Most Viewed Articles

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a well-tolerated home renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease. One of the critical points for the success of a PD program is the care of the peritoneal catheter and the exit site. A target for the incidence of infections/year should not exceed 0,40. The aim of the study was to observe whether our exit-site cleansing and dressing method, which involves the application of silver-releasing dressing may be associated with a reduction in the incidence of exit-site infections compared to the data reported in the literature.The data of 51 patients attending the Peritoneal Dialysis DH of the AOU Federico II in Naples in the period between July 2021 and September 2023 were analyzed.Overall, 27670 catheter days were analyzed with an average incidence of 0.23 infections/year/patient. The average incidence (0.23) is lower than the target suggested by the ISPD (0.4 infections/year/patient) and the average estimated in the USA (0.5-0.6 infections/year/patient). The average incidence from 2021 to 2023, equal to 0.23 episodes/year/patient, is therefore lower than the incidence of 2014-2015 (0.38 episodes/year/patient), a two-year period in which we did not use dressings with silver Exit-Pad.The use of Exit-Pad silver ion-releasing dressings Ag may further hinder the development of such infections by reducing the failure of peritoneal treatment and the transition to hemodialysis.

In this work we are concerned with identifying visible evidence that can only be observed with the naked eye and is required for experiments by forensic scientists. The search details include many visible physical properties that could be used to explain many unknowns in the crime scene, which means critical truths for different cases. The details include appearance phenomena such as color, odor, shape, size, material type, and inferred properties based on physical appearance. The properties discussed in this work can be further analyzed using specific portable apparatuses that could give very important information about the structure and nature of the properties of evidence in a crime scene. We also deal in this work with general expertise, which forensic scientists should understand and could treat to make the process of identification and characterization in crime scenes be done more systematically in a short time.

Background: Endometrial Thickness (EMT) is considered an important prognostic factor in assisted reproductive technology (ART), particularly in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Thin endometrium (< 7 mm) is often associated with implantation failure and reduced pregnancy rates, although its precise impact remains controversial.Objective: This thesis summary evaluates the role of thin endometrium in FET cycles, discusses etiologies, diagnostic modalities, treatment approaches, and reviews available patient data.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 69 patients who underwent FET at Saveetha Medical College. Endometrial thickness was assessed via transvaginal ultrasound. Various treatment strategies including hormonal therapies (estradiol, progesterone), vasoactive agents, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), L-arginine, sildenafil citrate, vitamin E, pentoxifylline, and stem cell therapy were reviewed for their efficacy in improving endometrial receptivity.Results: Endometrial thickness < 7 mm correlated with lower pregnancy rates compared to patients with thickness ≥ 7 mm. Hormonal and adjuvant therapies reported varying degrees of success in improving EMT and subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Vascularity, angiogenesis, and Doppler studies also demonstrated a significant association with endometrial receptivity.Conclusion: Thin endometrium remains a critical challenge in ART cycles. Multimodal therapeutic approaches may improve outcomes; however, larger prospective studies are required to establish standardized protocols. Our patient data support that even minimal increases in EMT can enhance implantation success.

Some preliminary results of studies on the assessment of the possibilities and prospects for obtaining products with a high Antioxidant Activity Index (AOA) from the waste of the coffee beverage production industry - "silver skin" (SC, silverskin, CS) are presented.The obtained data on the extraction of SC with aqueous-alcoholic extractants, the effect of extraction conditions on the yield of extracts, and extractive substances are discussed. It is reported on the production of dry powders of extracts that retain their properties during long-term storage.Data on the antioxidant properties of both liquid and dry forms of extracts are presented and good AOA of the studied objects is noted in comparison with the "standard" antioxidant - rosemary extract, and it is also shown that the AOA of dry forms of extracts can be increased by doping with synergists - polyphenols of natural genesis. The antioxidant activity of the obtained compositions was studied on real objects - animal fats and natural dyes, the results of which confirmed the prospects of the studied antioxidants (AO) for practical purposes.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis is classically seen in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with HIV, organ transplants, or receiving immunosuppressive therapy. It is exceedingly rare in immunocompetent patients and can pose a diagnostic challenge, especially when it presents as a mass-like lesion mimicking colon cancer. We report a case of a 78-year-old immunocompetent male who presented with hematochezia and was found to have a bleeding cecal mass initially suspicious for adenocarcinoma. Subsequent histopathology revealed CMV colitis. This case emphasizes the importance of considering CMV colitis in the differential diagnosis of colonic masses, even in immunocompetent hosts.

