Colonic Cell Proliferation in Normal Mucosa of Patients with Colon Cancer

Cell kinetics parameters have been analysed in colonic mucosa at different distances from a tumour in patients with colon carcinoma. Total cell number (TCN), H thymidine labelling index (TLI), mitotic index (MI), Goblet cell index (GCI) and the distribution of labelled cells along the crypt column (cell position frequency plot) were determined in well-aligned crypts. Total cell number, GCI and the labelled cell position frequency plots were similar in different samples from the same individual. A negative linear correlation between TCN and TLI was observed. The analysis of the cell position plots showed two patterns 1) with a high concentration in the bottom fifth of the crypt and 2) with frequent labelled cells at high positions. Whereas a negative correlation between overall TLI and the percent contribution to the TLI of the lowermost fifth was seen, the correlation was positive for the next 3 fifths and labelling was absent in the last part of the crypt.     

Critical appraisal of a non-coplanar technique for radiotherapy of breast minimising lung involvement.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To appraise the potential benefit of a conformal technique with non-coplanar fields to minimise lung irradiation in the radiation treatment of breast. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A comparative study was carried out at planning level for six patients selected for their inadequate sparing of healthy lung tissue with the reference tangential technique. Plans were designed for the conventional tangential technique, for an alternative conformal approach with three beams and for the newly proposed technique with two non-coplanar beams. RESULTS: In average for the new technique compared to the reference, mean lung dose dropped from approximately 16 to 10.5 Gy, V(20 Gy) from 29.5 to 18.2% and the dose delivered to 1/3 (1/4) of the lung volume dropped from 28.5% (67.3%) to 8.7% (13.4%). For PTV, the volume receiving at least 90% of the prescribed dose resulted 97.4% for the new and 97.3% for the reference. Conformity index improved significantly from 2.58 for the reference to 1.84 for the new technique. CONCLUSIONS: For a subgroup population of breast cancer patients, where conventional techniques failed to achieve high conformal avoidance, a treatment modality with non-coplanar beams was developed and clinically tested for six patients. It resulted dosimetrically adequate, particularly when the risk of toxicity is relevant.     

Multiscale Femoral Neck Imaging and Multimodal Trabeculae Quality Characterization in an Osteoporotic Bone Sample

Although multiple structural, mechanical, and molecular factors are definitely involved in osteoporosis, the assessment of subregional bone mineral density remains the most commonly used diagnostic index. In this study, we characterized bone quality in the femoral neck of one osteoporotic patients as compared to an age-matched control subject, and so used a multiscale and multimodal approach including X-ray computed microtomography at different spatial resolutions (pixel size: 51.0, 4.95 and 0.9 µm), microindentation and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Our results showed abnormalities in the osteocytes lacunae volume (358.08 ± 165.00 for the osteoporotic sample vs. 287.10 ± 160.00 for the control), whereas a statistical difference was found neither for shape nor for density. The osteoporotic femoral head and great trochanter reported reduced elastic modulus (Es) and hardness (H) compared to the control reference (−48% (p < 0.0001) and −34% (p < 0.0001), respectively for Es and H in the femoral head and −29% (p < 0.01) and −22% (p < 0.05), respectively for Es and H in the great trochanter), whereas the corresponding values in the femoral neck were in the same range. The spectral analysis could distinguish neither subregional differences in the osteoporotic sample nor between the osteoporotic and healthy samples. Although, infrared spectroscopic measurements were comparable among subregions, and so regardless of the bone osteoporotic status, the trabecular mechanical properties were comparable only in the femoral neck. These results illustrate that bone remodeling in osteoporosis is a non-uniform process with different rates in different bone anatomical regions, hence showing the interest of a clear analysis of the bone microarchitecture in the case of patients’ osteoporotic evaluation.     

Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels Kv1.3

Smell strongly contributes to food choice and its hedonistic evaluation. A reduction or loss of smell has been related to malnutrition problems, resulting in excessive weight loss or gain. Voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3 are widely expressed in the olfactory bulb, and contribute mainly to the value of the resting membrane potential and to the frequency of action potentials. Mutations in the Kv1.3 gene are associated with alterations in glycemic homeostasis and olfactory sensitivity. We evaluated the olfactory performance in 102 healthy subjects and its association with BMI and polymorphism in the human Kv1.3 gene. Olfactory performance, based on the olfactory threshold, discrimination and identification scores and their summed score (TDI), was measured using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test. Subjects were genotyped for the rs2821557 polymorphism of the Kv1.3 gene, whose major allele T was associated with a super-smeller phenotype, lower plasma glucose levels and resistance to diet-induced obesity as compared with the minor allele C. Based on the Kv1.3 genotype, the TDI and I olfactory scores obtained by the subjects were the following: TT > TC > CC. Subjects who were TT homozygous or heterozygous exhibited lower BMIs and reached higher olfactory scores than those with the CC genotype. The results were sex-dependent: heterozygous females performed better than heterozygous males. These findings show an inverse relationship between olfactory function and BMI, and a significant effect of the Kv1.3 genotypes on the olfactory functions and on the BMIs of the subjects. Finally, they suggest that the sex-related differences in the olfactory function can be partially ascribed to the Kv1.3 gene’s polymorphism.     

