Environmental and Wastewater Treatment Applications of Stimulus-Responsive Hydrogels.

Stimulus-responsive hydrogels have emerged as versatile materials for environmental and wastewater treatment applications due to their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This review highlights recent advances in the design, synthesis, and functionalization of such hydrogels, focusing on their environmental applications. Various synthesis techniques, including radical polymerization, grafting, and copolymerization, enable the development of hydrogels with tailored properties such as enhanced adsorption capacity, selectivity, and reusability.

Are the Hematological Parameters Useful in Differentiating Acute Pyelonephritis from Cystitis in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease?

Background And Objectives: The importance of hematological parameters has started to be explored with increased interest in many fields lately, with different studies finding an association between those parameters and inflammatory status, atherosclerosis, comorbidities, malnutrition, neoplasia and even a faster progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). On the other hand, CKD itself presents as an inflammatory condition, in which a lot of pathways are modified and the response to an infectious agent could be less than expected. Regarding the latter aspect, in this study we aim to explore the differences between the hematologic response during a lower versus upper urinary tract infection in patients with CKD.

Development and Applications of PLGA Hydrogels for Sustained Delivery of Therapeutic Agents.

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) hydrogels are highly utilized in biomedical research due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and other versatile properties. This review comprehensively explores their synthesis, properties, sustained release mechanisms, and applications in drug delivery. The introduction underscores the significance of PLGA hydrogels in addressing challenges like short half-lives and systemic toxicity in conventional drug formulations.

Coatings Based on Essential Oils for Combating Antibiotic Resistance.

In the current era of widespread antimicrobial resistance, the utilization of essential oils (EOs) derived from plants has emerged as a promising alternative in combating pathogens that have developed resistance to antibiotics. This review explores the therapeutic potential of essential oils as valuable tools in restoring the efficacy of antibiotics, highlighting their unique ability to affect bacteria in multiple ways and target various cellular systems. Despite the challenge of elucidating their precise mode of action, EOs have shown remarkable results in rigorous testing against a diverse range of bacteria.

Autograft Reoperation Following the Ross Procedure: Evolving Strategies and Future Perspectives.

Pulmonary autograft failure remains a cause of reoperation following the Ross procedure. The aim of this study is to describe our evolving approach to autograft reoperations. Retrospective study of all patients who underwent a pulmonary autograft reoperation following a Ross procedure between June 1997 and July 2022.