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Biodiversity and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are considerably impacted by invasive alien plants (IAPs). Increasing plant invasions in SSA threaten agricultural productivity, biodiversity conservation, and other socioeconomic activities, which in turn put the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in peril. In order to effectively combat IAPs, understanding their functional traits (morphological, physiological, and phenological traits) and integrating them into remote sensing (RS) is vital. While functional traits influence IAPs’ fitness to invade and establish in a new geographical range, RS aids in studying them remotely, delineating and mapping them, and predicting their potential invasions. The information on this study topic was gathered by reviewing various existing studies published between 2000 and 2024. Based on this review, it was deduced that the majority of IAPs are fast-growing (or acquisitive), with a shorter leaf lifespan, bigger leaves, and higher plant height, ultimately resulting in a higher resource acquisition ability. We established further that in SSA, there are limited studies on IAP functional traits and their integration in RS. Many studies conducted in the region focus mostly on IAP distribution. Evidence from prior studies revealed that functional trait remote sensing (FTRS)-based research not only improves detection and mapping but also predicts whether a certain alien plant can become invasive or expand its distribution range. Thus, using the FTRS approach could help IAP management in SSA, ultimately achieving the SDGs. Our review discusses IAP implications in SSA (e.g., Angola, Tanzania, Benin, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, etc.) and for the achievement of SDGs; functional traits and their impact on alien invasions; and the importance of incorporating functional traits into RS.

Background The optimal treatment for acute minor ischemic stroke is still undefined. and options include dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT), intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), or their combination. We aimed to investigate benefits and risks of combining IVT and DAPT versus DAPT alone in patients with MIS. Methods and Results This is a prespecified propensity score‐matched analysis from a prospective multicentric real‐world study (READAPT [Real‐Life Study on Short‐Term Dual Antiplatelet Treatment in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack]). We included patients with MIS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at admission ≤5), without prestroke disability (modified Rankin scale [mRS] score ≤2). The primary outcomes were 90‐day mRS score of 0 to 2 and ordinal mRS distribution. The secondary outcomes included 90‐day risk of stroke and other vascular events and 24‐hour early neurological improvement or deterioration (≥2‐point National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score decrease or increase from the baseline, respectively). From 1373 patients with MIS, 240 patients treated with IVT plus DAPT were matched with 427 patients treated with DAPT alone. At 90 days, IVT plus DAPT versus DAPT alone showed similar frequency of mRS 0 to 2 (risk difference, 2.3% [95% CI −2.0% to 6.7%]; P=0.295; risk ratio, 1.03 [95% CI 0.98–1.08]; P=0.312) but more favorable ordinal mRS scores distribution (odds ratio, 0.57 [95% CI 0.41–0.79]; P

OBJECTIVE Our study aims to extend the previous research and compare two diagnostic methods performed on the ulnar nerve to validate the use of the ulnar goniometer in electromyographic diagnostic practice. Comparing the electroneurographic method, obtained through conduction velocity (CV) studies with ultrasound of the ulnar nerve in the area above the elbow and at the wrist, we aim to quantify the reliability of the ulnar goniometer compared to the diagnostic method ultrasound of the nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS The operator examined with the use of the Ulnar Goniometer, detecting the wrist-below-elbow motor conduction speed and the above-elbow speed (AE), below-elbow speed (BE) and subsequently performed an ultrasound examination of the ulnar nerve in the forearm and elbow. We calculated the degree of homogeneity between measurements. RESULTS Evaluating 30 participants of both genders with typical paresthetic symptoms of ulnar nerve compression at the elbow, 100% of the measurements show that a decrease in Motor Conduction Velocity (MCV) below 50 m/s is associated with an increase in Cross-Sectional Area (CSA). Additionally, in 89% of cases, a reduction in MCV wBE and BEAE by more than 10 m/s is correlated with an increase in CSA. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The measurement of the angle below the elbow (BE) and above the elbow (AE) using the Ulnar Goniometer provides us with a slowed Motor Conduction Velocity (MCV) that is by ultrasound data showing an increase in the Cross-Sectional Area (CSA) of the ulnar nerve in that segment, as observed in Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