Prospective Study Investigating the Efficacy and Safety of a Scalp Cooling Device for the Prevention of Alopecia in Women Undergoing (Neo)Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

The prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia still represents an urgent need for every day clinical practice. In this regard, this prospective single-center study included breast cancer (BC) patients who underwent a scalp cooling device (Dignicap^®) during (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy with the aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this device in preventing alopecia. One hundred and seventy-eight patients (median age 43 years) were enrolled. The chemotherapy regimen included anthracycline and taxane-based chemotherapy (68.1%), docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (25.8%), anthracycline and taxane-based plus carboplatin (3.9%), and paclitaxel alone (2.2%). In 25.3% of cases, a dose dense schedule was used. Overall, the success rate was 68.0%: 100% in paclitaxel alone, 87.0% in docetaxel-cyclophosphamide, 59.5% in anthracycline and taxane, and 71.4% in the sequential regimen plus carboplatin group (anthracycline and taxane-based chemotherapy versus taxane-based chemotherapy, p ≤ 001. No difference in terms of hair preservation between dose-dense or standard schedule was found (p = 0.557). Early discontinuation of the scalp cooling was observed in 50 patients (28.1%). Although 138 patients (77.5%) experienced adverse events, 70.2% of patients were satisfied with this device. In conclusion, this large prospective study confirmed the helpful effect of the scalp cooling system in preventing alopecia in BC patients also undergoing sequential anthracyclines and taxane-based chemotherapy.     

Hemispheric functional segregation facilitates target detection during sustained visuospatial attention

Visuospatial attention is strongly lateralized, with the right hemisphere commonly exhibiting stronger activation and connectivity patterns than the left hemisphere during attentive processes. However, whether such asymmetry influences inter‐hemispheric information transfer and behavioral performance is not known. Here we used a region of interest (ROI) and network‐based approach to determine steady‐state fMRI functional connectivity (FC) in the whole cerebral cortex during a leftward/rightward covert visuospatial attention task. We found that the global FC topology between either ROIs or networks was independent on the attended side. The side of attention significantly modulated FC strength between brain networks, with leftward attention primarily involving the connections of the right visual network with dorsal and ventral attention networks in both the left and right hemisphere. High hemispheric functional segregation significantly correlated with faster target detection response times (i.e., better performance). Our findings suggest that the dominance of the right hemisphere in visuospatial attention is associated with an hemispheric functional segregation that is beneficial for behavioral performance.     

Effectiveness of prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission among unvaccinated Italian healthcare workers

Background:We aimed to investigate the association between personal protective equipment (PPE) use and SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers (HCWs).Methods:We analyzed occupational surveillance contact forms followed by a PCR test notified between March and September 2020 by Italian HCWs. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for positive PCR based on HCWs and contacts characteristics were calculated through multivariable logistic regression models. When multiple contacts were potentially effective for a PCR test, they were weighted by the inverse of their number.Results:Overall, 4,883 contacts reported by 2,952 HCWs were analyzed, and 224 contacts among 144 HCWs had positive PCR. No difference was found according to sex, age, employment, or job title, except for an OR of 0.30 (95%CI 0.11-0.78) for resident physicians, compared to administrative staff. The ORs for use of surgical mask were 0.59 (95%CI=0.40-0.86) for use only by HCW, 0.49 (95%CI=0.22-1.07) only by the infected person, and 0.40 (95%CI=0.27-0.60) by both, compared to use by neither. Use of other PPEs was not associated with infection, while the OR for hand sanitation was 0.61 (95%CI=0.40-0.93). HCWs reporting fever, cough, and asthenia had a higher risk of infection.Conclusions:Use of surgical masks was associated with a 40-60% lower risk of infection, especially when both HCWs and infected individuals used them. Our results quantify the role played by mask use and hand sanitation in preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in high-risk circumstances.     

Sexual Assistance in Italy: An Explorative Study on the Opinions of People with Disabilities and Would-Be Assistants

Providing assistance services for sexual activity is becoming of increasing importance to the community of people with disabilities and to mental health professionals. Nevertheless, the literature on this topic is sparse. The aim of this study is to explore potential clients’ and assistants’ views, needs, experiences, opinions, and concerns about sexual assistance (SA) in Italy. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 people with a congenital physical disability and 10 would-be assistants. A Grounded Theory approach was used to analyze data. Participants with disabilities considered SA useful. Despite most of them having unfulfilled sexual needs, they would prefer to have their sexual needs met within a romantic relationship. Would-be assistants constructed themselves as people who have a “natural aptitude to being useful”. Results suggest that SA services might represent an opportunity for people with disabilities to discover new ways to satisfy their personal needs and to live more autonomously while, at the same time, allowing would-be sexual assistants to fulfill their desire to be helpful. Nevertheless, the use of SA is likely to only be a part of the answer to fulfilling the sexual needs of people with disabilities.