Bayesian Networks in the Management of Hospital Admissions: A Comparison between Explainable AI and Black Box AI during the Pandemic.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) approaches that could learn from large data sources have been identified as useful tools to support clinicians in their decisional process; AI and ML implementations have had a rapid acceleration during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, many ML classifiers are "black box" to the final user, since their underlying reasoning process is often obscure. Additionally, the performance of such models suffers from poor generalization ability in the presence of dataset shifts.

NAD-Driven Sirtuin Activation by Extract: Exploring the Adaptogenic Potential to Promote Skin Longevity.

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in utilizing Traditional Chinese Medicine principles and natural bioactive compounds to combat age-related ailments and enhance longevity. A mycelium hydroethanolic extract (CsEx), which was standardized in cordycepin and adenosine using UHPLC-DAD, was investigated for its adaptogenic properties using in vitro assays and a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 40 subjects. The CsEx demonstrated activity at a concentration of 0.

Emergent Conversion to Open Heart Surgery during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: The Presence of a Rescue Team Improves Outcomes.

Objective: Transcatheter aortic valve implant (TAVI) is the gold standard for the high-surgical-risk group of patients with aortic valve disease and it is an alternative to surgery in patients at intermediate risk. Lethal complications can occur, and many of these are manageable only with emergent conversion to open heart surgery. We retrospectively evaluate the outcome of all patients undergoing TAVI in our departments and the impact of a complete cardiac rescue team to reduce 30-day mortality.

Rheumatoid arthritis knowledge gap and intervention in Nigeria study.

Introduction: Family physicians are often the first healthcare providers to encounter patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Nigeria, given the paucity of rheumatology services nationwide. This study aimed to assess and address the knowledge gap regarding RA among family physicians in Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving 609 family physicians from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria was conducted in October 2022.

Oenothera biennis cell culture produce lignans activating Piezo1 triggering the Myosin Light Chain Kinase depending pathways.

Piezo1 and Piezo2 are mechanoreceptors involved in sensing both internal and external mechanical forces converting them in electrical signals to the brain. Piezo1 is mainly expressed in the endothelial system and in epidermis sensing shear stress and light touch. The internal traction forces generated by Myosin Light Chain Kinase (MYLK) activate Piezo1, regulating cell contraction.

The Role of Native T1 and T2 Mapping Times in Identifying PD-L1 Expression and the Histological Subtype of NSCLCs.

We investigated the association of T1/T2 mapping values with programmed death-ligand 1 protein (PD-L1) expression in lung cancer and their potential in distinguishing between different histological subtypes of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Thirty-five patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC from April 2021 to December 2022 were included. Conventional MRI sequences were acquired with a 1.

Performance of an AI algorithm during the different phases of the COVID pandemics: what can we learn from the AI and vice versa.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has proved to be of great value in diagnosing and managing infection. ALFABETO (ALL-FAster-BEtter-TOgether) is a tool created to support healthcare professionals in the triage, mainly in optimizing hospital admissions.

Methods: The AI was trained during the pandemic's "first wave" (February-April 2020).

Cell Extract as Antioxidant Booster against Skin Aging.

Oxidative stress plays a major role in the skin aging process through the reactive oxygen species production and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation. Antioxidant ingredients are therefore needed in the skin care market and the use of molecules coming from plant cell cultures provide a unique opportunity. In this paper, the features of an hydroethanolic extract obtained by cells (JasHEx) were explored.

Correlation between PD-L1 Expression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Data from IVIM-DWI Acquired during Magnetic Resonance of the Thorax: Preliminary Results.

This study aims to investigate the correlation between intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) parameters in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Twenty-one patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC from April 2021 to April 2022 were included. The tumors were distinguished into two groups: no PD-L1 expression (<1%), and positive PD-L1 expression (≥1%).

The circular RNA Edis regulates neurodevelopment and innate immunity.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely expressed in eukaryotes. However, only a subset has been functionally characterized. We identify and validate a collection of circRNAs in Drosophila, and show that depletion of the brain-enriched circRNA Edis (circ_Ect4) causes hyperactivation of antibacterial innate immunity both in cultured cells and in vivo.

Transcatheter Valve-in-Valve Implantation in an Aortic Bioprosthesis With Severe Regurgitation and a Challenging Aortic Anatomy.

Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement for failing surgical bioprosthetic valves becomes troublesome if a stiff vascular prosthesis replaces the ascending aorta. We report the off-label use of a new transcatheter aortic valve for treatment of a patient with a bioprosthetic valve with central regurgitation, a horizontal aorta, and kinking of the aortic prosthesis. ().

Mechanical circulatory support and intravascular lithotripsy in high-risk patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a case series.

Background: Patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) usually have multiple comorbidities, such as severely impaired left ventricular function (LVF) and heavily calcified coronary lesions. When they undergo pre-TAVR high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (HR-PCIs) for severely calcified left main (LM) lesions, potential life-threatening intra-procedural complications associated with the different techniques available to treat calcified lesions can arise. In this setting, mechanical circulatory support proves its usefulness.

An Cell Cultures Extract Endowed with Skin Anti-Ageing Activity Improves Cell Mechanical Properties.

