Tools for measuring individual self-care capability: a scoping review.

Background: Our ability to self-care can play a crucial role in the prevention, management and rehabilitation of diverse conditions, including chronic non-communicable diseases. Various tools have been developed to support the measurement of self-care capabilities of healthy individuals, those experiencing everyday self-limiting conditions, or one or more multiple long-term conditions. We sought to characterise the various non-mono-disease specific self-care measurement tools for adults as such a review was lacking.

A digital solution to streamline access to smoking cessation interventions in England; findings from a primary care pilot (STOPNOW study).

Objectives: Despite the proven efficacy of several smoking cessation medications that have been shown to improve long-term abstinence rates, approximately two-thirds of smokers report not having used medication in their most recent quit attempt. A main barrier could be delayed access to pharmacological interventions. This study investigated the utility of a primary care linked online portal to streamline timely access to pharmacological support to patients who want to quit smoking by making an asynchronous request for treatment to their general practitioner.

Endovascular Aortic Repair Follow up Protocol Based on Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Is Safe and Effective.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to define the safety and effectiveness of a contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) based follow up for endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) surveillance at a mid-term period (4 years).

Methods: At the tertiary referral centre EVAR surveillance was based on plain abdominal radiograph and duplex ultrasound (CDU), with computed tomography angiography (CTA) reserved for any non-diagnostic imaging during the period 1999-2011 (Group A). From 2012, CEUS was performed when (a) any endoleak was detected at CDU, (b) sac growth > 5 mm within 6 months, and routinely for (c) patients with renal insufficiency (above Stage 3 chronic kidney disease), or (d) iodine contrast allergy (Group B).

Midterm Results of Low-Profile Stents to Treat Atherosclerotic Iliac Artery Disease.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of low-profile 4-F stents for the treatment of atherosclerotic iliac artery lesions.

Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2015, 63 patients (mean age 69.3 years; 42 men) received low-profile stents (Astron Pulsar or Pulsar-18) at the discretion of the operator to treat iliac artery occlusive disease.

Technical Notes for Treatment of a Pluri-Relapsing Iliac and Femoral Pseudoaneurysm.

Background: To describe a technique that connects an Anaconda stent graft (Vascutek, Terumo, Inchinnan, Scotland) to a target artery in a hybrid method.

Case Report: The patient was a 65-year-old man with a huge pluri-relapsing iliac and femoral pseudoaneurysm of a previous aortobifemoral bypass. An Anaconda stent graft was used to repair the lesion.

Use of Tapered Balloons to Recanalize Occluded Below-the-Knee Arteries in Diabetic Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of tapered balloon use in recanalization of long occlusions of below-the-knee (BTK) arteries in diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI).

Methods: Forty-nine occluded BTK arteries in 35 diabetic patients with CLI were revascularized in our Diabetic Foot Center between January and September 2014 using tapered balloons. Twelve-month outcomes were evaluated in terms of healing of the lesions, survival, limb salvage, primary patency, primary assisted patency, and secondary patency.

Subclavian steal syndrome presenting as recurrent pulmonary oedema associated with acute left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Subclavian steal syndrome typically presents as angina in patients with internal mammary artery grafts. Atypical clinical presentations have been rarely described. We report an unusual case of subclavian steal syndrome presenting as pulmonary oedema with acute left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and preserved ejection fraction in a patient with internal mammary artery graft and severe stenosis of the proximal left subclavian artery.

Carotid endarterectomy in patients with acute neurological symptoms: a case-control study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate our experience in urgent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with acute neurological symptoms comparing them with results obtained in stable symptomatic patients in a case-control study.

Materials And Methods: From January 1996 to December 2005, 3336 consecutive CEAs were performed at our department. In 70 cases CEA was carried out in patients with acute neurological deficit; in all these patients, clinical presentations were recent (<24 h) or crescendo (defined as two or more episodes in 24 h, with complete recovery after each episode) TIAs (group 1).

Routine completion angiography during carotid endarterectomy is not mandatory.

Objective: Intraoperative quality control after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has been advocated to improve the results of surgical treatment of extracranial carotid artery disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of completion angiography (CA) in prevention of stroke and restenosis after CEA in a single center experience.

Materials And Methods: Data concerning 914 consecutive CEAs performed in 3 years (2000-2002) were prospectively collected in a dedicated database.

Does the high-risk patient for carotid endarterectomy really exist?

Background: High surgical risk is advocated as a major criterion for carotid artery stenting. To date, definitely accepted criteria to identify "high-risk" patients for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) do not exist. The aim of this study was to analyze the statistical weight of each single previously described risk factor on early and late results after carotid surgery in our experience.

Reducing the risk of intraoperative neurological complications during carotid endarterectomy with early distal control of the internal carotid artery.

Aim Of The Study: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a modified surgical technique with early clamping of the distal internal carotid artery (ICA) during carotid endarterectomy in a single centre experience.

Study Design: Retrospective study, teaching hospital.