Obbiettivo Il nostro studio mira a estendere la ricerca precedente e confrontare due metodi diagnostici eseguiti sul nervo ulnare per convalidare l'uso del goniometro ulnare nella pratica elettromiografica come strumento ausiliario diagnostico. Confrontando il metodo elettro-neurografico, ottenuto attraverso studi sulla velocità di conduzione (VC), con l'ecografia del nervo ulnare al canale cubitale e in corrispondenza del terzo medio dell’avambraccio, miriamo a quantificare l'affidabilità del goniometro ulnare rispetto al metodo diagnostico dell'ecografia del nervo. Materiali E Metodi l'operatore ha eseguito l'esame con l'uso del Goniometro Ulnare, rilevando la velocità di conduzione motoria dal polso al gomito e la velocità sopra il gomito (AE), sotto il gomito (BE) e successivamente ha eseguito l'ecografia del nervo ulnare nell'avambraccio e nel gomito. Abbiamo calcolato il grado di omogeneità tra le misurazioni. Risultati Valutando 30 partecipanti di entrambi i sessi con sintomi parestesici tipici di compressione del nervo ulnare al gomito, Il 100% delle misurazioni mostra che una diminuzione di MCV al di sotto di 50 m/s è associata a un aumento di CSA. Inoltre, nell'89% dei casi, una riduzione di MCV wBE e BEAE di più di 10 m/s è correlata a un aumento di CSA. Discussione e Conclusioni La misurazione dell'angolo sotto il gomito (BE) e sopra il gomito (AE) utilizzando il Goniometro Ulnare ci fornisce una Velocità di Conduzione Motoria (MCV) rallentata che è in accordo con i dati ecografici che mostrano un aumento della cosiddetta Cross Sectional Area (CSA) ossia la sezione trasversale misurata in mm2 del nervo ulnare in quel segmento, come accade nella Sindrome del Tunnel Cubitale (CTS).

Abstract Background About 15%–20% of breast cancer (BC) cases is classified as Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor type 2 (HER2) positive. The Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was initially introduced for locally advanced and inflammatory BC patients to allow a less extensive surgical resection, whereas now it represents the current standard for early‐stage and operable BC. However, only 20%–40% of patients achieve pathologic complete response (pCR). According to the results of practice‐changing clinical trials, the addition of trastuzumab to NAC brings improvements to pCR, and recently, the use of pertuzumab plus trastuzumab has registered further statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in terms of pCR. The goal of our work is to propose a machine learning model to predict the pCR to NAC in HER2‐positive patients based on a subset of clinical features. Method First, we evaluated the significant association of clinical features with pCR on the retrospectively collected data referred to 67 patients afferent to Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II.” Then, we performed a feature selection procedure to identify a subset of features to be used for training a machine learning‐based classification algorithm. As a result, pCR to NAC was associated with ER status, Pgr status, and HER2 score. Results The machine learning model trained on a subgroup of essential features reached an AUC of 73.27% (72.44%–73.66%) and an accuracy of 71.67% (71.64%–73.13%). According to our results, the clinical features alone are not enough to define a support system useful for clinical pathway. Conclusion Our results seem worthy of further investigation in large validation studies and this work could be the basis of future study that will also involve radiomics analysis of biomedical images.

Inertial focusing-based Lab-on-Chip systems represent a promising technology for cell sorting in various applications, thanks to their alignment with the ASSURED criteria recommended by the World Health Organization: Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and Robust, Equipment-free, and Delivered. Inertial focusing techniques using spiral microchannels offer a rapid, portable, and easy-to-prototype solution for cell sorting. Various microfluidic devices have been investigated in the literature to understand how hydrodynamic forces influence particle focusing in spiral microchannels. This is crucial for the effective prototyping of devices that allow for high-throughput and efficient filtration of particles of different sizes. However, a clear, comprehensive, and organized overview of current research in this area is lacking. This review aims to fill this gap by offering a thorough summary of the existing literature, thereby guiding future experimentation and facilitating the selection of spiral geometries and materials for cell sorting in microchannels. To this end, we begin with a detailed theoretical introduction to the physical mechanisms underlying particle separation in spiral microfluidic channels. We also dedicate a section to the materials and prototyping techniques most commonly used for spiral microchannels, highlighting and discussing their respective advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, we provide a critical examination of the key details of inertial focusing across various cross-sections (rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, hybrid) in spiral devices as reported in the literature.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), granting patients a life expectancy close to that of the normal population and, in a subset of patients, the possibility to discontinue therapy. Nonetheless, for a not negligible minority of patients, TKIs are not able to control CML. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has long been a pivotal therapy for CML. At present, allogeneic HCT is considered an option in CML patients diagnosed or progressing to blast phase (BP), for those in chronic phase (CP) resistant to multiple lines of TKI therapy or for those experiencing severe toxicity, mostly hematologic, under TKIs. Moving from real-world cases, we reviewed the results of allogeneic HCT in the setting of advanced-phase CML or failure of TKIs, with a focus on the progresses in transplant technology that has extended transplant options in elderly CML patients and in those lacking a sibling donor, and on the post-HCT strategies for prevention and treatment of disease relapse.

This article presents a case study featuring a novel modification of the A-T flap, termed the "Sorting Hat" flap, employed in dermatologic surgery for facial reconstruction. In the treatment of an 89-year-old male's squamous cell carcinoma lesion on the forehead, the "Sorting Hat" flap, introduced as an innovative alternative, eliminates the need for Burrow triangles and relies on flap shape for inconspicuous scarring and favorable cosmetic outcomes.

