A 3D-Printed Educational Model for First-Line Management of BPPV in Emergency Departments.

Background: We present a feasibility study on the development of a 3D-printed (3DP) model of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and its validation as an educational tool for training in therapeutic maneuvers.

Methods: A 1.5:1 3DP model of the human labyrinth, supplemented by a 1:1 3DP model of the skull, was obtained from a computed tomography scan.

Unilateral versus bilateral stapes surgery: A comparative study on auditory outcome and quality of life.

Otosclerosis is a well-known disease which mainly affects middle-aged female patients, causing conductive or mixed hearing loss. Diagnosis is essentially made through a complete audiometric battery testing, while treatment substantially relies on stapes surgery. In this study, we analyzed audiometric and Quality-of-Life data from 33 patients in order to refine the surgical indications (unilateral versus bilateral stapes surgery) and assess the best technique (stapedotomy versus partial stapedectomy) and timing of treatment.

Cyrene-Enabled Green Electrospinning of Nanofibrous Graphene-Based Membranes for Water Desalination via Membrane Distillation.

High-performance and sustainable membranes for water desalination applications are crucial to address the growing global demand for clean water. Concurrently, electrospinning has emerged as a versatile manufacturing method for fabricating nanofibrous membranes for membrane distillation. However, widespread adoption of electrospinning for processing water-insoluble polymers, such as fluoropolymers, is hindered by the reliance on hazardous organic solvents during production.

Invasive Pneumococcal Diseases in People over 65 in Veneto Region Surveillance.

Background: Elderly individuals over 65, along with children under 5, are the most affected by invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs). Monitoring vaccination coverage and conducting surveillance are essential for guiding evidence-based prevention campaigns and public health measures.

Methods: Since 2007, the Veneto Region has relied on three sources for surveillance of invasive bacterial infections, contributing to an increase in reported IPD cases.

Silver-Treated Silk Fibroin Scaffolds for Prevention of Critical Wound Infections.

The risk of infections in chronic wounds represents a serious issue, particularly in aged people and in patients affected by diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Moreover, the growing resistance demonstrated by many bacterial strains has significantly reduced the therapeutic options for clinicians and has become a great challenge for the researchers in the definition of novel approaches that promote the wound healing process and reduce the healing time. Tissue engineering approaches based on biomaterials and three-dimensional scaffolds have demonstrated huge potential in supporting cell proliferation; among them, Bombyx mori-derived silk fibroin is a very appealing possibility for the development of devices with regenerative properties for wound healing applications.

PFAS and menopause onset: Is it just a matter of reverse causation? Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in highly exposed women in the Veneto Region.

Introduction: Several cross-sectional studies have linked perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to prevalence of menopause. These findings might be influenced by reverse causation mechanism, making longitudinal studies more suitable. However, existing longitudinal studies are limited and present conflicting results.

End-tidal concentration of sevoflurane for optimal surgical conditions in pregnant sheep: a pragmatic approach to a retrospective observational study.

The aim of this pragmatic approach to retrospective observational study was to identify the end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane which was associated with optimal surgical conditions (i.e., absence of any movement, coughing and straining) in 127 pregnant sheep.

Pneumonia-Related Hospitalizations among the Elderly: A Retrospective Study in Northeast Italy.

: In both the elderly and children, pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of hospitalization. This study aimed to assess the impact of pneumonia-related hospitalizations in the population over 65 years of age in the Veneto Region. : This retrospective study analyzed hospital discharge records for patients aged 65 and older who resided in the Veneto Region and had a diagnosis of pneumonia from 2007 to 2023.

Association of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with liver function biomarkers in the highly exposed population of the veneto region.

Introduction: Epidemiological studies highlight the presence of associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with liver damage. In 2013, PFAS contamination was discovered in Veneto (Italy), leading to the implementation of a Surveillance Program (SP). Our objective is to investigate the association between PFAS exposure and biomarkers of liver function using single-pollutant and mixture approaches, while exploring the sex-specific differences and the mediating role of obesity in the association.

Decreases in serum PFAS are associated with decreases in serum lipids: A longitudinal study on a highly exposed population.

Introduction: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used, ubiquitous and highly persistent man-made chemicals. Previous cross-sectional studies have consistently linked PFAS exposure to alterations in lipid profiles. However, longitudinal investigations are preferred to mitigate issues related to reverse causation and confounding.

Experimental Induction of Complex Gastroschisis in the Fetal Lamb: Systematic Review.

We systematically reviewed experiments in the fetal lamb model of gastroschisis using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus, seeking for standardized surgical techniques to obtain complex gastroschisis. Eligible were studies where an abdominal wall defect was surgically induced and gross anatomical findings at birth were available. The primary outcome was complex gastroschisis, defined by the presence of bowel stenosis, atresia, volvulus, perforation, and/or necrosis.

Follow-up strategies in pediatric cholesteatoma: a systematic review.

Purpose: The aim of this article was to systematically review the literature on the pediatric population surgically treated for cholesteatoma and describe the applied post-operative follow-up strategies.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the Primary Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement recommendations. After running the selected search string in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, studies in English, reporting on surgically treated pediatric cholesteatoma patients (age younger or equal to 18 year-old) were retrieved.

