Assessing the Theoretical Efficacy of Combination Therapy Against Gram-Negative Infections in Neutropenic Pediatric Cancer Patients: Insights from the Statistical Analysis of Survey Data.

: Empirical antibacterial therapy for febrile neutropenia reduces mortality due to Gram-negative blood stream infections (BSIs). Pediatric guidelines recommend monotherapy with an antipseudomonal beta-lactam or a carbapenem and to add a second anti-Gram-negative agent in selected situations. We evaluated the changes in the proportions of resistance of beta-lactam monotherapies vs.

The interplay between lung galectins and pro-fibrotic markers in post-COVID-19 fibrogenesis: A pilot study.

Aims: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can lead to serious lung conditions, notably interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.

Main Methods: Our study tracked the progression of fibrosis markers in serial bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) measurements collected from 16 COVID-19 patients at 1, 3, and 6 months post-infection. Additionally, BAL samples from 10 healthy control subjects were included.

Hemadsorption with CytoSorb®: focus on the latest experiences in cardiac surgery patients.

Cardiac surgery patients are potentially exposed to an acute inflammatory host response with a huge release of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines both through intrinsic (e.g., tissue damage, endothelial injury) and extrinsic (e.

Effect of Distress, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms on SARS-CoV-2 mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccine Efficacy in Cancer Patients.

Background/objectives: Our previous study of 291 cancer patients, we showed that 20% did not respond to two doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered six weeks apart.

Methods: Here, we investigated if psychological factors (distress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms) affected antibody response and markers of vaccine activation (D-dimer) after 6 months from initial vaccination.

Results: Overall, 31 subjects (14.

A psychometric examination of the cognitive flexibility scale and its association with Orthorexia Nervosa.

Background: The Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS) is a 12-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess cognitive flexibility. Despite its widespread use, its psychometric properties have yet to be evaluated in the Italian context. Furthermore, while cognitive flexibility has emerged as a central correlate in Feeding and Eating Disorders, only a limited number of studies have investigated its association with Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), a clinical condition characterized by a pathological fixation with healthy eating.

Disability barriers autistic girls face in secondary education: A systematic review.

Autistic adolescent girls face complex and diverse challenges in the school setting, specifically mental health issues, unmet social and education needs, and social exclusion. The purpose of this review was to provide a general idea of research relating to the experiences of autistic females in secondary school settings by reporting on their experiences and the lived experiences of autistic women reflecting on their past. Based on the identified articles, the barriers girls face in the compulsory education setting centred on four themes of societal barriers grounded in gender; the institutional or physical barriers of schools; social and communicative expectations; and stigmatization.

Analyzing Antibiotic Usage Trends in Genitourinary Infections and Procedures: Insights From the TriNetX Database.

Objective: To analyze antibiotic prescribing trends, particularly the decline in fluoroquinolone use for various genitourinary infection (GUI) and procedures and the growing preference for alternative treatments.

Methods: The TriNetX database was queried for antibiotic utilization rates from 2016 to 2022. We analyzed cases of cystitis, pyelonephritis, prostatitis, and other GUIs, as well as periprocedure utilization for benign prostatic hyperplasia, urethral stricture disease, pelvic organ prolapse/stress urinary incontinence, and overactive bladder/interstitial cystitis (OAB/IC).

Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Eating Self-Efficacy Brief Scale (ESEBS): the Brazilian version.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate the Brief Eating Self-Efficacy Scale (ESEBS-BR) in Brazilian Portuguese, addressing the lack of tools to assess eating self-efficacy beliefs in Portuguese-speaking populations.

Method: The study sought to cross-culturally adapt the scale, evaluate its internal structure, validate its reliability and validity, and explore potential associations between eating self-efficacy and eating behaviors. The cross-cultural adaptation process involved translation and back-translation, expert committees, and pre-testing.

Clinical, Diagnostic, and Metabolic Characteristics Associated with Nephrolithiasis in the Black Women's Health Study.

Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) is a frequently occurring urologic condition resulting in significant patient morbidity and healthcare costs. Despite the higher prevalence of metabolic risk factors for nephrolithiasis among Black women, there have been few epidemiologic studies of kidney stones focusing on this group. We describe demographic and health characteristics, diagnostics, and metabolic profiles of US Black women with self-reported kidney stones.

Super-resolved analysis of colocalization between replication and transcription along the cell cycle in a model of oncogene activation.

To understand how oncogenes affect genome organization, it is essential to visualize fundamental processes such as DNA replication and transcription at high resolution in intact cells. At the same time, it is important to determine the progression of the cell along the cell cycle, as cell cycle regulation is crucial for the control of cell proliferation and oncogenesis. Here, we present a super-resolution imaging-based method to analyze single cell nuclei sorted according to specific phases of the cell cycle.

Food insecurity and body mass index among older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Food insecurity, characterized by inadequate access to sufficient and nutritious food, poses a significant challenge to the health and well-being of older adults. This systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to examine the association between food insecurity and body mass index (BMI) in older people, i.e.

