Development and characterization of 3D printed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as drug delivery device for the treatment of overactive bladder.

The overactive bladder is a condition characterized by a sudden urge to urinate, even with small volumes of urine present in the bladder. The current treatments available for this pathology consist on conservative approaches and the continuous administration of drugs, which when made by conventional methods has limitations related to the first pass metabolism, bioavailability, severe side effects, and low patient adherence to treatments, ultimately leading to low effectiveness. Within this context, the present work proposes the design, manufacture, and characterization of an intravesical implant for the treatment of overactive bladder pathology, using EVA copolymer as a matrix and oxybutynin as a drug.

Overview of hepatitis B virus mutations and their implications in the management of infection.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects approximately two billion people worldwide and more than 240 million people in the world are currently chronic carrier that could develop serious complications in the future, like liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although an extended HBV immunization program is being carried out since the early '80s, representing effective preventive measure, leading to a dramatic reduction of HBV hepatitis incidence, globally HBV infection still represents a major public health problem. The HBV virus is a DNA virus belongs to the Hepadnaviridae family.

Clinical relevance and inter-test reliability of anti-infliximab antibodies and infliximab trough levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Treatment with infliximab is a common option for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Therapeutic drug monitoring could improve treatment management.

Aims: To test inter-test reliability of two commercially available diagnostic kits for infliximab trough levels and infliximab antibodies, and their association with treatment outcomes.

"Marsupial cava" and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. A case report and review of the literature.

A patient with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm underwent an emergency operation. A rare anomaly of inferior vena cava, known as "marsupial cava," was found. The iliac vein confluence crossed anteriorly (rather then posteriorly) the right common iliac artery.