Skin aging is a very well-known process setting a gradual worsening of skin mechanical features due to a decline in the production of the extra-cellular matrix machinery and to a concurrent change in the contraction process. To slow this progression, it is crucial to induce the expression of several proteins able to promote elastic fibers formation and tissue repair. Here, the cell culture aqueous extract has been investigated from a chemical point of view and then it was tested in vitro, in cell, and in ex vivo experiments as adjuvant in counteracting skin aging.

Transcatheter Therapies in Challenging Aortic Ailments: TAVR in Extreme Horizontal Aortic Root With CoA Stenting.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic stenosis in older adults may be challenging because of additional aortic comorbidities such as aortic coarctation (CoA). We report successful snared-assisted transfemoral TAVR in a patient with an extremely horizontal ventriculoaortic axis that was worsened by a previous endovascular repair of complex CoA. ().

Intracoronary Lithoplasty in Percutaneous Treatment of Challenging Calcified Coronary Lesions.

Unexpanded stents in calcified coronary stenosis is a problem where intravascular lithotripsy could be effectively employed. In these 2 cases, we report possible issues associated with the use of this technology. ().

Pomegranate Peel Extract as an Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Binding to Human ACE2 Receptor (): A Promising Source of Novel Antiviral Drugs.

Plant extracts are rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, sesquiterpenes, and triterpenes, which potentially have antiviral activities. As a consequence of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, thousands of scientists have been working tirelessly trying to understand the biology of this new virus and the disease pathophysiology, with the main goal of discovering effective preventive treatments and therapeutic agents. Plant-derived secondary metabolites may play key roles in preventing and counteracting the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections by inhibiting the activity of several viral proteins, in particular those involved in the virus entry into the host cells and its replication.

Risk Factors for Mortality in an Older Veteran Population With infective Endocarditis.

Objective: To determine 30-day and 1-year mortality in patients treated for infective endocarditis (IE) in a VA population. The secondary objective was to identify risk factors for increased risk of mortality in veterans diagnosed with IE.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

An Extract from Cell Cultures Works as an Anti-Stress Ingredient for the Skin.

Psychological stress activates catecholamine production, determines oxidation processes, and alters the lipid barrier functions in the skin. Scientific evidence associated with the detoxifying effect of fruits and vegetables, the growing awareness of the long-term issues related to the use of chemical-filled cosmetics, the aging of the population, and the increase in living standards are the factors responsible for the growth of food-derived ingredients in the cosmetics market. A cell suspension culture extract (FcHEx) was tested in vitro (on keratinocytes cells) and in vivo to evaluate its ability to manage the stress-hormone-induced damage in skin.

A cascade of multiple complications hampering a complex high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (CHIP-PCI): When ingenuity overcomes troubles!

Even skilled CHIP operators can run into multiple complications. Some are unexpected and not related to the operator, and others are fully preventable by careful procedural choices. If those occur, the knowledge of devices and cognitive skills become lifesaving elements and sudden issues need to be dealt with calmly and efficiently.

Transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve post-dilatation as an overlooked risk factor of delayed coronary obstruction: a case report.

Background: The risk of coronary obstruction during transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve replacement (VIV-TAVR) in patients deemed at high risk for surgical re-intervention is still a concerning issue.

Case Summary: A 78-year-old woman with a past medical history of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and rheumatoid arthritis was referred for a symptomatic and severely stenotic surgical Mitroflow n.21 bio-prosthesis and was subsequently recommended for a VIV procedure.

Plant cell culture extract of Cirsium eriophorum with skin pore refiner activity by modulating sebum production and inflammatory response.

Facial pore enlargement is considered a significant esthetic and health concern in skincare cosmetics. The pores fulfill the critical function of keeping the skin surface hydrated and protected against microbial infections. The hyperseborrhea, the stress factors, and the hormonal triggers can cause pore size enlargement, causing higher susceptibility of the skin to microbe aggressions and inflammatory reactions.

Photocatalyzed syntheses of phenanthrenes and their aza-analogues. A review.

Phenanthrenes and their aza-analogues have important applications in materials science and in medicine. Aim of this review is to collect recent reports describing their synthesis, which make use of radical cyclizations promoted by a visible light-triggered photocatalytic process.

A Extract Exhibits Regenerating Activity During the Wound Healing Process.

Introduction: Chronic skin lesions represent a problem of increasing occurrence, mostly due to the global ageing of the world population. Research in skin care and dermatology is constantly looking for new non-invasive solutions, preferably those based on the use of natural certified products, able to accelerate the spontaneous skin repair mechanisms and without altering the skin normal appearance and functionality. The wound healing process in the skin is finely regulated by several factors and orchestrated mechanisms, which modulate the progression and the fitting of different consequent phases, including haemostasis, inflammation, cell proliferation and tissue remodelling.

Safe and Effective Management of Antiplatelet Therapy in a Clopidogrel-Naive Patient Undergoing "Ad Hoc" Complex Coronary Intervention: A Case Report.

Background: "Ad hoc" percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a frequent practice as reported in large real-life registries, but most of the patients undergo PCI without being on full and effective dual antiplatelet therapy or clopidogrel is administered orally only a few minutes before the beginning of the procedure. This practice, especially in complex PCI, could be affected by a higher rate of peri-procedural adverse events.

Case Summary: We present the case of a 72-year old male diabetic, hypertensive and hyperlipidemic, clopidogrel-naïve, with stable angina who underwent coronary angiography showing several tight stenoses on the left descending artery (LAD) and followed by a chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the vessel.