Terrestrial Laser Scanner for Surveying and Monitoring Middle Age Towers

We had the opportunity to make surveying of some middle age towers located in Emilia Romagna region (Italy): Ghirlandina tower (Modena), \u201cDella Sagra\u201d tower (Carpi, Modena) , Asinelli tower (Bologna). Those towers are very interesting by architectural and artistic point of view; Ghirlandina and Asinelli are Cultural Heritage site of UNESCO.Terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) instrument has been used with an accuracy at 1 cm level in order to obtain good restitution in absolute coordinates, even with a precise topographic determination of GCP (Ground Control Points). Tridimensional restitution of the towers is here presented; we would like to point out the attention on the way that we use the TLS for enhancing the geometrical characteristics, particularly the height of the towers and the axis development that were determined through the trajectory of barycenter of transversal sections.The determination of actual geometry is essential for the study of the buildings and it is a first fundamental step for monitoring the towers

Laparoscopic conservative treatment of colo-vesical fistulas following trauma and diverticulitis: report of two different cases

Abstrac

Laparoscopic conservative treatment of colo-vesical fistula: a new surgical approach

Introduction The standard treatment of colo-vesical fistula is the exeresis of fistula, suture of bladder wall, colic resection with or without temporary colostomy. Usually the approach is open because conversion rates and morbidity are lower than laparoscopy. The aim of video is to show the steps of a new mini-invasive approach of colo-vesical fistula without colic resection. Materials and Methods A 69 years old male underwent laparoscopic conservative treatment of colo-vesical fistula due to endoscopic polipectomy in sigmoid diverticulum. 12 mm trocar for the camera was placed at the umbilicus, two 10 mm trocars were placed along bisiliac line and 5 mm port was placed along left emiclavear line; Trendelenburg position was 20°. The fistulous loop was carefully isolated, clipped with Hem-o-lock® clips and removed. Since diverticular disease appeared slight and no inflammation signs were evident, colon resection was not performed. We sutured and sinked the sigmoid wall; after curettage of the fistula site, the bladder wall was sutured. Fat tissue was placed between sigmoid and bladder wall to reduce the risk of fistula recurrence. Results Operative time, estimated blood loss, catheterization time, time to flatus and hospital stay were respectively 210 minutes, 300 mL, 10 days, 48 h and 8 days. The histological examination showed colonic inflammatory and necrotic tissue. No complications or fistula recurrence occurred at 54 months follow-up. Conclusions The laparoscopic conservative treatment of colo-vesical fistula is a safe and feasible technique, in particular when the diverticular disease is limited and the fistula is not due to diverticulitis

Action Observation Therapy for Arm Recovery after Stroke: A Preliminary Investigation on a Novel Protocol with EEG Monitoring

This preliminary study introduces a novel action observation therapy (AOT) protocol associated with electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring to be used in the future as a rehabilitation strategy for the upper limb in patients with subacute stroke. To provide initial evidence on the usefulness of this method, we compared the outcome of 11 patients who received daily AOT for three weeks with that of patients who undertook two other approaches recently investigated by our group, namely intensive conventional therapy (ICT), and robot-assisted therapy combined with functional electrical stimulation (RAT-FES). The three rehabilitative interventions showed similar arm motor recovery as indexed by Fugl-Meyer’s assessment of the upper extremity (FMA_UE) and box and block test (BBT). The improvement in the FMA_UE was yet more favourable in patients with mild/moderate motor impairments who received AOT, in contrast with patients carrying similar disabilities who received the other two treatments. This suggests that AOT might be more effective in this subgroup of patients, perhaps because the integrity of their mirror neurons system (MNS) was more preserved, as indexed by EEG recording from central electrodes during action observation. In conclusion, AOT may reveal an effective rehabilitative tool in patients with subacute stroke; the EEG evaluation of MNS integrity may help to select patients who could maximally benefit from this intervention

