Understanding Vascular Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Implications.

Vascular calcification (VC) is a biological phenomenon characterized by an accumulation of calcium and phosphate deposits within the walls of blood vessels causing the loss of elasticity of the arterial walls. VC plays a crucial role in the incidence and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), leading to a significant increase in cardiovascular mortality in these patients. Different conditions such as age, sex, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension are the main risk factors in patients affected by chronic kidney disease.

Retinal Tear and Retinal Detachment after Cataract Surgery in Eyes with a Previous History of Treated Phakic Retinal Tears.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence and outcomes of retinal tear (RT) and retinal detachment (RD) after cataract extraction in patients with a history of previous phakic RT.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Participants: Patients with phakic eyes with RT that were treated successfully with laser photocoagulation or cryotherapy and subsequently underwent cataract surgery.

A Large-Scale Validation of an Improved Embryo-Rescue Protocol for the Obtainment of New Table-Grape Seedless Genotypes.

The new trends in the consumption of table grapes and the growing interest in the environmental impact of this crop have pushed breeders toward the development of seedless cultivars endowed with resistance, through crossbreeding programs. To obtain seedless grapes, the use of embryo-rescue techniques is fundamental. In this research, a grape embryo-culture protocol was optimized and validated by using 39 cultivars and 41 cross-combinations carried out in the framework of a large private table grape program of the private network Italian Variety Club in the period 2017-2021 evaluating several factors, such as the improvement in embryo formation, germination and growth, and plantlet development.

Athletes' basic psychological needs and emotions: the role of cognitive reappraisal.

In sport, where high achievements are at stake, athletes often feel pressure and emotions that hinder their performance. Emotion regulation becomes essential for athletes to handle stress, achieve optimal performance, and enhance their overall well-being. To advance both research and practical applications, it is crucial to examine the antecedents of emotion regulation and the impact on emotions and other feelings associated with performance.

Ratio Indexes Based on Spectral Electroencephalographic Brainwaves for Assessment of Mental Involvement: A Systematic Review.

This review systematically examined the scientific literature about electroencephalogram-derived ratio indexes used to assess human mental involvement, in order to deduce what they are, how they are defined and used, and what their best fields of application are. (2) Methods: The review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. (3) Results: From the search query, 82 documents resulted.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Retinal Detachment and Retinal Tear after Cataract Surgery: IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) Analysis.

Objective: To report the incidence of and evaluate demographic, ocular comorbidities, and intraoperative factors for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and retinal tear (RT) after cataract surgery in the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: Patients aged ≥ 40 years who underwent cataract surgery between 2014 and 2017.

Impact of a pharmacist collaborative drug therapy management protocol on utilization of a discharge prescription program and hospital readmissions.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM) agreement allowing a pharmacist to automatically prescribe refills of discharge medications to patients' preferred outpatient pharmacy on utilization of a hospital discharge prescription program and hospital readmission rates.

Methods: This was a single-center, quasi-experimental pre-post intervention study. Patients aged 18 years or older discharged from the cardiology services to home were eligible for inclusion in the study.

Cardiopulmonary responses during unsupported upper limb exercise tests and limitations in activities of daily living in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Introduction: Cardiopulmonary responses during unsupported upper limb function assessment may vary in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objective: To compare the cardiopulmonary responses during the function assessment with the Six-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test (6PBRT) and the incremental Unsupported Upper Limb Exercise (UULEX) test in COPD and to investigate the correlations with muscle strength and the limitations on activity of daily living (ADLs).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study.

The Effect of a Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program on Respiratory Function and Functional Capacity on Patients After 1 Month to Liver Transplantation.

Background: Physical exercise is prescribed in populations with chronic diseases, but data are scarce in the liver transplantation (LT) setting.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in forced expiratory volume in the first second, forced vital capacity, maximal inspiratory pressure, maximal expiratory pressure, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), 6-minute step test (6MST), Duke Activity Status Index, VO (mL/kg/min), and health-related quality of life (in patients submitted to a rehabilitation program, comprising physical exercise training, breathing techniques, and educational sessions after LT.

Methods: This cohort study enrolled patients to an 8-week period of thrice weekly comprehensive supervised rehabilitation program after 1 month of LT.

Muscle Co-Contraction Detection in the Time-Frequency Domain.

Background: Muscle co-contraction plays a significant role in motion control. Available detection methods typically only provide information in the time domain. The current investigation proposed a novel approach for muscle co-contraction detection in the time-frequency domain, based on continuous wavelet transform (CWT).

Sport Participation in Early and Middle Adolescence: The Interplay Between Self-Perception and Psychobiosocial Experiences in Predicting Burnout Symptoms.

