Quality of life among patients with left ventricular assist device: Comparison of two populations.

Background: This study aims to evaluate quality of life among patients with an implanted left ventricular assist device in two different populations.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 20 patients (15 males, 5 females; mean age 41.8±13.

Prevention of pressure ulcers among individuals cared for in the prone position: lessons for the COVID-19 emergency.

Objective: Pressure ulcers (PUs) involve the destruction of skin and underlying tissue due to prolonged pressure and shear forces. These ulcers are painful and significantly reduce a person's quality of life. PUs are also expensive to manage and impact negatively on the achievement of cost-effective, efficient care delivery.

Analysis of thrombophilic gene mutations in coronary artery ectasia.

Objective: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as localized or diffuse dilatation in the coronary artery lumen of at least 1.5 times the diameter of adjacent healthy reference segments. The etiology of CAE is still unknown, but the most likely cause is atherosclerosis.

Synthesis, characterization and oxygen sensitivity of cyclophosphazene equipped-iridium (III) complexes.

In this work, synthesis, characterization and oxygen sensing abilities of the cyclophosphazene-free and phenyl and naphtoxy-substituted cyclophosphazene bearing iridium (III) complexes (Ir-I, Ir-II and Ir-III) were presented. The complexes were characterized by NMR, absorption and emission spectroscopies, luminescence lifetime and quantum yield measurements. The molecules were successfully embedded in the ethyl cellulose matrix to fabricate the oxygen sensing electrospun mats via electrospinning technique.

Direct observation of water-mediated single-proton transport between hBN surface defects.

Aqueous proton transport at interfaces is ubiquitous and crucial for a number of fields, ranging from cellular transport and signalling, to catalysis and membrane science. However, due to their light mass, small size and high chemical reactivity, uncovering the surface transport of single protons at room temperature and in an aqueous environment has so far remained out-of-reach of conventional atomic-scale surface science techniques, such as scanning tunnelling microscopy. Here, we use single-molecule localization microscopy to resolve optically the transport of individual excess protons at the interface of hexagonal boron nitride crystals and aqueous solutions at room temperature.

Long-term outcomes after intraoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during lung transplantation.

Introduction: Over the past decade, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has replaced cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for cardiopulmonary support during lung transplantation at our institution. In this study, we present our experience using intraoperative ECMO in isolated lung transplantation and evaluate its impact on long-term graft function and survival.

Methods: All patients undergoing isolated lung transplantation with or without ECMO support between January 2010 and June 2019 were evaluated.

Paediatric aortic valve replacement using decellularized allografts.

Objectives: Options for paediatric aortic valve replacement (AVR) are limited if valve repair is not feasible. Results of paediatric Ross procedures are inferior to adult Ross results, and mechanical AVR imposes constant anticoagulation with the inherent risks.

Methods: The study design was a prospective, multicentre follow-up of all paediatric patients receiving decellularized aortic homografts (DAHs) for AVR in 8 European centres.

Polymer-Lipid Hybrid Membranes as a Model Platform to Drive Membrane-Cytochrome Interaction and Peroxidase-like Activity.

Controllable attachment of proteins to material surfaces is very attractive for many applications including biosensors, bioengineered scaffolds or drug screening. Especially, redox proteins have received considerable attention as a model system not only to understand the mechanism of electron transfer in biological systems, but also the development of novel biosensors. However, current research attempts suffer from denaturation of the protein after its attachment to solid substrates.

Impaired mobility and pressure ulcer development in older adults: Excess movement and too little movement-Two sides of the one coin?

Aim: To identify how activity and mobility lead to pressure ulcer development, using two objective assessments, one for mobility and one for early pressure ulcer detection.

Methods: 150 older persons from long-term settings were followed up for 20 days, using an observational, quantitative, prospective study design. The study was conducted in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement.

Integrating Ligand and Target-Driven Based Virtual Screening Approaches With Human Cell Line Models and Time-Resolved Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Assay to Identify Novel Hit Compounds Against BCL-2.

Antiapoptotic members of -/-2 (BCL-2) family proteins are one of the overexpressed proteins in cancer cells that are oncogenic targets. As such, targeting of BCL-2 family proteins raises hopes for new therapeutic discoveries. Thus, we used multistep screening and filtering approaches that combine structure and ligand-based drug design to identify new, effective BCL-2 inhibitors from a small molecule database (Specs SC), which includes more than 210,000 compounds.

Upper-body cannulation for midterm mechanical circulatory support: A novel bridging strategy to cardiac retransplantation.

Heart retransplantation remains a controversial issue, due to the overall shortage of donor organs. Many patients put on the waiting list for retransplantation, decompensate rapidly, and do not survive. The use of veno-arterial extracorporeal life support remains an option in such emergency situations as bridge-to-recovery or bridge-to-transplantation therapy.

Development of a Rapid and Sensitive IDH1/2 Mutation Detection Method for Glial Tumors and a Comparative Mutation Analysis of 236 Glial Tumor Samples.

Background: The presence of mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 genes (IDH1/2) in glioma tumors is correlated with good prognosis upon standard-of-care treatment. Therefore, information on whether the glioma tumor has IDH1/2 mutations could be used in the correct diagnosis and management of glial tumors. The two most common techniques used to detect IDH1/2 mutations, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Sanger sequencing, are prone to missing these mutations, especially if the tumor cells that carry the mutations constitute a small minority of the tumor itself.