Intravenous methylprednisolone pulses in hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Rationale: Pulse glucocorticoid therapy is used in hyperinflammation related to coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of pulse intravenous methylprednisolone in addition to standard treatment in COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: In this multicenter, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 304 hospitalised patients with Covid-19 pneumonia were randomised to receive 1 g of methylprednisolone intravenously for 3 consecutive days or placebo in addition to standard dexamethasone. The primary outcome was the duration of the patient hospitalisation, calculated as the time interval between randomisation and hospital discharge without the need of supplementary oxygen. The key secondary outcomes were survival free from invasive ventilation with orotracheal intubation and overall survival. Results: Overall, 112 of 151 (75.4%) patients in the pulse methylprednisolone arm and 111 of 150 (75.2%) in the placebo arm were discharged from hospital without oxygen within 30 days from randomisation. Median time to discharge was similar in both groups [15 days (95% confidence interval (CI), 13.0 to 17.0) and 16 days (95%CI, 13.8 to 18.2); hazard ratio (HR), 0.92; 95% CI 0.71-1.20; p=0.528]. No significant differences between pulse methylprednisolone and placebo arms were observed in terms of admission to Intensive Care Unit with orotracheal intubation or death (20.0% versus 16.1%; HR, 1.26; 95%CI, 0.74-2.16; p=0.176), or overall mortality (10.0% versus 12.2%; HR, 0.83; 95%CI, 0.42-1.64; p=0.584). Serious adverse events occurred with similar frequency in the two groups. Conclusions: Methylprenisolone pulse therapy added to dexamethasone was not of benefit in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Message of the study: Pulse glucocorticoid therapy is used for severe and/or life threatening immuno-inflammatory diseases. The addition of pulse glucocorticoid therapy to the standard low dose of dexamethasone scheme was not of benefit in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

Appendectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: a multicenter ambispective cohort study by the Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery and new technologies (the CRAC study)

Major surgical societies advised using non-operative management of appendicitis and suggested against laparoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hypothesis is that a significant reduction in the number of emergent appendectomies was observed during the pandemic, restricted to complex cases. The study aimed to analyse emergent surgical appendectomies during pandemic on a national basis and compare it to the same period of the previous year. This is a multicentre, retrospective, observational study investigating the outcomes of patients undergoing emergent appendectomy in March-April 2019 vs March-April 2020. The primary outcome was the number of appendectomies performed, classified according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) score. Secondary outcomes were the type of surgical technique employed (laparoscopic vs open) and the complication rates. One thousand five hundred forty one patients with acute appendicitis underwent surgery during the two study periods. 1337 (86.8%) patients met the inclusion criteria: 546 (40.8%) patients underwent surgery for acute appendicitis in 2020 and 791 (59.2%) in 2019. According to AAST, patients with complicated appendicitis operated in 2019 were 30.3% vs 39.9% in 2020 (p = 0.001). We observed an increase in the number of post-operative complications in 2020 (15.9%) compared to 2019 (9.6%) (p < 0.001). The following determinants increased the likelihood of complication occurrence: undergoing surgery during 2020 (+ 67%), the increase of a unit in the AAST score (+ 26%), surgery performed > 24 h after admission (+ 58%), open surgery (+ 112%) and conversion to open surgery (+ 166%). In Italian hospitals, in March and April 2020, the number of appendectomies has drastically dropped. During the first pandemic wave, patients undergoing surgery were more frequently affected by more severe appendicitis than the previous year's timeframe and experienced a higher number of complications. Trial registration number and date: Research Registry ID 5789, May 7th, 202

Colorectal Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Before vs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

