5-year survival rate of 100% for in situ and 83.3% for invasive EM. The literature review identified five poorly detailed large database reviews and 14 original studies on EM with an overall 5-year survival rate of 79.7%. The present research indicates that EM is a challenging malignancy, but has a relatively better prognosis and easier management than other melanomas of the head and neck region. These are probably related to the anatomical location which leads to early diagnosis. Therefore, EM should be considered as a specific disease requiring dedicated treatment. Based on the personal authors' experience and comprehensive overview of the current knowledge, a dedicated protocol is proposed., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Vulvar melanoma is considered rare, but it is the second most frequent vulvar neoplasm; 2% of melanomas in women arise in the vulvar area. It is important to highlight how the characteristics of vulvar melanoma differentiate it from classic cutaneous melanoma. Vulvar melanoma has different risk factors and clinical and dermoscopic characteristics; moreover, it has a higher recurrence rate and a greater likelihood of multifocality. Here, we present a case of a 44-year-old patient with two primary vulvar melanomas located on opposite sides of her vulva. The lesions were both flat, but they had distinct clinical and dermoscopic appearances. Melanoma of the genital tract is likely the result of a multifocal disorder of the melanocytes within the mucosa that inhabit the perineal squamous epithelium. The risk factors of vulvar melanoma differ from those of classical cutaneous melanomas. Vulvar melanoma occurs in an area shielded from ultraviolet radiation; the primary risk factors include chronic inflammatory disease, genetic susceptibility, irritant agents and viral infections. This case study reveals how a close examination of the genital area is important and how dermoscopy can aid in the differential diagnosis of vulvar lesions. Inspections of the genital area should be particularly thorough if a melanoma is detected there, given the higher risk of multifocality in that part of the body., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

(1) Background: Renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence has been steadily rising, with obesity identified as a potential risk factor. However, the relationship between obesity and RCC prognosis remains unclear. This systematic review aims to investigate the impact of different adipose tissue measurements on RCC behavior and prognosis. (2) Methods: A search of MEDLINE databases identified 20 eligible studies focusing on various fat measurements, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), perirenal adipose tissue (PRAT), and the Mayo adhesive probability (MAP) score. (3) Results: The review revealed conflicting findings regarding the association between adipose tissue measurements and RCC outcomes. While some studies suggested a protective role of certain fat deposits, particularly VAT, against disease progression and mortality, others reported contradictory results across different adipose metrics and RCC subtypes. (4) Conclusions: Methodological variations and limitations, such as retrospective designs and sample size constraints, pose challenges to standardization and generalizability. Further research is needed to understand these associations better and establish standardized approaches for adiposity assessment in RCC patients, which could inform clinical practice and therapeutic decision-making.

Despite being early-stage tumors, thin cutaneous melanomas contribute significantly to mortality and have a rising incidence. A retrospective case-control study was performed to identify clinical-dermoscopic and histopathological variables linked to local and distant metastases in melanomas ≤0.8 mm. Data from 1 January 2000 to 22 June 2022 were analyzed from two Italian skin cancer referral centers. Sixteen patients with ≤0.8 mm melanomas developing metastases were studied compared to controls without metastases over 5 years. Statistical analysis involved Pearson's chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test. Of the 1396 cases, 1.1% progressed. The median diagnosis age was 49 (range 28-83), with 56.3% men and 43.7% women. The torso was the primary tumor site (43.7%). Clinically, lesions were pigmented (>10 mm diameter: 73.3%, ≥3 colors: 80%). Dermoscopically, the common features were white patches (73.3%), atypical vascular patterns (66.5%), blue-gray areas (60%) and absent pigment networks (60%). Histopathologically, all cases had adverse features like regression (87.4%), dermal mitoses (50%), a vertical growth phase (62.5%) and ulceration (12.5%). These findings were statistically significant compared to controls ( p < 0.05). In ≤0.8 mm melanomas, specific clinical-dermoscopic traits might indicate higher metastatic potential when paired with adverse histopathological features.