Material And Methods: Between 1996 and 2002, 2235 CEAs were performed.

Isolated inflammatory aneurysm of superior mesenteric artery: unexpected pathologic diagnosis.

A 78-year-old woman was admitted to our department because of the incidental finding during routine abdominal ultrasound examination of a large aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery. Presence of the aneurysm was confirmed at computed tomography and digital subtraction angiography, but its inflammatory origin was not recognized. No other aneurysm localization was found.

Carotid endarterectomy with contralateral carotid artery occlusion: is this a higher risk subgroup?

Objective: to evaluate early and mid-term term results of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patient with and without contralateral carotid occlusion.

Methods: between 1996 and 1999, 1324 CEAs were performed. In 82 patients contralateral carotid artery occlusion was present (group I); 1242 patients had patent contralateral carotid (group II).

Early and long-term results of surgical treatment of splenic artery aneurysms.

Background: This retrospective study was conducted to describe the presentation, surgical treatment, and follow-up of patients with splenic artery aneurysms.

Methods: From 1982 to 2000, 1,952 patients with abdominal aneurysms were referred to our department; 15 had splenic artery aneurysms. None had ruptured.

A humanized anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody that acts as a partial, competitive antagonist of the template antibody.

We have constructed several humanized versions of a monoclonal antibody (MAb78) against human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (huTNF-alpha) retaining the complementarity-determining regions (CDR) of the original mouse MAb with or without a variable number of original framework region (FR) residues. All versions, except one, showed a loss of binding affinity and neutralizing potency of at least 10-fold compared to the original mouse MAb or its chimeric equivalent. In some cases, however, the decrease in neutralizing potency was significantly greater than the decrease in binding affinity.

Idiotope determining regions of a mouse monoclonal antibody and its humanized versions. Identification of framework residues that affect idiotype expression.

The contribution of framework regions (FRs) of antibody-variable domains to idiotype expression was studied by examining the interaction of various "humanized" versions of a mouse anti-TNF alpha monoclonal antibody (mAb78) with polyclonal and two monoclonal antibodies (mAb1G3 and mAb9F1), generated against the mAb78 idiotype. Humanized mAb78, bearing human constant domains and mouse complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) inserted with human FRs, was found to be five to sevenfold less reactive than mAb78 with polyclonal anti-idiotype antibodies and 200 to 300-fold less active in neutralizing TNF alpha. The substitution of heavy-chain FRs residues of the humanized antibody with original mouse residues 28 to 30, 48 to 49, 67 to 68, 70 to 71, 78, 80 and 82 progressively restored the immunoreactivity with polyclonal immunoglobulin Gs to the level of a version having mouse heavy chain and human light chain FRs, and increased 10 to 20-fold the TNF alpha neutralizing activity.

Evidences that syngeneic alpha-type anti-idiotypic antibodies may non-competitively inhibit idiotype/oligomeric antigen interactions by affecting idiotype avidity.

The effects of syngeneic anti-Id antibodies on the multivalent interaction between human TNF-alpha, a homotrimeric Ag, and an anti-TNF mAb (mAb(1)78) have been studied. Eight anti-mAb(1)78 Ig secreting hybridoma, able to inhibit TNF binding in a competitive or non-competitive mode, have been generated. Two representative clones (mAb(2)1G3 and mAb(2)9F1) were selected for studying the inhibition mechanism of TNF-mAb(1)78 interaction.

Mode of interaction between tumor necrosis factor alpha and a monoclonal antibody expressing a recurrent idiotype.

Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF alpha) is an inflammatory cytokine which exists mainly as a 51kD complex built up of 3 identical, noncovalently-linked polypeptide subunits. We have raised monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against human TNF alpha (huTNF alpha). One of these mAb (mAb78, mouse IgG1k) was studied in detail.

Oligomeric tumour necrosis factor alpha slowly converts into inactive forms at bioactive levels.

The stability of oligomeric human tumour necrasis factor alpha (TNF) at bioactive levels has been studied by two immunoenzymatic assays: one able to specifically detect oligomeric and not monomeric TNF (O-e.l.i.

Effects of lead on hepatocyte ultrastructure in Carassius carassius (L.) var. auratus.

Subcellular modifications in hepatocytes of Carassius carassius var. auratus subjected to 24 hr and 48 hr sublethal acute lead (5mg.1-1) exposure were studied by electron microscopy.

Rearrangement and expression of the antigen receptor alpha, beta and gamma genes in suppressor antigen-specific T cell lines.

The rearrangement and transcription of the antigen receptor alpha, beta and gamma genes were investigated in murine antigen-specific suppressor T cell lines, to establish whether the suppressor T cell subset expresses the same antigen receptor transcripts previously found in helper and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The genomic organization of the alpha, beta and gamma chain loci was investigated using probes representative of the entire gene or fragments from variable, joining and constant regions. The present results show that in functional suppressor T cells the three antigen receptor genes are all rearranged.