Voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKCs) comprise the largest and most complex families of ion channels. Approximately 70 genes encode VGKC alpha subunits, which assemble into functional tetrameric channel complexes. These subunits can also combine to form heteromeric channels, significantly expanding the potential diversity of VGKCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe extended application of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has revealed the problem of graft size mismatching, potentially leading to the "small-for-size syndrome" (SFSS). SFSS is a rare dysfunction that may affect a partial liver graft, characterized by coagulopathy, cholestasis, ascites, and encephalopathy. A key role in the physiopathology of SFSS is played by portal hypertension (PHT) to which a small allograft is submitted after reperfusion, resulting in sinusoidal congestion and hemorrhage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe present an all-fiber-based laser gas analyzer (LGA) employing quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) and a side-polished fiber (SPF). The LGA comprises a custom quartz tuning fork (QTF) with 0.8 mm prong spacing, two acoustic micro-resonators (mR) located on either side of the prong spacing, and a single-mode fiber containing a 17 mm polished section passing through both mRs and QTF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfantile haemangiomas (IHs) affect 3-10% of infants, 10% of whom need topical or systemic beta-blocker therapy. Propranolol is the first choice for IHs with a high risk of complications. Since more than half of IHs leave a permanent mark, to reduce outcomes, it is essential to start oral propranolol (2-3 mg/kg/day in 2 doses/day) within the 5th month of life (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpine pain (SP) is the most common musculoskeletal disorder that causes transitional forms of motor disability. Considering its affordability and safety, manipulative therapy (MT) stands as one of the primary therapeutic approaches for SP and the related dysfunctional consequences. However, it is still difficult to assess and quantify the results of this treatment since there is a lack of objective evaluation tools in the available scientific literature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and progressive degenerative disease that affects joint structures, such as the hips, knees, and hands, involving the articular cartilage, subchondral bone, ligaments, capsule, and synovium. OA is characterized by a progressive degeneration of the joint structures, resulting in pain and decreased quality of life. Local and systemic risk factors pave the way for OA development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: Crohn's disease has debilitating effects on patients' quality of life. Currently, there are limited data on the effect of anastomotic configuration on health-related quality of life after ileocaecal resection for Crohn's disease. This study aimed to assess the impact of Kono-S anastomosis on quality of life after ileocolic resection, compared to the conventional side-to-side anastomosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, osteoarthritis (OA), causes worldwide disability, morbidity, and poor quality of life by degenerating articular cartilage, modifying subchondral bone, and inflaming synovial membranes. OA pathogenesis pathways must be understood to generate new preventative and disease-modifying therapies. In recent years, it has been acknowledged that gut microbiota (GM) can significantly contribute to the development of OA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStructural health monitoring (SHM) has become paramount for developing cheaper and more reliable maintenance policies. The advantages coming from adopting such process have turned out to be particularly evident when dealing with plated structures. In this context, state-of-the-art methods are based on exciting and acquiring ultrasonic-guided waves through a permanently installed sensor network.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA compact, low-loss 2 × 1 angled-multi-mode-interference-based duplexer is proposed as an optical component for integrating several wavelengths with high coupling efficiency. The self-imaging principle in multimode waveguides is exploited to combine two target wavelengths, corresponding to distinctive absorption lines of important trace gases. The device performance has been numerically enhanced by engineering the geometrical parameters, offering trade-offs in coupling efficiency ratios.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCondition monitoring of rotating shafts is essential for ensuring the reliability and optimal performance of machinery in diverse industries. In this context, as industrial systems become increasingly complex, the need for efficient data processing techniques is paramount. Deep learning has emerged as a dominant approach due to its capacity to capture intricate data patterns and relationships.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe design and fabrication of a compact, low-loss, broadband directional coupler (DC) based duplexer operating in the near-infrared (NIR) region are demonstrated. The duplexer exhibits high selectivity and coupling efficiency (CE), for target wavelengths of 1530 nm and 1653.7 nm, making it applicable in systems for the multi-gas detection of ammonia and methane.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic pain disorder arising from somatosensory nervous system impairment. Extensive evidence supports the notion that the gut microbiota (GM) is crucial in maintaining human health by performing vital tasks. At the same time, its disruption has been linked to the emergence and advancement of an expanding range of disorders, including NP, in which GM could play a role in its pathophysiology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGraft survival is a critical end point in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT), where graft procurement endangers the lives of healthy individuals. Therefore, ALDLT must be responsibly performed in the perspective of a positive harm-to-benefit ratio. This study aimed to develop a risk prediction model for early (3 months) graft failure (EGF) following ALDLT.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDue to the success of minimally invasive liver surgery, laparoscopic and robotic minimally invasive donor hepatectomies (MIDH) are increasingly performed worldwide. We conducted a retrospective, multicentre, propensity score-matched analysis on right lobe MIDH by comparing the robotic, laparoscopic, and open approaches to assess the feasibility, safety, and early outcomes of MIDHs. From January 2016 until December 2020, 1194 donors underwent a right donor hepatectomy performed with a robotic (n = 92), laparoscopic (n = 306), and open approach (n = 796) at 6 high-volume centers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlast loading represents a critical dynamic condition for engineering structures. While the response of metal materials to such a condition has been studied in detail, the behavior of composites has not been properly addressed yet. In this context, this work leverages numerical methods to assess the damage that occurs in a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plate subjected to close-range blast loading.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) after ileocolic resection may develop an endoscopic postoperative recurrence (ePOR) that reaches 40% to 70% of incidence within 6 months. Recently, there has been growing interest in the potential effect of anastomotic configurations on ePOR. Kono-S anastomosis has been proposed for reducing the risk of clinical and ePOR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHere we report on a study of the non-radiative relaxation dynamic of CH and CH in wet nitrogen-based matrixes by using the quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) technique. The dependence of the QEPAS signal on pressure at fixed matrix composition and on HO concentration at fixed pressure was investigated. We demonstrated that QEPAS measurements can be used to retrieve both the effective relaxation rate in the matrix, and the V-T relaxation rate associated to collisions with nitrogen and water vapor.
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