Oral targeted therapy with hedgehog pathway inhibitors has revolutionized the standard of care for patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC). These patients are frail and elderly, have various comorbidities, and receive pharmacological polytherapy. Moreover, adverse events may have a significant impact on therapeutic adherence, which must be managed by the clinician. We evaluated the impact of caregivers on the treatment of patients with advanced BCC in terms of continuation of therapy over time. All patients included in this observational prospective study had histologically confirmed metastatic or locally advanced BCC (LaBCC) and were treated with hedgehog pathway inhibitors from January 2016 to December 2021 at the Department of Dermatology at the University of Florence, Italy. The collected patient data included: age, sex, BCC site and area of spread; number of cycles, dose, duration and tolerability of therapy; marital status (single, divorced, married/living with a partner, widow/widower); and information such as living with someone, and the presence of any caregivers. Of the 34 patients included, 33 had LaBCC and one metastatic BCC. There were 11 females (32.4%) and 23 males (67.6%). Patients who were married or living with a caregiver -tolerated therapy better than single patients who lived alone. Indeed, patients with married/live-in caregivers and/or those with an adequate caregiver experienced greater therapeutic adherence and tolerance of adverse events. Given the greater therapeutic adherence of patients with live-in caregivers as partners, it is essential to consider patients' marital status. It is advisable to involve the caregiver early on, and there should be a training discussion on the various possible adverse events and the best way to mitigate them. Therapeutic success is linked not only to patients being informed but also to training of caregivers.

We evaluated the most recent research from 2000 to 2023 in order to deeply investigate the applications of PCa IRE, first exploring its usage with primary intent and then salvage intent. Finally, we discuss the differences with other focal PCa treatments. In the case of primary-intent IRE, the in-field recurrence is quite low (ranges from 0% to 33%). Urinary continence after the treatment remains high (>86%). Due to several different patients in the studies, the preserved potency varied quite a lot (59-100%). Regarding complications, the highest occurrence rates are for those of Grades I and II (20-77% and 0-29%, respectively). Grade III complications represent less than 7%. Regarding the specific oncological outcomes, both PCa-specific survival and overall survival are 100%. Metastasis-free survival is 99.6%. In a long-term study, the Kaplan-Meier FFS rates reported are 91% at 3 years, 84% at 5 years, and 69% at 8 years. In the single study with salvage-intent IRE, the in-field recurrence was 7%. Urinary continence was still high (93%), but preserved potency was significantly lower than primary-intent IRE patients (23%). In addition, Grade III complications were slightly higher (10.8%). In conclusion, in males with localized low-intermediate-risk prostate cancer, IRE had an excellent safety profile and might have positive results for sexual and urinary function.

Background: The Italian Society of Echography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI) conducted a national survey to understand the volumes of activity, modalities and stressors used during stress echocardiography (SE) in Italy., Methods: We analyzed echocardiography laboratory activities over a month (November 2022). Data were retrieved through an electronic survey based on a structured questionnaire, uploaded on the SIECVI website., Results: Data were obtained from 228 echocardiographic laboratories, and SE examinations were performed in 179 centers (80.6%): 87 centers (47.5%) were in the northern regions of Italy, 33 centers (18.4%) were in the central regions, and 61 (34.1%) in the southern regions. We annotated a total of 4057 SE. We divided the SE centers into three groups, according to the numbers of SE performed: <10 SE (low-volume activity, 40 centers), between 10 and 39 SE (moderate volume activity, 102 centers) and ≥40 SE (high volume activity, 37 centers). Dipyridamole was used in 139 centers (77.6%); exercise in 120 centers (67.0%); dobutamine in 153 centers (85.4%); pacing in 37 centers (21.1%); and adenosine in 7 centers (4.0%). We found a significant difference between the stressors used and volume of activity of the centers, with a progressive increase in the prevalence of number of stressors from low to high volume activity ( P = 0.033). The traditional evaluation of regional wall motion of the left ventricle was performed in all centers, with combined assessment of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in 90 centers (50.3%): there was a significant difference in the centers with different volume of SE activity: the incidence of analysis of CFVR was significantly higher in high volume centers compared to low - moderate - volume (32.5%, 41.0% and 73.0%, respectively, P < 0.001). The lung ultrasound (LUS) was assessed in 67 centers (37.4%). Furthermore for LUS, we found a significant difference in the centers with different volume of SE activity: significantly higher in high volume centers compared to low - moderate - volume (25.0%, 35.3% and 56.8%, respectively, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: This nationwide survey demonstrated that SE was significantly widespread and practiced throughout Italy. In addition to the traditional indication to coronary artery disease based on regional wall motion analysis, other indications are emerging with an increase in the use of LUS and CFVR, especially in high-volume centers., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Cardiovascular Echography.)

