Human organ donation and spirituality: a multicentre observational study aimed at healthcare professionals who work in the Italian context.

Aim: This study aimed to assess if spirituality could be a predictor of organ donation, using a descriptive/knowledge survey aimed at healthcare professionals working in Italy. Methods: This multicentre, descriptive observational study was conducted in three Italian regions (Lombardy, Piedmont and Apulia). Two scales were used for the data collection: the Organ Donation Attitude Scale (ODAS) to explore the healthcare staff's attitudes towards organ donation and the Spiritual Health Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM) to explore their perception of the concept of spirituality. Results: The sample included 688 healthcare professionals (460 females, 66.9%). The analysis of their attitudes, assessed as their predisposition to organ donation, evidenced the women's higher degree of agreement regarding the safety and effectiveness of the practice (40.7% versus 31.1%, p = 0.001). The sample showed a high positive attitude towards organ donation (M = 4.25, SD = 0.50), whereas the level of spirituality was slightly lower than the midpoint of the Likert scale (M = 2.76, SD = 1.31). Spirituality positively predicted the positive attitude towards organ donation among Lombard professionals with shorter (-1 SD) careers (b = 0.078, p = 0.044) and among both Piedmontese (b = 0.250, p < 0.001) and Apulian (b = 0.458, p < 0.001) professionals with longer (+1 SD) careers. Discussion: Regarding organ donation, the surveyed healthcare professionals showed higher scores in the positive attitude section and lower scores in the negative attitude section, regardless of the geographical context of reference.

Lurbinectedin as second- or third-line palliative therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma: an international, multi-centre, single-arm, phase II trial (SAKK 17/16).

BACKGROUND: Systemic second- and third-line therapies for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) result in a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of <2 months and median overall survival (mOS) of 6-9 months. Lurbinectedin binds to the DNA of the regulatory region while inhibiting tumour-associated macrophage transcription. In early trials, encouraging outcomes occurred in patients (pts) with MPM treated with lurbinectedin. We aimed to generate lurbinectedin efficacy and safety data among pts with progressive MPM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Pts with progressing MPM treated with first-line platinum-pemetrexed chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy received lurbinectedin monotherapy. Treatment was given intravenously at 3.2 mg/m2 dose every 3 weeks until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Using Simon's two-stage design, the primary endpoint, progression-free survival (PFS) at 12 weeks (PFS12wks), was met if achieved by ≥21 pts (p0 ≤35% versus p1 ≥55%). RESULTS: Forty-two pts from nine centres across Switzerland and Italy were recruited. Histology was epithelioid in 33 cases, sarcomatoid in 5, and biphasic in 4. Overall 10/42 (23.8%) underwent prior immunotherapy and 14/42 (33.3%) had progressed ≤6 months after first-line chemotherapy. At data cut-off PFS12wks was met by 22/42 pts (52.4%; 90% confidence interval (CI): 38.7% to 63.5%; P = 0.015) with an mPFS of 4.1 months and mOS of 11.1 months. The best response was complete and partial remission observed in one patient each and stable disease in 20 pts. The duration of disease control was 6.6 months (95% CI: 5.2-7.4). No significant difference in PFS12wks, mPFS, and mOS was recorded in epithelioid versus non-epithelioid cases and pts with prior immunotherapy versus those without. Similar mPFS but shorter mOS were observed among pts who progressed within ≤6 months after first-line chemotherapy. Lurbinectedin-related grade 3-4 toxicity was seen in 21 pts, mostly being neutropenia (23.8%) and fatigue (16.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The primary efficacy endpoint was reached with acceptable toxicity. Lurbinectedin showed promising activity regardless of histology, prior immunotherapy, or outcome on prior treatment. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT03213301.

The onset of de novo autoantibodies in healthcare workers after mRNA based anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: a single centre prospective follow-up study.

Nowadays, data concerning the risk of autoimmune disease after SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccination is controversial. The aim of this single centre prospective follow-up study was to evaluate whether healthcare workers (HCWs) vaccinated with BNT162b2 mRNA and mRNA-1273 will show a development and/or a persistence of autoantibodies, focussing on the detection of antibodies against nuclear antigens (antinuclear antibodies, ANA). We enrolled 155 HCWs, however only 108 of them received the third dose and were considered for further analysis. Blood samples were collected before vaccine inoculation (T0), at 3 (T1) and 12 months (T2) after the first dose. All samples were analysed for the presence of a) ANA using indirect Immunofluorescence [IIF] (dilutions of 1:80, 1:160. 1:320 and 1:640), and anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA); b) anti-myeloperoxidase (anti-MPO), anti-proteinase 3 (anti-PR3) and anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (aCCP) [FEIA]; c) anti-phospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin [aCL], anti-beta-2- glycoprotein I [anti-ß-2GPI] (Chemiluminescence). Line-blot technology was performed using the following kit: EUROLINE ANA profile 3 plus DFS70 (IgG). Our research suggests that mRNA based anti-SARSCoV-2 vaccines can induce the production of de novo ANA in 22/77(28,57%) of subjects and that the percentage of positivity seems to be directly correlated to the number of vaccine expositions: 6/77 (7,79%) after 2 doses; 16/77 (20,78%) after 3 doses. Since it is known that hyperstimulation of the immune system could lead to autoimmunity, these preliminary results seem to further sustain the idea that the hyperstimulation of the immune system might lead to an autoinflammatory mechanism and eventually to autoimmune disorders. However, the link between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and the development of autoimmune diseases needs to be further investigated.