Adolescence is characterized by pubertal physical changes, cognitive development, and modified social expectations. Adolescent athletes often enter a more challenging stage of athletic development associated with increased specialization, and become vulnerable to feelings of burnout. It is therefore important to consider intrapersonal psychological factors that can improve sport participation experiences and prevent burnout.

Validation of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) for individuals with COPD.

Purpose: COPD fits the profile of disabling health conditions. This study aims to validate the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.

Sexuality and Associated Factors in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients Attending a Referral Hospital in Northeastern Brazil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate sexual function in male and female COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients and identify associated factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study on 52 COPD patients treated at an outpatient pneumology service of a referral hospital in Northeastern Brazil. Information was collected on demographic, clinical and spirometric variables and exercise capacity.

Novel amide and imidazole compounds as potent hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase inhibitors.

In seeking novel and potent small molecule hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (H-PGDS) inhibitors as potential therapies for PGD-mediated diseases and conditions, we explored a series comprising multiple aryl/heteroaryl rings attached in a linear arrangement. Each compound incorporates an amide or imidazole "linker" between the pyrimidine or pyridine "core" ring and the "tail" ring system. We synthesized and screened twenty analogs by fluorescence polarization binding assay, thermal shift assay, glutathione S-transferase inhibition assay, and a cell-based assay measuring suppression of LPS-induced PGD stimulation.

Physical Activity and Physical Competence in Overweight and Obese Children: An Intervention Study.

With the current obesity epidemic and the decline of fitness among school-aged children, the importance of obesity interventions to promote physical activity and healthy habits has become indisputable. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a school-based multicomponent intervention in increasing physical activity (PA) levels, actual physical abilities, and perceived physical abilities in clinical and nonclinical samples of overweight/obese boys and girls aged 10-12 years. The clinical intervention group ( = 35) participated in a 7-month after-school program in addition to curricular physical education lessons, while the nonclinical control group ( = 29) received usual curricular lessons.

Author Correction: Modulation of the Neuregulin 1/ErbB system after skeletal muscle denervation and reinnervation.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Psychobiosocial States as Mediators of the Effects of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction on Burnout Symptoms in Youth Sport.

Sport participation in youngsters has been associated with long-lasting psychosocial and health-related benefits as well as increased levels of physical exercise in adulthood. The objective of this study was to examine some psychological factors of fundamental importance in enhancing sport participation and preventing burnout. A sample of 520 girls and boys aged 13-18 years, practicing individual or team sports, took part in a cross-sectional study to assess basic psychological need satisfaction, psychobiosocial states, and burnout symptoms.

Actual and perceived motor competence: Are children accurate in their perceptions?

The aims of this study were (1) to investigate whether 6-7-year-old children are accurate in perceiving their actual movement competence, and (2) to examine possible age- and gender-related differences. A total of 603 children (301 girls and 302 boys, aged 6 to 7 years) were assessed on the execution accuracy of six locomotor skills and six object control skills using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). The perceived competence of the same skills, plus six active play activities, was also gauged through the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC-2).

KMN-159, a novel EP receptor selective agonist, stimulates osteoblastic differentiation in cultured whole rat bone marrow.

KMN-159 is the lead compound from a series of novel difluorolactam prostanoid EP receptor agonists aimed at inducing local bone formation while avoiding the inherent side effects of systemic EP activation. KMN-159 is a potent, selective small molecule possessing pharmacokinetic properties amenable to local administration. Unfractionated rat bone marrow cells (BMCs) were treated once at plating with escalating doses of KMN-159 (1 pM to 10 μM).

Critical analysis of the value of the rabbit median nerve model for biomedical research on peripheral nerve grafts.

The rabbit has been proposed to represent an animal model that allows studying peripheral nerve regeneration across extended gap lengths. We describe here our experiences with the rabbit median nerve model and the obstacles it comes along with. This short communication is meant to inform the community and to prevent other researcher from investing time and animal lives in a model with low translational power.

Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge plasma: a suitable measure against fungal plant pathogens.

Fungal diseases seriously affect agricultural production and the food industry. Crop protection is usually achieved by synthetic fungicides, therefore more sustainable and innovative technologies are increasingly required. The atmospheric pressure low-temperature plasma is a novel suitable measure.

Improved homology modeling of the human & rat EP prostanoid receptors.

Background: The EP prostanoid receptor is one of four GPCRs that mediate the diverse actions of prostaglandin E (PGE). Novel selective EP receptor agonists would assist to further elucidate receptor sub-type function and promote development of therapeutics for bone healing, heart failure, and other receptor associated conditions. The rat EP (rEP) receptor has been used as a surrogate for the human EP (hEP) receptor in multiple SAR studies.