Oxidation of azo and anthraquinonic dyes by peroxymonosulphate activated by UV light.

The photochemical degradation of two azo and two anthraquinonic dyes was performed using potassium peroxymonosulphate (Oxone®) activated by UV radiation. The fast decolourization of all dyes was observed within 6 min of UV irradiation, with corresponding dye decays higher than 80%. The kinetic rate constants of the dyes' decay were determined, along with the energetic efficiency of the photochemical treatment, taking into account the influence of a few anions commonly present in real wastewaters (i.

Percutaneous drug-eluting balloon angioplasty to treat dialysis access stenosis.

A common complication of arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis is development of conduit stenosis, which compromises function and can result in access thrombosis. Possible treatment options include open repair and endovascular therapy, with the latter preferred due to lower morbidity and similar outcomes. Recurrence of conduit stenosis is common and, based on the pathophysiology of this lesion, the application of drug-coated balloon angioplasty is attractive.

A Multicenter Clinical Evaluation of Data Logging in Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Automated Scene Classification Technologies.

Currently, there are no studies assessing everyday use of cochlear implant (CI) processors by recipients by means of objective tools. The Nucleus 6 sound processor features a data logging system capable of real-time recording of CI use in different acoustic environments and under various categories of loudness levels. In this study, we report data logged for the different scenes and different loudness levels of 1,366 CI patients, as recorded by SCAN.

Updated European Association of Urology Guidelines: Recommendations for the Treatment of First-line Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cancer.

The randomised phase III clinical trial Checkmate-214 showed a survival superiority for the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab when compared with the previous standard of care in first-line metastatic/advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (Escudier B, Tannir NM, McDermott DF, et al. CheckMate 214: efficacy and safety of nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs sunitinib for treatment-naïve advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma, including IMDC risk and PD-L1 expression subgroups. LBA5, ESMO 2017, 2017).

MTHFR, TS and XRCC1 genetic variants may affect survival in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes treated with supportive care or azacitidine.

We evaluated the impact of genomic polymorphisms in folate-metabolizing, DNA synthesis and DNA repair enzymes on the clinical outcome of 108 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) receiving best supportive care (BSC) or azacitidine. A statistically significant association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677T/T, thymidylate synthase (TS) 5'-untranslated region (UTR) 3RG, TS 3'-UTR -6 bp/-6 bp, XRCC1 399G/G genotypes and short survival was found in patients receiving BSC by multivariate analysis (P<0.001; P=0.

Menopause and hormone replacement therapy: the 2017 Recommendations of the Italian Menopause Society.

Over the last decade, the risk benefits ratio of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been reevaluated mainly in tens of cardiovascular risk. Present Consensus Statement is largely inspired by the Global Consensus on Menopausal Hormone Therapy in 2013 and 2016 by leading global menopause societies (The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, The Asia Pacific Menopause Federation, The Endocrine Society, The European Menopause and Andropause Society, The International Menopause Society, The International Osteoporosis Foundation and The North American Menopause Society). The aim of these recommendations is to provide a simple and updated reference on postmenopausal HRT.

Evaluation of pediatric cochlear implant care throughout Europe: Is European pediatric cochlear implant care performed according to guidelines?

Objectives: International guidelines indicate that children with profound hearing loss should receive a cochlear implant (CI) soon after diagnosis in order to optimize speech and language rehabilitation. Although prompt rehabilitation is encouraged by current guidelines, delays in cochlear implantation are still present. This study investigated whether European countries establish timely pediatric CI care based on epidemiological, commercial, and clinical data.

Nanoparticles of a polyaspartamide-based brush copolymer for modified release of sorafenib: In vitro and in vivo evaluation.

In this paper, we describe the preparation of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with sorafenib for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A synthetic brush copolymer, named PHEA-BIB-ButMA (PBB), was synthesized by Atom Trasnfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) starting from the α-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-d,l-aspartamide (PHEA) and poly butyl methacrylate (ButMA). Empty and sorafenib loaded PBB NPs were, then, produced by using a dialysis method and showed spherical morphology, colloidal size, negative ζ potential and the ability to allow a sustained sorafenib release in physiological environment.

