Adsorption of Heavy Metal Ions on Alginate-Based Magnetic Nanocomposite Adsorbent Beads.

Graphene oxide and its magnetic nanoparticle-based composites are a well-known tool to remove heavy metals from wastewater. Unfortunately, one of the major issues in handling such small particles consists of their difficult removal from treated wastewater (even when their magnetic properties are exploited), due to their very small diameter. One possible way to overcome this problem is to embed them in a macroscopic biopolymer matrix, such as alginate or chitosan beads.

REDCap and the National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank-a scalable and sustainable model for rare disease biorepositories.

Objective: Rare disease research requires data sharing networks to power translational studies. We describe novel use of Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap), a web application for managing clinical data, by the National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank, a federated biospecimen, and data sharing network.

Materials And Methods: National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank (NMVB) uses REDCap to integrate honest broker activities, enabling biospecimen and associated clinical data provisioning to investigators.

Chemical-Physical Mechanisms of Adsorption for Blood Purification.

The removal of soluble toxins from blood is necessary in patients with severe kidney failure. The majority of blood purification techniques are based on the use of semipermeable membranes, such as for dialysis treatment. But, whenever there is the need to remove small soluble molecules from blood, the use of such purification techniques may exhibit limited efficiency.

Comparison of robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy versus minimally invasive esophagectomy: A propensity-matched study from a single high-volume institution.

Objective: Robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy accounts for a growing proportion of esophagectomies, potentially due to improved technical capabilities simplifying the challenging aspects of standard minimally invasive esophagectomy. However, there is limited evidence directly comparing both operations. The objective is to evaluate the short-term and long-term outcomes of robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy in comparison with the minimally invasive esophagectomy approach for patients with esophageal cancer over a 7-year period at a high-volume center.

Vancomycin Adsorption during in vitro Model of Hemoperfusion with Mini-Module of HA380 Cartridge.

Introduction: Sepsis is a frequent complication in critically ill patients. Patients may require control of the source of infection, removal of pathogens and damaged cells, and organ support. Often, these targets can be achieved through the utilization of extracorporeal therapies including hemoperfusion for the adsorption of cytokines and other circulating mediators.

Application of an Enhanced Version of Recursive Operability Analysis for Combustible Dusts Risk Assessment.

Organic dust explosions were and are still today a critical issue in the food, pharmaceutical, and fine chemical industry. Materials such as flour, corn starch, sugar and APIs represent a cause of severe accidents. In this framework, we investigated a modified version of Recursive Operability Analysis-Incidental Sequence Diagrams (ROA-ISD), called ROA Plus-ISD, specifically tailored to describe industrial processes involving organic combustible dusts.

The Role of Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test in Predicting [18F]Florbetaben PET Results in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia.

Background: Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) is a reliable cognitive marker for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the identification of neuropsychological tests sensitive to the early signs of AD pathology is crucial both in research and clinical practice.

Objective: The study aimed to ascertain the ability of FCSRT in predicting the amyloid load as determined from amyloid PET imaging (Amy-PET) in patients with cognitive disorders.

Methods: For our purpose, 79 patients (71 MCI, 8 mild dementia) underwent a complete workup for dementia, including the FCSRT assessment and a [18F]florbetaben PET scan.

Participation of NADPH 4 oxidase in thyroid regulation.

Different factors are involved in thyroid function and proliferation such as thyrotropin (TSH), insulin, growth factors, iodide, etc. TSH and IGF1/insulin increase proliferation rate and stimulate genes involved in thyroid differentiation. In the present study, we analyse the physiological regulation of NOX4 expression by TSH, insulin and iodine, and the role of NOX4 on thyroid genes expression.

Regulation of NADPH oxidase NOX4 by delta iodolactone (IL-δ) in thyroid cancer cells.

