Effect of liposomes, vitamins A and E nasal spray in reducing the healing time after septoplasty with concurrent turbinate surgery in adolescents.

Background: This study evaluates endoscopic and quality of life (QoL) outcomes in two groups, composed by both allergic (A) and non-allergic (N-A) adolescents undergoing septoplasty with concurrent turbinate surgery by radiofrequency treated after surgery with nasal spray containing liposomes and vitamins A and E.

Methods: This double-blind randomized study was carried out on 40 patients (22 males, 18 females, mean age 15.5±1.

Heart failure and anemia: Effects on prognostic variables.

Background: Anemia is frequent in heart failure (HF), and it is associated with higher mortality. The predictive power of established HF prognostic parameters in anemic HF patients is unknown.

Methods: Clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic and cardiopulmonary-exercise-test (CPET) data were analyzed in 3913 HF patients grouped according to hemoglobin (Hb) values.

Influence of Thyroid Hormones on Tendon Homeostasis.

Tendinopathies have a multifactorial etiology driven by extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Recent studies have elucidated the importance of thyroid hormones in the alteration of tendons homeostasis and in the failure of tendon healing after injury. The effects of thyroid hormones are mediated by receptors (TR)-α and -β that seem to be ubiquitous.

Clinical applications of vibration therapy in orthopaedic practice.

Background: Vibration therapy (VT) has been proposed as an option to improve physical performance and reduce the negative effects of ageing on bone, muscles and tendons. Several discrepancies exist on the type of applications, frequency and magnitude. These differences reflex on the contradictory clinical results in literature.

Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal - Basic principles and recommendations in clinical and field Science Research: 2016 Update.

The proper design and implementation of a study as well as a balanced and well-supported evaluation and interpretation of its main findings are of crucial importance when reporting and disseminating research. Also accountability, funding acknowledgement and adequately declaring any conflict of interest play a major role in science. Since the Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal (MLTJ) is committed to the highest scientific and ethical standards, we encourage all Authors to take into account and to comply, as much as possible, to the contents and issues discussed in this official editorial.

Injectable PLGA/Hydroxyapatite/Chitosan Microcapsules Produced by Supercritical Emulsion Extraction Technology: An In Vitro Study on Teriparatide/Gentamicin Controlled Release.

Supercritical emulsion extraction (SEE) is proposed as a green and effective strategy for the fabrication of chitosan-covered poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (chi-PLGA) injectable microcapsules for the controlled release of teriparatide (THA) and teriparatide/gentamicin sulfate (THA/Gen). These formulations can be used for locally bone pathologies treatment or in complex fracture healing of aged patients. Several oil-water (o-w) and water-oil-water (w-o-w) emulsions were processed by SEE to produce multifunctional microcapsules containing hydroxyapatite (HA) within a poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) matrix (up to 24 mg/g) and with both THA (0.

Prognostic impact of comorbidities in hospitalized patients with acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure.

Background: To assess the impact of comorbidities on long-term all-cause mortality in patients hospitalized with exacerbated signs/symptoms of previously chronic stable HF (AE-CHF).

Methods: 1119 patients admitted for AE-CHF and with NT-proBNP levels >900pg/mL were enrolled. Univariable and multivariable Cox analyses were performed to assess the association of age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease (CHD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, previous cerebrovascular accidents, chronic liver disease (CLD), thyroid disease, renal impairment (RI), and anemia with 3-year all-cause mortality.

A prospective comparison of mid-term outcomes in patients treated with heart transplantation with advanced age donors versus left ventricular assist device implantation.

Objectives: In Europe, the age of heart donors is constantly increasing. Ageing of heart donors limits the probability of success of heart transplantation (HTx). The aim of this study is to compare the outcome of patients with advanced heart failure (HF) treated with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) with indication as bridge to transplantation (BTT) or bridge to candidacy (BTC) versus recipients of HTx with the donor's age above 55 years (HTx with donors >55 years).

The role of levosimendan in acute heart failure complicating acute coronary syndrome: A review and expert consensus opinion.

Acute heart failure and/or cardiogenic shock are frequently triggered by ischemic coronary events. Yet, there is a paucity of randomized data on the management of patients with heart failure complicating acute coronary syndrome, as acute coronary syndrome and cardiogenic shock have frequently been defined as exclusion criteria in trials and registries. As a consequence, guideline recommendations are mostly driven by observational studies, even though these patients have a particularly poor prognosis compared to heart failure patients without signs of coronary artery disease.

Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and accelerated atherosclerosis: An intriguing association needing targeted surveillance. Lessons from a rare case of acute anterior myocardial infarction.

We report the case of a 23-year-old man who developed an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction secondary to acute thrombotic occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery five years after undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and bulky mediastinal mass involving the pleura and pericardium. His medical history also included Graft versus Host Disease developed 13 months after transplantation and acute myocarditis three months before the actual hospital admission. To the best of our knowledge, coronary artery disease as a complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and low-dose mediastinal radiation therapy in young patients has been rarely reported in the medical literature.

Treating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and Relaxation Therapy.

Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune disease that imposes a significant emotional burden with heavy psychosocial consequences. Several studies have investigated the association between MS and mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, and recently researchers have focused also on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This is the first study that investigates the usefulness of proposing a treatment for PTSD to patients with MS.

