Does a Type of Inciting Antigen Correlate with the Presence of Lung Fibrosis in Patients with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis?

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an interstitial inflammatory lung disease that develops as a result of exposition to various, mostly organic antigens. In some patients, fibrotic HP is diagnosed. Factors predisposing to the development of fibrotic lung disease in HP patients are not well documented in the literature.

Short- and long-term clinical outcomes of nintedanib therapy in IPF patients with different phenotypes: A retrospective registry-based study.

Background: There is a lack of data on the long-term effect of nintedanib on survival in specific groups of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients with different phenotypes. We investigated the outcomes of nintedanib therapy in an observational study of a large multicentre real-world cohort of IPF patients with various initial characteristics.

Methods: The analysis included IPF patients treated with nintedanib (NIN) and IPF patients not receiving antifibrotic treatment (NAF) enrolled for the EMPIRE registry in 2015-2020.

Ovarian Stem Cells for Women's Infertility: State of the Art.

Today, women's infertility is considered a social disease in females, occurring not only as an effect of POF (premature ovarian failure) but also as CTRI (cancer treatment-related infertility) in oncologic patients. Several procedures for FP (fertility preservation) are currently adopted to prevent this condition, mostly based on utilization of retrieved eggs from the patients with subsequent IVF (in vitro fertilization) or cryopreservation. However, great interest has recently been devoted to OSCs (ovarian stem cells), whose isolation from female ovaries, followed by their in vitro culture, led to their maturation to OLCs (oocyte-like cells), namely, neo-oocytes comparable to viable eggs suitable for IVF.

The Influence of Various Crosslinking Conditions of EDC/NHS on the Properties of Fish Collagen Film.

The process of crosslinking improves the physicochemical properties of biopolymer-based composites, making them valuable for biomedical applications. EDC/NHS-crosslinked collagen materials have a significant potential for tissue engineering applications, due to their enhanced properties and biocompatibility. Chemical crosslinking of samples can be carried out in several ways, which is crucial and has a direct effect on the final properties of the obtained material.

Dialdehyde Starch as a Cross-Linking Agent Modifying Fish Collagen Film Properties.

The aim of this research was the modification of fish collagen films with various amounts of dialdehyde starch (DAS). Film properties were examined before and after the cross-linking process by DAS. Prepared biopolymer materials were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy.

The Impact of Switching to a Second Antifibrotic in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Retrospective Multicentre Study From the EMPIRE Registry.

Introduction: Most patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) treated with antifibrotics (AF) have progressive disease despite treatment. A switch of AF may improve survival, but evidence from randomised controlled trials is missing. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an AF switch on survival and FVC decline in patients from the European MultiPartner IPF registry (EMPIRE).

Physical Properties and Release Profiles of Chitosan Mixture Films Containing Salicin, Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid.

Chitosan (CS) has gained considerable attention due to its distinctive properties and its broad spectrum of potential applications, spanning cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical uses. In this study, we characterized thin films comprising chitosan mixtures containing salicin (SAL) and glycerin (GLY), both with and without hyaluronic acid (HA) as active ingredients. Characterization was achieved through release studies of SAL, infrared spectroscopy, microscopy techniques (AFM and SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

D-Dimers Variability in the Perioperative Period of Breast Cancer Surgery Helps to Predict Cancer Relapse: A Single-Centre Prospective Study.

Background: The importance of D-dimers (DD) assessment in the diagnostic algorithm of venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease is well known. Increase of DD concentration may be also associated with neoplastic disease. Many studies documented that high concentration of DD before solid tumour surgery indicates more advanced disease and poor life expectancy.

Modulation of LPS-Induced Neurodegeneration by Intestinal Helminth Infection in Ageing Mice.

Parasitic helminths induce a transient, short-term inflammation at the beginning of infection, but in persistent infection may suppress the systemic immune response by enhancing the activity of regulatory M2 macrophages. The aim of the study was to determine how nematode infection affects age-related neuroinflammation, especially macrophages in the nervous tissue. Here, intraperitoneal LPS-induced systemic inflammation resulting in brain neurodegeneration was enhanced by prolonged infection in C57BL/6 mice.

Chitosan-Based Films Containing Rutin for Potential Cosmetic Applications.

Chitosan is a polysaccharide with film-forming properties. Such properties are widely used for the preparation of beauty masks and wound-healing materials. In this work, chitosan-based films containing hyaluronic acid and rutin have been researched for potential cosmetic applications.