Abstract For endocrine-positive Her2 negative breast cancer patients at an early stage, the benefit of adding chemotherapy to adjuvant endocrine therapy is not still confirmed. Several genomic tests are available on the market but are very expensive. Therefore, there is the urgent need to explore novel reliable and less expensive prognostic tools in this setting. In this paper, we shown a machine learning survival model to estimate Invasive Disease-Free Events trained on clinical and histological data commonly collected in clinical practice. We collected clinical and cytohistological outcomes of 145 patients referred to Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”. Three machine learning survival models are compared with the Cox proportional hazards regression according to time-dependent performance metrics evaluated in cross-validation. The c-index at 10 years obtained by random survival forest, gradient boosting, and component-wise gradient boosting is stabled with or without feature selection at approximately 0.68 in average respect to 0.57 obtained to Cox model. Moreover, machine learning survival models have accurately discriminated low- and high-risk patients, and so a large group which can be spared additional chemotherapy to hormone therapy. The preliminary results obtained by including only clinical determinants are encouraging. The integrated use of data already collected in clinical practice for routine diagnostic investigations, if properly analyzed, can reduce time and costs of the genomic tests.

The nose is a vital organ and an important aesthetic unit, being placed in the middle of the face. It is also one of the most frequently site involved by skin cancer, and surgical reconstruction can be sometimes challenging. We present two cases of full thickness nasal ala defect, managed with turnover flap with and without earlobe cartilage graft.

The plant species Erechtites hieraciifolius (Asteraceae) is here reported for the first time in Italy as a naturalized neophyte in the Classical Karst. The species was observed in 2023 in post-fire forest areas burnt by wildfires in the summer 2022. The features of findings suggest for a naturalization of the species with putative invasive character. This novel occurrence highlights the need for additional research to better understand its colonization and expansion, suggesting the need of early eradication actions.

This project aims to produce a microfluidic device capable of separating 6 μm and 20 μm diameters particles by inertial sorting. This Lab-on-Chip (LoC) was designed with a trapezoidal cross-section for better fluid control and effective particle manipulation at the microscopic level, as demonstrated by COMSOL simulations. The device was manufactured on a substrate of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) by femtosecond laser technology and then assembled using an innovative geometry-preserving Isopropyl alcohol-based procedure. The LoC was test with spherical plastic microparticles of two diameters (6 μm and 20 μm) suspended in distilled water. The separation efficiencies were (98.2 ± 1.6) % for 20 μm diameter particles and (70.0 ± 1.8) % for 6 μm diameter particles in good agreement with the simulation results. Finally, after a microfluidic channels’ acetone vapors treatment, the device demonstrated a good ability to separate biological particles (Red Blood Cells) at different concentrations (20%, 30%, 40%, 50%) in a PBS buffer.

Background Acute stroke patients with comorbid cancer (CC) are more preferably addressed with endovascular treatment (EVT) than thrombolytic therapy, due to the presumed potential risk of hemorrhagic transformation and systemic bleeding. This study aims to evaluate clinical and procedural outcomes of acute stroke patients with CC receiving EVT. Methods Using the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke, we reviewed prospectively collected data of CC patients treated with EVT from 2011 to 2017. Outcome measures were modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rate, and 3‐month modified Rankin scale. We also compared CC patients with a control group without cancer (non‐comorbid cancer) receiving EVT and matched the 2 populations with a 1:1 propensity score. Results Out of 4598 stroke patients treated with EVT, 165 (3.6%) had a CC. Modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2b‐3 was obtained in 73.8% of CC and 74.5% of non‐comorbid cancer patients (P=0.84), whereas the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rate was 8.2% and 6.9%, respectively. Three‐month all‐cause mortality was 33.3% in CC patients and 18.6% non‐comorbid cancer patients (P

Abstract Background and aims In order to systematically review the latest evidence on anesthesia, intraoperative neurologic monitoring, postoperative heparin reversal, and postoperative blood pressure management for carotid endarterectomy. The present review is based on a single chapter of the Italian Health Institute Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of extracranial carotid stenosis and stroke prevention. Methods and results A systematic article review focused on the previously cited topics published between January 2016 and October 2020 has been performed; we looked for both primary and secondary studies in the extensive archive of Medline/PubMed and Cochrane library databases. We selected 14 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, 13 randomized controlled trials, 8 observational studies, and 1 narrative review. Based on this analysis, syntheses of the available evidence were shared and recommendations were indicated complying with the GRADE-SIGN version methodology. Conclusions From this up-to-date analysis, it has emerged that any type of anesthesia and neurological monitoring method is related to a better outcome after carotid endarterectomy. In addition, insufficient evidence was found to justify reversal or no-reversal of heparin at the end of surgery. Furthermore, despite a low evidence level, a suggestion for blood pressure monitoring in the postoperative period was formulated.