Production and physico-chemical characterization of nano-sized collagen from equine tendon.

In recent years, significant academic and commercial interest has focused on collagen derived from horse tendons, with potential applications across diverse sectors such as medicine, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Nano collagen, with its enhanced wound penetration, improved cell contact, and heightened cellular regeneration and repair capabilities due to its high surface area, holds promise for a wide range of applications. In this study, we present a novel method for producing nano collagen from the equine tendon.

Safety profile assessment of HPV4 and HPV9 vaccines through the passive surveillance system of the Veneto Region (Italy) between 2008 and 2022: A 15-year retrospective observational study.

In Veneto Region, HPV vaccine has been actively offered to 12 year-old females since 2008, and to 12 year-old males since 2015. The study aims to analyze the safety profile of HPV4v and HPV9v vaccines and perform a case-by-case review of conditions of interest. Spontaneous reports related to HPV uploaded to the database of the Regional Pharmacovigilance Center between 2008-2022 were included.

Synthesis and Characterization of Polyaniline Emeraldine Salt (PANI-ES) Colloids Using Potato Starch as a Stabilizer to Enhance the Physicochemical Properties and Processability.

Conductive polymers, such as polyaniline (PANI), have interesting applications, ranging from flexible electronics, energy storage devices, sensors, antistatic or anticorrosion coatings, etc. However, the full exploitation of conductive polymers still poses a challenge due to their low processability. The use of compatible stabilizers to obtain dispersible and stable colloids is among the possible solutions to overcome such drawbacks.

Tracheomalacia and tracheomegaly in infants and children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia managed with and without fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO): a multicentre, retrospective cohort study.

Background: Temporary fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) promotes lung growth and increases survival in selected fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). FETO is performed percutaneously by inserting into the trachea a balloon designed for vascular occlusion. However, reports on the potential postnatal side-effects of the balloon are scarce.

On the Electrochemical Growth of a Crystalline p-n Junction From Aqueous Solutions.

Our society largely relies on inorganic semiconductor devices which are, so far, fabricated using expensive and complex processes requiring ultra-high vacuum equipment. Here we report on the possibility of growing a p-n junction taking advantage of electrochemical processes based on the use of aqueous solutions. The growth of the junction has been carried out using the Electrochemical Atomic Layer Deposition (E-ALD) technique, which allowed to sequentially deposit two different semiconductors, CdS and CuS, on an Ag(111) substrate, in a single procedure.

Self-reported respiratory and gastrointestinal outcomes in children with isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia: A prospective multicentre study.

Objective: To evaluate medium-term self-reported respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) outcomes in children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Design: Self-reported respiratory and GI outcomes correlated with prenatal severity indicators.

Setting: Prospective study at three fetal medicine units.

Bioactive Dressing: A New Algorithm in Wound Healing.

Wound management presents a significant global challenge, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of wound care products and clinical expertise in selecting dressings. Bioactive dressings (BD) represent a diverse category of dressings, capable of influencing wound healing through various mechanisms. These dressings, including honey, hyaluronic acid, collagen, alginates, and polymers enriched with polyhexamethylene biguanide, chitin, and chitosan derivatives, create a conducive environment for healing, promoting moisture balance, pH regulation, oxygen permeability, and fluid management.

Predicting Matrix Test Effectiveness for Evaluating Auditory Performance in Noise Using Pure-Tone Audiometry and Speech Recognition in Quiet in Cochlear Implant Recipients.

Introduction: Auditory performance in noise of cochlear implant recipients can be assessed with the adaptive Matrix test (MT); however, when the speech-to-noise ratio (SNR) exceeds 15 dB, the background noise has any negative impact on the speech recognition. Here, we aim to evaluate the predictive power of aided pure-tone audiometry and speech recognition in quiet and establish cut-off values for both tests that indicate whether auditory performance in noise can be assessed using the Matrix sentence test in a diffuse noise environment.

Methods: Here, we assessed the power of pure-tone audiometry and speech recognition in quiet to predict the response to the MT.

A comparative environmental life cycle assessment of road asphalt pavement solutions made up of artificial aggregates.

The construction and maintenance of road pavements entail detrimental impacts on the consumption of resources and damage to the natural environment but also make up an opportunity for the large-scale application of circular economy principles and innovative waste valorisation paths. The present study focuses on developing a comprehensive procedure to evaluate the technical and environmental sustainability of replacing high percentage of limestone aggregates with artificial aggregates from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) into hot or cold recycled asphalt mixtures for asphalt pavements. The technical feasibility of the designed mixtures was investigated in terms of the main physical and mechanical properties of both the raw materials and the asphalt mixtures with content of artificial aggregates or sand in the range 25-40 % by mass.

The risk-based breast screening (RIBBS) study protocol: a personalized screening model for young women.

The optimal mammography screening strategy for women aged 45-49 years is a matter of debate. We present the RIBBS study protocol, a quasi-experimental, prospective, population-based study comparing a risk- and breast density-stratified screening model (interventional cohort) with annual digital mammography (DM) screening (observational control cohort) in a real-world setting. The interventional cohort consists of 10,269 women aged 45 years enrolled between 2020 and 2021 from two provinces of the Veneto Region (northen Italy).