Introduction: Iodine is not used only by the thyroid to synthesize thyroid hormones but also directly influences a number of thyroid parameters such as thyroid proliferation and function. Several iodinated lipids, biosynthesized by the thyroid, were postulated as intermediaries in the action of iodide. Among these, iodolactone (IL-δ) and 2-iodohexadecanal (2-IHDA) have shown to inhibit several thyroid parameters.

Comparison between absorption and biological activity on the efficiency of the biotrickling filtration of gaseous streams containing ammonia.

Polluted air streams can be purified using biological treatments such as biotrickling filtration, which is one of the most widely accepted techniques successfully tuned to treat a wide variety of exhausted gaseous streams coming from a series of industrial sectors such as food processing, flavor manufacturers, rendering, and composting. Since the degradation of a pollutant occurs at standard pressure and temperature, biotrickling filtration, whether compared with other more energy-demanding chemical-physical processes of abatement (such as scrubbing, catalytic oxidation, regenerative adsorption, incineration, advanced oxidation processes, etc.), represents a very high energy-efficient technology.

Shortened Antimicrobial Treatment for Acute Otitis Media in Young Children.

Background: Limiting the duration of antimicrobial treatment constitutes a potential strategy to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance among children with acute otitis media.

Methods: We assigned 520 children, 6 to 23 months of age, with acute otitis media to receive amoxicillin-clavulanate either for a standard duration of 10 days or for a reduced duration of 5 days followed by placebo for 5 days. We measured rates of clinical response (in a systematic fashion, on the basis of signs and symptomatic response), recurrence, and nasopharyngeal colonization, and we analyzed episode outcomes using a noninferiority approach.

[Molecular bases of α-thalassemia in Argentina].

The α-thalassemia is one of the most common hereditary disorders worldwide. Currently, molecular diagnostics is the only available tool to achieve an accurate diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to characterize the molecular bases of these syndromes in our environment and to establish genotype-phenotype associations.

Treatment of slaughterhouse wastewaters using anaerobic filters.

In this paper, a laboratory-scale experimentation allowed comparing the performances of two upflow anaerobic packed-bed filters filled with different packing materials and operating at mesophilic conditions (30 degreeC) for treating slaughterhouse wastewaters. Methane production was experimentally evaluated considering different volumetric organic loading rates as well as feeding overloading conditions. Although filter performances declined with loading rates higher than 6 kg CODin m-3 d-1 , the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency remained always above 60%.

The qualitative scoring MMSE pentagon test (QSPT): a new method for differentiating dementia with Lewy Body from Alzheimer's disease.

The differential diagnosis across different variants of degenerative diseases is sometimes controversial. This study aimed to validate a qualitative scoring method for the pentagons copy test (QSPT) of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) based on the assessment of different parameters of the pentagons drawing, such as number of angles, distance/intersection, closure/opening, rotation, closing-in, and to verify its efficacy to differentiate dementia with Lewy Body (DLB) from Alzheimer's disease (AD). We established the reliability of the qualitative scoring method through the inter-raters and intra-subjects analysis.

Italian norms for the Freedman version of the Clock Drawing Test.

Background: The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a valid screening tool for the evaluation of cognitive decline. This study aimed to compute standardized norms for the Freedman version of the CDT in a population of 248 healthy Italian individuals aged from 20 to 89 years.

Method: The effects of age, education, and gender on performance were assessed.

Emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate: safe optimization of a hazardous complex process.

Fast and exothermic discontinuous emulsion polymerization processes are particularly difficult to optimize from both safety and productivity point of view because of the occurrence of side undesired reactions (e.g. chain transfer to monomer, backbiting, propagation of tertiary radicals, termination by disproportion, etc.

Recovery from transient global amnesia following restoration of hippocampal and fronto - cingulate perfusion.

A patient who suffered a transient global amnesia (TGA) attack underwent regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) SPECT imaging and neuropsychological testing in the acute phase, after one month and after one year. Neuropsychological testing in the acute phase showed a pattern of anterograde and retrograde amnesia, whereas memory was within age normal limits at follow up. SPECT data were analysed with a within subject comparison and also compared with those of a group of healthy controls.