Accessory-lobed accessory cardiac bronchus: Presentation and treatment in a pediatric patient.

Accessory cardiac bronchus (ACB) is a supernumerary bronchus usually arising from right main or intermediate bronchus. We report the case of a 9-year-old male who presented a 6-month history characterized by two right pneumonia episodes followed by persistent productive cough, recurrent bloody sputum, and chest x-ray persistence of a segmental thickening of right inferior lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed no abnormalities.

European temporal trends in the use of lymph node dissection in patients with renal cancer.

Background: The role of lymph node dissection (LND) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is still under debate. We aimed to assess the utilization rates of LND over time in Europe.

Methods: A multi-institutional database of 13,581 RCC patients who underwent radical nephrectomy (RN) or nephron sparing surgery (NSS) between 1988 and 2014 was created within an European consortium.

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When it comes to medical care, the move from minor to adult status is problematic, between the age of puberty and the age of majority, which only allows decisions to be taken independently. Medical law has evolved over the last few years, propelled by the promotion of child rights. It gives more space for adolescents to decide about their own health.

Preliminary Results of Aorfix™ Stent Graft to Treat Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms with Severe Proximal Aortic Neck Angulation.

Background: We report a preliminary experience about endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (iAAA) with severe proximal aortic neck angulation (NA) using the Aorfix™ stent graft.

Methods: Data of consecutive patients with iAAA with severe proximal NA submitted to endovascular repair between September 2012 and December 2014 in 2 Italian centers of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery were retrospectively reviewed, and outcomes were analyzed using the software JMP 5.1.

Cardiovascular risk in advanced naïve HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy: Comparison of three different regimens - PREVALEAT II cohort.

Background And Aims: PREVALEAT (PREmature VAscular LEsions and Antiretroviral Therapy) II is a multicenter, longitudinal cohort study aimed at the evaluation of cardiovascular risk among advanced HIV-positive, treatment-naïve patients starting their first therapy. We hypothesized that these patients, present a higher cardiovascular (CV) risk.

Methods: The study included all consecutive naïve patients with less than 200 CD4 cells/ml starting antiretroviral therapy.

[F]tetrafluoroborate-PET/CT enables sensitive tumor and metastasis in vivo imaging in a sodium iodide symporter-expressing tumor model.

Cancer cell metastasis is responsible for most cancer deaths. Non-invasive in vivo cancer cell tracking in spontaneously metastasizing tumor models still poses a challenge requiring highest sensitivity and excellent contrast. The goal of this study was to evaluate if the recently introduced PET radiotracer [F]tetrafluoroborate ([F]BF) is useful for sensitive and specific metastasis detection in an orthotopic xenograft breast cancer model expressing the human sodium iodide symporter (NIS) as a reporter.

Comparative Study between the use of Melatonin and A Solution with Melatonin, Tryptophan, and Vitamin B6 as an Inducer of Spontaneous Sleep in Children During an Auditory Response Test: An Alternative to Commonly Used Sedative Drugs.

Objective: An elective investigation into the early diagnosis of deafness in children under the age of 4-5 years is performed using auditory evoked potentials of auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). In case of pediatric patients, the major difficulty includes being examined during spontaneous sleep, which is complicated to obtain, especially in the age range of 12 to 72 months. Recently, melatonin has been used as a "sleep inducer" in diagnostic tests with positive results.

Long-term efficacy and safety of switching from lamivudine+adefovir to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in virologically suppressed patients.

Background And Aim: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is recommended as first-line monotherapy for nucleos(t)ide (NA)-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and as a second-line rescue therapy for NA-experienced patients with a previous treatment failure. However, data regarding the efficacy of TDF monotherapy in patients with lamivudine resistance (LAM-R) successfully treated with LAM+adefovir (ADV) are limited. Herein, the efficacy and safety of switching from LAM+ADV to TDF monotherapy in clinical practice have been evaluated.

Sinuclean Nebules treatment in children suffering from otitis media with effusion.

Objective: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is an ear disorder defined by the presence of fluid in the middle ear without signs or symptoms of acute infection. The current randomized, double-blind, controlled study aimed to evaluate whether Sinuclean Nebules treatment, administered by nasal douche (Rinowash), could induce ear healing better than isotonic saline in children with OME.

