Considerations regarding the selection, sampling, extraction, analysis, and modelling of biomarkers in exhaled breath for early lung cancer screening.

Lung cancer (LC) is the deadliest cancer due to the lack of efficient screening methods that detect the disease early. This review, covering the years 2011 - 2025, summarizes state-of-the-art LC screening through analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath. All fundamental parts of the methodology are covered, i.

Is acupuncture effective in the treatment of pain in endometriosis?

Introduction: Endometriosis is a multifactorial, estrogen-dependent, inflammatory gynecological condition - often with long-lasting visceral pelvic pain of different origin, and infertility among women. Current management options for patients' are often inadequate, with side effects for many for whom acupuncture techniques could be an alternative. Earlier studies have discussed the efficacy of acupuncture, but not its methodological aspects.

Immediate effect of three different electroacupuncture protocols on fasting blood glucose in obese patients: a pilot study.

Background: Obesity is an increasing global health problem, and current methods of management are limited. Preliminary research data suggest that acupuncture may have an influence on metabolic parameters related to obesity.

Objective: To determine the electroacupuncture (EA) protocol to be used in a future clinical trial examining the effect of acupuncture on metabolic parameters related to obesity and to examine whether a single EA treatment can change fasting blood glucose in obese subjects.

Differential brain effects of laser and needle acupuncture at LR8 using functional MRI.

Objective: While needle acupuncture is a well-accepted technique, laser acupuncture is being increasingly used in clinical practice. The differential effects of the two techniques are of interest. We examine this in relation to brain effects of activation of LR8, a putative acupuncture point for depression, using functional MRI (fMRI).

A promise in the treatment of endometriosis: an observational cohort study on ovarian endometrioma reduction by N-acetylcysteine.

Urged by the unmet medical needs in endometriosis treatment, often with undesirable side effects, and encouraged by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) efficacy in an animal model of endometriosis and by the virtual absence of toxicity of this natural compound, we performed an observational cohort study on ovarian endometriosis. NAC treatment or no treatment was offered to 92 consecutive Italian women referred to our university hospital with ultrasound confirmed diagnosis of ovarian endometriosis and scheduled to undergo laparoscopy 3 months later. According to patients acceptance or refusal, NAC-treated and untreated groups finally comprised 73 and 72 endometriomas, respectively.