Combined hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation for multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report

Introduction: At the present time, the best possible choice for the local management of a multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developing on liver cirrhosis is multimodal treatment of the disease. Combined approach based on simultaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) together with limited surgical resection represents a valid choice of treatment. Case presentation: A 75-year-old white female patient affected of HCV-associated cirrhosis in BChild-Pugh\u2019s functional class A5, developed a bifocal HCC. The patient had undergone a limited surgical resection together with simultaneous RFA, without intraoperative and postoperative surgical complications. At 36 months after surgery, still shows no sign of disease relapse. Conclusion: This strategy directed at the management of multifocal HCC, may prove more useful for the reduction of surgical risk and post-operative progression of the liver cirrhosis than large-scale hepatectomy, since it presents no peri-operative mortality and a complication rate of less than 10%

A comparison between 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging and biological and radiological findings in restaging of hepatoblastoma patients

Background. In this study we retrospectively evaluated if 18F-FDG-PET/CT provided incremental diagnostic information over CI in a group of hepatoblastoma patients performing restaging. Procedure. Nine patients (mean age: 5.9 years; range: 3.1–12 years) surgically treated for hepatoblastoma were followed up by clinical examination, serum α-FP monitoring, and US. CI (CT or MRI) and PET/CT were performed in case of suspicion of relapse. Fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) were carried out for final confirmation if the results of CI, PET/CT, and/or α-FP levels were suggestive of relapse. PET/CT and CI findings were analyzed for comparison purposes, using FNAB as reference standard. Results. α-FP level was suggestive of disease recurrence in 8/9 patients. Biopsy was performed in 8/9 cases. CI and PET/CT resulted to be concordant in 5/9 patients (CI identified recurrence of disease, but 18F-FDG-PET/CT provided a better definition of disease extent); in 4/9 cases, CI diagnostic information resulted in negative findings, whereas PET/CT correctly detected recurrence of disease. 18F-FDG-PET/CT showed an agreement of 100% (8/8) with FNAB results. Conclusions. 18F-FDG-PET/CT scan seems to better assess HB patients with respect to CI and may provide incremental diagnostic value in the restaging of this group of patients

Genetics of longevity. Data from the studies on Sicilian centenarians

The demographic and social changes of the past decades have determined improvements in public health and longevity. So, the number of centenarians is increasing as a worldwide phenomenon. Scientists have focused their attention on centenarians as optimal model to address the biological mechanisms of “successful and unsuccessful ageing”. They are equipped to reach the extreme limits of human life span and, most importantly, to show relatively good health, being able to perform their routine daily life and to escape fatal age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Thus, particular attention has been centered on their genetic background and immune system. In this review, we report our data gathered for over 10 years in Sicilian centenarians. Based on results obtained, we suggest longevity as the result of an optimal performance of immune system and an overexpression of anti-inflammatory sequence variants of immune/inflammatory genes. However, as well known, genetic, epigenetic, stochastic and environmental factors seem to have a crucial role in ageing and longevity. Epigenetics is associated with ageing, as demonstrated in many studies. In particular, ageing is associated with a global loss of methylation state. Thus, the aim of future studies will be to analyze the weight of epigenetic changes in ageing and longevity

Discovering the world city: from texts' analysis to 3D scenes visualization

Dottorato di ricerca in Information and communication technologies, Ciclo XXXI, a.a. 2018-2019Università della Calabri

Profili evolutivi della protezione dei diritti dell'infanzia e dell'adolescenza attraverso le misure programmatiche del sistema Nazioni Unite.

Adottando una prospettiva storica, il capitolo ricostruisce e analizza il ruolo svolto da numerose organizzazioni internazionali (tra cui OIL e UNICEF) nel corso degli anni per la tutela e la promozione dei diritti dei minori. Particolare attenzione \ue8 riservata all'analisi del mandato, degli ambiti di intervento principali e dello specifico approccio adottato in materia dalle organizzazioni internazionali che operano nell'ambito del sistema delle Nazioni Unite

La promozione, protezione ed attuazione dei diritti dell’infanzia: strumenti normative, politiche e strategie a livello internazionale ed europeo

Il volume risponde all’esigenza di analizzare e valutare i fattori normativi ed operativi propri del processo di costruzione dell’assetto universale e regionale ai fini della protezione e promozione dei diritti dell’infanzia e dell’adolescenza. Il volume si articola in tre parti principali. Nella parte I sono state individuate le componenti essenziali proprie del sistema Nazioni Unite, comprensive del contenuto materiale della relativa Convenzione e dei Protocolli, esaminando altresì sia le relative procedure di monitoraggio e controllo circa il rispetto degli adempimenti assunti dagli stessi Stati parti contraenti sul piano internazionale sia gli inputs e le buone prassi proprie dei molteplici organismi specializzati del sistema. Nella parte II, articolata in più sezioni, si presentano le novità materiali e funzionali delle principali aree regionali – europea, latino-americana, africana e medio-orientale. La parte III è specificamente dedicata al recepimento degli impegni internazionali in materia da parte dell’Italia ed alla correlata definizione delle misure di carattere legislativo, politico ed amministrativo più idonee per la configurazione di una soddisfacente programmazione degli interventi in materia da parte delle autorità centrali e locali.The volume aims at analyzing all the aspects, namely normative and operative ones, which have characterized the protection and promotion of children’s rights, including the relevant institutional framework, internationally and regionally. The volume is divided into three parts. Under the first section an overview of the UN system has been provided, including both the ratification of the UN Convention on children rights supplemented by the two Optional Protocols, and related monitoring and compliance mechanisms following the common efforts of all CRC Parties for a stronger action in this field, and the reference to several relevant UN Specialized Agencies mandated to improve children’s life all over the world. Under the second section, various instruments and their development, particularly the implementation and their viability within regional organizations in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Middle East are under consideration. The third section deals with the Italian legislative, political and administrative contribution to the protection of children’s rights by both central and local authorities