Long-term benefit of lurbinectedin as palliative chemotherapy in progressive malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM): final efficacy and translational data of the SAKK 17/16 study.

BACKGROUND: The SAKK 17/16 study showed promising efficacy data with lurbinectedin as second- or third-line palliative therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Here, we evaluated long-term outcome and analyzed the impact of lurbinectedin monotherapy on the tumor microenvironment at the cellular and molecular level to predict outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-two patients were treated with lurbinectedin in this single-arm study. Twenty-nine samples were available at baseline, and seven additional matched samples at day one of cycle two of treatment. Survival curves and rates between groups were compared using the log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier method. Statistical significance was set at P value <0.05. RESULTS: Updated median overall survival (OS) was slightly increased to 11.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.8-13.8 months]. Thirty-six patients (85%) had died. The OS rate at 12 and 18 months was 47% (95% CI 32.1% to 61.6%) and 31% (95% CI 17.8% to 45.0%), respectively. Median progression-free survival was 4.1 months (95% CI 2.6-5.5 months). No new safety signals were observed. Patients with lower frequencies of regulatory T cells, as well as lower tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) at baseline, had a better OS. Comparing matched biopsies, a decrease of M2 macrophages was observed in five out of seven patients after exposure to lurbinectedin, and two out of four patients showed increased CD8+ T-cell infiltrates in tumor. DISCUSSION: Lurbinectedin continues to be active in patients with progressing malignant pleural mesothelioma. According to our very small sample size, we hypothesize that baseline TAMs and regulatory T cells are associated with survival. Lurbinectedin seems to inhibit conversion of TAMs to M2 phenotype in humans.

Relationship between cytotoxicity and induction of sister-chromatid exchanges in mouse foetal cells exposed to several doses of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic chemicals.

The increase in sister-chromatid exchanges induced by 5 chemicals, with different DNA damaging and carcinogenic activities, was studied in short-term foetal-mouse cultures. A significant increase in SCE was induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, N-diazoacetylglycine-amide, azaserine and methotrexate. k-Strophantin, on the contrary, was totally inactive. On a molar basis, MNNG was the most active chemical followed by MTX, AZS and DGA, in that order. At equitoxic concentrations (D37), the order of SCE-inducing abilities was MNNG, DGA, AZS and MTX. Compared with previous data, at equitoxic concentrations, the most DNA-damaging agents were also the most effective in inducing SCE. The SCE increase seems to correlate not with unspecific cytotoxicity but more with DNA damage or other damage at the genome level. MTX, a non-mutagen, which induced SCE only at toxic levels, could be considered a false positive because this positivity may reflect an enhancement of incorporation of 5-BrdUrd into DNA. The positive results obtained with AZS suggest a sufficient sensitivity of the method for detecting relatively weak carcinogens.

[A case of leiomyoblastoma of the stomach]. / Su un caso di leiomioblastoma dello stomaco.

Following a brief analysis of the literature, a case of leiomyoblastoma of the stomach is described. The rarity of this form is stressed and the importance of an endoscopic examination for diagnostic purposes and to select the appropriate surgical treatment is underlined.

[A variant of Bassini's method in radical surgical treatment of direct inguinal hernia]. / Su una variante al metodo di Bassini nel trattamento chirurgico radicale dell'ernia inguinale diretta.

The paper reports a technical device used in Bassini's original operation for radical surgery of inguinal hernias. On the basis of results achieved in the treatment of 238 cases, it is thought that this easily and quickly performed device may be taken into consideration particularly in the treatment of direct inguinal hernias.

["Aorto-mesenteric compression" syndrome. Report of a case and review of the literature]. / La sindrome da "compasso aorto-mesenterico". Presentazione di un caso e revisione della letteratura.

The Authors report a case of Wilkie's syndrome recently observed. This unusual observation is suitable for some clinical and therapeutic considerations. X-ray examination and abdominal CT played a decisive role for the diagnosis. Among the large number of operations till now proposed for the management of this syndrome, the Authors preferred the latero-terminal duodeno-jejunum anastomosis. Such intervention, in fact, is easy and quick and allows to preserve a physiological intestinal function.

Fluoride resistant alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase and combined enzyme histochemistry in the study of normal and pathologic lymphoid tissues.

Alpha-Naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) and fluoride resistant alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (FRANAE) have been compared as histochemical methods to identify T lymphocytes in sections of normal and pathological human lymphoid tissues. In addition, the FRANAE method was combined with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in order to simultaneously evaluate the relationship between T lymphocytes and fibroblastic reticular cells (ALP) positive). The "dot like" esterase positivity of T lymphocyte was better evaluated by using FRANAE when compared to ANAE because of fluoride inhibitor of the strong esterase activity of dendritic cells and most macrophages. The combined ALP-FRANAE method clearly demonstrated a large number of fibroblastic reticular cells within the T-areas in various normal and pathological tissues such as hyperplastic lymph nodes and especially in the lymph nodes and spleens from patients with Hodgkin's disease.