A Brief Online Intervention Based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy for a Reduction in Binge-Eating Symptoms and Eating Pathology.

Dysregulated eating behaviors, comprising subthreshold and clinical binge-eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN), are increasing among the general population, with a consequent negative impact on one's health and well-being. Despite the severity of these outcomes, people with BED and BN often face a delay in receiving a diagnosis or treatment, often due to difficulties in accessing care. Hence, evidence-based and sustainable interventions for eating symptomatology are needed.

Chrysin-loaded calixarene-cyclodextrin ternary drug delivery system inhibits TGF-β and galectin-1 mediated pathways in diabetic liver fibrosis.

This study investigated the efficacy of a new chrysin-loaded calixarene-cyclodextrin ternary drug delivery system (DDS) in reversing liver fibrosis in a mouse model of chronic diabetes. The system was designed to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of chrysin (CHR) and calixarene 0118 (OTX008). Adult male CD1 mice received streptozotocin (STZ) injections to induce diabetes.

Drug and biomarker tissue levels in a randomized presurgical trial on exemestane alternative schedules.

The drug's activity at the target tissue could help to define the minimal effective dose to promote cancer preventive therapy. Here we present exemestane and sex hormone concentrations within breast tissue from a presurgical study of alternative exemestane schedules. Postmenopausal women candidates for breast surgery for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer were randomly assigned to exemestane 25 mg once daily (QD), 25 mg 3 times/week (TIW), or 25 mg per week (QW) for 4-6 weeks before surgery.

Thyroid dysfunction in Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a pilot study on the putative role of miR-29a and TGFβ1.

Purpose: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is one of the most common causes of thyroid dysfunction in iodine sufficient worldwide areas, but its molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. To this regard, this study aimed to assess serum levels of miRNA-29a (miR-29a) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) in HT patients with different patterns of thyroid function.

Methods: A total of 29 HT patients, with a median age of 52 years (21-68) were included.

Challenges of Regulated Cell Death: Implications for Therapy Resistance in Cancer.

Regulated cell death, a regulatory form of cell demise, has been extensively studied in multicellular organisms. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining organismal homeostasis under normal and pathological conditions. Although alterations in various regulated cell death modes are hallmark features of tumorigenesis, they can have divergent effects on cancer cells.

Complete urethral disruption after motor vehicle crash without pelvic fracture.

Urethral injuries are rare among the pediatric population, and the majority occur after trauma. This is the case of an eight-year-old female with complete proximal urethral disruption and ruptured bladder neck without pelvic fracture after a motor vehicle crash. After the accident, her bladder neck was reapproximated and a suprapubic tube was placed.

Enhancing sibling support in oncology: Collaborative care for families facing cancer in young people.

Purpose: This study investigates the support systems and needs of siblings of young people with cancer, shedding light on the emotional and informational challenges siblings face. This topic area has had relatively little attention.

Design And Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis was employed to gain in-depth insights into the experiences and perspectives of siblings.

Simply red? The effects of distinct colours and sustainable production methods on the consumers' preferences for healthier sweet peppers.

The purpose of this paper is to thoroughly assess the value of colours in consumers' preferences for sweet peppers, and the association with more sustainable methods of production in the consumers' minds. Furthermore, this study provides novel insights into the influence of colours on the willingness to pay (WTP) for vegetables. It explores the interplay between colours, food attributes, and socio-demographic characteristics among consumers, marking the first attempt to examine this relationship comprehensively.

Ocular pharmacological and biochemical profiles of 6-thioguanine: a drug repurposing study.

Introduction: The purine analog 6-thioguanine (6TG), an old drug approved in the 60s to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), was tested in the diabetic retinopathy (DR) experimental setting along with a molecular modeling approach.

Methods: A computational analysis was performed to investigate the interaction of 6TG with MC1R and MC5R. This was confirmed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to high glucose (25 mM) for 24 h.

Melanocortin 3,5 receptors immunohistochemical expression in colonic mucosa of inflammatory bowel disease patients: A matter of disease activity?

Background: Melanocortin 3 and 5 receptors ( MCR and MCR) belong to the melanocortin family. However, data regarding their role in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are currently unavailable.

Aim: This study aims to ascertain their expression profiles in the colonic mucosa of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), aligning them with IBD disease endoscopic and histologic activity.

Dynamic shifts in lung cytokine patterns in post-COVID-19 interstitial lung disease patients: a pilot study.

Introduction: The pathogenesis of post-COVID interstitial lung disease, marked by lung tissue scarring and functional decline, remains largely unknown.

Objectives: We aimed to elucidate the temporal cytokine/chemokine changes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from patients with post-COVID interstitial lung disease to uncover potential immune drivers of pulmonary complications.

Design: We evaluated 16 females diagnosed with post-COVID interstitial lung disease, originating from moderate to severe cases during the second epidemic wave in the Autumn of 2020, treated at the Pneumology Department of the Arad County Clinical Hospital, Romania.