Characterization of Chitosan Films Modified Using Caffeic Acid and a Neutralization Process.

In the context of the growing interest in biopolymer-based materials for various applications, this study aimed to enhance the properties of chitosan (CS, a derivative of chitin) films by incorporating caffeic acid, a polyphenol compound known for its multiple health benefits. The objective was to improve the mechanical parameters of the resulting films, including surface roughness and elasticity. CS was combined with caffeic acid and then underwent a neutralization process.

Miscibility studies on carboxymethyl chitosan and poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) mixtures.

The production of polymer mixtures is a widely used method to improve polymer performance, as such mixtures can combine advantageous properties from each component. In this study, mixtures based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) and poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) were characterized using steady shear measurements, viscometry, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Viscometry and steady shear studies were performed on solutions of the native polymers and their mixtures with various weight proportions (80/20, 50/50, and 20/80%w/w).

The Presence of T Allele (rs35705950) of the MUC5B Gene Predicts Lower Baseline Forced Vital Capacity and Its Subsequent Decline in Patients with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an exposure-related interstitial lung disease with two phenotypes-fibrotic and non-fibrotic. Genetic predisposition is an important factor in the disease pathogenesis and fibrosis development. Several genes are supposed to be associated with the fibrosing cascade in the lungs.

Determining Factors of Alarm Fatigue among Nurses in Intensive Care Units-A Polish Pilot Study.

Introduction: With the development of medical technology, clinical alarms from various medical devices, which are rapidly increasing, are becoming a new problem in intensive care units. The aim of this study was to evaluate alarm fatigue in Polish nurses employed in Intensive Care Units and identify the factors associated with alarm fatigue.

Methods: A cross-sectional study.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cell Count and Lymphocytosis Are the Important Discriminators between Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP) shares many features with other fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILD), and as a result it can be misdiagnosed as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We aimed to determine the value of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) total cell count (TCC) and lymphocytosis in distinguishing fHP and IPF and to evaluate the best cut-off points discriminating these two fibrotic ILD.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of fHP and IPF patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2018 was conducted.

Fibrinolytic Therapy in Purulent Pericarditis.

Purulent pericarditis (PP) is rare disease, and if left untreated, it is associated with very high mortality, nearly 100%. A considerable clinical problem due to PP is a very high probability of developing constrictive pericarditis (CP). Pericardial drainage is essential in the treatment of PP and should be performed urgently.

Biomaterials Based on Chitosan and Its Derivatives and Their Potential in Tissue Engineering and Other Biomedical Applications-A Review.

In the times of dynamically developing regenerative medicine, more and more attention is focused on the use of natural polymers. This is due to their high biocompatibility and biodegradability without the production of toxic compounds, which means that they do not hurt humans and the natural environment. Chitosan and its derivatives are polymers made most often from the shells of crustaceans and are biodegradable and biocompatible.

Factors Predictive for Immunomodulatory Therapy Response and Survival in Patients with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis-Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is one of the interstitial lung diseases with clearly established diagnostic criteria. Nevertheless, pharmacologic treatment recommendations are still lacking. Most specialists use steroids as first-line drugs, sometimes combined with an immunosuppressive agent.

Subdiffusion equation with Caputo fractional derivative with respect to another function in modeling diffusion in a complex system consisting of a matrix and channels.

Anomalous diffusion of an antibiotic (colistin) in a system consisting of packed gel (alginate) beads immersed in water is studied experimentally and theoretically. The experimental studies are performed using the interferometric method of measuring concentration profiles of a diffusing substance. We use the g-subdiffusion equation with the fractional Caputo time derivative with respect to another function g to describe the process.

Target Blood Pressure Values in Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring.

Introduction: 2018 ESC/ESH guidelines have recommended 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to assess hypotensive therapy in many circumstances. Recommended target blood pressure in office blood pressure measurements is between 120/70 and 130/80 mmHg. Such targets for 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring lacks.

Chitosan Modified by Kombucha-Derived Bacterial Cellulose: Rheological Behavior and Properties of Convened Biopolymer Films.

This work investigates the rheological behavior and characteristics of solutions and convened biopolymer films from Chitosan (Chi) modified by kombucha-derived bacterial cellulose (KBC). The Arrhenius equation and the Ostwald de Waele model (power-law) revealed that the Chi/KBC solutions exhibited non-Newtonian behavior. Both temperature and KBC concentration strongly affected their solution viscosity.