IMPORTANCE Delays in screening programs and the reluctance of patients to seek medical attention because of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 could be associated with the risk of more advanced colorectal cancers at diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was associated with more advanced oncologic stage and change in clinical presentation for patients with colorectal cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included all 17 938 adult patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (pandemic period), and from January 1, 2018, to February 29, 2020 (prepandemic period), in 81 participating centers in Italy, including tertiary centers and community hospitals. Follow-up was 30 days from surgery. EXPOSURES Any type of surgical procedure for colorectal cancer, including explorative surgery, palliative procedures, and atypical or segmental resections. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was advanced stage of colorectal cancer at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were distant metastasis, T4 stage, aggressive biology (defined as cancer with at least 1 of the following characteristics: signet ring cells, mucinous tumor, budding, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymphangitis), stenotic lesion, emergency surgery, and palliative surgery. The independent association between the pandemic period and the outcomes was assessed using multivariate random-effects logistic regression, with hospital as the cluster variable. RESULTS A total of 17 938 patients (10 007 men [55.8%]; mean [SD] age, 70.6 [12.2] years) underwent surgery for colorectal cancer: 7796 (43.5%) during the pandemic period and 10 142 (56.5%) during the prepandemic period. Logistic regression indicated that the pandemic period was significantly associated with an increased rate of advanced-stage colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95%CI, 1.01-1.13; P = .03), aggressive biology (OR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.15-1.53; P < .001), and stenotic lesions (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.01-1.31; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cohort study suggests a significant association between the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the risk of a more advanced oncologic stage at diagnosis among patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer and might indicate a potential reduction of survival for these patients

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Computational study of the light-harvesting complex CP29 and its mutant CP29-H111N

The aim of the present work is to analyse the structure and the response to light of the pigment - protein complex CP29, a light harvesting (LH) component located in the the inner layer of photosystem II (PSII) super-complex of higher plants. It is well known that the structural and functional state of CP29 (like other LH complexes) depends on the light conditions, reflecting the need to rapidly adapt to changeable light exposure. In fact, in excess light conditions, which could damage the PSII components, a set of photoprotective mechanisms are activated, in order to dissipate most of the energy absorbed by the embedded chlorophyll pigments as heat. These dissipative processes are referred to as non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and require a change in the interactions among the chlorophylls and the ancillary pigments, different types of carotenoids. Our project built upon the recent work of Guardini et al. (Nature Plants, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-020-0612-8 ): the authors generated several CP29 mutants, and measured their spectroscopic and quenching properties. Our purpose is to perform a computational analysis based on Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of CP29-WT and one of the above mentioned mutants, CP29-H111N, in order to identify differences in their structures and hopefully to connect them with the differences experimentally observed in the quenching behaviour of the two complexes

Laparoscopic conservative treatment of colo-vesical fistula: a new surgical approach

Introduction The standard treatment of colo-vesical fistula is the exeresis of fistula, suture of bladder wall, colic resection with or without temporary colostomy. Usually the approach is open because conversion rates and morbidity are lower than laparoscopy. The aim of video is to show the steps of a new mini-invasive approach of colo-vesical fistula without colic resection. Materials and Methods A 69 years old male underwent laparoscopic conservative treatment of colo-vesical fistula due to endoscopic polipectomy in sigmoid diverticulum. 12 mm trocar for the camera was placed at the umbilicus, two 10 mm trocars were placed along bisiliac line and 5 mm port was placed along left emiclavear line; Trendelenburg position was 20°. The fistulous loop was carefully isolated, clipped with Hem-o-lock® clips and removed. Since diverticular disease appeared slight and no inflammation signs were evident, colon resection was not performed. We sutured and sinked the sigmoid wall; after curettage of the fistula site, the bladder wall was sutured. Fat tissue was placed between sigmoid and bladder wall to reduce the risk of fistula recurrence. Results Operative time, estimated blood loss, catheterization time, time to flatus and hospital stay were respectively 210 minutes, 300 mL, 10 days, 48 h and 8 days. The histological examination showed colonic inflammatory and necrotic tissue. No complications or fistula recurrence occurred at 54 months follow-up. Conclusions The laparoscopic conservative treatment of colo-vesical fistula is a safe and feasible technique, in particular when the diverticular disease is limited and the fistula is not due to diverticulitis