Vildagliptin is an orally active, potent, and selective Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, shown to be effective and well tolerated in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) as either monotherapy or in combination with other anti-diabetic agents. Vildagliptin is used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, typically in conjunction with diet and exercise. Vildagliptin is usually administered orally, with a common dosing regimen of 50 mg twice daily. It can be taken with or without food; however, it is important to take it consistently at the same time each day for optimal effectiveness.This study focuses on the most recent advancements in analytical methods for determining the presence of Vildagliptin in different biological media, such as human plasma and urine, as well as in bulk and commercial dose forms. The following analytical techniques will be fully investigated in this paper: High-pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), High Efficiency Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometry system (LC-MS), and electrophoresis. These techniques include several parameters, such as the following: matrix, dynamic phase composition, permanent phase RF value for sensing frequency, retention duration, DL, carrier gas, flow rate, capillary wavelength, separation voltage, temperature, and pressure.

The pandemic has been observed as a security phenomenon due to the dimensions it entails, although these dimensions have not been confirmed. The objective of this work was to compare the theoretical structure of security with empirical observations. A cross-sectional, correlational, psychometric, and confirmatory study was conducted with a sample of 100 students selected for their affiliation with institutions committed to implementing the SDGs. The results confirm four of the seven dimensions, and the extension of the model is recognized as an area of ​​opportunity to confirm the remaining three dimensions. It is recommended to expand the number of items and the sample size to increase the total percentage of variance and align the empirical model with the theoretical model reported in the literature.

The objective of this research was to estimate the energy potential of walnut pruning residues (biomass) as a renewable resource for use in greenhouse heating systems in the south-central region of the state of Chihuahua. To achieve this, data were collected on the weight of fresh firewood generated per tree based on trunk diameter, considering three common pruning methods practiced in the area. Additionally, the percentage of weight loss during the biomass drying process was determined, and the regional area cultivated with walnut trees was documented. Based on this information, the potential energy availability and the feasibility of its use as a sustainable energy source for the agricultural sector under controlled climate conditions were calculated.

Introduction: Hypertension is still one of the major causes of cardiovascular disease and death worldwide. Despite lifestyle modifications and medical treatment, blood pressure control rates remain suboptimal. The sympathetic nervous system plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of hypertension. Inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system leads to a reduction in blood pressure. In light of this, a catheter-based renal denervation procedure has been developed to selectively ablate the renal sympathetic nerves in order to lower blood pressure. Discussion: Renal denervation targets the afferent and efferent sympathetic nerves along the renal arteries. Interruption of the renal nerve fibers in the perivascular space reduces sympathetic-mediated renal vascular resistance, renin release, and sodium reabsorption. Consequently, the mechanisms driving systemic hypertension are gradually disrupted, and blood pressure falls over time. The current main methods of renal denervation are radiofrequency energy, ultrasound, and perivascular neurotoxin injection. Recent randomized sham-controlled trials have shown that renal denervation effectively and safely reduces blood pressure by approximately 5 to 10 mmHg in various hypertensive patients. It is important to have a multidisciplinary team of hypertension specialists and interventional experts to select appropriate patients for renal denervation. Shared decision-making is essential to consider hypertension-mediated organ damage, cardiovascular risk, and patient preferences. Conclusion: Catheter-based renal denervation is a relatively new treatment modality that provides meaningful and sustained reductions in blood pressure with an acceptable safety profile. Currently, it is recommended for patients with uncontrolled or resistant hypertension despite optimal lifestyle changes and medical treatment.

Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC 15834 wild type strain was transformed with the binary vector pBI121 using the heat shock method. The transformed Agrobacterium was then tested for virulence through tobacco leaf explant transformation. Compared to the non-transformed Agrobacterium, the transformed Agrobacterium showed reduced virulence, producing significantly lower number of hairy roots in tobacco leaf explants. Although the transformed Agrobacterium showed reduced virulence, it was able to transfer the T-DNA of the binary vector into the plant genome, resulting in stable GUS expression in the generated hairy roots. This indicated that in addition to the transfer DNA (T-DNA) from its root inducing (Ri) plasmid, the transformed Agrobacterium is also capable of transferring the binary vector T-DNA and allowing the integration of a foreign gene. Results also showed that hairy root generation efficiency of the transformed Agrobacterium varied with the concentration of the selection agent (kanamycin). Hairy root generation efficiency (hairy roots·explant-1) progressively increased with decreasing concentrations of kanamycin; and the efficiency was highest in the absence of kanamycin. Generated hairy roots showed very strong to tiny GUS expression even those that grew under the highest concentration of the kanamycin (50 mg·L-1). This indicated that co-transformation and efficient transgene expression does not always occur.