https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/907 2026-10-15T17:43:41Z 2026-10-15T17:43:41Z Baio, Raffaele Molisso, Giovanni Caruana, Christian Di Mauro, Umberto Intilla, Olivier Pane, Umberto D'Angelo, Costantino Campitelli, Antonio Pentimalli, Francesca Sanseverino, Roberto https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149893 2026-10-09T13:47:12Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Synchronous bladder and prostate cancer specimens obtained from radical cystoprostatectomy : a single‑center retrospective analysis Authors: Baio, Raffaele; Molisso, Giovanni; Caruana, Christian; Di Mauro, Umberto; Intilla, Olivier; Pane, Umberto; D'Angelo, Costantino; Campitelli, Antonio; Pentimalli, Francesca; Sanseverino, Roberto Abstract: The aim of the present study was to analyze incidence, histopathological features and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing radical cystoprostatectomy (RCP) for bladder cancer, in which incidental prostate cancer (PCa) was found. How these types of cancer impacted the patients' management and whether prostate‑sparing cystectomy could be an option for these patients was determined. The current study retrospectively analyzed the data of a cohort of patients from ‘Umberto I’ Hospital of Nocera Inferiore who underwent RCP for bladder transitional cell carcinoma. Patients with a preoperative diagnosis or clinical suspicion of PCa were excluded. Patients affected by incidental PCa in the RCP specimens were identified, and then their demographic, histopathological and clinical outcome data were collected. Overall, it was revealed that of the 303 patients undergoing RCP for bladder cancer, 69 (22.7%) had incidental PCa, with a median age of 71.6 (age range, 54‑89 years). In total, 23 (33.33%) of the 69 patients with incidental PCa were considered to have clinically significant prostate disease. In conclusion, it was relatively common to identify incidental PCa in RCP specimens but no preoperative predictive factors were identified that were able to determine ‘non‑aggressive’ PCa status. Therefore, the present results demonstrate the need for a careful and complete prostate removal during RCP. Nevertheless, since organ‑sparing surgeries are widely performed in young population, due to the impossibility of predicting aggressive prostate cancer, these patients require close monitoring through lifelong PSA surveillance, particularly focusing on the possible relapse of PCa after RCP.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Johnson, Alex D. Valentino, Mario Hunter, Gary J. Magri, David C. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149273 2026-09-22T07:32:46Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Spectrophotometric studies of a fluorescent naphthalenediimide PET and ICT pH indicator and DNA intercalator Authors: Johnson, Alex D.; Valentino, Mario; Hunter, Gary J.; Magri, David C. Abstract: Three naphthalenedimides (NDIs) were studied by UV-visible absorbance, fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy in aqueous methanolic solution as DNA intercalators. Distinct solution colours are observed for the compounds under room lighting and upon irradiation with 365 nm UV light. The tetra-substituted dimethylaminoethylene NDI is designed as a fluorescent pH indicator with a ‘fluorophore–spacer–receptor’ construct based on a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism. This NDI derivative exhibits a significant change in the ellipticity with calf-thymus DNA. Fluorescence DNA titrations further revealed strong binding towards DNA, resulting in pronounced emission quenching. Incubation of MCF-7 cells reveals localisation of the fluorescent probe in the nucleus, specifically in the nucleoli.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Bazalieieva, Yelyzaveta Magri, David C. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149272 2026-09-22T09:28:43Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Alkylpiperazino-1,8-Naphthalimide fluorescent probes for exploring micellar membrane nanospaces Authors: Bazalieieva, Yelyzaveta; Magri, David C. Abstract: Two 4-piperazine-1,8-naphthalimides were designed as fluorescent probes for exploring the local polarity and proton concentration at the interface of micelles. Designed with an 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳₁-𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦-𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘳-𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘳-𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳₂ layout, the hydrophobicity of the pH probes was tuned by substitution of the anchor modules with different alkyl chains (methyl, butyl and octyl) to facilitate the micellar penetration depth. Fluorescence switching ‘on’ in methanol/water media upon protonation of the piperazine receptor is driven by a competition between solvent polarity and photoinduced charge transfer. The solvatochromic properties were investigated to enhance visual naked-eye communication. The fluorescent probes were tasked with reporting on the local polarity and proton content within sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and Triton X-100 micelles. The dimethyl-substituted probe reported on the environment about the micelle/bulk water interface. The more hydrophobic octyl-butyl-substituted probe explored deeper into the micelles. Insight was gained into the local polarity and proton gradients inside micelles, as corroborated by emission wavelength, fluorescence quantum yield and Δp𝘒ₐ values. The findings are discussed in the context of the benzofurazan polarity–Δp𝘒ₐ maps reported by Uchiyama and de Silva.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Baio, Raffaele Molisso, Giovanni Caruana, Christian Di Mauro, Umberto Intilla, Olivier Pane, Umberto D’Angelo, Costantino Campitelli, Antonio Pentimalli, Francesca Sanseverino, Roberto https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148796 2026-08-31T10:09:55Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: “Could patient age and gender, along with mass size, be predictive factors for benign kidney tumors?” : A retrospective analysis of 307 consecutive single renal masses treated with partial or radical nephrectomy Authors: Baio, Raffaele; Molisso, Giovanni; Caruana, Christian; Di Mauro, Umberto; Intilla, Olivier; Pane, Umberto; D’Angelo, Costantino; Campitelli, Antonio; Pentimalli, Francesca; Sanseverino, Roberto Abstract: Due to the increased use of common and non-invasive abdominal imaging techniques over the last few decades, the diagnosis of about 60% of renal tumors is incidental. Contrast-enhancing renal nodules on computed tomography are diagnosed as malignant tumors, which are often removed surgically without first performing a biopsy. Most kidney nodules are renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after surgical treatment, but a non-negligible rate of these nodules may be benign on final pathology; as a result, patients undergo unnecessary surgery with an associated significant morbidity. Our study aimed to identify a subgroup of patients with higher odds of harboring benign tumors, who would hence benefit from further diagnostic examinations (such as renal biopsy) or active surveillance. We performed a retrospective review of the medical data, including pathology results, of patients undergoing surgery for solid renal masses that were suspected to be RCCs (for a total sample of 307 patients). Owing to the widespread use of common and non-invasive imaging techniques, the incidental diagnosis of kidney tumors has become increasingly common. Considering that a nonnegligible rate of these tumors is found to be benign after surgery at pathological examination, it is crucial to identify features that can correctly diagnose a mass as benign or not. According to our study results, female sex and tumor size ≤ 3 cm were independent predictors of benign disease. Contrary to that demonstrated by other authors, increasing patient age was also positively linked to a greater risk of malign pathology.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z