Feasibility and acceptability of multiple methods of recording injecting drug use episode data among people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia: a pilot evaluation study protocol.

Introduction: Opioid overdose and blood-borne virus transmission are key health risks for people who inject drugs. Existing study methods that record data on injecting drug risks mostly rely on retrospective self-reporting that, while valid, are limited to being broad and subject to recall bias. The In-The-Moment-Expanded (ITM-Ex) study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of multiple novel data collection methods to capture in situ drug injecting data.

Implantation of a sutureless aortic valve into the ring of a mechanical valve: an extreme solution for extreme cases.

Reoperations due to dysfunction of artificial mechanical aortic valves represent a complex and high-risk surgical procedure, particularly for elderly patients. In this report, we present a case of an 81-year-old female patient where, due to structural degeneration of the mechanical valve, an emergency surgical procedure was indicated. After the removal of the valve leaflets, a sutureless aortic valve was implanted within the mechanical ring.

Dysfibrinogenemia and hypofibrinogenemia - Spectrum of pathogenic variants in Slovak patients.

Introduction: Congenital hypofibrinogenemia (CH) and congenital dysfibrinogenemia (CD) are rare coagulation disorders caused by quantitative or qualitative defects in the fibrinogen gene. The aim of this study was to characterize the genetic background and the clinical manifestations of congenital fibrinogen disorders in the patients from Slovakia registered at the National Haemophilia Centre.

Materials And Methods: Results of genetic analysis of the fibrinogen genes FGA, FGB and FGG using polymerase chain reaction followed by direct sequencing were evaluated in 36 patients.

Knowledge of Healthcare Workers Regarding Road Traffic Child Safety in South Bačka District, Serbia.

Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCW) can have an important role in educating parents about child road safety, but research on the topic shows that they usually do not have adequate knowledge. Thus, the aim of our study was to analyze their knowledge in the field of child road safety.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among HCW from South Bačka district, Serbia, using a specially created questionnaire for assessing knowledge on road traffic injuries in children.

Short tandem repeats genotyping of gestational choriocarcinoma - our experiences.

Objective: This short communication demonstrates how short tandem repeat genotyping can identify the origin of gestational choriocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: The origin of gestational choriocarcinoma in our three cases was determined using the short tandem repeats genotyping technique, which involved quantitative fluorescent PCR and fragmentation analysis.

Results: In Case 1 despite no medical history of molar pregnancy, DNA analysis indicated that the choriocarcinoma originated from a homozygous complete hydatidiform mole.

Enhanced antimicrobial properties and bioactivity of 3D-printed titanium scaffolds by multilayer bioceramic coating for large bone defects.

The restoration of large bone defects caused by trauma, tumor resection, or infection is a major clinical problem in orthopedics and dentistry because postoperative infections, corrosion, and limited osteointegration of metal implants can lead to loosening of the implant. The aim of this study was to improve the surface properties of a 3D-printed (electron beam melting) Ti6Al4V-based macroporous scaffold by multilayer coating with bioactive silicate glasses (BAGs) and hydroxyapatite doped with a silver (AgHAP) or AgHAP additionally sonochemically modified with ZnO (ZnO-AgHAP). The coated scaffolds AgHAP_BAGs_Ti and ZnO-AgHAP_BAGs_Ti enhanced cytocompatibility in L929 and MRC5 cell lines and expressed bioactivity in simulated body fluid.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for post-infarction ventricular septal defect in a low-volume center.

Managing patients with post-ischaemic ventricular septal defects (VSD) and postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock can be extremely challenging in a low-volume cardiac surgery unit. We present a case of a 68-year-old patient who received veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support due to cardiogenic shock after VSD repair. The patient was successfully weaned off support after 86 h.

Genetic and clinical characteristics including occurrence of testicular adrenal rest tumors in Slovak and Slovenian patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

Objective: To analyze the mutational spectrum, clinical characteristics, genotype-phenotype correlations, testicular adrenal rests tumor prevalence, and role of neonatal screening in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients from Slovakia and Slovenia.

Design And Methods: Data were obtained from 104 patients with CAH registered in Slovak and Slovenian databases. Low-resolution genotyping was performed to detect the most common point mutations.

Congenital Proximal Radioulnar Synostosis in an Elite Athlete-Case Report.

: Proximal radioulnar synostosis (PRUS) is the most frequent congenital forearm disorder, although the prevalence in the general population is rare with a few hundred cases reported. Pfeiffer, Poland, Holt-Oram, and other serious congenital syndromes contain this abnormality. Non-syndromic cases with isolated PRUS very often exhibit as SMAD6, NOG genes variants, or sex chromosome aneuploidy.

Surgeon-Guided Robotic Arm Facilitates LIMA Takedown in MIDCAB Surgery.

Left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery bypass has been scientifically proven to have the best patency and long-term results in myocardial revascularization. The latest guidelines suggest minimally invasive LIMA to LAD is the optimal therapy for isolated proximal LAD lesions. The start of a minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) program can be quite challenging as robotic surgery demands high starting costs, while normal thoracoscopic techniques have a longer surgeon learning curve.

Influence of different spectra of NOTCH3 variants on the clinical phenotype of CADASIL - experience from Slovakia.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is the most common hereditary vascular disorder causing ischaemic attacks and strokes in middle-aged adults. Though the clinical spectrum includes some typical symptoms, recognition of the disease, especially at an earlier stage, is very difficult because of the highly variable manifestation and incomplete clinical picture. Characteristic brain MRI findings and the presence of pathogenic variants in the NOTCH3 gene are fundamental for CADASIL diagnosis.