Incremental utility of prognostic variables at discharge for risk prediction in hospitalized patients with acutely decompensated chronic heart failure.

Objectives: To assess the incremental prognostic utility of discharge serum creatinine (SCr), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and NT-proBNP and sodium concentrations in hospitalized patients with acutely decompensated chronic heart failure.

Background: Whether key prognostic variables at discharge provide incremental prognostic information beyond that provided by a model based on admission variables (referent) remains incompletely defined.

Methods: The primary outcome was a composite of death, urgent heart transplantation, or ventricular assist device implantation at 1 year.

A multifactorial anti-cachectic approach for cancer cachexia in a rat model undergoing chemotherapy.

Background: The effectiveness of drugs aimed at counteracting cancer cachexia is generally tested in pre-clinical rodent models, where only the tumour-induced alterations are taken into account, excluding the co-presence of anti-tumour molecules that could worsen the scenario and/or interfere with the treatment.

Methods: The aim of the present investigation has been to assess the efficacy of a multifactorial treatment, including formoterol and megestrol acetate, in cachectic tumour-bearing rats (Yoshida AH-130, a highly cachectic tumour) undergoing chemotherapy (sorafenib).

Results: Treatment of cachectic tumour-bearing rats with sorafenib (90 mg/kg) causes an important decrease in tumour cell content due to both reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis.

[Heart rate and outcome in patients with acute and chronic heart failure].

Heart rate (HR) is not only a physical sign but also a biomarker. High HR in several cardiac disorders is associated with increased mortality. In heart failure (HF), HR represents an important therapeutic target, both in the acute and chronic phase.

Sonoelastography in the diagnosis of tendinopathies: an added value.

Background: sonoelastography helps in the detection of abnormalities not yet evident on B-mode exam.

Methods: in this observational study, we report a collection of cases of symptomatic patients without alterations at ultrasound imaging but with evidence of pathological findings at sonoelastography. Patients, with clinical history suggestive for tendinopathies or surgically treated, and negative at the ultrasound exam, were submitted to sonoelastography.

I.S.Mu.L.T - Rotator Cuff Tears Guidelines.

Despite the high level achieved in the field of shoulder surgery, a global consensus on rotator cuff tears management is lacking. This work is divided into two main sessions: in the first, we set questions about hot topics involved in the rotator cuff tears, from the etiopathogenesis to the surgical treatment. In the second, we answered these questions by mentioning Evidence Based Medicine.

Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: Relevance for Risk Stratification.

Background: Although the prognostic value of right ventricular dysfunction in chronic heart failure (HF) has been studied extensively, it remains insufficiently characterized in the setting of acute decompensated HF (ADHF). We sought to assess whether measurement of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) or TAPSE-to-estimated pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (ePASP) ratio allows improvement of risk prediction in ADHF.

Methods: Four hundred ninety-nine patients with ADHF were studied.

Impact of Na Dynamics at the Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4/CdS Interface During Post Low Temperature Treatment of Absorbers.

Cu2SnZn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells based on earth abundant and nontoxic elements currently achieve efficiencies exceeding 12%. It has been reported that, to obtain high efficiency devices, a post thermal treatment of absorbers or devices at temperatures ranging between 150 and 400 °C (post low temperature treatment, PLTT) is advisable. Recent findings point toward a beneficial passivation of grain boundaries with SnOx or Cu-depleted surface and grain boundaries during the PLTT process, but no investigation regarding alkali doping is available, even though alkali dynamics, especially Na, are systematically reported to be crucial within the field.

Flagellar Sensillar Equipment of Two Morphologically Closely Related Aphid Hyperparasitoids (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Alloxysta).

The antennal sensillar equipment in the parasitic wasp family Figitidae was analyzed to date only in few species, despite some are associated with crop pests and can have an economic importance. It is the case of the genus Alloxysta, which includes hyperparasitoids of aphids which can potentially reduce effectiveness of primary pest parasitoids. Here we analyzed, through scanning electron microscopy, the diversity, morphology, and distribution of the antennal sensilla in males and females of Alloxysta consobrina (Zetterstedt) and Alloxysta victrix (Westwood), two species with overall very similar morphology.

Hormones and tendinopathies: the current evidence.

Background: Tendinopathies negatively affect the quality of life of millions of people, but we still do not know the factors involved in the development of tendon conditions.

Sources Of Data: Published articles in English in PubMed and Google Scholar up to June 2015 about hormonal influence on tendinopathies onset. One hundred and two papers were included following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

The efficacy of a Mindfulness Based Intervention for depressive symptoms in patients with Multiple Sclerosis and their caregivers: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: Multiple Sclerosis has a great impact on psychological functioning of patients and can be associated with various mental health disorders and symptoms. The most prevalent one is depression, which ranges from 15 to 47%. Mindfulness Based Interventions are a relatively brief and cost-effective program that has been studied in patients with several chronic diseases and recently also in patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Asymptomatic aortic mural thrombus in a minimally atherosclerotic vessel.

Aortic mural thrombi in a normal (non-aneurysmal or minimally atherosclerotic) vessel are an uncommon condition. They are usually located in the descending aorta and, less frequently, in the aortic arch or in the abdominal aorta. The typical clinical presentation is the appearance of symptoms/signs of peripheral arterial embolization, such as lower limb or visceral ischaemia, but these can also be accidentally found in asymptomatic patients.