Longitudinal serological and virological survey of hepatitis E virus in wild boar (, Maremman wild boar) and fallow deer () populations in a protected area of Central Italy.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is recognized as an emerging zoonosis. Pigs and wild boars are considered the main reservoirs of zoonotic HEV-3 and HEV-4 genotypes. In Europe, autochthonous human cases of hepatitis E, mainly associated with HEV-3 and consumption of raw or undercooked pig and wild boar liver/meat, have increased over the last decades.

Associations between birthweight and preterm birth and the ages at menarche and menopause.

Background: Women who reach menarche and menopause at earlier ages have been shown to be at increased risk for numerous conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression, and obesity; however, risk factors for earlier ages of menarche and menopause are not fully understood. Therefore, we aimed to perform a retrospective investigation of the associations between a personal birthweight and/or being born preterm and the age of and menarche and menopause and related events in the Women's Health Initiative, a large, racially and ethnically diverse cohort of postmenopausal women.

Methods: At study entry, women reported their birthweight by category (< 6 lbs.

Optimizing Telehealth: Leveraging Key Performance Indicators for Enhanced TeleHealth and Digital Healthcare Outcomes (Telemechron Study).

Over the past decade, the use of telehealth has garnered increasing attention. The focus on quality aspects has seen significant growth in tandem with the telehealth expansion. Having useful indicators in this area is becoming increasingly strategic for fully integrating the technology into the health domain.

Nanostructured Medical Devices: Regulatory Perspective and Current Applications.

Nanomaterials (NMs) are having a huge impact in several domains, including the fabrication of medical devices (MDs). Hence, nanostructured MDs are becoming quite common; nevertheless, the associated risks must be carefully considered in order to demonstrate safety prior to their immission on the market. The biological effect of NMs requires the consideration of methodological issues since already established methods for, e.

Under the Tech Umbrella: Assessing the Landscape of Telemedicine Innovations (Telemechron Study).

The expanding role of technology assessment in telemedicine is the focus of this study. An umbrella review has been proposed to delve into emerging themes within telemedicine technology assessment by scrutinizing systematic reviews gathered from PubMed and Scopus. The proposed approach was based on a standard narrative checklist and a qualification process.

Preterm birth, birthweight, and subsequent risk for depression.

An individual's birthweight, a marker of exposures, was recently associated with certain psychiatric conditions. However, studies investigating the relationship between an individual's preterm birth status and/or birthweight and risk for depression during adulthood are sparse; we used data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) to investigate these potential associations. At study entry, 86,925 postmenopausal women reported their birthweight by category (<6 lbs.

Association of maternal birth weight and maternal preterm birth with subsequent risk for adverse reproductive outcomes: The Women's Health Initiative.

Background: Advancements in medical technology and pharmacologic interventions have drastically improved survival of infants born preterm and low birth weight, but knowledge regarding the long-term health impacts of these individuals is limited and inconsistent.

Aim: To investigate whether an individual's birthweight or history of being born preterm increases the risk of an adverse reproductive outcome.

Study Design: Nested case-control study within the Women's Health Initiative.

Ankle brachial indices and anaerobes: is peripheral arterial disease associated with anaerobic bacteria in diabetic foot ulcers?

Background: Lower extremity amputations from diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are rebounding, and new biomarkers that predict wound healing are urgently needed. Anaerobic bacteria have been associated with persistent ulcers and may be a promising biomarker beyond currently recommended vascular assessments. It is unknown whether anaerobic markers are simply a downstream outcome of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and ischemia, however.

Adapting the World Health Organization rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) to the Italian context: implementation of a TRAPD-based approach.

Background: Measuring access to assistive technology (AT) has become a global priority. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the rapid assistive technology assessment (rATA), a population-based household survey that measures the use, need, unmet need, and barriers to accessing AT.

Objective: The aim of this paper is to report on the translation and adaptation process undertaken to implement the rATA survey in the Italian context.

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis still an open debate.

The real-time PCR (RT-PCR) on nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. The exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is used to perform collection of biological fluid condensed in a refrigerated device from deep airways' exhaled air. We aimed to verify the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the EBC from patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by RT-PCR, and to determine if the EBC may represent a valid alternative to the NPS.

Measuring athletic performance in post-metamorphic fire salamanders.

Objective: Athletic performances are dynamic movements that are physically challenging and often predict individual success in ecological contexts. They stem from a complex integration of multiple phenotypic traits-e.g.

State of the art and challenges for the classification of studies on electromechanical and robotic devices in neurorehabilitation: a scoping review.

Introduction: The rapid development of electromechanical and robotic devices has profoundly influenced neurorehabilitation. Growth in the scientific and technological aspects thereof is crucial for increasing the number of newly developed devices, and clinicians have welcomed such growth with enthusiasm. Nevertheless, improving the standard for the reporting clinical, technical, and normative aspects of such electromechanical and robotic devices remains an unmet need in neurorehabilitation.

Transcutaneous Measurement of Glomerular Filtration Rate in Rodents.

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is considered the gold standard to test kidney function. However, the serial blood and/or urine sample collection required for the calculation of the GFR is stressful for the animal and time consuming for the experimenter. Here, we describe a transcutaneous assessment of renal function in conscious animals that does not require plasma or urine sampling and/or deep anesthesia.

A cationic near infrared fluorescent agent and ethyl-cinnamate tissue clearing protocol for vascular staining and imaging.

Understanding vascular structures and dysfunction is a fundamental challenge. This task has been approached by using traditional methodologies such as microscopic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Both techniques are not only expensive but also time-consuming.

Stem/Stromal Cells for Treatment of Kidney Injuries With Focus on Preclinical Models.

Within the last years, the use of stem cells (embryonic, induced pluripotent stem cells, or hematopoietic stem cells), Progenitor cells (e.g., endothelial progenitor cells), and most intensely mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) has emerged as a promising cell-based therapy for several diseases including nephropathy.

Nicotinic modulation of descending pain control circuitry.

Along with the well-known rewarding effects, activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) can also relieve pain, and some nicotinic agonists have analgesic efficacy similar to opioids. A major target of analgesic drugs is the descending pain modulatory pathway, including the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM). Although activating nAChRs within this circuitry can be analgesic, little is known about the subunit composition and cellular effects of these receptors, particularly within the vlPAG.

Zwitterionic near infrared fluorescent agents for noninvasive real-time transcutaneous assessment of kidney function.

We developed novel zwitterionic near infrared (NIR) fluorescent agents (ABZWCY-HPβCD and AAZWCY-HPβCD), which exhibit favorable hydrophilicity, low plasma protein binding, high stability and non-toxicity. These attractive characteristics ensure that they are excreted rapidly, without any skin accumulation or metabolism . More importantly, zwitterionic HPβCD based agents can be efficiently filtrated by the glomerulus and completely excreted through the kidneys into urine without reabsorption or secretion in the kidney proximal tubule.

Longitudinal changes of endocrine and bone disease in adults with β-thalassemia major receiving different iron chelators over 5 years.

In this study, we compared the long-term effects of different iron chelation regimens (deferoxamine, deferiprone, deferoxamine + deferiprone, and deferasirox) in preventing or reversing endocrinopathy (diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, or hypogonadism) and bone disease (measured through DEXA) in 165 adults with β-thalassemia major (TM) (mean age 39.9 ± 8.3 years, 43 % males).