In Brief: Mouse PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are indispensable for spermatogenesis, but whether these small RNAs serve any function beyond gametogenesis is rarely explored. This review summarizes recent findings that demonstrated a requirement for piRNAs in sperm maturation and discusses a potential intergenerational role for paternal piRNAs., Abstract: Unique to animals, PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) defend organisms against threats to germline integrity evoked by transposons, retroviruses, and inappropriate expression of protein-coding genes. Characterization of mouse piRNAs and studies of more than a dozen piRNA pathway protein mutants detailed in the past 15 years have firmly established an essential role for piRNAs in male fertility. Despite their vital function in spermatogenesis, mammalian piRNAs were thought to be dispensable beyond gamete formation because all piRNA pathway protein mouse mutants are invariably sterile and do not produce sperm. In contrast to the specialized purpose of piRNAs in gamete formation, tRNA-derived fragments and microRNAs have been the focus of research in RNA-mediated paternal contribution, providing additional examples of the versatility of non-coding RNAs. In recent years, the direct elimination of mouse piRNAs using CRISPR/Cas revealed their extended function in post-testicular sperm maturation. An intergenerational contribution from paternal piRNAs has also been proposed. Together with insights into piRNAs in oocytes and early embryos in mice and other mammals, these newly proposed functions of mammalian piRNAs invite further investigations of piRNA dynamics during sperm maturation and fertilization as well as their roles in reproduction beyond gametogenesis.

Background: The Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI) conducted a national survey to understand better how different echocardiographic modalities are used and accessed in Italy., Methods: We analyzed echocardiography laboratory activities over a month (November 2022). Data were retrieved via an electronic survey based on a structured questionnaire, uploaded on the SIECVI website., Results: Data were obtained from 228 echocardiographic laboratories: 112 centers (49%) in the northern, 43 centers (19%) in the central, and 73 (32%) in the southern regions. During the month of observation, we collected 101,050 transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) examinations performed in all centers. As concern other modalities there were performed 5497 transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examinations in 161/228 centers (71%); 4057 stress echocardiography (SE) examinations in 179/228 centers (79%); and examinations with ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) in 151/228 centers (66%). We did not find significant regional variations between the different modalities. The usage of picture archiving and communication system (PACS) was significantly higher in the northern (84%) versus central (49%) and southern (45%) centers ( P < 0.001). Lung ultrasound (LUS) was performed in 154 centers (66%), without difference between cardiology and noncardiology centers. The evaluation of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction was evaluated mainly using the qualitative method in 223 centers (94%), occasionally with the Simpson method in 193 centers (85%), and with selective use of the three-dimensional (3D) method in only 23 centers (10%). 3D TTE was present in 137 centers (70%), and 3D TEE in all centers where TEE was done (71%). The assessment of LV diastolic function was done routinely in 80% of the centers. Right ventricular function was evaluated using tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in all centers, using tricuspid valve annular systolic velocity by tissue Doppler imaging in 53% of the centers, and using fractional area change in 33% of the centers. When we divided into cardiology (179, 78%) and noncardiology (49, 22%) centers, we found significant differences in the SE (93% vs. 26%, P < 0.001), TEE (85% vs. 18%), UCA (67% vs. 43%, P < 0001), and STE (87% vs. 20%, P < 0.001). The incidence of LUS evaluation was similar between the cardiology and noncardiology centers (69% vs. 61%, P = NS)., Conclusions: This nationwide survey demonstrated that digital infrastructures and advanced echocardiography modalities, such as 3D and STE, are widely available in Italy with a notable diffuse uptake of LUS in the core TTE examination, a suboptimal diffusion of PACS recording, and conservative use of UCA, 3D, and strain. There are significant differences between northern and central-southern regions and echocardiographic laboratories that pertain to the cardiac unit. This inhomogeneous distribution of technology represents one of the main issues that must be solved to standardize the practice of echocardiography., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Cardiovascular Echography.)

Axon degeneration contributes to the disruption of neuronal circuit function in diseased and injured nervous systems. Severed axons degenerate following the activation of an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway, which culminates in the activation of SARM1 in mammals to execute the pathological depletion of the metabolite NAD + . SARM1 NADase activity is activated by the NAD + precursor nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). In mammals, keeping NMN levels low potently preserves axons after injury. However, it remains unclear whether NMN is also a key mediator of axon degeneration and dSarm activation in flies. Here, we demonstrate that lowering NMN levels in Drosophila through the expression of a newly generated prokaryotic NMN-Deamidase (NMN-D) preserves severed axons for months and keeps them circuit-integrated for weeks. NMN-D alters the NAD + metabolic flux by lowering NMN, while NAD + remains unchanged in vivo. Increased NMN synthesis by the expression of mouse nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (mNAMPT) leads to faster axon degeneration after injury. We also show that NMN-induced activation of dSarm mediates axon degeneration in vivo. Finally, NMN-D delays neurodegeneration caused by loss of the sole NMN-consuming and NAD + -synthesizing enzyme dNmnat. Our results reveal a critical role for NMN in neurodegeneration in the fly, which extends beyond axonal injury. The potent neuroprotection by reducing NMN levels is similar to the interference with other essential mediators of axon degeneration in Drosophila ., Competing Interests: AL, MP, JG, MK, GP, MG, LC, NR, CA, GO, PW, MC, AL, LN No competing interests declared, (© 2022, Llobet Rosell et al.)

