Ricerc@Sapienza

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of sequential dual-phase CBCT (DP-CBCT) imaging performed during degradable starch microsphere TACE (DSM-TACE) session in predicting the HCC’s response to treatment, evaluate with modify response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (mRECIST) at 1-month multi-detector CT (MDCT) follow-up. Materials and methods: Between January and May 2018, 24 patients (68.5 ± 8.5 year [45–85]) with HCC lesions (n = 96 [average 4/patient]) were prospectively enrolled.

Brain abscess is uncommon in paediatric population, but of clinical importance because of significant long-term morbidity and mortality. In this multicentre study, promoted by the Italian Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases, we retrospectively collected patients aged 0-18 years, with a diagnosis of 'brain abscess'. Seventy-nine children were included; the median age was 8.75 years. As predisposing factor, 44 children had preceding infections. The Gram-positive cocci were mostly isolated (27 cases). Sixty (76%)children underwent a surgical intervention.

Background and aim: Acute severe colitis (ASC) is one of the few emergencies in pediatric gastroenterology. Tight monitoring and timely medical and surgical interventions may improve outcomes and minimize morbidity and mortality. We aimed to standardize daily treatment of ASC in children through detailed recommendations and practice points which are based on a systematic review of the literature and consensus of experts.

ABACKGROUND: Alterations in the microbiome have been postulated to drive inflammation in IBD. In this pilot randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the effectiveness of quadruple antibiotic cocktail in addition to intravenous-corticosteroids (IVCSs) in acute severe colitis (ASC). METHODS: Hospitalized children with ASC (pediatric ulcerative colitis activity index [PUCAI] ≥65) were randomized into 2 arms: the first received antibiotics in addition to IVCS (amoxicillin, vancomycin, metronidazole, doxycycline/ciprofloxacin [IVCS+AB]), whereas the other received only IVCS for 14 days.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells is often associated with overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, including P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ABCB1), multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2). Modulators of these transporters might be helpful in overcoming MDR. Moreover, exploiting collateral sensitivity (CS) could be another approach for efficient treatment of cancer.

Pesticides can help reduce yield losses caused by pests, pathogens, and weeds, but their overuse causes serious environmental pollution. They are persistent in the environment and are biomagnified through the food chain, becoming a serious health hazard for humankind. Bioremediation, where microbes are used to degrade pesticides in situ, is a useful technology. This review summarizes data on the fungi involved in the biodegradation of chemical pesticides and their application in soil and water bioremediation. Indications for future studies in this field are given.

Glioma is a CNS tumor with few therapeutic options. Recently, host microbiota has been involved in the immune modulation of different tumors, but no data are available on the possible effects of the gut-immune axis on brain tumors. Here we investigated the effect of gut microbiota alteration in a syngeneic (GL261) mouse model of glioma, treating mice with two antibiotics (ABX) and evaluating the effects on tumor growth, microbe composition, natural killer (NK) cells and microglia phenotype.