Generation of T-cell-receptor-negative CD8αβ-positive CAR T cells from T-cell-derived induced pluripotent stem cells.

The production of autologous T cells expressing a chimaeric antigen receptor (CAR) is time-consuming, costly and occasionally unsuccessful. T-cell-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (TiPS) are a promising source for the generation of 'off-the-shelf' CAR T cells, but the in vitro differentiation of TiPS often yields T cells with suboptimal features. Here we show that the premature expression of the T-cell receptor (TCR) or a constitutively expressed CAR in TiPS promotes the acquisition of an innate phenotype, which can be averted by disabling the TCR and relying on the CAR to drive differentiation.

coding variants in Slovak Alzheimer's disease patients.

Background: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is an important modulator of innate immune responses. In the human brain, TREM2 is primarily expressed on microglia and is involved in cell survival, phagocytosis, and regulation of inflammation. TREM2 dysfunction has been linked to the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Fabry Disease in Slovakia: How the Situation Has Changed over 20 Years of Treatment.

Fabry disease (FD, OMIM#301500) is a rare inborn error of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase (α-Gal A, EC 3.2.1.

B-cell response to seasonal influenza vaccine in mice is amenable to pharmacological modulation through β-adrenoceptor.

Aims: Given that deprivation of noradrenaline acting on lymphocytes through β-adrenoceptor influences antibody response, the effects of propranolol treatment beginning two days before immunization with quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (QIV) on IgG response and underlying cellular molecular mechanism in mice were investigated.

Main Methods: Twenty-one days post-immunization the total QIV antigen-specific IgG titer and IgG subclass titers in sera were determined using ELISA. Additionally, the total counts of germinal centre (GC) B cells, T follicular helper (Tfh) and T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells in draining lymph nodes (dLNs) and spleens, in vitro proliferation of interacting B cells and Th cells and IL-21 synthesis in Th cells in response to QIV antigens and/or mitogen were attested using flow cytometry analysis.

THERMOACTIVE NITINOL CLIPS AS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY STERNAL CLOSURE AFTER CARDIAC SURGERY - FIRST EXPERIENCE IN SLOVENIA.

Although there has been a trend towards minimally invasive and sternum-sparing procedures, median sternotomy is still a standard surgical approach in cardiac surgery. Many techniques and innovations for closure of sternal osteotomy have been developed with contradictory results. In this report, we present our first experience with the nitinol-made sternal closure system in the primary, as well as secondary closure of sternal osteotomy.

Prevalence of Low Serum Alkaline Phosphatase and Hypophosphatasia in Adult Patients with Atypical Femur Fractures.

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by low serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), its manifestations may include atypical femoral fractures (AFF). However, the prevalence of low serum ALP and HPP in patients with AFF remains unknown. We retrospectively analyzed ALP levels and clinical manifestations compatible with HPP in 72 adult patients with confirmed AFF by chart review.

Partial hydatidiform moles with unclear histopathological profile - importance of genetic diagnostics.

Objective: The aim of the study was the genetic characterization of a set of cases with an unclear morphological profile of the placental tissue suspected of a partial hydatidiform mole.

Patients And Methods: This work presents the results of a genetic analysis of a group of 10 patients with various clinical manifestations of reproductive loss, where a partial hydatidiform mole was suspected on the basis of a histopathological examination. The composition of the genome of the products of conception was determined by short tandem repeats (STR) genotyping using a commercial kit;Devyser Compact v3 (Devyser).

Hybrid material based on subgleba of mosaic puffball mushroom (Handkea utriformis) as an adsorbent for heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions.

The alkali treated subglebal tissue of the mosaic puffball (Handkea utriformis) (Sa) and Sa modified with hydroxyapatite (Sa-HAp), obtained by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, were used for the removal of Pb, Cd and Ni from aqueous solution. The materials were characterized by FT-IR, Raman, SEM and EDS analysis and by determination of pH. The adsorption performances of Sa and Sa-HAp were assessed in batch experiments at different pH, contact times, temperatures and mass of the adsorbent.

First report on the nationwide prevalence of paediatric type 1 diabetes in Serbia and temporal trends of diabetes ketoacidosis at diagnosis-a multicentre study.

We aimed to collect data on all paediatric patients who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) between the years 2000 and 2019 in Serbia and estimate for the first time its prevalence. Also, the trends of diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA) occurrence at the time of diagnosis are monitored. We collected and retrospectively analysed the data of patients <19 years with newly diagnosed T1DM.

Transthyretin-related familial amyloid polyneuropathy (ATTR-FAP) in Poland - genetic and clinical presentation.

Background: Transthyretin-related familial amyloid polyneuropathy (ATTR-FAP) is a rare, progressive, hereditary, highly disabling multisystem disorder. ATTR-FAP phenotypes differ according to the type of TTR mutation, geographic region and other as yet unidentified factors. The aim of this study was to establish the clinical and genetic characteristics of Polish patients.

Multifactorial analysis of optical properties, sorption, and solubility of sculptable universal composites for enamel layering upon staining in colored beverages.

Objective: To analyze the effects of factors 'composite,' 'medium,' and 'time' on color, translucency, and sorption/solubility of sculptable universal composites for enamel layering upon immersion in colored beverages.

Materials And Methods: Disk-shaped specimens, 10 mm in diameter and 2 mm thick (n = 5/group), of ultrafine, hybrid composite Essentia (GC), microhybrid Gaenial Anterior (GC), nanofilled Filtek Ultimate Enamel and Body ( 3M ESPE) were immersed in red wine, coffee, or distilled water for 15 days. CIELab color coordinates were measured and CIEDE2000 (∆E ) and Translucency Parameter differences (∆TP ) were calculated.