Previous clinical studies suggest that intravenous (IV) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) benefits stroke patients regardless of the underlying etiology. In this study, we assessed the possible differences in response to IV rt-PA between cardioembolic stroke and other stroke subtypes. A total of 303 consecutive stroke ischemic patients (from January 2005 to April 2014) admitted to our Stroke Unit and treated with IV rt-PA were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were classified in two groups: Cardioembolic (CE) and Non-Cardioembolic (NCE). We analyzed a total of 303 patients. Thirty patients died in the first hours after fibrinolysis and no statistically significant differences were found in two groups (14 CE vs 18 N-CE). We observed a significant differences in clinical outcome in terms of symptoms "improvement" (p< 0.01 .2) and symptoms" regression" (p<0.057 .2) even if this last result did not reach statistical significance in CE patients respect to N-CE patients. In conclusion, the intravenous fibrinolysis is more effective in CE group than in N-CE regarding symptoms "improvement" and the PFO-Stroke patients treated with fibrinolysis have better outcome than other patients and they have high rate of symptoms" regression". Moreover the main predictor of good outcomes were younger age and milder stroke severity on hospital admission.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) highly populate lung tumor masses and are strictly correlated to bad prognosis, yet their role in lung cancer is controversial. To understand their role in lung cancer, we isolated pDCs from human samples of lung obtained from non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Tumor masses presented a higher percentage of pDCs than healthy tissues; pDCs were in the immunosuppressive phenotype, as determined by higher levels of CD33 and PD-L1. Despite higher HLA-A and HLA-D expression, cancerous pDCs did not exert cytotoxic activity against tumor cells but instead promoted their proliferation. In this scenario, cancerous pDCs were able to produce high levels of IL-1α. This effect was observed on the specific activation of the inflammasome absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), which led to higher cytoplasmic calcium release responsible for calpain activation underlying IL-1α release. The blockade of type I interferon receptor and of AIM2 via the addition of LL-37 significantly reduced the release of IL-1α, which was still high after Nod-like receptor P3 inhibition via glibenclamide. More important, mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species sequester diminished AIM2-dependent IL-1α release. Our data demonstrate that lung tumor-associated pDCs are responsive to the activation of AIM2 that promotes calcium efflux and reactive oxygen species from mitochondria, leading to calpain activation and high levels of IL-1α, which facilitate tumor cell proliferation in the lung., (Copyright © 2015 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Despite advances in therapy, conventional therapy is still the main treatment and has a high risk of chemotherapy resistance. Caspase-8 is involved in cell death and is a recognized marker for poor patient prognosis., Experimental Approach: To elucidate the role of caspase-8 in lung carcinoma, we used human samples of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a mouse model of carcinogen-induced lung cancer., Key Results: Healthy and cancerous NSCLC samples had similar levels of the active form of caspase-8. Similarly, lung tumour-bearing mice had high levels of the active form of caspase-8. Pharmacological inhibition of caspase-8 by z-IETD-FMK robustly reduced tumour outgrowth and this was closely associated with a reduction in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-18, IL-1α, IL-33, but not IL-1β. Furthermore, inhibition of caspase-8 reduced the recruitment of innate suppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells, but not of regulatory T cells to lungs of tumour-bearing mice. However, despite the well-known role of caspase-8 in cell death, the apoptotic cascade (caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bcl-2 dependent) was not active in lungs of z-IETD-treated tumour-bearing mice, but instead higher levels of the short segment of c-FLIP (c-FLIPs) were detected. Similarly, human healthy lung samples had higher levels of c-FLIPs than cancerous samples., Conclusions and Implications: Our data suggest that caspase-8 is an important orchestrator of cancer-associated inflammation and the presence of short segment of c-FLIP determines whether caspase-8 induces tumour proliferation or tumour arrest/regression in the lung., (© 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.)