Urgent double switch operation in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries and an untrained systemic ventricle.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries is a rare cardiac abnormality. A nine-month-old male infant with the diagnosis of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries was admitted to our clinic with a history of pulmonary artery banding to train the left ventricle three months ago. On admission, he presented with bronchopneumonia, cyanosis, dyspnea, and severe biventricular heart failure associated with significant valvular regurgitation.

The relationship between common risk factors and the pathology of pressure ulcer development: a systematic review.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to examine the associations and relationship between commonly cited risk factors and the pathology of pressure ulcer (PU) development.

Method: Using systematic review methodology, original research studies, prospective design and human studies written in English were included. The search was conducted in March 2018, using Ovid, Ovid EMBASE and CINAHL databases.

Identification and quantitation of genetically modified (GM) ingredients in maize, rice, soybean and wheat-containing retail foods and feeds in Turkey.

The cultivation area and diversity of genetically modified (GM) crop varieties worldwide is increasing rapidly. Taking Turkey as an example of a country with tight restrictions on the import and use of GM crops but limited resources for product monitoring, we developed a cost-effective 3-tier screening protocol, and tested 110 retail food products and 13 animal feeds available in 2016-2017 for GM ingredients. No evidence was found for the presence of GM wheat or rice in the foodstuffs tested; however, 6 feeds and 3 food products containing soybean and/or maize were positive for one or more GM elements.

Quantification of denitrifier genes population size and its relationship with environmental factors.

The objectives of this study were to use real-time PCR for culture-independent quantification of the copy numbers of 16S rRNA and denitrification functional genes, and also the relationships between gene copy numbers and soil physicochemical properties. In this study, qPCR analysis of the soil samples showed 16S rRNA, nirS, nirK, nosZI and nosZII average densities of 3.0 × 10, 2.

Patient education for preventing recurrence of venous leg ulcers: a systematic review.

Objective: To investigate the impact of patient education interventions on preventing the recurrence of venous leg ulcers (VLU).

Method: A systematic review was undertaken using the following databases: Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library); Ovid; Ovid (In-process and Other Non-Indexed Citations); Ovid Embase and EBSCO CINAHL. Trial registries and reference lists of relevant publications for published and ongoing trials were also searched.

Detection of multidrug-resistant isolates and distribution of denitrifying functional genes.

The aim of this study was to characterize 59 strains isolated from soil samples in terms of Inducible Beta-Lactamase (IBL), fluorescence production, antibiotic resistance, presence of plasmids and genetic diversity, as well as denitrification functional genes. Fourteen out of fifty-nine (23.7%) isolates were identified as multidrug-resistant.

Clinical Characteristics and Follow-Up Results of Adrenal Incidentaloma.

It is recommended that adrenal incidentaloma patients should be monitored for radiological changes, increase in size and new functionality that may occur in the future, even if they are benign and nonfunctional at the initial evaluation. Our aim is to evaluate the key clinical characteristics of adrenal incidentaloma patients focusing on changes during follow-up and associated clinical outcomes. A total of 755 patients (median age: 56 years), with an adrenal incidentaloma > 1 cm and underwent functionality tests, were included in the study.

Six-year experience with treatment of early donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies in pediatric lung transplantation using a human immunoglobulin-based protocol.

Objectives: Experience with the treatment of early donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (eDSA) after lung transplantation in children is very limited. At our institution, we have treated patients with eDSA since 2013 with successive infusions of intravenous human immunoglobulins (IVIG), combined in some cases with a single dose of Rituximab and plasmapheresis (therapeutic plasma exchange [tPE]) or immunoabsorption. The aim of this study was to present the 6-year results of IVIG-based therapy in pediatric lung recipients.

Increased frequency of CD4 CD25 CD127 T cells early after lung transplant is associated with improved graft survival - a retrospective study.

In this retrospective study, we analyzed the presence of any association of three CD4 CD25 regulatory T-cell subpopulations at 3 weeks after lung transplantation with the later incidence of chronic lung allograft dysfunction and graft survival. Among lung-transplanted patients between January 2009 and April 2018, only patients with sufficient T-cell measurements at 3 weeks after transplantation were included into the study. Putative regulatory T cells were defined as CD4 CD25 T cells, detected in peripheral blood and further analyzed for CD127 , FoxP3 , and CD152 using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis.

Do we still need to assess nurses' attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention? A systematic review.

Objective: To critically appraise and synthesise existing research literature pertaining to nurses' attitudes towards pressure ulcer (PU) prevention.

Method: Using systematic review methodology, published quantitative studies focusing on nurses' attitudes towards PU prevention measured by psychometric tests were included. The search was conducted in May 2019 using PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane and EMBASE databases, and returned 442 records, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the patient knowledge of, and attitudes and behaviours towards pressure ulcer prevention instrument (KPUP).

The Patient Knowledge of, and Attitude and Behaviour towards Pressure Ulcer Prevention Instrument (KPUP) was developed and validated using a two-stage prospective psychometric instrument validation study design. In Stage 1, the instrument was designed, and it is psychometrically evaluated in Stage 2. To establish content validity, two expert panels independently reviewed each item for appropriateness and relevance.

Examining the effect of "Shotblocker" in relieving pain associated with intramuscular injection.

This study was conducted in order to examine the effect of "Shotblocker" in relieving pain associated with intramuscular injection. The population of the study consisted of all the patients who were hospitalized in the hospital and received intramuscular diclomec treatment. In order to eliminate the individual pain differences, each patient constituted their own control group.