Seminiferous tubule function in delayed-onset X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita associated with incomplete hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism.

Objective: X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC, OMIM 300200) due to mutations in the DAX-1 gene is frequently associated to hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HHG, OMIM 238320). Clinical variants with delayed-onset have been recognized. The objective of this study is to assess Sertoli cell function throughout pubertal development in patients with childhood-onset AHC due to stop mutations in the DAX-1 gene.

Comparing treatment effects in a clinical sample of patients with probable Alzheimer's disease treated with two different cholinesterase inhibitors.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of treatment with different cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) on mental status and every day function in a natural outpatient clinic setting, so that this evaluation could more realistically reveal the effects which are likely to be observed in patients attending ordinary dementia clinics rather than in the context of a randomised controlled drug trial.

Methods: Long term outcome of treatment with the ChEIs donepezil and rivastigmine was retrospectively evaluated in 147 patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease of mild to moderate level of severity who had been monitored for a period of nine months. Measures included Mini Mental State Examination, Activity of Daily Living and Instrumental Activity of Daily Living scales.

Partial defects in transcriptional activity of two novel DAX-1 mutations in childhood-onset adrenal hypoplasia congenita.

Objective: Mutations in DAX-1, an X-linked gene encoding an orphan nuclear receptor, have been associated with adrenal hypoplasia congenita and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Here we describe two novel DAX-1 mutations, Y214X and I361T, associated with childhood-onset primary adrenal failure. We aimed at analysing their effects on protein localization, transcriptional activity and propose a structural-function relationship.

Molecular aspects of female and male gonadal development in mammals.

In mammals, the choice between male or female development is genetically determined. Sex determination takes place when the embryonic gonad becomes either a testis or an ovary. This process is directed by genes that have been discovered by genetic analysis of sex-reversed patients and confirmed by knock-out experiments in mice.

Premature ovarian failure and forkhead transcription factor FOXL2: blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome and ovarian dysfunction.

Recently the molecular basis of the blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus-syndrome (BPES), an autosomal dominant developmental disorder of the eyelids and ovary, was elucidated. This syndromic form of premature ovarian failure (POF) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the forkhead transcription factor FOXL2. In this manuscript we review the clinical features of BPES, its molecular basis, the structural and functional characteristics of the FOXL2 gene and protein, and known animal models.

Familial occurrence of the IMAGe association: additional clinical variants and a proposed mode of inheritance.

The IMAGe (intrauterine growth retardation, metaphyseal dysplasia, adrenal hypoplasia congenita, genital anomalies) association (online inheritance in man 300290) is a recently reported disorder comprising intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), metaphyseal dysplasia, adrenal hypoplasia, and genital anomalies. Four children (three males, one female) from a large pedigree (five generations) were studied. Additional members (n = 10), who died during the neonatal period, were born with IUGR and/or hyperpigmentation and are presumed to have been affected, too.

Molecular characterization of a novel splice site mutation within the CYBB gene leading to X-linked chronic granulomatous disease.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency that affects the oxidative mechanism of microbial killing of phagocytic cells. The defect is characterized by a lack or severely reduced superoxide anion (O2-) production by phagocytes. Seventy percent of CGD cases are X-linked (X-CGD) and they are caused by mutations in the gene encoding for gp91(phox), one of the two subunits of the flavocytochrome b558 of the NADPH oxidase.

X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease: First Report of Mutations in Patients of Argentina.

Background: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency due to absent or decreased NADPH oxidase activity in phagocytic cells. The X-linked form of the disease (X-CGD) arises from mutations in the CYBB gene, which encodes the 91-kD glycoprotein gp91, the largest component of the oxidase.

Methods: The authors recently started the molecular characterization of X-CGD in 18 patients reported to the Argentinean Registry of Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases.