Recent Investigations on Thiocyanate-Free Ruthenium(II) 2,2'-Bipyridyl Complexes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Three decades ago, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) emerged as a method for harnessing the energy of the sun and for converting it into electricity. Since then, a lot of work has been devoted to create better global photovoltaic efficiencies and long term stability. Among photosensitizers for DSSCs, thiocyanate-free ruthenium(II) complexes have gained increasing interest due to their better stability compared to conventional thiocyanate-based complexes, such as benchmark dyes N719 and Z907.

Performance Assessment of the LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay On Nasopharyngeal Swabs.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is ongoing worldwide, causing prolonged pressure on molecular diagnostics. Viral antigen (Ag) assays have several advantages, ranging from lower cost to shorter turnaround time to detection. Given the rare occurrence of low-load viremia, antigen assays for SARSCoV-2 have focused on nasopharyngeal swab and saliva as biological matrices, but their effectiveness must be validated.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in COAPT-Ineligible Patients: Incidence and Predictors of 2-Year Good Outcome.

Background: COAPT-trial entry criteria are useful to identify patients with better outcomes after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER). However, up to one-half of real-world patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) undergoing TEER do not meet these highly selective criteria and no study has formally investigated them. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictors of good outcome after TEER in COAPT-ineligible patients.

Crystallization kinetics of atomic crystals revealed by a single-shot and single-particle X-ray diffraction experiment.

Crystallization is a fundamental natural phenomenon and the ubiquitous physical process in materials science for the design of new materials. So far, experimental observations of the structural dynamics in crystallization have been mostly restricted to slow dynamics. We present here an exclusive way to explore the dynamics of crystallization in highly controlled conditions (i.

The role of suction drainage in the management of peri-operative bleeding in Total and Unicomcompartmental knee arthroplasty: a retrospective comparative study.

Background: Suction drainage is commonly applied after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) to reduce hematoma, swelling and to favor surgical wound healing. However, its efficacy remains controversial; thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate drainage efficiency in the management of postoperative bleeding in TKA and UKA.

Methods: The cohort comprised 134 clinical records of patients affected by knee osteoarthritis (OA) who underwent either TKA or UKA.

reString: an open-source Python software to perform automatic functional enrichment retrieval, results aggregation and data visualization.

Functional enrichment analysis is an analytical method to extract biological insights from gene expression data, popularized by the ever-growing application of high-throughput techniques. Typically, expression profiles are generated for hundreds to thousands of genes/proteins from samples belonging to two experimental groups, and after ad-hoc statistical tests, researchers are left with lists of statistically significant entities, possibly lacking any unifying biological theme. Functional enrichment tackles the problem of putting overall gene expression changes into a broader biological context, based on pre-existing knowledge bases of reference: database collections of known expression regulation, relationships and molecular interactions.

Acute Right Ventricular Reshaping After TriClip in Ebstein's-Like Anomaly Assessed by Multimodality Imaging.

The efficacy of transcatheter edge-to-edge tricuspid valve repair (TTVR) has been recently demonstrated not only for the reduction of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) but also in terms of right ventricular remodeling. We report the case of a 78-year-old female patient with a history of atrial fibrillation and severe isolated TR in New York Heart Association functional classification III despite optimal medical therapy. These case images help to illustrate immediate and considerable right ventricular reshaping due to successful TTVR with a sustained result at 6 months in isolated primary TR.

Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy for the treatment of skin disorders.

Introduction: Near-Infrared Photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a novel molecularly targeted phototherapy. This technique is based on a conjugate of a near-infrared photo-inducible molecule (antibody-photon absorber conjugate, APC) and a monoclonal antibody that targets a tumor-specific antigen. To date, this novel approach has been successfully applied to several types of cancer.

Annular size and interaction with trans-catheter aortic valves for treatment of severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis: Insights from the BEAT registry.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is safe and feasible in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), but whether annular size may influence TAVR results in BAV patients remains unclear. We aimed at evaluating the impact of aortic annular size on procedural and clinical outcomes of BAV patients undergoing TAVR, as well as potential interactions between annular dimension and trans-catheter heart valve (THV) type (balloon-expandable (BEV) vs. self-expanding (SEV).

Invasive fungal infections in acute and chronic liver impairment: A systematic review.