Methods: The study was randomized, double-blind, and controlled.

Positive surgical margins and local recurrence after simple enucleation and standard partial nephrectomy for malignant renal tumors: systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis of prevalence.

Introduction: The definition of the safest width of healthy renal margin to achieve oncological efficacy and therefore of the safest resection technique (RT) during partial nephrectomy (PN) continues to be widely debated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of positive surgical margins (PSM), loco-regional recurrence (LRR) and renal recurrence (RER) rates after simple enucleation (SE) and standard partial nephrectomy (SPN) for malignant renal tumors.

Evidence Acquisition: A systematic review of the English-language literature was performed through August 2016 using the Medline, Web of Science and Embase databases according to the PRISMA criteria.

Intraoperative radiotherapy in gynaecological and genito-urinary malignancies: focus on endometrial, cervical, renal, bladder and prostate cancers.

Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) refers to the delivery of a single radiation dose to a limited volume of tissue during a surgical procedure. A literature review was performed to analyze the role of IORT in gynaecological and genito-urinary cancer including endometrial, cervical, renal, bladder and prostate cancers.Literature search was performed by Pubmed and Scopus, using the words "intraoperative radiotherapy/IORT", "gynaecological cancer", "uterine/endometrial cancer", "cervical/cervix cancer", "renal/kidney cancer", "bladder cancer" and "prostate cancer".

Effects of Therapy with Maraviroc on the Carotid Intima Media Thickness in HIV-1/HCV Co-infected Patients.

Aim: To evaluate, in human immunodeficiency virus-hepatitis C virus co-infected patients, the impact of C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) antagonist maraviroc-based antiretroviral therapy on the carotid intima media thickness and on atheromasic plaques.

Patients And Methods: In this pilot prospective study, 12 HIV-HCV co-infected patients underwent color-Doppler ultrasonography before and 48 weeks after switching to a dual therapy based on maraviroc plus protease inhibitors boosted with ritonavir. Changes of intima media thickness, inflammatory and endothelial adhesion biomarkers levels, Veterans Aging Cohort Study index and Framingham risk score were evaluated.

Collaborative Review of Risk Benefit Trade-offs Between Partial and Radical Nephrectomy in the Management of Anatomically Complex Renal Masses.

Background: While partial nephrectomy (PN) is the recommended treatment for many small renal masses, anatomically complex tumors necessitate a clear understanding of the potential risks and benefits of PN and radical nephrectomy (RN).

Objective: To critically review the comparative effectiveness evidence of PN versus RN; to describe key trade-offs involved in this treatment decision; and to highlight gaps in the current literature.

Evidence Acquisition: A collaborative critical review of the medical literature was conducted.

Updated European Association of Urology Guidelines Regarding Adjuvant Therapy for Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Unlabelled: The European Association of Urology Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) guidelines panel updated their recommendation on adjuvant therapy in unfavourable, clinically nonmetastatic RCC following the recently reported results of a second randomised controlled phase 3 trial comparing 1-yr sunitinib to placebo for high-risk RCC after nephrectomy (S-TRAC). On the basis of conflicting results from the two available studies, the panel rated the quality of the evidence, the harm-to-benefit ratio, patient preferences, and costs. Finally, the panel, including representatives from a patient advocate group (International Kidney Cancer Coalition) voted and reached a consensus to not recommend adjuvant therapy with sunitinib for patients with high-risk RCC after nephrectomy.

In vivo and in silico anti-inflammatory mechanism of action of the semisynthetic (-)-cubebin derivatives (-)-hinokinin and (-)-O-benzylcubebin.

(-)-Cubebin (CUB), isolated from seeds of Piper cubeba, was used as starting material to obtain the derivatives (-)-hinokinin (HK) and (-)-O-benzyl cubebin (OBZ). Using paw edema as the experimental model and different chemical mediators (prostaglandin and dextran), it was observed that both derivatives were active in comparison with both negative (5% Tween® 80 in saline) and positive (indomethacin) controls. The highest reduction in the prostaglandin-induced edema was achieved by OBZ (66.