Patients with acute and chronic liver impairment are susceptible to invasive fungal infections such as candidemia and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis as a result of cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction, humoral immunodeficiency, cell-mediated dysfunction and systemic inflammation. Besides classical risk factors for invasive fungal infection, acute-on-chronic liver failure, corticosteroid use, gastrointestinal bleeding, and prophylactic use of antibiotics are all additional conditions which are related to the potential development of fungal infections. Therefore, high-risk patients should be carefully followed by microbiological surveillance including cultures but also by imaging and fungal biomarkers for providing early diagnosis.

Transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair in atrial functional mitral regurgitation: insights from the multi-center MITRA-TUNE registry.

Background: A-FMR is considered a specific sub-type of secondary MR in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and preserved left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF). Aim of the study was to investigate the acute and mid-term outcomes of transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVr) with the MitraClip in atrial functional mitral regurgitation (A-FMR).

Methods: The study included patients with A-FMR and concomitant AF who underwent to the MitraClip at 7 Italian Centers.

Coronary calcium score as a predictor of outcomes in the hypertensive Covid-19 population: results from the Italian (S) Core-Covid-19 Registry.

Hypertension is associated with more severe disease and adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Recent investigations have indicated that hypertension might be an independent predictor of outcomes in COVID-19 patients regardless of other cardiovascular and noncardiovascular comorbidities. We explored the significance of coronary calcifications in 694 hypertensive patients in the Score-COVID registry, an Italian multicenter study conducted during the first pandemic wave in the Western world (March-April 2020).

Prognostic factors of spp. bloodstream infection in adults: A nine-year retrospective cohort study across tertiary hospitals in Brazil and Spain.

Background: Mortality rates among adults with candidemia vary widely in different geographical settings. Studies directly comparing epidemiology and clinical practices between countries are scarce and could bring insights into improving clinical outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective cohort including adults with candidemia diagnosed in five tertiary hospitals from Brazil and Spain between 2010-2018.

Clinical Outcomes After Current-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation for Ostial Left Circumflex Lesions.

Background: There are no available data about clinical outcomes of simple stenting for ostial left circumflex (LCX) lesions using current generation drug-eluting stents (cDES).

Objective: We assessed clinical outcomes after simple stenting using cDES for ostial LCX lesions.

Methods: We identified 81 consecutive patients who underwent PCI using cDES for ostial LCX lesions at New Tokyo Hospital, Matsudo, Japan between January 2010 and December 2016.

Risk-Benefit of 1-Year DAPT After DES Implantation in Patients Stratified by Bleeding and Ischemic Risk.

Background: Although a 1-year duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is used in many patients after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation, the evidence supporting this duration is uncertain.

Objectives: The authors investigated the risk-benefit profile of 1-year vs ≤6-month DAPT after DES using 2 novel scores to risk stratify bleeding and ischemic events.

Methods: Ischemic and bleeding risk scores were generated from ADAPT-DES (Assessment of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy With Drug-Eluting Stents), a multicenter, international, "all-comers" registry that enrolled 8,665 patients treated with DES.

How different is invasive fusariosis in pediatric patients than in adults? A systematic review.

Purpose Of Review: To investigate the peculiarities of invasive fusariosis (IF) in pediatric patients.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review to identify human cases of locally invasive and systemic fusariosis documented in children (up to 18 years) published between 1973 (first case report) and 2021.

Recent Findings: One hundred and six cases were retrieved, and hematologic malignancy was reported in 64% (68/106) of the cases.

Superior vena cava syndrome after pacemaker implantation treated with direct oral anticoagulation.

Background: Superior Vena Cava (SVC) syndrome, is a quite rare but serious complication after pacemaker lead implantation; most patients are asymptomatic due to the development of adequate venous collateral circulation.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 75-year-old woman who developed SVC syndrome after transvenous pacemaker implantation with complete resolution of the thrombosis after 3 months of oral anticoagulation.

Conclusions: Generally other causes as malignancy are considered to be the most common etiology of SVC syndrome, but benign iatrogenic causes, mainly intravascular devices (central vein catheters, cardiac defibrillators and pacemaker wires), are becoming increasingly common.

Reduced-dose of doublet chemotherapy combined with anti-EGFR antibodies in vulnerable older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: Data from the REVOLT study.

Objectives: To assess the toxicity patterns and effectiveness of doublet chemotherapy when administered at reduced doses of 20% (FOLFOX or FOLFIRI) in combination with anti-EGFR antibodies (cetuximab or panitumumab) in old, vulnerable patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of RAS and BRAF wild-type, vulnerable patients aged ≥70 years with previously untreated mCRC. The primary endpoint was safety, and secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).